This is one of those posts that was lost when we moved to the new site.
This photograph shows a building on Greylands Avenue with a distinctive tower. Does anyone know anything about this building and why it has this tower?
Photograph courtesy of Lynda Dickinson.
We have tried to recreate as many of the original comments as possible…
When I lived in Greylands Avenue (from about 1964, aged 10 for about 3 years) My twin brother and I were friends with a similarly aged Lyn Ferguson, who lived in this house. At the time I think they built a modern house with an unusual two storey window covering the staircase) next to the house, which they moved into. We never did get to have a look from the tower, unfortunately.
I’m led to believe that this house had some connection to the owners of Head Wrightson’s and that at one point it was occupied by two ladies, one of whom was an artist. The Head Wrightson connection may be valid, as several wealthy local industrialists incorporated ‘towers’ into their mansions, particularly where it afforded a view of their works or place of business. One of these was the owner of Blair’s Engine Works, who installed a tower at his family’s out of town country residence ‘Drumrauch Hall, near Hutton Rudby, from which, using a telescope, he could see his workers arriving for each shift! The Hall has now been converted to luxury apartments. Another ‘tower’ is in The Avenue, Eaglescliffe, being part of the home owned by the owner of the ‘Clevo’ Flour Mills on the banks of the Tees adjacent to Victoria Bridge. This house is now part of Teesside High School.
A little more research shows that the house was built in the last quarter of the 19thC. and was called ‘Greylands’. It appears as a single property (rather than semi-detached) on the OS map for 1898 with a huge ornamental garden to the r/h side on the boundary of which (down Norton Rd towards S’ton) the other large house called ‘Greylands’ was built within the same time frame. This latter property became first a hotel and then later the new-build ‘Earl of Stockton’ Pub, which itself was eventually demolished to create a development of apartments.
At that time there was no housing to the east of Norton Rd from the Clarence Pottery /Prospect Terrace/ Brown Jug Pub (around Norton Bridge) all the way to Norton High St, Greyland’s tower would have had un-interrupted views across open fields in almost every direction.
It appears that the ornamental garden of ‘Greylands’ was later sold off and at sometime between the late 1920’s and WWII, the area around the house was fully developed for housing as Newlands Avenue and Greylands Avenue.
As far as the ‘ownership-connection’ with the Wrightson family goes (Thomas Wrightson joined Head-Ashby engineering in 1864 at S’ton after coming from Armstrongs in N/cle), it is of note that almost diagonally opposite this house was a large property called The Grange (where the former Club Fiesta premises stand) alongside which is the long run of cottages known as Grange Terrace which date from at least the early 19thC. Behind these in the late 19thC, was built a single row of 15-16 cottages called ‘Wrightson St’. These were usually built by developers to provide regular rental-income, which in the case of the Wrightson sisters possibly being locally incumbent to ‘Greylands’ may have provided some form of annuity?
Sir Thomas Wrightson himself (who was MP for S’ton in the mid 1890’s) died in 1921 and lived at Neasham Hall, nr. D’ton.
My mother was brought up in Greylands Avenue in the 1930’s and 40’s and my grandparents lived there until recently. I have often wondered about this building and in particular the tower. My mother has no idea either.
Lynda Dickinson
I was born in Greylands Avenue Norton in 1941. This photo brought back memories. My mother was friendly with Mrs MacDougal – who lived in the original bit – I always wanted to live in that house! As a teenager I thought the flat attached to the side would be good. Fanny Foster lived in the back bit (actually in Greylands). She used to run the shop on the corner of Grange Road (later Laudens Leighs and now a vets). Fanny Foster used to frighten us kids big time! The next bit was a garage (belonging to Fanny Foster) – it was huge and more like a barn. It was in front of this garage because the weather was nice that Greylands Avenue held its V.E. Day party – that party in the summer of 1945 is one of my earliest memories. After all this I’m not sure of the significance of the tower – sorry.
Anon
My grandmother who lived in Greylands Avenue often sent me to a grocers shop just behind the bank on the corner of Leven Road. Think it was called Acacia Stores (or something like that). This would be around the mid 1960’s perhaps.
Lynda Dickinson
My parents bought the part of the house with the tower in 2006 and it had indeed been converted back into one house from flats. The entrance is on Newlands Avenue but there is also access from Greylands Avenue. The previous owners thought that the original house (the other two bits are on Norton Road and are a house on the right and separate flats on the left) was part estate belonging to the of Bishops of Durham; but I have no idea if that’s true or not? The tower definitely wasn’t a water tower as it has a chimney and the features inside fit with the rest of the house suggesting it hasn’t been converted. The views are amazing – you can see all the way to the North York Moors and to the Transporter Bridge in Middlesbrough. It’s a great place to be during fireworks displays on Bonfire Night. It may well have just been a folly because it does only have two rooms accessed from a very steep staircase. It’s a wonderful house and it’s a real shame that it’s been split up and had those flats added to the front. I’d love to know the real history of it but all we have is an old map from the 19th century showing the land belonging the original house which is where the houses in Newlands and Greylands Avenue now stand.
Laura Smyrell
My cousin Peter Gilhooley used to live in Keithlands Avenue, so I was in this area a lot, especially on Winterschladens Off Licence on the Corner opposite the house. I remember this house very well as I used to walk past it on the way to my Grandmothers place on Sunday mornings on Norton Road.
I remember wondering at the time what the tower was, I went out with a girl who lived in the newly built add ons in Greylands and often wondered about the house, it was always so solemn and silent.
Wasnt there a convent in this house at some time in the past or was that about 200 metres further down the Norton Road? Anybody remember the Melba Bar, (run by Paleschis from Tilery), a Teddy Boy hang out in the 1960s, Modern Laundry and the Roller skating Rink just before Winterschladens Corner. What about Walter Wilsons at the O Bus stop opposite Norton Cross which later became a hairdresser and Mr. Jeavons the Chemist, my Sister Frances used to work there…
Regards