Auxiliary Fire Service WW2 Xmas party. Photograph and information courtesy of Brian Leak. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Auxiliary Fire Service WW2 Xmas party. Photograph and information courtesy of Brian Leak.
Granny, I thought your name rang a bell, thank you for your kind regards. Colin is still around living in Hartburn although I dont see as much of him as I used to. If you follow all the news on this site you will have read that I worked at the Heads Training Centre till I retired in 1997. I worked at Heads for a lot of years as did my father Bill and my uncle Billy Price who both worked in the Bridgeyard all their working lives and the Littlewoods were often talked about in conversations between both Billys. Keep on the site Granny.
Yes Bob, Lauries son is David who lives in Australia. I last saw him about 1991 at one of my brothers home in N.S.W. I was on a visit and David and his wife came down from Sydney. Laurie was one of my mothers brothers. They were from a large family in Buchanon St. Next door were the Soppitts, which I think may explain me years later entering Harrys Apprentice School with no choice of anything but a Template shop! It stood me in good stead and I finished up doing well in the Oil Industry. Len, I am who you call Granny!! I spoke to Benny on the phone a few days ago and I also send regards to Ken Rhodes – Ken, is Colin Richards still around?
David carried on his template making long after retirement. His wife made lots of Christmas cakes and David had templates for all the tins. He then used these for cutting out the greaseproof paper for them prior to putting the mix in for baking. Remember him making a dolls house for his grand daughters. All fitted out with lights for each room. Very clever man.
There were three Littlewood brothers who worked at Head Wrightsons, Thornaby – the twins Dave & Charlie, then Alf who was the Template Shop foreman.
Granville you bring back memories. Lauries son (David?) was at school with me. Also, the chap Laurie left the business to when he retired was Albert Iredale who had worked for him from leaving school. I did not know the relationship with the Littlewoods but I was a friend of David Littlewood. He and his brother were twins.
The fireman on the extreme right is Laurie Birch, a well known pianist who played in some big dance bands. He was a pal of Bert Waller from Thornaby who was piano accompianist to some well known singers. Laurie worked for himself as a French Polisher and lived in Grangefield Rd, just about in line with Stockton Crickets Club Sight Screen, a straight six often hitting their house!! His wife Cissie was a sister of the Littlewood brothers who were Template Makers at Head Wrightsons.
This group are Fire Service at what I think is a Xmas party during the second world war, the only person I can identify is my father Jim Leak who is the one not in uniform. My father was only in the Fire Service during the war.