This photgraph was taken during a Confirmation Service in February 1962. It was the turn of the Parish Church to hold the service. The Bishop of Jarrow was in attendance as the Bishop of Durham was ill.
Photograph courtesy of Dorothy Butler (nee Wright).
No mention of J.J. Redshaw, a fine organist and choirmaster for very many years, in this church.
I was also amongst those being confirmed on this photo. I went to Sunday School every Sunday at St Chad’s Church, Roseworth. When we moved to Fairfield I went to St Mark’s Church.
Vicar of Stockton – and of Preston, Eaglscliffe + Long Newton – Alan Farish has reported in the All Saints’ (Preston-on-Tees) News that during 2008 “a lot of the external work was done to improve the condition of the Parish Church on the High Street in Stockton. It now looks much better, especially the windows, the walls and the side doors, and as far as we know there are no leaks at all now!” Somehow he found the funds (mainly grants?) for this. This should show that the Church is alive. This year the aim is to restore the interior of the Church. The walls are apparently in a bad state but the redecorating of them and the ceiling may have already begun so that the church may look right and attractive again. Alan Firth syas that £100,000 is needed to pay for a new heating system. There are no magic funds for projects like this so much depends on people’s response. There is much else in his report about “the building and transformation of the Christian community” and its relationship with the local community. Living away from my hometown Stockton I cannot see for myself how things are proceeding. Perhaps someone else can report on this.
Thanks to Margaret Vane for giving the information about the fire in the church, so glad the fire didn”t take place any earlier as I was christened there at the end of April 1948. Also pleased to hear, Ken, that a new Vicar is seting about restoration work and rebuilding the spiritual side of the church as my family held our brothers funeral there in 2004 and it was upsaetting to see the neglect of the building as we all had such happy memories of our time spent as part of the congregation of the Parish Church, both brothers members of 8th Stockton Scout Troop attached to the church. The Scout Troop had its headquarters in a hut in Finkle Street.
Well done Margaret Vane. That sets the record straight. A valuable booklet, as Canon Hesleton was a very thorough and determined man. The restoration work was complete soon after I came home from the Army and the church was in fine condition. 60 years on I understand that another Vicar/Priest in charge, Alan Farish, is undertaking a new restoration as the church was falling into a state of neglect, due in considerable part to lack of the money needed for upkeep. I also understand that he is working on the spiritual rebuilding of the Parish Church.
While looking for something else I found a slim booklet entitled “Stockton Parish Church – A Record compiled by The Revd. R.T. Heselton M.A.”I quote “In 1940, it was known that the death watch beetle and woodworm had attacked wood in the roof and the galleries. In 1946, the galleries were in such a dangerous condition, that work had to begin immediately to restore the church. This involved the removal of rhe Organ from the West Gallery to the Organ Chamber above the vestry, the destruction of all the Galleries, the erection of new porches at the West and South Doors and new ceilings. This work was completed in May 1948. Within a few weeks of the re-opening of the Church, on the night of June 18th 1948, a fire broke out completely destroying the Organ and doing extreme damage to the fabric and furnishings of the Church. This disaster was faced up to by the people with courage and determination, and in February 1949 the Church was sufficiently restored to be re-opened and re-dedicated.” It goes on to state that the cost of all this work was in the region of £30,000! I hope this clears up some of the previous memories.
I still have not found a suitable period photo but in “Parishes: Stockton on Tees”, A History of the County of Durham: Volume 3 (1928), pp. 348-365 I found “The nave arcades consist of six semicircular arches springing from square pillars, and there is a semicircular chancel arch. The piers and arches are all plastered, and there are flat plaster ceilings to the nave and aisles. The side galleries extend as far as the fourth bay from the west and are contained within the aisles. The organ retains its old position in the west gallery.” This history went up to 1928 but elsewhere I have found another history which includes “Galleries were added to the nave in 1719, 1748 and 1827, all being removed in 1946.” I”m not sure about the 1946 but it happened whilst I was in the Army and somehow I associate it with a fire reported in the Gazette. Any memories of this anyone?
Miss Hicks taught in the Parish Church sunday school for years – a very faithful lady. I recall she lived in one of the streets north of Bishopton Lane behind where the shops & businesses were. Margaret Heselton was another fine person. Her father R T Heselton (Rodolphus Thomas) was well respected in the town. He worked hard to renovate the church after a bad fire in 1947 I think. After that the balcony at the west end and on the south and north sides were cleared after the fire damage.
I know that Miss Heseltine (Canon Heseltine”s daughter) was a sunday school teacher, but the one I remember vividly was Miss Hicks. The young sunday school group used to meet on the left as you entered church and we sat on hard wooden chairs. When it was time for the collection we used to troup down the aisle to put our money on a plate whilst singing “hear those pennies dropping”. I don”t remember any more.
I remember my confirmation in 1971. I attended The Parish Church for confirmation classes and the service was held at Holy Trinity. The Bishop of Jarrow also performed the service.
A fine photo of Stockton Parish Church in its then glory. Taken from the former organ gallery I think. Dorothy, can you remember the names of any of the Sunday School teachers when you were young?
I was among those being confirmed on this photo as was my mother Dolly, along with Eva Wilson and her daughter Avril. My brothers and I attended the Parish Church from being little, we always went to Sunday School each week and we always moaned because we had to miss the end of Billy Cotton”s Band show on the wireless. After we moved we attended St Chads then St James when it opened.