A group of young men from Spring Street in Thornaby taken in the 1920s. Photograph courtesy of Raymond Todd 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
A group of young men from Spring Street in Thornaby taken in the 1920s. Photograph courtesy of Raymond Todd
Picture Stockton Archive 
My dad Sidney Jackson and his brothers and sisters were brought up on Gilmour Street, Thornaby.
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Hi my name is Alan Dixon, and I’m a Thornaby lad born and bred
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Please spare a thought and an happy moment sat by the fireside recalling Old Mr Hayes (Yabbo) his son John whose funeral I attended (no one remembered me has I’d altered so much) and the youngest son Tommy Hayes. Collectively a family whose rich but poor lives when combined with Spring Street, Thornaby’s collective Gilmour Street life stories and WW1 & WW2, would make hell of a good TV series. Off the top of my head the title for this program would be “Living In Hope,” it might draw level with ‘Foyles War’ and ‘The Midwives’ in the viewers ratings. God Bless them Characters One and All’.
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I lived on Cromwell Tce. in the 50s and remember a man called Jackie Ayres? a rag man I think lived on Spring Street and he had an allotment on Thornaby Road also I went to school with a boy called Holt from Spring Street. I left the area in 56 and have just come home. I still use Percy Gibbons butchers, my father raced greyhounds with Percy.
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My mother Hilda Roberts born 1908 lived at 61 Francis Street until she moved to Northumberland after she married around 1945. She lived with her parents (forenames unknown to me) and her sister Thirza and brother Billy. I remember visiting Thornaby to stay with my Aunty Thirza until she moved to Outram St. Stockton on her marriage to Reginald Nightingale in the 60s.
The family next door in Francis St. were called Willey and there were relatives called Lizzie and Thirza Asquith who lived nearby and had owned a haberdashery shop in the early 1900s.
I remember a grocery/sweet shop on Francis St. and a park/recreation area nearby. I have very fond memories of my childhood spent there.
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Does anyone have any photos of or information about the Watson family who lived in Spring Street?
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Is his name Fred seamen Watson aged 91?
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Is this the same Fred Watson who was in charge of the dispatch dept. at Head Wrightsons, Thornaby & was also a football referee.
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His brother drove the raiway engine around the works.
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My ancestors are the Aithwaites, Nolans and Cowans and they all lived in Spring Street. Unfortunately, I do not have any photos of them so please can you help.
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My granny’s name was Harriet Aithwaite she was born in Stockton then moved to Scotland don’t know if we are connected
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My great gran Annie her mam was aithwaite from Spring Street.
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My grans other was Aithwaite before she married a Godwiny gran married a Snowden, they lived at no 2 Spring St. from 1926 to 1964 when they were pulled down.
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If anyone wants a map of thornaby old – try here… http://www.durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/Pages/AdvancedSearchMapSeries.aspx
set the scale to 1:5000 or 1:2500 – it will also show overlays of the newer maps as well
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I would love to know if my granddad, Albert Old or any of his family are on here. Does anyone remember him?
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My grandparents lived on a corner house of Queen Street, Elsie Dalkin. My mum was Sylvia Dalkin if anyone remembers the name…
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Does anyone know of the Hardy family that lived in Spring street?
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I knew a Walter Hardy, my age then, so born 1942, a really nice lad, and former pal of mine. He went to the National School, George Street, Thornaby, 1947 intake of pupils.
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As a past resident of Thornaby I am looking for a street map or list of streets of the old place as on a past visit all streets were renamed and a lot of new buildings on old sites of streets I knew
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The nearest cemetery to Francis Street, Stockton is Durham Road.
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Does anyone know of the Richardson family stayed in Spring street 1920s and 1930s up to 1939. It would be John George Richardson, Esther Richardson, Frank, Mary, Irene.
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Will anyone with a copy of the Spring Street residents informal War Memorial Plaque erected in Spring Street, please send it in to the Library via this forum, I’m sure they’d love to have it for their collection. 20/01/2012 09:10:49
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My Grandfather James Arthur Hagan born 1905 Thornaby died 2011. Mother was Mary Aithwaite, spoke of an uncle Matt. Had brother Tom and sister Ann. He was in DLI and left Thornaby in his early teens.
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He also had younger half brothers and sisters; one of them is my grandfather. Do you know what happened to Matt, Tom and Ann? I’m currently researching the family history and would absolutely love to see any old photos.
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Matthew Aithwaite died 21/09/1916 on the Somme (York and Lancaster regiment), Benjamin Aithwaite was wounded the same day but was brought home and died in netley hospital January 1917, Thomas Aithwaite was in the navy and made it through the war. Benjamin Aithwaite is buried in Thornaby cemetery with his mother and father. My grandfather was Charles Aithwaite he was born at 18 Spring Street, seems the Aithwaite clan lived in a lot of Spring Street.
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I also lived at 6 Spring Street, and 28 and 13. I went to Queen Street school. The sweet shop you were on about was called Teages, I think, and the memorial at the bottom was a cross. My mam and Mary Hagan used to put flowers in it to welcome the men home from the war. My uncle Joe (Hagan)was one of them.
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In 1922 my husbands father lived at 6 Spring Street – Thomas Mears
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I think your uncle was my grandfather. I am researching the family history and would love to learn more from you
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I used to go to Queen Street school in the 50s and 60s. I can remember the memorial, and also some faded whitewashed words on the wall: ‘Welcome Home (I can’t remember the name)’, presumably dating from the end of WWII. There was a sweet shop on the corner of spring Street which had very good custom from the pupils of the school (myself included)! My grandad was John Moore, who lived at 6 Spring Street.
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I was born at 16 Georgiana St, it was a great street – lots of fun and games to be had. My grandfather John Moore is also in the photograph.
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My great grandfather, GEORGE FIRBY EDMONDSON, owned a piece of land and had some houses built on it – this became Georgiana Street. He was proprietor of the Rokeby Hotel in Thornaby next to the railway station until his death in 1889.
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I have a photo of the Memorial at the botom of Spring Street. My mam is on it and also Mary Middlewood. I was born and brought up in Spring Street. If anyone has any photos of the Aithwaites or Hagans I would love to see them.
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Maureen Liddell August 8 2014 1:35pm. Hello Ann , my uncle was Jack Middlewood he married my mam’s sister. I used to go with my cousins Audrey and John Middlewood to their Aunties, Mrs Hagen and Mrs Turnbull’s and remember lots of happy times, I would love to hear from anyone who knew them .
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My gran granddad live at no2 until they were demolished the were the memorial was the Leggs lived there
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In response to the question from John Richards concerning Henrietta Street;
On the 1897 Map of Stockton-on-Tees & Thornaby Henrietta Street is shown in Thornaby-on-Tees. A copy of the map can be bought from the Alan Godfrey map website.
The map also shows the Bonlea Foundry next to Thornaby Station. It would have been a short walk from Henrietta Street.
Others on this site have also commented about Henrietta Street, stating that it has been demolished to make way for the new road system.
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My father Edward Lloyd was born at 23 Henrietta Street (1905).
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Yes it demolished in 1972
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I am also looking for details, maps etc of Henrietta Street. My great great grandfather George Thornborrow was living there in 1881. His occupation is listed as Iron Founder. Would anybody know of a local foundry there?
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My grandparents lived in Francis Street in 1911, they were the MURRAY family. My grandfather was Fred Murray and my mother was Sarah Ann Murray. Does anybody remember them, or can anybody tell me if Francis Street is still there? They lived at 24 Francis street.
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Dear Stephen, I wonder if you can help. My Great Great Grandmother, Mary Ley Hellier born 1829 in Devon moved to Stockton with her 8 children sometime after 1871. She died in 1877 at 29 Francis Street. (Surname corrupted to Helyar). Would you know the nearest (C of E )cemetery to Francis Street. I cannot hope for a monumental inscription but it would be nice to be able to ascertain her last resting place.
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Mary Ley Hellyer is buried [ 15 Jul 1877 ] in Oxbridge Lane Cemetery, Stockton on Tees. Stockton on Tees Borough Council.Bereavement Services [ Tel. no. 01642 527720 – details of the copy certificate & map location of resting place [ Ref no 10012000368 ] if you wish to purchase over the phone.
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Sadly Francis St. is no longer there, it was demolished in the early 70’s to make way for the new housing development. All 3 sections of the street went. My then girlfriend Joyce Ashman (now my wife) was born there and lived there until 1969 at No. 34. Her parents were moved out to make way for the demolition.
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Matt Aithwaite was my Grandad’s brother, I also have a photo of John aithwaite at my grandad’s house in the 80’s. Not many pics of the Aithwaite clan survive, I would love to see any old pics of the family.
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I asked my dad, Robert Aithwaite if he knew any Aithwaites from Spring Street. He said he did and he new the Hagans. He said he had a uncle Matt Aithwaite who died outside the cinema in Stockton of a heart attack. I dont know if thats the same one but he said my uncle John Aithwaite has got loads of photos from Spring Street
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My grandparents lived at no 2 Stephen Street and Annie Snowden, Annie’s mother was called Aithwaite.
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I was born in spring street no 28 we also lived at no 6 and no 13 my dad was matt aithwaite and my grandmother was merlizzy hagan (aithwaite) my mam was married twice her name was aga (higinbotham) hamilton from gilmour street my dad died when i was 8 so i dont know too much about him and no photos if anyone has any could i please copy them thanks will send e mail
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Spring Street was replaced with new houses in the late 60s, it is now called spring close. I know a lot of street names in Thornaby as I was born here and still live in Thornaby. My cousin married into the Thompson family and my aunt Sarah nee Chaney married a Thomas Henry Cowen, old spelling Cowan.
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Thomas cowan was my great grans brother. My gran was Elizabeth cowen she married Joseph Gibsob and they married in west Hartlepool and moved to 18 Queen Street west near the coal depot.
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I know my nana lived in Stockton and Thornaby and I am sure I have heard of Spring Street. Her maiden name was Cowan, her first married name Edmundson then, after becoming a WW1 widow, she married my grandad John Thompson of the big Thompson family of Thornaby. I know he was an ARP in the second world war. I have a long ifininty with Thornaby, my husband was born there in St Leonards street(does anyone have a pic of St Leonards street?) and both my maternal and paternal families came from/lived in Thornaby.
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Does anyone know if any of the men are Aithwaite”s? My grandfathers family lived at 20 Spring Street and 2 of their sons are listed on the ww1 memorial. The man 4th from left looks alot like my grandfather so maybe they are related.
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Does anyone know if there are Nolans or Cowens on this photograph? The Nolan family definitely lived in Spring St at this time, my great grandparents Martin and Frances had a large family, most of whom were born in the street.
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Hi Colin I spoke to my mum last night. She remembers stories about the BOOTH family. Her Grandmother Mary Louisa PERKIN lived in Georgiana Street at no 33. That”s where my mum was born.
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Hi Colin. Your Grandma probably knew my family. They were called MOORE. My mum, Mary Louisa MOORE was born there. She was the eldest of 7. I will ask her if she remembers your family.
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Hello Lesley.
Will you ask your grandma Mary if she remembers me. My name is Herb Moss and I knew your grandma during the 1950s. My father was married to her Aunt Annie. I also remember Mary’s husband Jimmy who was a very fine man. Your grandma Mary was a very fine woman too. Naturally I also knew all of her brothers and sisters. Their names as far as I remember are Doreen, Margaret, Dennis, Keith, Loraine and one other whose name fails me. Mary’s mom was named Ada, and her Dad was Jack to me.
During the mid 1950s they all lived in 11 Brotton Road while I lved in Skelton Road. At that time Dennis was in the army and was stationed in Malaya I think!
Many thanks, Herb Moss
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Hello Herb,
Thank you for your reply. My mum, Mary may remember you, but sadly she has dementia. My aunt, Doreen (Dodie) will definitely remember you. There were seven children, but one of them, Robert died in infancy. The other siblings are still with us and all around the Stockton/Thornaby area except for Keith who lives in Australia.
Thank you for your lovely comments on my parents. My dad, Jimmy died in 1993. My grandparents were John (Jack) and Ada Moore. They were very special. My grandad’s stories had us all in stitches many a Saturday night.
I remember Aunt Annie and Uncle Jimmy well. I also remember that they lived in a flat and recall visiting with Lorraine. I think you were there. Aunt Annie eventually moved in to a flat opposite my gran, Ada in Vulcan Way in Thornaby. I used to see her regularly. Annie died in 2008. She was there when I was born in 11 Brotton Road.
Denny was in the army on National service and was indeed in Malaya.
Kind regards
Lesley
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Hi Lesley,
Thanks for your reply to my earlier message.
I am sorry to learn that your mom Mary has developed dementia so she may not be able to communicate too well. I will always remember her and your dad Jimmy.
I remember back to when they were courting or maybe engaged, and Jimmy used to ride his bicycle from his home in Stockton, the Bowesfield area close to the Richard Hind school. He must have ridden a lot of miles those days to be with your mom. Sorry to learn of his passing.
So Keith now lives in Australia, being the only one to move away from old Thornaby. Where is Margaret these days? I fondly remember her during the 1950s and she was a couple of years older than me.
Uncle Jimmy as you refer to him being your Aunt Annie’s husband was my father and I was his youngest son. Eric who was Annie’s only son was my step brother.
I was not the one when you visited Annie and Jimmy perhaps it was Eric.
I have during the past 10 years or so been in regular contact with Kay Louise Eric’s daughter and she mentioned about her Dad, Annie and my Dad Jimmy passing on.
Very best wishes Herb
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Hi Lesley, My father lived in Georgiana St, on the east side about half way. Grandma Booth lived there until she died at the ripe old age of 90 that would have been around 1957. I have seen their name in an electoral roll from the early 1900″s
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Pauline, Henrietta Street ran between Gilmour Street and George Street. It was next to Georgiana Street, where my family were from and Francis Street. I have recently purchased an old map of Thornaby (1897). It is an “Alan Godfrey” map. The reference is 50.16.
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I”M LOOKING FOR A MAP OR ANY INFORMATION ABOUT HENRIETTA STREET, THORNABY OB TEES. IT WAS KNOCKED DOWN FOR A MOTORWAY. MY FATHER AND HIS FAMILY LIVED THERE. MY FATHER WAS BORN IN HENRIETTA STREET IN 1920.
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A couple of names for the photograph. Far right with his hands in his pockets is my GGrandfather, John MOORE. In front of the window with the watch chain is Thomas MEARS.
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I have a photo of the Lassies of Spring St with a very small inset picture of the Memorial if you would like to post your e-mail address I will sent a copy for you.
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Hi Elizabeth, I would love to see that photo. My family the Souters lived at no.13 Spring Street, James and Susan and children, Maggie, Jimmy Gilbert, Willie, George. If you would like to contact me, please ask Picture Stockton for my email address.
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Hi Same message as Lesley Targett. looking for any Mears from Stockton from 1890 onwards.
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Hi all Does anyone know if therer are any Mears or Moores on this photograph? Both these families lived in Spring Street around this time. My Great Grandfather was John Moore. I know Theresa Mears lived there and had three sons, John Dennis, Thomas and George.
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Does anyone have any idea what happened to the WW1 Memorial Plaque that was on the end wall of Spring Street, Thornaby. I am trying to get a copy of the inscription or even a photo. Thanks
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are you the raymond todd from skinner st if so email me at themadpomy@hotmail.com
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my grandma used to live on this street sometime round about this time .. annie reeves any pics please thanks christine reeves
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I have a copy of this same photo. My father Ralph Harrison, then living in Queen St.is the tall man with the dog on the far left, the tall man on the far right is my uncle. Joe McNamee.
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Raymond Todd – I wonder if we are related? I have recently researched my family tree and as far as i know my Great Grandfather was a George William Todd born in John Street 1872. My Grandmother on my mothers side was born in Pottery Street 1923. Do you have any other photos of Pottery street or anywhere nearby? I am putting together a collection for her.
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My grandfather Fred Todd is the second from the left of the seated men, with his hands crossed.
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