A view of numbers 61 – 63, Stockton High Street.
AA and RAC signs can be seen on the front of number 61, The Vane Arms Hotel, (1821 – 1970). At number 62 is the gardening shop, William Strike Limited (1880-1963) and at number 63 is Forshaws, tobacconists (1958 – 1968). Seen above numbers 62 and 63 is Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance Company Limited, Huddersfield Building Society and Richard Jewitt and Company accountants.
In the summer between leaving school and going on to Art-college in 1964, I obtained a job for 8-weeks at ‘Forshaw’s the Tobacconists’ sister shop in Middlesbrough. The wonderful aroma within the shop, that many people still recall, was both a blend of the aromatic pipe-tobaccos and mentholated ‘snuff’. Even within the ‘swinging 60’s’, I was quite surprised just how much ‘Wilson’s’ snuff was sold, usually to elderly customers. It came loose, in large canisters of several blends. Each order had to be carefully weighed at the counter, before being scooped into a paper-bag. The shop also sold a vast array of internationally branded cigarettes and ‘fancy goods’.
The latter, consisted of a huge selection, ranging from cigarette-lighters and cases, to petrol fuelled ‘hand-warmers’, as well as souvenir crested-spoons, ashtrays and various items of china. As the ‘junior’, I was required once a week to re-dress the crowded window space, an area that contained perhaps well over a hundred items on display stands. Each individual item, had to be dusted and then have a tiny ‘descriptive’ price-tag placed against it. The required concentration level over a whole-day was immense, mainly so as not to get the wrong price-tag against the wrong item. On a sunny or warm day, the restricted window-space reached temperatures normally associated with a sauna-cabin, though I was dressed in a jacket, shirt and tie!
Each Saturday afternoon, the half-time football scores, gleaned from an ancient valve-radio kept in the rear storeroom, were somewhat uniquely displayed in the shop-window. These became a ‘must see’ feature for passers-by, especially for those husbands grudgingly accompanying their wives around the town on shopping duties.
The Manager (a gentleman of around 60 years) was very ‘old-school’ and his assistant was an ex-Guards officer, very daunting for a 16 year old! On the day I left, I vowed I’d never drink tea again with ‘gooey’ condensed-milk (their favourite day-time tipple). I also vowed I’d never partake of tobacco, but unfortunately that particular vow… later ‘went up in smoke’.
very nice story CHRIS
First catering job I ever had was training as a waiter in the Vane Arms, under best trainer I ever had, nicknamed ‘Lurch’. I made lots of tips here to spend in Tito’s where I worked later. It was a crime to have distroyed this side of High Street. The cig shop was birthplace of the first friction match I believe…
Although, I don’t remember the old Forshaws shop, but may of passed it as a young lad in the 1960’s. However, I do remember the new Forshaws shop on the new Castlegate Centre and thought that was a lovely shop, sadly no longer there. Some of the pipes and pipe baccy on the window display was great to look at. Great days.
I attended a Motor Agents function there, as well as using it on a Saturday afternoon crawl with the lads…
The AA and RAC signs were to say that the Hotel was a recommended hotel with them and received stars upto 5 on how well they were.
The Vane Arms, I had my first Pimms there when I went out on my first date with my now husband 57 years ago.