Stockton schoolboys cricket trophy won in 1950. Photograph courtesy of Benny Brown, Australia 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton schoolboys cricket trophy won in 1950. Photograph courtesy of Benny Brown, Australia
I have just done a quick calculation as to the present value of the winning Irish sweepstake ticket, 37,500 pounds would be more than four million pounds today, does anyone recollect any other vast winning lottery ticket of a similar value coming from Stockton over the past 77 years. I have based the calculation on the average weekly wage of four pounds in 1937, and four hundred and fifty pound in 2012. Is the Irish Sweepstake still being run in the UK? This was the only large lottery available to the average person before the war.
Benny, I remember dad saying something about that story. She certainly made something of the place over the years, unfortunately time has caught up with it and now no longer exists. I think now it is a housing complex. Yes Curly is my age and I did have a brother and sister, unfortunately Christine passed away.
Yes Bill Wilson I remember you and your family. Your Dad was a keen Stockton FC supporter and we had many discussions about the football when I visited my mother in no 21 Hawthorne Road. I think you lived in no 15 Hawthorne Road, another ex Stockton and Newcastle Footballer lived nextdoor to me in no 23 Hawthorne road in Keith Webster who I think you would remember as he would be nearer to your age group. I remember you as having brothers and sisters Bill. Your Dad also used to help my mother with her gardening when Dad died. I visited Hawthorne Road last year and was disappointed at the run-down appearance as compared to when I lived there, in the 1940’s. There is an interesting story about no 21 Hawthorne Road, when we moved in in 1937, the house had just been vacated by a lady who had just won the Irish Sweepstakes Jackpot of 37,500 pounds. The story goes that the lady bought the ticket from a Mrs Baxter who lived in no 20 Hawthorne road who bought the original ticket but then decided she could not afford the five shillings ticket price, as she had a number of children and they were not well off, so she sold the ticket to the lady in no 21 Hawthorne road. The lady with the winning Ticket eventually bought out the Spanish City in Whitley Bay also a large fish restaurant nearby. Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction. 19/03/2012 23:57:16
You are right Ken the houses in Primrose Hill were nice little three bedroomed council houses and it was a nice area to grow up in, we could be in the fields in five minutes, also had a great football field at the top of the road where football was played every weekend with scratch teams from all the surrounding area, all ages took part. I remember playing against the men, people like Colin Clark, Billy Clark Terry Clark and all the other notables from the area. We had our own team Hawthorne Rovers and played against other areas, we bought our shirts from the Army and Navy Stores, they were originally Ladies Army surplus PE shirts, but we looked great in them even if they were a mucky brown colour. Norm Leonard, now living in New Zealand, was in the team also Denis Robertson in Adelaide now, also Ray(Fatty Harrison) Secretary of the Mens Club in Yarm Lane Stockton was the goal keeper. Les Mitchell the ex Stockton Boys player and Captain of Newham Grange team in 1948-49, now living in Lemon Tree Passage New South Wales. I also remember your wife Ken as one of the twins at the top of the road, a lovely petite little beauty – give her my regards Ken. Wonderful memories of years gone by.
Benny your back garden looks just like the garden in Laurel Road where my wife lived till we got marriedin 1955. Great little houses and a nice area to grow up.
We had one of the stirrup pumps in use on the allotment for many years. It stayed with the allotment when Dad gave it up around 1968. I wonder where it is now?
I have just noticed in this photograph the extension ladder in the background. This is a piece of World War II history, as this was he ladder supplied to my father at the start of the second World War along with a foot stirrup type foot pump for use in any fires started by bombing activity. My Father had been appointed Chief Warden for the area because of his World War II involvement. I would imagine many of the older contributors would remember these unique pieces of equipment.
Geoff, together with his brother Terry, were both River Tees Pilots. They always looked good in their uniforms. I realise that you were a S/Sec lad but got mixed up a little when typing. Syd Hutchinson was a very good friend of my brother-in-law Horace Bishop. They were both members of Stockton Wheelers and raced together.
You can also say the same for Stocktons team, with four or five coming from the Oxbridge area – Beaumonts, Ward, Hand, Thurlow, Butler, some from Grange Estate and others such as Colin Richards and Syd Hutcinson and Wally Buffham whose parents and brothers lived in Rydal Road.
Bob, you misunderstood my comments on Oxbridge team, I went to Stockton Sec same year as Brian Anthony who Benny has referred to who also played for Stockton C.C. You are right about Tony Carrigan, he also had an elder brother who was a Tees Pilot. They lived a couple of doors along from the Top House. The Hislops lived in Norton Avenue.
We can say the same for Gus Williamson, George Malloy, Teddy Waller, Tom Birtle, Dickie Spooner, Jackie Fox. Maybe more, but it was the Gentlemen (toffs) who ran the Club.
Benny Brown & Keith(Curly)Webster did not have trouble getting a game with the Toffs at Stockton Cricket Club because talent & ability always comes through.
I remember the night Newham Grange beat a very good Holy Trinity team which included Geoff Stoker & Dave Lewis at Stockton Cricket Club.
When I played for Stockton Boy’s cricket team in 1956 we won what could be that shield. Mr Race was in charge at the time. If my memory serve’s me right, we won the final by default, as Horden couldn’t field a team. The team photo was taken at Stockton Cricket field. The same night we, Newham Grange, won the Stockton Shield. We beat Holy Trinity??? in the final. That was the last day at School for most of us
Mention of Ray Irvin brought back memories of a first class Sports Teacher and later friend who played for Stockton CC, I well remember playing for the first time against Norton CC on the Stockton Cricket Ground as fifteen years old Fast bowler playing with the men. Arthur Austin the well known Stockton and Durham Captain gave me the ball as the Famous D C H Townsend came in to bat. Ray Irvine called me over and said what ever you do do not bowl short to this man. I do not remember too much about this match but can recall a match later in the season at Norton CC ground when D C H Townsend claimed at catch off me on the boundary at the Railway end of the ground, but when it was pointed out to him by spectators on the boundary that he had stepped over the boundary line he cancelled out the catch. That was more sporting than what happened later in the innings when Harry Thompson who just happened to be my Foreman in the Template Shop at Head Wrightsons Stockton Forge caught me off a bump ball from Ken Williamson and claimed the catch, when I remonstrated with Harry all he said was look in the paper tomorrow Ben
Way back in November 2006 Benny Brown wrote: “We were not allowed to select players from the Grammar and Secondary Grammar schools in this team, for what reason I do not know, but this rule also applied to the Stockton Boys Football team, and because of this silly rule we missed out on many talented cricketer”s and footballers. It may have been something to do with the so called quality Schools not wanting their boys to mix with the ruffians of the Secondary and Secondary Modern Schools, but I would be interested in any comments from representatives of these so called quality schools as to why this rule was applied and if it still applies today.” They could not be selected for the reason you surmise. It was claimed that pupils at the Grammar Schools were involved in the school”s full fixture list and had academic priorities! I can assure you that it was not for want of trying by such as Ray Irvin (Newham Grange) and myself amongst others in the 1950″s.
Hi Bob you have one of the team in Dave Seaman he was a first class opening bowler and and excellent bat who was a very well established in this team. Another player from Frederick Nattress may have been Foster, but after 56 years my memory is not what it used to be.
This was the Stockton Schoolboys team not the Stockton Junior team. We were not allowed to select players from the Grammar and Secondary Grammar schools in this team, for what reason I do not know, but this rule also applied to the Stockton Boys Football team, and because of this silly rule we missed out on many talented cricketer”s and footballers. It may have been something to do with the so called quality Schools not wanting their boys to mix with the ruffians of the Secondary and Secondary Modern Schools, but I would be interested in any comments from representatives of these so called quality schools as to why this rule was applied and if it still applies today.
Hi Benny. Was this the players from the various schools from Stockton or The Stockton CC? It confuses me because you mention it as the North Yorkshire and South Durham Trophy. A couple of names – Dave Seaman from Frederick Nattrass – John Rosser, Richard Hind – Kenneth Grieg, Richard Hind – Bob Alexander played for Norton – Terry McCabe, opening bowler for Thornaby and worked with Doug Merryweather in the Maintenance Drawing Office at Teasdale Works, HW. These were all good young cricketers in the NY&SD League at your time.
This Trophy won by Stockton Schoolboys Cricket team was the North York”s and South Durham Schoolboys Trophy. Stockton beat West Hartlepool in the Semi Final and Middlesbrough in the Final if my memory does not fail me. I can not remember all the team but Gus Williamson was in this team, Gus went on to become a County player with Northants partnering Typhoon Frank Tyson in their opening Fast bowler attack. At this time Gus was a slow bowler and opening bat. Are there any other members of this team that have more details about this team and Trophy? Is this Trophy still played for and have Stockton had other successes in winning this Trophy. The Final was played at the Stockton Cricket Ground and Mr Ray Irvine was the Master in Charge of the team.