Harrowgate Junior School 1969. Photograph courtesy of Peter Jordison
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Harrowgate Junior School 1969. Photograph courtesy of Peter Jordison
I was informed by Alan Tippey’s niece recently that Alan sadly passed away in February 2019.
Thanks for all you kind comments about my late father, James Allen. The school was his pride and joy and he would be delighted that you have fond memories of your time there. Talking of the great blackness; I don’t remember the colour of the sky but I do remember collecting hailstones the size of golf balls in a plastic seaside bucket after the storm had finished.
I remember that day. There were large hailstones pelting from the sky, and the sky went black. I was in first year at Hardwick Secondary modern school in a french exam. The exam was cancelled and kid’s were screaming.. It cleared up within 20mins and I remember I didn’t walk home for lunch but ran home. The sky was grey and dull…
Thanks Anon – thats everybody named, not bad after 40 years.
The unidentified girl 6th left middle row is barbara davidson
TO ANYONE INTERESTED, ON JULY 2ND THE EVENING GAZETTE ARE RUNNING A PIECE ON THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE THE GREAT BLACKNESS. LOCAL PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWED ABOUT WHAT THEY REMEMBER OF THE DAY – SHOULD BE A GOOD READ.
thanks for the information peter. keep adding stuff, i really enjoy reading it.i come on here almost every day.. i was working in littlewoods at the time we had the great blackness! after it all stopped i sat behind the sweet counter and ate some sweets whilst i was supposed to be tidying up.the manager, mr phelen, called me to get my photograph took for the northern echo. i have the pic somewhere but i dont know where.
I never witnessed the great blackness, I was at that time laid on the beach at scarborough in baking sunshine. we heard it on the radio later that night and were very worried about our family in ragworth. My dad had come home from work and apparantly carried lots of school kids across a massive puddle at the bottom of dumbarton ave, they were from st.johns and ragworth schools, anybody remember that?
I was too young to remember the “great blackness”, but I think it must be the same event my Dad told me about. He was working in shop in Stockton High Street and said the sky also went green before it came in really dark. He said he saw people kneeling down in shop doorways believing the end of the world was nigh. When I was in my twenties I was in a band called The Storm, which we named after the event. I think The Great Darkness may have been an even better name. Anyway, the storm was was certainly more memorable than anything our band ever did!
WHILST WALKING THROUGH STOCKTON LIBRARY THIS MORNING I CAME ACROSS A PHOTO COPY OF AN OLD GAZETTE PINNED TO THE WALL, THE HEADLINE SCREAMED MIDNIGHT AT MIDAY,WHICH REFERED TO THE AFORE MENTIONED “GREAT BLACKNESS”,THE DATE ON THE PAPER WAS JULY 2ND 1968.
Really sorry to hear about Mr Allen, he was a gentleman. After visiting this site, me and my sister started reminiscing about our time at Harrowgate. We have fond memories of a number of teachers including, Mr Graham, Miss Jennings, Mrs Spendly, Mr Thornton, Mr Morrell, Mr Nelson to name but a few. We”ve had a few laughs remembering the school discos and the outdoor centres that we visited, I went to Hexham Outdoor Centre and my sister went to Carlton and both had a great time. Also have 2 older brothers who attended the school. Happy memories!!
I was informed this week that mr james allen [head master in this pic] sadly passed away in january 2008, aged 83. Deepest sympathy to mr Allen”s family and friends
It must of been around this time anon. I remember sitting in Miss Wrights class at hardwick juniors when the event happened. It was a great thing to happen and recall it being quite spooky. To Peter you are right when you say it was a good place to be in the 60″s, always things to do, Hardwick youth club, Hardwick community centre, later came jazz bands and all the churches in Hardwick always had something going on. Hardwick baptist had boys bridgade and the girls adventures and we always had chance to go away with sunday school even just to sunny Marske for the day. Happy memories.
The great “blackness” was in, I think, July,1968 and it really did go dark. The Gazette that evening had a picture of central Middlesbrough and it looked like a winter”s evening with the shop lights on. It was during a spell of very unsettled weather,with heavy downpours and some local flooding. I remember it catching out a string of Mini cars, vulnerable with their electrics at the front just behind the grill.
Hi Derek Great to hear from you,hope you are enjoying your retirement.It is a great picture to think all of us will turn 50 this year and next[where do the years go?] It was a great school,we probably did”nt realize it at the time it was a great time to be a kid on Hardwick. Ive asked this question a few times ,do you [or anybody else for that matter] remember it turning piched black at about 11 30 am in 67/68,im sure i was in your class at the time[or is my memory playing tricks]. Once again nice to hear from you Derek,if you go to my photo”s page on friends reunited you will find a couple more taken around the same time. The team at picture Stockton have my e mail address if anybody wants to get in touch regards Peter
Hi Peter Derek Graham here, it”s a great picture I remember most of this “crew”.Thought you might like to know Mr. Mallaby like me is retired as is Mr. Allen. Great days at a great school.
Harrowgate Junior School – Back row L to R: Mr Mallaby, George Middlemass, Alan Tippey, Billy Neal, Steve Kielly, Ian Dodds, Tony Robertson, Clive Bruce, Richard Walker, Martin Fishburn, Mr Allen (Headmaster). Middle Row L to R: Stuart Young, Keith Owens, Colin Cuthbert, Geoff Harbottle, Lynn Belaby, ???, Christine Bullas, Peter Jordison, Tony Shaw, Michael Walton, Trevor Blackburn, Gary Saunders. Front Row L to R: Glynis Dent, Rita Saycell, Denise Flowers, Linda Dawson, Carol Leslie, Susan Allinson, Ann Jinks, Christine Brand, Susan Brennen, Jackie Woodward, Susan Jarrat. Seated on floor L to R: John Smith, Ian Mc Lurg, Derek Chipchase, Graham Ellis. I am still in touch with a few of the people. Others I”ve not seen for years, I”d particularly like to know what Mr Mallaby (teacher) is doing these days.
Thanks for posting this picture, but I think you are mixed up with the names and year as I am in the picture and was in Mr Mallaby’s class 7, I left and started Hardwick secondary in the summer of 1971.
Sorry David, it’s you thats wrong, this in definitely July 1969 and all the names are correct.