Stockton High Street in the early 1900s. It’s of particular significance to me as it shows Laings Cafe, which was owned by my ancestors.
Photograph and details courtesy of Maureen Walker.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
I suspect this cafe later became a market-traders tea, pies and sandwiches takeaway, situated up the (same) Blue Post passageway, it is possible the Ship Inn shown, became the Vaux breweries Blue Post public house on the same site. When this takeaway closed in the 1950s, there may have been a removal connection with the popular Pete’s Snack Bar, located opposite Bishopton Road end and over the road from the school uniform outfitters.
I think you may be wrong about the date of Laing’s cafe in the High Street at Stockton as my mother worked there from 1914 to about 1930. She then became the canteen cook at Marks and Spencers till her marriage in 1936. I have been looking on your site for a photo as she always said it was opposite the Market cross.
A further gem of Stockton High Street on a market day, Maureen, we have the same surname and lived in the same street with other Laings and yet to the best of my knowledge we were not related ?
Yes, I always thought that was unusual, the other two families of course were related, Bob and Walter Laing. Bob didn’t have any children so I would hazzard a guess that you are Walter Laing’s youngest son. My mother had my youngest sister, Anne when she was in her forties so you may know her…
Mam (Dorothy) sadly died earlier this year having attained sufficient age to receive a letter from HRH the year before. I responded to an earlier post regarding the Eeles Family, somewhere I have a picture of Maude and Fred? with Carol.
Having commented on the 1950’s photograph of the Town Hall and market-day ‘bustle’, I was struck by the fact, that both photographs seem to have been taken from the same ‘vantage-point’. This I presume, would be the upper-windows of what was once Stewarts’ Clothiers on the corner of Ramsgate where the building line of the High Street ‘steps forward’. Am I correct?
I’m not quite sure when it closed Frank but my brother-in-law had his wedding reception there in 1953 but I believe they had moved to another premises nearer to the Odeon. As regards the horse droppings,we have a riding school near us and they regularly walk up our road, the mess they leave is never cleaned up!
What an interesting and beautiful photograph of the High Street. A real gem. I was drawn to the Town Hall windows and thinking to myself “I don’t remember them like that”, It appears over the years Stockton Town Hall has been altered a great deal. For instance In 1940 there was just four large windows and in 1980 eight windows made from white PVC, (ugh) May I suggest to the Stockton Archive staff that a photographic exhibit based on Stockton Town Hall exterior over the years, ‘doors and windows an’ all’ would be interesting to see, Better still, maybe someone could have a quiet word with the Council, and suggest to them that: the restoration of it’s frontage to it’s original grandeur would be a step in the right direction? May I thank Maureen Walker for producing this diamond gem of a photo, thank you.
When did the Laings shop close as my Mother said they made the best cakes in Town, I have no memory of ever going in the shop.
I notice in the picture the horses had left their deposit, I do know the horse and cart in my time had a bucket and shovel hanging off the back, they had to clean up any mess.
The Laing’s premises in this photograph, at 113 High Street, was opened in 1926 and closed in 1931 according to our records.
If of interest to anyone connected to the Cafe, I have a family letter on Laing Cafe Letter head signed by Ernest Laing providing a reference for a family member. This is dated March 1913 and the address of the cafe at the top of the letterhead is 113 High Street, Stockton-on-Tees with a few more details, e.g. established 1861.