A photograph of the Primrose Hill Football team taken in 1953. Photograph courtesy of Len Nicholson. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
A photograph of the Primrose Hill Football team taken in 1953. Photograph courtesy of Len Nicholson.
Sorry to see the sad passing of Colin Richards in this photo, he also played cricket for Stockton Cricket Club. Colin R.I.P.
I notice the sad passing of a well known Stockton footballer Frank Seddon who started with Primrose Hill & played for Hull City & Stockton F.C. R.I.P.
Lenny Nicholson in this photo is still involved with football sixty years on with the successful Cheshire team Cuddington F.C.
I would also like to add my condolences. George was an opponent, work-mate & I’d like to think a friend. Rest in peace George.
Along with Anon I pass on my condolences to George Sudron’s family on his passing. A good goalkeeper who served Primrose Hill for a lot of years.
I am sorry to hear of the sad passing of George Sudron, the Primrose Hill goalkeeper in this photo. He played in the 1953 Durham Minor Cup winning team and also the 1961 team. George worked in engineering at Ashmores for a lot of years and finally worked at Harkers Engineering.
I notice they have stopped using staunchings on the goalposts in the Premier League & have started using poles with cord or cable to hold the nets back, which eliminates the ball hitting the staunching and flying out. Primrose Hill used the pole method back in the early fifties on the Old Norton Showfield when this team played there.
Some of the men behind the scenes who made the Stockton & District League, run so well for the enjoyment of thousands of players from the fifties to the finish, were John Iceton, Jack Hindmarsh, Harry Moore, Harry Emmerson, George Mitchell, Ernie(SEND EM OFF)Smith, Eddie Booth & John Smith. These gentlemen were either league administration or referees association who gave up their free time so the league could run smoothly.
Another local team that won the Durham Minor Cup was the Riverside but the chances of the cup being won again by a local team are remote with no Stockton & District League.
Primrose Hill”s feat of winning the County Cup was amazing, they had to go to some hostile colliery & village teams. Primrose Hill won it in 1953 & 1961. Then it was a Teesside League team Norton C.C.T who won it in 1968. An ex Bailey Street lad Alan Bates was in the 1961 Primrose Hill & Norton winning teams, he also won a few Durham Amateur Cup-Winners with Billingham Synthonia.
It is with great sadness I see the passing of Alan Bates, he was a top local player winning numerous county cups. R.I.P.
I believe Primrose Hill played at Hartburn Gunsight before they played at the Norton Showfield. They moved from the Showfield to Yarm Back Lane,then to Rudds Rec,Grangefield Road.
George Sudron kindly lent me this photo,the photo was taken at Belasis Lane,Billingham before the Stockton & District League Cup-Final when they beat Ashmores.They won the Durham Minor Cup against Taylor & Pallistor(Gateshead)2-1 at Ferens Park,Durham.The team back-row L to R George Nesbitt,Arthur Thomas,George Sudron,Jacky Ball, Ronnie(Buster)Baker,Dicky Wright,Bill Seddon(Secretary)front-row L to R Colin Richards,Joe Lowe,Billy Bright,Len Nicholson(Mascot)Joe Lawrence,Jimmy Buckle.
I recognise a few of the players on this photograph,Colin Richards,Jim Buckle,Jacky Ball,Billy Bright,Ronnie ?, Suddron. I played with Colin and Jim at Richard Hind and I was best man at both their weddings.I recognise all the rest but can”t remember their names. I”m sure Len will remember them all and help my poor old memory.
This is a photograph of the Primrose Hill football team that were the first Winners of the Durham Minor Cup 1953, Jacky Ball, the captain, is 4th from left back-row.