This image shows Durham Road with a view of the fish shop and the workman’s club in the distance. Courtesy of Colin Booth. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
This image shows Durham Road with a view of the fish shop and the workman’s club in the distance. Courtesy of Colin Booth.
You are both probably right about him being called Fred. At least I got his surname right. For some reason we would try and sneak round the building, possibly to get to the beck, I don’t remember why. But anyway, we were never successful and we were chased away by Fred. He never did catch us.
I am fairly sure Peter S is correct, My memory says Fred Marley. We would occasionally go in & chat to him.
Ian, I believe Mr Marley’s first name was Fred.
Ian, probably taking over from Silas Marley, another cobbler working from the shop was (Bill) Stobbart. He lived next door to my parents in Glaisdale Ave, but in Westerdale Ave on Newham Grange Estate.
In the days when I went to school the cobbler’s shop was run by Silas Marley, I think. This would be up to 1955.
For very many years the bus stop was indeed on the bridge. Later a guard rail was added to the stop after a fatal accident at the spot. The fish shop – brilliant fish & chips – was, in the 1950s &60s, owned by Mrs Moore, who lived in one of the two houses opposite the school. The second of the two garages towards the town was built in the 1950s. This Shell garage -Guests was Esso – the building is still selling cars today- was built and owned originally by Benson’s, who also had a garage in Yarm Lane, Stockton. The little hut, by the bridge on the school side – now a pizzeria – had various uses, as a cobblers, B. Reed gent’s hairdresser for many years and an office for Comerford Cars.
I can remember when utility’s were laying new services along the foot path on the left hand side. A huge army of Irishmen were employed to dig the trenches, all dug by hand, No backhoe in those days.
An interesting point, council would resurface the road, then one of the utilities would dig it up to lay pipes etc. They never got together to lay all the pipes in one trench.
Ian is correct, the photo was taken from the north western side of the bridge couple of months ago when I visited Stockton. I am not too sure about the bus stop being there, wasn’t it near the post office? I also took a photo of the beck itself (on both sides) so keep an eye out for that one. In the original you can still see the workman’s club, if it is still in existence? For those of you in my vintage the fish shop was owned by Joe Walton (three penneth of chips & scraps) Anon is correct about Guests Garage, Father & son concern if I remember correctly. Behind that was the tip where every kid in the neighbourhood played. No worries in those days about letting your kids roam.
The Rocket pub was demolished around 10 years ago, the car park of the royal mail sorting office now stands were The Rocket once stood.
Would I be right in thinking we are looking towards Stockton with Newtown Junior School behind us on the right and Dundas St behind and to the left? Reason for the uncertainty is, I haven’t been along this road for about 45 years and it appears to have changed drastically in that time. Is the Rocket pub still there? I attended Newtown Juniors and used to catch the no.3 bus to Roseworth, and I think the bus stop used to be where the photo was taken. We used to sit on the bridge parapet leaning on the railing with our feet hanging in free space over the beck, and drop lit penny bangers in the water like depth charges.
This is the bridge over Lustrum Beck, at the righthand side end was Brian Reids Hairdressers shop which was a cobblers shop before that. On the lefthand side after fish shop was Guests Garage & Wheatley Garage. The high rise building in the background is Nolan House.