The shows an intake of ICI apprentices, many of whom had completed a year as messenger boys, age 15, before starting their apprenticeship at age 16. Mostly Stockton lads but some from Hartlepool and Middlesbrough.
Photograph and details courtesy of Bill Renwick
Picture Stockton Archive 
After looking closely at the photo of the apprentice intake, the instructor in the back row, far right is Bernard Mcneill
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I’ll have a go at naming some of them ?
it is 48 years though.
Back row ? Toy Armitage, Dougie Ianson,Frank,?,Micky Mockler,?Charlie Applby,Charlie Brown,Charlie Fox,John Potts,Billy Chambers ,Bob Turner,?,Stan Young.
2nd back row. Tony Shannon(sadly not with us any more),Barry Gales,David Hird,?,?,?Billy Renwick,Micky Chamberlain,Kenny gates,?,David
3rd back row. Arthur Haynes(Mick really)Ged Flanagan,John Readman,Me,Brian Ranft,Ian Fishburn,Colin Weatherall,Rob Sheilder,?,?,Colin Gray.
I’ve not put names to the prison guards as I’ve forgotten them. Not bad though for nearly 50 years and won’t have had contact with the majority since around 1966.
There were electrical,mechanical,instrumentation and fabricational trades here and there were 4 such groups taken on by ICI every year, oh happy days.
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Barry Gales in this photo lived in Dover Road, Ragworth and was the younger brother of Barbara and Peter who played played football for Norton C.C.T. before emigrating to Canada.
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Corky, I was the messenger boy in the machine shops when you held court there, darts in the locker room and so forth (I was the last of the messengers, and probably the cheekiest too) clearly your memory hasnt dimmed with time!
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This was the intake of 1965
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Mr.Renwick, you dont say what year the photo was taken. The reason I ask is that I’m coming up to the N.E. on the 21st July for 10 days to catch up with a few relatives I’ve not seen for over 50 yrs. My late uncle Dave (HUGHES) worked @ ICI IN the 40/50s. I was lucky enough to find out his 3 sons are still with us! I am also going to find the burial sites of my Gnd.father /Gnd mother,plus my Dads 12 siblings. My family name is DUNCAN. I’d be more than pleased to hear from anyone that may have any info whatsoever. The 13 + 2 G.parents lived at 40 GLADSTONE STREET,THORNABY.Granddad passed in 1931 and some time after then my Aunt /Uncle Hughes took on the property. In turn (aunt Mary was my Dads Sister),some yrs. later they moved to 148 WEARDALE CRES. Thanks to this fantastic invention I’m using here I was able to “fly” along both these roads and stand outside my Dads birth place and visit the HUGHES home,not seen by me for in excess of 50 yrs……..I cant wait to see “the boys”,ALLUN,PETER and TONY. My late Sister JOAN fell in love with Tony…she was about 13 I think. How old was he??????
Sorry if I’ve gone on too long – it,s my age!!! By the way,keep digging up all those long forgotten photos. Regards to all,LARRY DUNCAN.
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