This photograph and associated comment were provided by Stan Hilton: Theres been quite a lot of reference recently to the Tilery Rec, or to give it its correct name the North End Recreation Ground, so I thought I would send in this picture which shows the slides and roundabout which were the focus of many of my days during the 1940s. In the background between the two slides are farm buildings which I think were Holme Farm, where the prison now stands. Bob Harbron can probably give us the answer. Through the trees to the left is Swainby road and out of shot on the right was the fives wall. It looks like I scrubbed up pretty good, socks pulled up, clean collar and even a tie, very much out of character, must have took some nagging to keep me like this. I think the photograph was taken during my aunts wedding reception in St. James Hall on the corner of Talbot Street and Norton Road in 1947. My early memories of living in Tilery are mainly good ones, although things must have been difficult for my mother and grandparents with rationing and shortages. While my mother went to work as a plumbers mate in the ICI I went to the nursery which was also adjacent to the rec between St. James Hall and the house of Mr Thomas, the rec superintendent, known to my mother as the law, a man to be respected. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
My father, also called Ray, lived in Talbot Street opposite the rec. Back in 50s when I was a kid we used to visit his mams and I used to go off and play in the rec. I remember the slides and roundabout, there used to be a big wall there, dont know if it was left from an old building? I remember there were cricket stumps painted on it that people used it to hit tennis balls etc at.
The wall you refer to was used for handball just after the war… I think there were two teams of five players but I do not know what the rules were (IF ANY) I was born in Swainby Road in 1938 and lived there until 1956 when I joined the army. I live in Australia now, but have some great memories of all the people…
I vaguely remember you Neville when we were children. I believe your mum married again and had a baby about the same time as I had my first which was Nov 1960.I was very fond of Aunty Lily and Uncle Alan, who was very supportive of my mother when my dad died when we were in Australia. I’ve been researching the Laing family tree so if you are interested please contact PS and they will let you have my email address. Great memories of Tilery ‘rec’ and the fair!
Maureen Walker, you stirred up many fond memories of the annual rec’ fair and it certainly was the highlight of the year! So much to see and do. I remember being scared of the two
headed goat in a side show of curiosities including of course the ‘bearded’ lady. I also
remember going on the bumper cars with my Grandfather, I suffered a nasty bump on my forehead as I hit the steering wheel after someone bumped us from behind! My Grandfather
was Alan Laing from Moss st. who I believe was your Uncle. My Mum is Isabel, sister to Manus
and Arthur Laing.
If you search for Housewife Lane Barry, you will see I’ve been researching my Grandad Casey, he died 1939, none of his grandchildren knew him so decided to try and learn a bit about him. I now have nearly all his WW1 records, he served in the K.O.S.B and was amongst the 1st to go to France, as such he was one of the Old Contemtables, realy proud of him. Saw uncle Mike (Tippey) month or two ago on rare visit into Stockton, just about to start research into his dad, my grandad, Wally Tippey – He rode the horses that pulled the guns in WW1. Its hit and miss if 1st War records survived the bombing during WW2, those that survived are called
The Burnt Documents. Nice to hear your back in UK, might have its faults but still best country in the world, pity we never got hold of the Brian Clough photo or got that one John Calvert had tidied up, would have love a copy of that.
HELLO AGAIN DEREK, WE MOVED BACK TO THE UK IN FEB THIS YEAR. I SEE MICK TIPPEY IN THE TOWN AND WE ALWAYS HAVE A CHAT, FUNNY HOW WE NEVER GET TIRED OF TALKING ABOUT OUR DAYS SPENT AT TILERY SCHOOL, OR WHEN WE ALL WENT TO THE JUBILEE HALL ON A SATURDAY NIGHT, DRESS CODE: TIGHT ICE BLUE JEANS, WHITE SHIRT, WHITE SOCKS AND BLACK SHOES – GREAT TIMES THAT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
Yes Maureen, Wally Tippey was my Uncle. When I was a kid Uncle Wally used to visit and I would sit and tap his false leg not realy understanding why it made a noise. Uncle Wally like the rest of the Tippeys were lovley people, mam was Wallys sister she was Norah Casey (nee Tippey) we lived in both Danby & Swainby Rd, not see Brian for years. Trevor lives not to far away from me in Billingham, not seen Sandra since we were both children, would be interested in any other names from both Tilery & Swainby you might remember.
Our next door neighbours in Craister St were Wally & Ivy Tippy, I think they had relatives in Swainby Rd. They had 2 boys,Brian & Trevor & a daughter, Sandra. Wally lost his leg in an accident at ICI & with the compensation bought a house in Ida St Norton. Were they related to you Derek?
Maureen so many Laings in Craister Street, Bob & Tilly in 28 Walter & Dorothy in 15.
The Conroys lived in the bottom house as I re-call.
Max.
Was that Mr Moore who used to go to the I O G T in St James Hall?
I remember Tom & Daisy very well, I went through school with Keith and sat in the same class. The eleven plus came and Keith was brighter than most of the lads and he went off to a better school, when Tom & Daisy lived in Danby rd I used to go round and play with Keith we both shared a love for Dinkey cars, never saw Keith for years but on the occasions we met always big smiles for each other a nice lad. Must admit the best place to grow up in { Swainby & Danby rd }some of the loveliest people god put on this earth lived in both roads, can you remember any of the Caseys or Tippeys who lived down there at this time, my mates at the time Carrberys, Littlefairs, Wilsons,George Thomas,Freddy Newby, Davy Mcmaster,shamy Thomas,Brian Ransom
many more, sitting on someones steps telling stories, playing jack jack show your light and many many more games, never a dull moment
could go on and on, all the best Derek
Can’t share the same memories as Barry regarding Tilery School as my brothers and i went to Bailey Street, but we spent a lot if time at Gran’s house when we lived in Oxford Street before we moved to Hardwick when I was 10. I do remember John Calvert being a friend of Keith although not the other names Barry mentions.
IT WAS INTERESTING READING DORITHY BUTLER’S STORY ABOUT TOM & DAISY BOWES, I KNEW THEM VERY WELL, I WAS BORN IN 70 SWAINBY ROAD, I KNOCKED ABOUT WITH KEITH AND VISITED HIS HOUSE ON NORTON ROAD MANY TIMES, WE WENT TO SCHOOL TOGETHER, OTHER LADS WHO KNOCKED AROUND WITH US WERE, JOHN CALVERT, RONNIE PATTERSON AND TERRY DANKS, THE FAIR WAS GREAT, I MANAGED TO GET A JOB ON ONE OF THE STALLS SELLING BINGO TICKETS, MYSELF, JOHN, RONNIE AND TERRY STILL GET TOGETHER FOR A NIGHT OUT AND CATCH UP ON OLD TIMES, YOU NEVER GET TIRED OF HEARING THE STORIES ABOUT OUR DAYS LIVING IN SWAINBY ROAD, AND GOING TO TILERY SCHOOL.
Back in 1980/81 a fair was held on the old Malleable site on Portrack Lane approximately opposite the end of Ross Road, where the Malleable canteen was originally sited,Arco now occupies the site.
The houses you can see behind the trees are in Danby Road not Swainby Road. My Grandparents Tom and Daisy Bowes lived in No.6 Danby Road, they moved in when the houses were built around 1926 and moved in the late 60’s to a flat in the original Danby Court. My mother Dolly and her sisters Jean, Dinah and Barbara spent a great deal playing in the Rec and later my brothers sister and cousins played there. The big slide was indeed taken down because kids fell off the top of it. The Bowling Green and Putting Green were immaculately kept and people were always playing tennis at the courts. My mother Dolly played for Tilery Road Ladies Football Team for a short while and their matches were held at the Rec, the man who ran the team was called Mattie, he also ran a young mens team. My cousin Keith Bowes went to the Nursery next to St. James’ Hall whilst his mother Jean worked full time until he went to Tilery Road School and later Stockton Grammar on the corner of Garbutt Street.
We used to spend all day in the Rec during school holidays in the summer with our jam sandwiches and bottle of water, then go across the bridge to Grans to meet mam to go back to Oxford Street where we lived. The visit of the Annual Fair was a magical time for me it totally changed the atmosphere of the Rec for the time it was there, as did Stockton Show which was held there.
I am sure Keith Bowes was at SGS Garbutt Street when I was there from 1961. Remember a bus ended up in the beck at some point and spent many a Saturday watching football with Knights of St Columba at the rec.
A very good point about the fair, I always remember in the middle 60’s the rec was packed when the fair came, yet again great times.
Stockton Fair – in addition to Tilery Rec. the fair has been held at several other places in Stockton, these included
– on the moor at the back of Oxbridge
– on waste land at the rear of the junction of Yarm Road and Hartburn Lane
– it was even in Ropner Park one year
Any memories of it being held elsewhere in the town?
Maureen…the Fair was the highlight of the year wasn’t it? I lived just off Norton Green, in Darlington Lane, but would watch the fair going up from the top deck of the “O” bus, getting more excited as the Saturday night approached. Then with remnants of pocket money in hand… off to the Fair. I still have a vivid memory of going in to see the body of Jesse James, complete with bullet wounds!! Crikey!! The sign said that he had been retrieved from the catacombs in Mexico City. What great days eh?
BTW, Pam Hutchinson. Are you by any chance married to John (Jim) Hutchinson, who used to live in Pine Street, Norton? I’d love to hear from you both, if so. E-mail address at Picture Stockton.
I’ve enjoyed reading all the stories of happy childhoods down the ‘rec’ but I’m surprised nobody has mentioned the highlight of the year when the fair came down. I lived in Craister St from 1939 till I married in 1959 & used get so excited when the Crow Bros big trucks trundled along Talbot St. Once the rides & stalls were set up we spent our pennies on the ‘Over the Sticks’ & ‘Swingy Boats’ etc. I also remember some weird side-shows with the bearded lady & other strange things on display. Every night I’d fall asleep to the strains of Frankie Laine singing ‘Jezabel’ or something similar.
Great memories!
Right on the money Derek? Who needed computer games in those great days – endless hours of football, cricket, or checking out lustrum beck, and its many bridges? It was a magnet to myself and friends, I remember the Tilery sports centre when it was built and many happy hours playing in the rec, that slide, roundabout etc. Happy days.
Who needed computer and game consoles in the 50s & 60s? In those days we went to Blackets brick yard looking for frogs & newts, used coats for goal posts playing in the rec all day, jumping off the Swainby Rd bridge onto the grass we collected after the rec grass was cut, swings made with any old rope we could get hold of, tomos farm building camps with the stucks or bails of corn, getting old bike wheels to put on any kind of bike frame (no tyres), long slides in the cold winters, roasting taties round the bondy fires – I could go on and on…
I lived on Norton road, opposite the police houses on Swainby Road. I went to Tilery Road school, and left in 1954. My first job was at Blacketts brickyard with lads from Swainby road. My mates were Horace(Ochy)Carbury, Johnnie and Nicky Butler, Derek Oliver, Jackie Mandeville and Colin Thomas. All lived in Swainby Road and Danby Road.
IVOR, can you remember the u-beut bow and arrows I think you got for xmas at one time? We were playing over the pottery and you let an arrow go and got Ken Carberry in the back of the shoulder…{no damage done as far as I remember} I will never forget those days. REGARDS derek oliver
My mum lived in Tilery Rd Joan Oliver her dad was Arthur. I wonder if you’re related?
Sorry George Clements, as far as I know a person named Moss did not inherit my Fathers business. I am Tommy”s youngest daughter.
Does anyone remember a Watson family that lived in Thorpe street? My Great Grandad lived there and I have gone quite far back with tree but want some stories as im putting together a book. Also does anyone know the name of the pub that was on Thorpe Street?
Raissa/June King – Hi, I have researched the Moore family tree, Emily Gilbert (nee moore) is my Grandmother. I think Raissa, Your Husband is my Cousin, William! Emily is the Grand-daugther of Charles William and Isabella Moore (nee Rutter) not the Daughter. Her Mother and Father are Charles Moore the son of the above two and Mary Moore (nee Symons). It was also these two who ran the shop on the corner of Tilery Road and Temple Street. Hope this helps!!
June King – I am researching the Moores family. My husband is a grandson of Emily Gilbert (nee Moore). She is a daughter of Charles William and Isabella Moore (nee Rutter). Charles was born in Doncaster in 1874 and died in Stockton on Tees in abt 1955. He also had a sister Isabella Moore, born in Stockton in abt 1881. Is it the same Isabells as in your family tree?
Mr Thomas, Tilery Rec Superintendant (The Law) referred to above was my grandfather! My mother, Gwen McDiarmid (nee Thomas), was indeed known as “The Law”s Lass” and wrote her book a number of years ago – in fact, I typed the manuscript for her! My mother (now in her 80s) still lives in Stockton and often talks about her times living at Tilery Rec with her sister and three brothers. Two of her brothers, Stanley and Raymond have since died; another brother, Alwyn is still living in Stockton and her sister, Audrey now lives in Austria but often comes “home” to Stockton for visits (she is there right now, in fact). There must be a picture on this site somewhere of the flower display my grandfather did for the Queen”s Coronation? I need to find that next….
I am interested to know where I could get a map of Kingston Street. Our Great Grandparents also lived in Kingston Street. I have looked at the book The Laws Lass and found it interesting but I have since found out that the photos I am after were before Mr Thomas”s time.
I have a map of kingston street my great grand parents lived on that street, I grew up round there and lived in swainby rd when the old tilery houses were knocked down and new ones erected( cardboard city was its name when the new houses went up )it has since been re modernised I remember danby rd I also lived there I remember a lot of folk from those areas and see a lot of them still today the police houses at the top of swainby rd are still there allthough not occupied by the law they have very large cameras in cages at a height at the top of the rd
Hi Pam,
I would be really interested in your map of Kingston Street. We lived at the bottom house number 37 and my grandparents – Norman Thompson & Olive May Thompson (nee Greenfield) lived at number 2 Kingston Street. Can you post it on Picture Stockton?
Just in case you don’t get a response from Pam (as her message was posted in 2005)…
You can see a 1951 map of Kingston St. and surroundings here:
https://www.old-maps.co.uk/index.html#/Map/444989/520195/13/101329
And in these 1953 images:
https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EAW052009
https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EAW052014
(if you register, for free, you can zoom in)
Sadly the http://www.old-maps.co.uk site is no longer available, so the link I included in my comment isn’t going to work. So far, the only replacement I have found for it is:
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18&lat=54.57525&lon=-1.30544&layers=168&b=1
But the more detailed maps (1:500 & 1:1250) aren’t available on that site.
Hi I would like to see Kingston Street please I lived in number 3 my mam was Edna Price nee Creaser
To Stan Hilton: Thanks for the reply. My Grandparents were called Thomas and Isabella Blair, before her marriage my Grandmother was Moore. We have discovered that her brother was William Henry Moore who ran, along with his wife, Moore”s shop on the corner of Tilery Road and Temple Street.
June King: The book “The Law”s Lass” that I discussed with Harry Rhodes earlier in this thread covers the “Rec” during the 1930″s and describes how it was well kept. There are some photographs in it but mainly of the family and the tennis courts and bowling green. Is King the name of the family you are researching because my great grandparents who lived in Milbank Street were Kings.
I would like to know if any one has any old pictures of “Tilery Rec.” from around 1925 to 1938. We are looking into our family tree and our Grandparents lived in Kingston Street and around this time our Grandfather worked as a gardener after suffering a heart attack. We believe that the gardens were very well kept then.
I MUST SAY TO DEREK CASEY THAT I LIKE HIM ENJOYED BEING A KID LIVING IN SWAINBY ROAD, THAT BRIDGE OVER LUSTRUM BECK GOT CROSSED MORE TIMES FROM THE BOTTOM AS IT DID FROM THE TOP, AND IF YOU FELL OFF YOU GOT UP AND TRIED AGAIN. THE CLAYHOLE WAS OUR PLAYGROUND AS WAS THE OLD BRICKYARD BETWEEN TILERY AND PORTRACK, I HAVE TRIED TO EMAIL YOU DEREK BUT I THINK YOU HAVE CHANGED IT SINCE WE LAST HAD CONTACT, I AM LIVING IN SPAIN NOW.
Do any of you lads remember Bob or Brian Butler who lived on Tilery, Canning St where I was born?. Just opposite Head Wrightsons gates.
Derek Casey. Derek, you are right about the name of the football club. I had thought it was an Irish name but just couldn”t remember fully. As you put it, we had some great times playing down there. I would just add that for the last 34 years I have been a secondary school teacher. Not bad for a lad who left Tilery at 15. I have often wondered what the teachers such as George Kennedy, Alan Cornforth, Taffy Jones, Bob Smailes (I think) and Harry Rigg would have said. lol Regards. George ( although in those days I was known by my middle name of Ron.
the field next to Blackets was later called the rocks field and when the Blackets brickworks closed we had loads of fun in the old place in fact i fell off the roof and cut my head open . i to went to Tilery Road Boys then over to norton school ,i lived in Tilery then moved over to portrack as they pulled down the old tilery, they were the best days of my life
To George Clements, if memory serves me right George the field next to Blackets brick yard was for the portrack shamrocks football team,the railway line you mentioned was the one running past Thompsons farm, and yes we also placed 6″ nails on the rail lines to get completley flattened, ours were put on long bamboo and we would go ratting all day long along banks of lustrum beck, that beck was the best entertainment you could have in those days and all free, we would build dams across the beck and if we got hold of the old tin baths, well it was paradise, spent many an hour in the rec throwing the “throwing arrows } bamboo & spent bullet case you could still pick up around old dock { and other places} stick bullet case on one end of bamboo, make the flight out of cardboard and away you go, when the rec grass was cut we collected as much as we could and placed it under the bridge, {the bridge across lustrum beck }and jumped off bridge onto grass for hour after hour, great days never never ever bored in those days, i could go on and on George,all the best Derek
Derek, I well remember the brickworks run by Blackets, not the same firm as the shop in Stockton High Street though. Many”s the hour I”ve played in the clay pit although I had to be careful becuase during the 1950s my dad worked for Blackets for a time. Next to the brick works was a field on which a local football team used to play. Across the field, beyond the pitch, was a stream which we used to regularly go to look for and catch newts, frogs etc. We also used to put nails on the railway line that ran into ICI in order to make swords. Harmless fun that todays youngsters have missed out on.
i can remeber Tommy Burr having the coal yard on the Portrack allotments and going over there with the bottom half of a pram to get a bag of coal, usually with other lads from Swainby, if memory serves me right Tommy left that place and went to Railway st { between Hills & Downings Iron foundry where i served my time as a moulder all through the 60s,remember Blackets brick making place, best newts, lizards, frogs in the world,when you think back we had some of the best play areas in the country, spent hours jumping lustrum beck,tomo s farm was always there for sundays veg, great days.
Derek, many thanks for your reply. It would appear that you had more or less started at Tilery Boys as I was leaving. As for names of boys from Swainby/Danby Road they escape me. Mainly because I was living in Portrack when I went to school. One lad from my year did do quite well for himself. I think his surname was Moss and after leaving school he got a job with Tommy Burr, a coal merchant in Portrack. He inherited the business when Tommy died. The lad himself didn”t look capable of lifting a sack of coal let alone carry it. Regards. George
To George Clement, Goerge i went to Tilery Boys,left 1962-63, i lived in both Swainby & Danby in my younger years and would have know all the lads who went to school with you even though they would be a little older, perhaps you could name a few, all the best George, Derek
Derek Casey. If you don”t mind my asking, which school did you attend? I went to Tilery Road Boys and quite a number of the boys came from Swainby/Danby Road area. I left school in 1959 and moved away from Stockton in 1963.
To Tony French, like you i lived in Danby Rd, made dams across beck, gathered grass when the rec was cut placed it under the bridge to jump off. Splodged in the beck with old ostermilk tin to catch stickle backs, scared to death of blood suckers we all got out when we saw those, remember your mother one day in the very early 70s looking at my youngest son Mark and your mother saying ” He”s a Casey ” my dad was Robert Casey and my mother was Nora { Tippey } Casey sure you remember those names. I can still see all the old folks from that time in my minds eye.
I also lived on Kingston Street befor we moved to Swainby Road one name I remember is Susan Armstrong she lived at the top of Kingston Sreet we lived at number 21 if I remember right we went to Tilery Road school my brother Stephen sister Irene Smith.
Hi Derek I also remember gathering grass and putting it in the beck and jumping of the bridge along with Norma Wilson Rose Griffin and all the other names I have told you before do you remember when the rec would flood and we had to go the long way to school .
Hi Joan I remember to having to go the long way round to school when the beck flooded because the bridge had wooden planks on it with big gaps to see through and the water would be right up to the planks and it was pretty scary I can always remember that too
I played football in the “Rec” and used to “swing the bridge” across from Danby Road (we lived at number 17)- often slipping off and landing in the “beck”. I now live (retired) in Lincoln but I think Tees-side people are the funniest folk with great sense of dry humour.
Although I was very young I remember playing here probably with Paul Smith and I”m almost certain my older brother David fell off the tall slide maybe that”s why it was removed.
I spent many happy days in this park.
Harry, passed the end of Talbot Street on Saturday on my way to the High Street which I know seems to have had a bit of a bad press here lately, but I still enjoy being a “market day moocher”. I digress, Providence Cottage was still there although I couldn”t swear to the plaque still being on the wall but where the rec house, nursery and St. James Hall once stood is now just a fenced off grassed area. I remember my mother buying the book you mention at a promotion when it was first published where she talked to the author who she knew from her days in Compton Street,I know it brought back many memories.
Stan & Derek – Thanks for the clarification, as I say sometimes memories aren”t quite as sharp as you”d like, regards – Mike
The rocking horse was on the left of picture, through the trees is Danby Rd, if any one remebers the slide nearest to the young lad was the biggest of the 2 slides, and was taken down after a few falls from it, what a shame to see the old Rec the way it is to day, as a young lad in the 60s me and the lads from Swainby Rd spent many an hour on the bowling green, all the best to all – Derek Casey
Hi to Derek Casey I could read the stories of Swainby and Danby Road all night long as I have many fond memories of Danby Road and the rec and we used to all play in the beck to making tarzies on the trees swinging over the beck making dams etc great times but the thing I remember most was how friendly everybody was and everybody knew everyone on Swainby Road and Danby we used to live in number 4 Danby Road my mam and dad was Patricia and Ray Black and I lived there from 70s and 80s my dad’s mam and dad was Winnie and Harry Black lived on Swainby Road at the top of the bank from the bridge and also remember Frankie and Pat Smart on Swainby Road with their kids titchy and Malcolm (mala) used to come and collect the Littlewoods pools money from my dad just great memories of people from that time and everyday seemed to be a sunny day I always remember and then long hot summers
Stan, I was interested in your references to Tilery Rec” or as you correctly named it North End Recreation Ground. During the 50s I lived in the corner house of Talbot Street and Norton Road.The house was, and probably still is called “Providence Cottage” and there was a plaque on the front wall to that effect. My dining room window looked out directly into St.James Hall. I wonder, have you ever come across a booklet with the title of “The Law”s Lass” by G.McDiarmid, who I believe to be Gwenn Thomas, whose Father was “The Law” to which your Mother referred. I bought this book in 2000 on my last visit to Teesside, at the Green Dragon Tourist Information Centre for the sum of two pounds ninety nine. It is a fifty page booklet filled with stories of the Thomas Family and is a wonderful glimpse into Family life in the Rec”House. Holidays at Redcar, Schooldays, visits to Town, the development of recreational facilities in the Rec” and with many interesting photographs, poems, songs, all told in cheerful, unaffected way. The book finishes on a sad note with the declaration of War on September 3rd 1939. Would things ever be the same? Of course, they never were.
My memory is a bit blurry on that one too, but I think the rocking horse was on the left just out of shot. Unless anyone knows better.
Stan – one question where was the rocking horse, to the right of the slides or to the left of the roundabout? Memory fails on that one!