A photograph of the old Parochial School on Wolviston High Street, dated during the 1950s. This Grade II listed building was erected in 1836. It is a one storey building with a pantiled roof and sash arched windows.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
I think Neil and I must be of similar vintage because I too remember this building as the church hall, a regular venue for scout and guide parties, jumble sales etc in the late 1950s and early 60s. I have a number of old press cuttings from the Billingham Express at that time of functions in and around the hall but sadly I can’t print them at an acceptable quality to upload them to the Picture Stockton site (if anyone knows how I can overcome this problem, I would be pleased to hear from them).
There is however a photo posted elsewhere on Picture Stockton showing this building in 1976 as a private property at that time and a reference to the fact that it was replaced as the village school when the replacement was opened beside the village green.
I had no idea this was originally a school, since the old Wolviston School was not on the High Street but near the Village Green. This building was always known to us In the fifties as the “Church Hall”; used for meetings, plays, jumble sales, village dances, etc. (Anyone remember Mrs Campion’s Band!?)
I would like to know more about its school heritage, if it ever was a school. Also, someone may be able to provide a present day picture. It had been converted into a house when last I saw it, though the main exterior facade had been preserved.