Prince Regent Street, Stockton in 1957 and 50 years later in 2007. Photographs courtesy of Stan Hilton 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Prince Regent Street, Stockton in 1957 and 50 years later in 2007. Photographs courtesy of Stan Hilton
We used to go to the pantomine every Xmas in the 1940’s until we left for Australia in 1951
these pictures bring back a lot of happy memories.
Regarding Ragworth Hall in Norton… During the war, around 1943/44 I went there to nursery and remember the inside of the building and gardens out the back where we played.
Out of all the images on this site of the hippodrome/classic/cannon, this is the one that reminds me of going there as a child/youth. I can remember going to see Sleeping Beauty there either xmas 67 or 68 the panto was rubbish but Anita Harris as Sleeping Beauty was gorgeous.
I remember another incident on the Prince Regent Street/Dovecot Street junction, though not as personally unpleasant as Harry Rhodes encounter with the business end of a terrier. Producing printers type was a hot, noisy business in the 1950″s and the window was always open in the first floor room where the casting machine worked. Sticking my head out for a breath of cool air one day I saw a brewers wagon loaded with crates and barrels take the corner into Nelson Terrace just a bit too quickly and the load shifted, scattering and smashing its contents all over the intersection. Gallons were swept down the drains in the clear-up. I know the smell of beer took a while to disappear.
In answer to Harry Rhodes question A row of cottages were demolished on the West-Row , (now lead into Darlington Lane from The Green) and a substantial brick residence was built for Sir Robert Ropner , a local industrialist and ship-builder in the 1880 A granary of the Summerhouse windmill (burnt down 1863) was converted into a coach-house and stables Thia was the height of Nortons Georgian /Victorian Social Splendour, with 9 fine houses employing in 1885 over 120 servants and their families A “Edwardian Twilight” was to follow with the first World War taking not only the villagers but the sons of many of the Gentry , which saw by 1920 only one of the Big-Houses having its previous status (The Priory ) In 1926 the Bishop of Hexam and Newcastle purchased Ragworth hall for the growing population of those of the Catholic faith This religious use was shared from 1928 , by a private school set up for the children of incoming technical and administrive staff of I C I Billingham (it later moved across The Green to become “Red-House School”, ) In 1933 the stable and Granary became the o frame-work of St Joseph R.C Church Compulsory purchase in 1939 saw it a out-school for Stockton L.E.A , in case of bombing The Church retained Ragworth-Hall till the late 1960s for homless families In an interior derelict state it was demolished and Chantry-Estate was built Regarding the air-raid shelters in Harry”s comment One is still in place in the grounds of Frederick Nattrass School,, visible alongside Darlington Lane This Brick and Re enforced Concrete block , designed for 50 pupils is now a storage shed , but the anti-gas filter holders (corroded) are still attached to the air-vents, this was to allow the children to breath , through their own masks the partly filtered air
Oh dear! Stan Hilton, your black and white photograph showing the corner of Dovecote Street and Nelson Terrace brought back memories of a not too pleasant incident in which I was involved back in 1942. During the early years of the Second World War, we pupils of the Stockton Secondary School were evacuated to Ragworth Hall, near to the Norton Green, whilst air raid shelters were constructed in the playground at Nelson Terrace. These shelters were of simple design, being triple brick boxes with six inch reinforced concrete roofs. Very robust structures that could withstand just about anything but a direct hit. At Ragworth Hall, the ordinary classroom lessons were conducted, Maths,English etc. But the laboratory work required for Chemistry and Physics was still held at Nelson Terrace. You may imagine several dozen second and third formers whooping their way from the Hall to the “0” Bus to take them into Stockton. It was on one of these occasions that I arrived at the corner that you have captured so clearly. I think that the small shop was at that time a Greengrocers.It was at that at that point that I received a terrific blow to my left buttock. I was surprised to see a small Terrier hanging from my backside, although not for long. The embarrassment of torn trousers and a spreading blood stain, with grown ups saying, dear oh dear, better go to Hospital. And with that I limped off to the Hospital in Bowesfield Lane where I was patched up.I missed Chemistry that day. I still have the scar with its distinct teeth marks. My Wife has just checked it out for me. On the subject of Ragworth Hall, possibly Bob Harbron would have some information regarding the who and the when. I noticed a few years ago when on a visit to Norton, that the Hall was no longer there. Just another housing estate. Sad really.
Stan Hilton – I have a of a photograph of Billingham Press comp room taken in 1962 (at Billingham) which was taken by Ivan Harrington. It shows myself, foreman Mick McCabe, Harry Johnson, John Marlbrough, Tony Butterfield and a couple of others. George Pratt taught me my trade and I remember one year when everyone was getting a 10/- (50p) merit rise he got me £1. I met Ivan a couple of years ago and he gave me a copy of the photograph, but unfortunately he is reluctant to let me upload it! Thinking more about my time at Billingham Press I left there in September 1967 after spending a six year apprenticeship and one year as a journeyman.
Brian Swales. Our paths must have almost crossed, I worked as a journeyman at Billingham Press in Brunswick Street from around 1967 to late 69.
The shot of Prince Regen Street in 1957 certainly brings back memories! I also served my time as a “Comp” . . . at nearby Billingham Press from 1960-1966.
There are 50 years between these two images of Prince Regent Street, looking towards Dovecot Street and Nelson Terrace. The black and white photograph I took during a lunch break in 1957 from the front door of Edward Appleby’s printing works where I was serving my time as a compositor. With the road still cobbled, on the opposite corner was the Hippodrome and across the road Duncans grocery shop. The gentleman striding purposefully towards the camera was Tom Livingston, my foreman, the man who taught me to take earning a living seriously, along with many of the skills that helped me do that consistently for 50 years. Against the wall on the right of the photograph is the shop bike which although the company had an Austin A35 van still did plenty of mile delivering around the town. Under the carrier bike are the metal plates that were lifted for the coke to be delivered into the cellar to heat the building. At that time most of the building’s work spaces were heated by cast iron pot bellied “Romesse” stoves which the apprentices lit and stoked during the winter months. The colour photograph I took on a recent Saturday afternoon after a coffee in Pacittos. Only Appleby’s old building survives from the original picture on what is now a busy cross town route. The building is inhabited by various businesses including a hairdressers and a coffee shop in the old bindery. Maybe I’ll have my cuppa there next time I’m in town.