Pupils from Mill Lane Junior school football team 1951.
Photograph courtesy of Brian Leak
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Pupils from Mill Lane Junior school football team 1951.
Photograph courtesy of Brian Leak
Len you are right I do remember George who worked alongside Jackie Thew in the Training Centre.I also remember Albert, Freddie and Jackie from my brief spell at the Shamrocks and Pedler and George Nesbitt names always came up in conversations between Billy Price and my dad Billy Rhodes.I think that George Nesbitt was a Parkfield lad.When I played for the Rocks we wore the old Celtic shirts of Green and White hoops,the best strip I ever had on my back. Happy Days
Eddie Highfield was a Plater in the Bridge Yard at Head Wrightsons at Thornaby.
these names do ring a bell,George Watson I know he finished up as a colleague of Ken Rhodes as a training instructor in the apprentice school & there was Billy Bonner & George Nesbitt they were all boilermakers,your Dad finished up working with us as the Machine Shop welder when John(PEDLER)Palmer retired.I knew you & your sibling brother when we were boys,but only found out Len was your Dad when he worked with us.Keith my cousin Albert Harburn was captain of Portrack Shamrocks & played alongside Freddie King & Jackie Cutler.
Keith.The name Eddie Highfield rings a distant bell but i”m afraid i cant put a face to the name.Did he live in Parkfield in Richardson Road.You are right about this site you can share memories with people across the world Old pals from school,football and work.People like Stan and Benny in Oz who are regular contributors to the site.Long may it reighn
Ken, this site is fantastic in as much as it jogs peoples memories of times gone by, widens peoples circle of friends who can share their memories with all and sundry. Next time I see Ronnie I will pass on your comments onto him. I wonder if you remember an old and dear friend who is no longer with us, another great footballer Eddie Highfield?
HI FOLKS, JUST READ YOUR COMMENTS LEN – BRILLIANT! “me dad”s” MATES AT THAT TIME INCLUDED BILLY NESBITT AND GEORGE WATSON – WONDER IF THESE NAMES RING A BELL? PHONED GEORGE 10 YEARS AGO WHEN DAD DIED. KEITH, I REMEMBER DAD TALKING ABOUT RONNIE ROBERTS- WAS HE A FAIR HAIRED GUY AT THE TIME? CHEERS FOR NOW – GREAT WEB SITE BRIAN
Ronnie Roberts. There”s a name from the past.I played a few games with Ronnie at Heads and he was a friend of my Dad and Billy Price from the Bridgeyard.I saw him a few weeks ago at the doctors and as you say Keith he looks well.
Len, Yes our Ronnie did play for Heads. He won a lot of trophies with Heads and The Rocks in his playing day”s. He”s still a very sprightly 80yr old. Talking about Tommy Little he did great fishcake and chips. The fish cakes used to sit perfectly in between two slices of breaf and butter. The butter used to run out of the bottom as you bit into the sarny. If ever he had trouble with drunks in the fish shop he used to place his fish scoop in the hot fat and smack em in the face with it if they became violent. Can you imagine that happening now!!!!!
Keith, I remember your cousin Ronnie Roberts,he also played for Head Wrightsons, he & Brian”s dad Lenny Wardle were welders in the Bridgeyard at Heads,Thornaby.I think you”re right about Bill Millward taking over the butchers,Butcher Brown”s son David played right-back for the good Stockton Boys Football Team of 1959,who done very well in the English Schools Trophy. Keith we also got plenty of scraps(fried batter)with our fishcake & chips from Tommy Littles.
What a memory Len, I lived next door to Mrs Blackburn in Balaclava St. Theres only three weeks between Mal”s and my birthday. You must be this site”s oracle. There”s no wonder that lads like yourself, Mally Heath, Donny Heath, hopefully myself included could kick a mean ball about. In the late fifties, early sixties I kept goal for Primrose Hill and Sparks Bakery. My cousin Ronnie Roberts as you will remember, kept goal for many years for Portrack Shamrocks. I think that was the reason that I picked that position to play. We were always playing in the back streets of the area. We also used to play on the gravelled car park in front of Stockton Station. As you will remember Len, it was gravelled to accomodate the army parade for the Queen”s visit in the early fifties. I remember Brian or John Skerritt being in goal and saving a spectacular shot from one of us and took about a stone of skin of himself. Was Butcher Brown”s shop later taken over by Bill Millward?? I remember Dowsons was later owned by Billy May and his brother Eddie took over Littles fish shop opposite. When it was Littles he did the best fish cakes in the area. Now called patties for some reason. Keep the memories coming mate!!
I remember when we all played football on the old Technical School land in Allison St.with Joe Rayner,John Moodie,Nigel Fishburn,Brian & John Skerritt to name a few,were you there when Butcher Brown was laying meat out in his window,when the ball was accidently kicked through the big plate glass on top of him,the policeman eventually rounded us all up later,we were taken back to the shop & Butcher Brown(a nice fellow)& the policeman put the fear of God up us as to what it would cost all of us.Fortunately Butcher Brown must have had a good insurance,because we heard no more.Keith another resident in Balaclava St.was Mrs Blackburn Mally Heath”s Grandma.
Hi Brian, It”s nice to hear from you after all these years. I forgot about the black eye Brian. I hope it is not to late to apologise dear friend. Kid”s eh?? who would have em?? I now live in the Picardie area of France on the edge of a huge forest. Tanquility personified!!! If you go to the People section of this web site and look up The Cresta”s rock group of the sixties you will see me, Kevin Frank and Lewis Johnson all from Balaclava St. A great area Brian and great times were had by all. Mill Lane for ever eh?? Kind Regards Keith
Keith regarding the black eye somethings never changed. The Crestas was a great group but folded to soon.
Hi.Keith, Only just seen your comments today. Yes I remember – how could I forget that black eye that you gave me.Really proud of that, well until I got home that is.We had a fight in the back street along side the infants school – really well attended as I remember. Strangely enough I was telling my wife about it only recently. Remember you lived about halfway along Balaclava Street,opposite the street behind the Queens Hotel – happy days. Hope you and yours are keeping well,we live in a wee village in the middle of the Galloway Forest Park. Cheers for now, Best regards, Brian
Brian Wardell that”s a name from the past. I don”t know whether you remember me or not Brian but as kids we were good friends at school. I remember you lived Hume St, opposite the off licence and you and your brother used to have six pigeons you kept in the back yard. I also remember your Dad having a hand injury that was dressed by the local nurse at your house. Your younger brother must be the same age as my brother Bill who is now 61yrs old. Good to see you are still about. I now live in France.
THANKS BRIAN AND PETER FOR YOUR INFO. MET MR.LIDDLE WHEN I JOINED EAGLESCLIFFE GOLF CLUB – THINK THIS WAS ABOUT 1981 OR SO. HE WAS THE TREASURER I THINK. WHEN I TOLD HIM I WENT TO MILL LANE ALL HE COULD TALK ABOUT WAS HIS TEAM THAT HE TOOK TO THE VICTORIA GROUND,DIDN”T KNOW ABOUT THIS AS IT MUST HAVE BEEN AFTER I LEFT – MAYBE YOU WERE THERE AT THE TIME BRIAN. WENT TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY WITH JOE RAYNOR WHO LIVED JUST AROUND THE CORNER IN AYRTON STREET – HE WENT ON TO GRANGEFIELD GRAMMAR AND I WENT ON TO S.G.S. IN 1954. IT”S GOOD TO READ THESE COMMENTS AFTER ALL THESE YEARS REGARDS BRIAN GLENTROOL VILLAGE.
Dear Brian I have just read your comment I played in the team at Victoria Road I recall Tommy Osborne, Barry Osborne, Ian Walker was the goalie. I am David Pogson I was in the childrens home in Hartington Road. I was put in a home at Eaglescliffe and Mr Liddle got a job cleaning members golf clubs. Other class mates were Peter Bell, Mike Prosser, Terence Harper. I hope to hear from you. Yours faithfully Dave Richardson. I changed my name in 1966 legally.
TO BRIAN WARDELL MR NELLIST WENT ON TO TEACH AT HARDWICK SEC IN THE LATE 60S UNTIL RETIRING AROUND 1975. LUKE WHITE WAS HEADMASTER AT HARDICK I BELIEVE HE ALSO TOUGHT AT MILL LANE IN THE 1950S, MR WHITE PASSED AWAY IN 1972
Hi Brian Wardell – I am sorry to correct you but the person holding the ball is Brian Leak (my self). I think you will find that Joe Raynor was about four or five years later or maybe longer. I knew Joe played with Stockton Rugby Club and was captain and that was after I left Stockton in 1967 to live in Australia. As regards the teachers the only additions I would have would be Mr Liddle, Mr Rigg and the headmaster “PoP” Bailey.
I REMEMBER BEING ON THIS TEAM (LEFT BACK). THE GUY HOLDING THE BALL IS JOE RAYNOR (CENTRE FORWARD) SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE PHOTO. BUT DIDN”T HAVE ANY SHORTS SO WAS KEPT OFF SCHOOL THAT DAY! WAS IN MISS. ATKINSON”S CLASS DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THE TEACHERS AT THAT TIME? – MR. CODE,MR.NELLIST,MISS.WORMALD,MR.WILKIE ETC.?
Harry Rhodes, Mick Boyes was teaching at the Carey Grammar School in Melbourne. I had the pleasure of a lunch with Mick when Brian Anthoney another ex Stockton CC cricketer visited me from South Africa about ten years ago. I think Mick is retired now and I do not know where he is living at present.
Brian Leak, can I assume that you are the same one who Captained Stockton Rugby Club”s First Fifeteen back in the 60″s? My own membership of the club dated back to 1946, until I left for Oz in “65.During my last two years in the UK, I was a member of the Selection Committee, serving with the old stalwarts Arthur Fairless, Dennis Oriss, Allan Ayre, names that might bring back a few memories. Thirty five years ago I ran into a contemporary of yours in Werribee, Mickey Boyes. The evening is a little blurred. He was, I believe, teaching at a Melbourne School with some sort of a Religious name. Could it have been the Methodist College, or maybe it was Baptist. It all seems so long ago. Cheers!
Arther Mconnell best known as shanks who sadly died in december.Brian Leak and Barry Marshal who lived in Bute street.Picture on site.
I saw a comment about when the black and red quarters were superceded, and I remember the shirts were quite sturdy when I wore them in 1951/52. Back Row Left to right Mike Osborne, Keith Fletcher, McConell, George Stephenson, Paul Wesson, David Bias, Herbie Robinson. Front Row Left to right: ?, Franklin, Ken Hodgson, Brian Leak, ?, Morgan, Allan Marshal.