This painting entitled ’Queen of the Open-Air Markets’ was painted by Bernard Smith, viewed from the secongd floor of the Empire cinema building ’Sloan Billiard Saloon’, looking North.
Buses at the time were run by the Council and a number of private companies. L-R No 2 Corporation to Yarm, No 55 a red United to Middlesbrough. Rear L-R No 4 to Hartburn, No 0 to North Ormesby, red United at Redcar stand, unknown united.
The buildings left of the Town Hall are; Kings ’New Waverley Cafe’, Martins Bank, Leslie Brown, Singer Sewing, Home & Colonial, Victoria Inn, Crown wallpaper, Blenkinsop book and lending library, Meadow Dairy, Cinema, Dainty sweet and tobacco, Royal Exchange, Neville shoes, Boots the chemist, Stewart Clothiers, Northern Echo, Collingwoods Jewellers, Robinsons fire tower sky-line centre.
The buildings right of the Town Hall are; Yorkshire Penny Bank, Unicorn, Doggarts, Hewison gowns, Scotch wool shop, Craggs high class grocer, Meeson sweets, Royal Hotel, Braithwaites fancy and travel goods, Lawes ladies gowns. Off to right of flower beds; Vane cakes and confection, Rossi ice-cream and coffee bar
Image and information courtesy of Bob Harbron
Picture Stockton Archive 
As mentioned this painting is from the Empire Theatre, which was of course demolished for the Swallow Hotel to be built. The Swallow Hotel is itself due to be demolished in 2022 and by chance the Archiving Teesside team took a photo (August 2021) that gives almost the same view as this painting! 🙂
( There’s a much better image of this paining here:
https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/stockton-on-tees-high-street-tees-valley-57514 )
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I believe this painting has been on display in Preston Hall Museum for a few years now. It’s upstairs near the start of the more modern exhibits.
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Good old market days on a wednesday, Pubs open all day, except for one hour when by law they were shut, but did not stop you getting extra pints and hiding them under the seat, till opening time 1 hour later.
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The No 3 Bus went to Hartburn not the No 4 as stated…. that went to Oxbridge
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It went through Oxbridge to Fairfield, its terminus altered as more houses were built.
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In relation to the ‘we shall have rain’ sign, wasn’t the name of the shop Dorman Stewart Macs??
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The ‘WE SHALL HAVE RAIN SIGN’ on the gable wall of a Stockton shop roof, near Martins Bank – was this sign painted by the Raincoat Shop Owner trading below. Does anyone remember it? Stockton market and Michael Marks the founder of Marks & Spencers fame. Few Stocktonians know that in the 1880s Michael Marks, a Jewish Polish Litvak immigrant, travelled from Leeds to stand Stockton market with his wares. Whilst sheltering from the rain in a Stockton High Street shop doorway he got speaking to another stall holder who invited him to his home in Stockton for a meal and whilst there Michael Marks met his future wife, the mans daughter and eventually married her, there son was Lord Marks of Broughton, better known as ‘Simon Marks’, who with his cousin Israel Sieff were the brains behind the well deserved growth of the world famous Marks & Spencer Retail Corporation. Stranger still, Michael Marks partner, ‘TOM SPENCER’ [born in Skipton], was married to a woman with Stockton connections. When her husband Tom Spencer died she retired back to Stockton and lived in Egglescliffe for the rest of her days. In her Will she left a large sum of money for the education of girls which went to THE QUEEN VICTORIA HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, which evolved into the present day Teesside High School, Yarm Road, Eagescliffe. So Stockton is very important indeed in the history of M&S.
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The Summerfield family lived in 16 Cranbourne Terrace, one of the three storied houses on the right hand side as you walked from Yarm Road towards the railway, opposite the corner shop (assuming it was a shop in 1945!). There were three boys in the family, Frederick (alias Slim or Sonny), Ivor & Arthur. Slim and Arthur still live in Stockton while Ivor now lives in Princes Risborough. Slim served in the Navy during the war, Ivor was apprenticed to Ashmores and was out based in Preston Hall towards the end of the war so it would probably be Arthur that went to Oxbridge Lane school.
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I remember this High Street and have cherished memories of my year of evacuation (1944-1945)in and around it. I lived in Cranbourne Terrace (No.40) which is off Yarm (Road or Lane,) with my mother and two sisters, until the war finished. The High St had many cinemas; those I can recall are: The Empire, The Cinema, The Globe and The Plaza which was down a side road towards the river. The only time I went to this one I got told to leave by an usherette, because I had been there thro’ the programme and would not be allowed to stay any longer and see it thro’ again. Actually we (my pal and I) had only been in there about ten minutes, but the usherette would have none of it and told us to leave or she would get the manager and other threats. I can’t imagine why she thought that two eleven year olds would want to watch ‘Pride and Prejudice’ twice, but out we went! In the above comments, I saw a name of somebody that I think I knew: Dave Summerfield. I think that’s the name of a lad who also lived in Cranbourne Terrace, and was in the same class as me at Oxbridge Lane School – in Frank Showell’s class. I was so disappointed when revisiting the High St in the early nineties; it was so modern and had many market stalls and even some entertainments. The huge wide street had been split into lanes and I never saw a double-decker bus with Norton 0 or Yarm 2 or Hartburn 3. I learnt to swim that year; I taught myself, but we did once go to Stockton Baths with Frank Showell, but our favourite was Billingham Baths – it was so modern and warm.
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Thanks Dave, it sounds like him, he also used to wear glasses. I also heard he was living in the Oxbridge area. The last time I saw him was in the Jockers Pub, Yarm Road in the 80s I think.
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There seems to have been a mass migration to Australia by the residents of the Rimswell Estate in the 60s. G’Day Colin Booth, it could be a coincidence but my Wife is almost certain that you were in the same class as her at Newtown School. She left the school when she was eleven years old and attended Cleveland School for the remainder of her school days. We flew out to Oz in ’65 and settled in Melbourne. I worked as a Draftsman at the Williamstown Naval Dockyard for many years until the spirit of adventure once more took charge and we bought a Farm in the New England Highlands of New South Wales. Can you imagine it? A genuine Stocktonian tending to his pigs and Chooks and hosses whilst wearing a Stockton Rugby Club tie as a sweat band. I was also the outside cleaner and gardener at the local school in Gilgai. Nearest Pub was twelve miles away, so it was a hard life. I also ran a fairly successful, one man Drafting Service. My old teachers at the Stockton Sec’ would have been proud of me! But after four years I returned to Victoria, and am now a fixture in Hoppers Crossing which is about thirty miles due West of Melbourne. After thirty years in Hoppers I think that I can say that we have settled down.
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On the High Street, 1963ish, just along from Collingwoods was Timothy Whites. I had a Saturday morning job there when I was at Stockton Billingham Tech. We bought our engagement/wedding rings at Collingwoods in 1966/68. We were given a lovely cake slice which we used at the wedding reception at The Queens Hotel in Bishopton Lane, just along from the railway station (since burnt down!). Stars appearing at The Globe used to stay there too.
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Rob (Bob) Butler did live on Roseworth – near the number 8 terminus on Romford Road, he was a good friend & a great guy – we kept in touch for many years as we both had the same musical interests (Steve Marriott/Small Faces). Last I knew he was living in the Oxbridge area & did frequent the local pub/club but unfortunately since then I’ve lost touch with him.
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We lived at 24 Fairwell Rd & emigrated to Perth W.A. in Dec 1962. We came back Sept 1966.
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Another resident of Fairfield Rimswell estate that emigrated to Australia was Arthur Jackson & his wife from Antrim Avenue to join their family who were already out there,
Arthur was a foreman fitter at Head Wrightson’s Teasdale Machine Shop.
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Now here is a coincidence, Harry Rhodes living on the Rimswell estate & moving to Australia. I lived in 15 Fairwell Rd with my family. We emigrated to Aus in 1962 & have been back several times. Most people agree the heart has been ripped out of Stockton. We moved to Sydney, where did Harry move to?
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Hi Dave, I had friend called Rob Butler who first lived in Milbank Street near me and then moved to Roseworth. He had a brother called Harry and a sister who’s name I forget. I was just wondering if this is the same person.
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What a delightful picture. How it brings back memories from childhood through the teen years and into the married family man period. We migrated to Australia in 1965 and have only visited Stockton twice since then and were shocked by the vandalism committed upon that fine old Town. To Jean Crinson Hope. Would you be the Jean who lived at 50 Rimswell Road, as if you are,we were neighbours at No,48. I have written to the Crinsons several times but replies ceased a couple of years ago. Reg Crinson, former Teacher at Tilery School was not well at that time. Should you be his Daughter, would you please give me an update on the Family.
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Peter Pells the Tailors was also situated on the right hand side adjacent to the flower beds – I worked there for a short time in 1968 along with Rob Butler and the manager I remember as Mr.Shippey – great people and a great place to work. Beneath the shop was a cellar, the damp walls of which were constructed from huge stone blocks, much older than the building which they supported – wonder what happened to them when that side of the High Street was demolished.
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What about John Colliers, the lovely truffle shop Laceiers and those two pubs.
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In the early to mid 60’s my mother worked in a shop called Swears and Wells which I thought stood roughly where Boots is now situated, if so it should be mentioned on this list. Maybe Bob Harbron would know.
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Thats how I always remember it. They should have left it like that.
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