A view of Wellington Street Library taken in 1974. Photograph courtesy of Brian Kemp 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
A view of Wellington Street Library taken in 1974. Photograph courtesy of Brian Kemp
There was an age limit for joining. 13 pehaps, when I joined in 1954, aged 12. I was told they never asked so I just added a year on my age. It was a wonderful source of scence books for me and helped begin my interest in industrial history
Loved working there from 1960 moving to the new building in church Road. I was a children’s librarian eventually then introducing school holiday story times greatly encouraged by Mr Leighton he allowed me to buy a carpet rolled out in the corner. Happy times.
The Wellington Street Library was, actually, the original Masonic Hall. When the present Masonic Hall was built; just over 100 years ago, the original Hall was gifted to the people of Stockton to use as a Public Library. There is a brass plaque in the present Masonic Hall which gives details.
Looking at the front of the Library, Victoria Street is to the left and Atkinson Street to the right. I lived in Victoria Street and worked as a Saturday Assistant at the old library from 1966 to 1968 when I was in the sixth form at Grangefield Grammar. A very handy job and great fun!
This photograph was obviously taken before 1974. I don’t know where Victoria or Atkinson street were situated but surely this building could have been used for something else after the new library opened.
I wish I had known how to use a library efficiently as a boy and spent more time on historical matters. I think library’s should educate children in there uses.
As an oldie today I value the services of Stockton Library’s Service who are building up a great picture of life on Teeside for the future.
Was there a children’s library department over the road? I seem to remember so. Certainly the main library was a haunt of mine into my teens. Much information to find there but there was a “do not disturb by making any noise or even more wicked by talking to a friend” look on the faces of staff! The newspaper section too was another haunt into my twenties, doing what can be done on the internet today.
Further to the Picture Stockton references to the library I can add that in the forties and probably the fifties also the childrens section was directly over the street and opposite the long window to on the left of the photograph.
Many happy hours were spent after school trawling the shelves for books such as Biggles, The Hardy boys, Just William and the Lone Ranger.
The old library was situated on the North side of Wellington Street, between Victoria Street and Atkinson Street. The current Central Library on Church Road was opened on 24 March 1969 at a cost of £250,000. The Wellington Street Library closed at around this time and the building was demolished in 1972.
Where exactly on Wellington St was the library and what year was it demolished? I think the present library opened around 1968, were they both on the go at the same time ?