This photograph shows the summer fair of St James Church at Hardwick Hall c1964/65. Courtesy of Alan Rowbotham. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
This photograph shows the summer fair of St James Church at Hardwick Hall c1964/65. Courtesy of Alan Rowbotham.
The house we lived in from 1962 on the corner of Hardwick Rd and Whessoe Rd did have a plaque on the wall facing Hardwick Rd.It was to commemorate the first sod cut for the new Hardwick Estate development, I can’t remember who it was by. The original address was 46 Hardwick Rd, which was confusing for everyone as the front door was in Whessoe Rd. My Mam and Dad managed to get it renumbered to 1A Whessoe Rd.
Alan, worse I became a Newcastle Fan!! My memory was both my Father and Harry Laverick buzzing round the different stalls making sure everything was ok and wondering where the other one was. I am sure that’s where he was at the time of the photo.
One of my other memories (can you confirm please) that there was a plaque built into the front of your house which said your house in Hardwick was the first opened with dates etc – over the years new occupants plastered over.
I have always had a good memory and remember your Father both before his illness and after when he came to church. As well as being a server I also handed out the hymn books as people came into church, a job I always took very seriously.
Steve I know your Father was there as a Church Warden, he took over from my Dad who took ill in early 1964 but I can’t fathom why the other Church Warden Harry Laverick (my future Father in Law) isn’t on the picture. Hope someone can recognize the speaker. Saw the Boro comments, hope you dont hold that against me if you became a fan!
Thanks for putting this on the site Alan, I must tell my father there is a picture of him next to Rev John Williams. I will have been there too along with my brothers. I will have been 8/9 at the time. Great memories. I always remember the big Marquee and the cakes the ladies made.
(have put an entry in on the St James church pages, I am pretty sure you took me to my first football match in 68 Boro vs Hull)
Left to Right; Ray Raw, Rev John Williams Vicar of St James (unknown speaker and lady behind), Rev Trevor Beeson Vicar of St Chads.