Construction work began on the Riverside in the 1950s, these photographs show the foundations and building of Corporation Warehouse.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Construction work began on the Riverside in the 1950s, these photographs show the foundations and building of Corporation Warehouse.
Judging by the holes in the windows the Remploy Factory was yet to be brought into life.
Note steel frame erection for the new Co-op dairy can be seen behind the last houses in Smithfield and likely Garden Place in the left photo but not the right. The left photo showing the start of steel erection for the new Quayside warehouse can be accurately dated as Feb 1950 from council records, thus the right photo was taken somewhat before this date. Note the new Quayside frontage extending out into the river and ice on the ground in the left photo.
The right photo shows the trench dug during the second half of 1949 and not completed until early 1950 for the reinforced concrete retaining wall to support the roadway behind the Square. Unilever asked for the width of the warehouse to be increased from 75 to 90 feet, pushing the rail access to the sidings further out, thus requiring a reinforced wall to support a road near the Square and the further extension of Bishop Street in an easterly direction.
The left photo shows the start of the steel erection for the new Corporation Quay warehouse. Council records for 28/2/1950 reported that the Cargo Fleet Steel and Iron Company were now on site and it is anticipated steel erection will start immediately and will be completed in three weeks.
Re: the fate of the Gardeners Arms at 5 Hunters Lane, change of use, as quoted from Council Records (CR). 10 Nov 1947- ‘The Industrial Development Committee (IDC) has decided not to let these premises for the use of making firelighters (CR 1947-8, pages 130/1).’ 10 Feb 1948- ‘The Highways/Streets Committee (HSC) notes that Mr E.C. Hardey, 30 Stanhope Rd, is taking over the tenancy of the premises for the purposes of installing a small plastics fabrication factory. In order to operate his machines it will be necessary to run an overhead electric cable from the Remploy building (ie Corporation owned buildings opposite) to these premises. I submit a plan showing the proposed location of this main, which would be at a height of not less than 18 feet 6 inches above the public highway (Hunters Lane). The IDC have agreed to this proposal subject to the approval of the HSC (CR 1947-8, page 397, page 400-HSC approved).’ 1 Nov 1949- ‘The IDC has received a letter from Mr E.C. Hardy (now not spelt as Hardey as last year-Alan B.) who conducts a plastics fabrication business at 5 Hunters Lane asking for consideration to be given to erect two sign boards one at the top of Bishop Street and the other at the north east corner of the Cattle Market, indicating the names of firms occupying factories in Hunters Lane. The applicant states that several clients complain of difficulty in not only finding his premises, but also other firms occupying nearby Corporation Buildings (CR 1949-50, page 638).’ Continuing on pages 639, 738/9, and notably 866 of 3 Jan 1950, the council approved the idea of directional signs containing the names of firms operating on this small industrial estate, and asked the Borough Engineer (BE) to design such signs and recommend suItable locations for them (the BE suggested the east end of both Bishop St and the Cattle Market). The council then asked all firms on the estate to contribute to the cost of them. Only Messrs Rembrandt Dresses Ltd replied in favour, with Messrs Remploy Ltd, Modernwares Ltd and the applicant Hardy (now spelt as Hardy’s-Alan B.) indicating they were not prepared to make a contribution. This seems to have halted the scheme as no further progress was recorded. Remaining demolition or stoppering off of streets in the vicinity of the old ‘Gardeners Arms’ occurred during 1950, ie Smithfield, James Street, Garden Place and a touch more of Hunters Lane. Land covering the last mentioned three was sold off by the council to the Co-op for the new dairy with room for its future expansion (at least two land sale contracts for c.30 Oct 1951 and 4 March 1952 were identified). Isolated, with its residual client base eroded by slum clearance from 1927 to 1950 with a temporary halt during the war, and the decline and closure of the shipyards particularly neighbouring Ropners, the ‘Gardeners Arms’ as a beerhouse really had no post -war future, but struggled on in industrial use during the early 1950’s. It was possibly the last surviving beerhouse in the area, c.1939.
The Ordnance Survey in July 1950 surveyed Stockton riverside creating map NZ 44195 printed and sold in 1951. This map shows the new five track incomplete railway yard going nowhere exactly as in the above photos. The new quay depot (left photo) is also on the map devoid of any detail, possibly still under construction as above, but minus any rail connections and circumventing railway line to the incomplete yard. The right photo show a gap for a new wall propped up with numerous timber lengths, plus more clearly the incomplete railway yard. The yard terminates at the Remploy factory, ie ex-Ropner Shipbuilding premises, and a woman and child can be seen walking towards distant Hunter’s Lane. Based on election registers and detailed maps from the 1930’s to early 1950’s, the houses in the top left corner of the right photo are 8(left) and 9(right) Smithfield. They were the last houses occupied and left standing in Smithfield. They were vacated in 1951. Smithfield was stopped off as a road in 1950. Hunter’s Lane survived for a few more years, The block of houses at the left side of the Remploy building were 4(the closest) to 6 Hunter’s Lane, followed by a gap the entrance to long cleared Brewery Square, then most of the side of 8 Hunter’s Lane can be seen in the right photo only. The above photos probably date from early 1950. The rail yard is now the car park next to the modern road bridge crossing the river.
Number 5 Hunters lane was, for a large part of it`s existence, a beerhouse called the Gardeners Arms. Beerhouses were small scale pubs which were not licensed to sell spirits, many were just converted houses. The landlady in 1938 was Mrs Florence Golden. I believe the Gardeners Arms had ceased trading prior to the 1950`s can anyone confirm this?
Number 7 Hunters Lane was also for a long period also a beerhouse. It was named the “Sportsmans Arms”. In 1876 John Batty was the licensee. This beerhouse succumbed to the enforced closure of a number of licensed premises, classed as surplus to requirement, in the early 1900`s. It became a shop after this. In the 1930 directory for Stockton George Key is listed as the shopkeeper. In 1860 there was a “Sportsmans Arms” owned by Messrs Kirk Brothers with an address given as Ranters buildings, Stockton. Does anyone know the location of Ranters buildings?