This wonderful photograph was taken by Jack Marriott during the 1950s and shows the Vane Arms Hotel which was on the east side of the High Street where the Castlegate Centre now stands.
Courtesy of Stockton Museum Service.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
I remember staying at the Vane Arms with my father when he made a businesss trip to Stockton in the late 1950s. At the time, we lived in Blackburn and it was quite a journey cross country by train. I was seven or eight at the time and the thing which stays in my memory to this day was the breakfast we were served. The sausages were long and thin and were the most delicious flavour I had ever tasted. My father had to return the following year and I begged him to take me again – simply because of those sausages. I’m greatly saddened to hear that the hotel has been bulldozed…
My great grandfather operated as a successful cab and carriage proprietor in Stockton High Street, in front of the Vane Arms Hotel. His horses were stabled in the Vane Arms and Black Lion Yards. Local directory records indicate he/his family operated his business from there between 1879 and 1912. Thomas Heslop’s father Phillip Heslop, joined him from Sunderland, working also as a cab propietor. My father Thomas Heslop was born at the ‘Vane Arms Cottages’ in 1907. Does anyone have information/photographs showing the ‘Vane Arms Cottages’ please, or indeed something about the Heslop family business? Census information etc state the family moved to Wharf St, Van Mildert Terrace and Park Terrace during their lifetime.
I remember the German waiter! I think we called him Hans. He had the remarkable talent for placing your change on his tray in such a way that you could remove everything but a suitable tip. He disgraced himself one day by knocking a gin and tonic over, splashing my fiance”s trousers.
Fred Beaumonts Black Lion Grill comes to mind, but I do not remember the name of the grill at the Vane Arms. I remember a Christmas Party from Ashmores Office about 1960 in the upstairs room at the Vane Arms, there was a German waiter who served us with about twenty drinks, we thought we would have a bit of a laugh at his expense when he asked us what we wanted for the second round, one of the wide boys just said “same again fritz”, trying to get a laugh. Sure enough all twenty drinks were served to all the party without asking who had ordered what. A very impressive performance I thought.
Yes I remember the German waiter I think he was a p.o.w. from ww2 but stopped in Stockton when ww2 ended. I got married in 1960 it cost £45,00 in old money for the reception of course the in laws paid the bill. This waiter served the drinks and what a smart man he was. Brian Codd.
I remember seeing Harold MacMillan coming out of here during an election visit. He”d been having a meal at the Grill (forgotten the name of it) at the rear of the Vane Arms.
Jack Marriott took our wedding photos in July 1957, including at the reception at the Vane Arms. He lived in the Grosvenor Road/Barnard Avenue area when we were young. Also, Bob Irwin comments about Laesers rum truffles. Pre WW II, after school at Trinity, some of us would stare at the great array of chocolate varieties on display (dummies) in the window. We could not afford them of course. Later and post sweetie coupons it was possible to afford some!
Laesers – What beautiful “Rum Truffles.”
Can you tell me if Leo Heslop was anything to do with the family tree as he was my grandad?
Leo Heslop worked with me as a joiner at Head Wrightsons Thornaby in the late 50’s and the early 60’s. A real gentleman. Previously he was a Clerk of the Works for the SBC and before that at the Co-op.