Here is a photograph of Westbury Street school, Thornaby. I’m not sure of year but could be about 1951-1952. I’m sure somebody will answer that! It would be nice to hear from anybody in that photograph, and where are they now?
The names are ; Back Row – ?, Colin Walker; Fred Wood; Keith Talintire; Brian Friend; Jeff Ellis; David Turnbull; ?; ? Johnson; Miss Bell. Middle Row – Jeff Handley; Gordon Houldey; Robert Huggins; David Purchase; Lionel Reed; David Henderson; Harry Bradley; John Williams; Charlie Law; Alan Duckett. Next Row – Keith Alexander; Ronnie Larsen; Neil Barker; Graham Wintersgill; Fred Iceton; Colin Whittaker; John Crowther; John Larmouth; Front Row – Charlie Wright; David Craggs; Alan Lynas; Benny Wilberforce; John Vincent; Terry Brown; ? ; ? ; Norman Liggett.
Photograph and details courtesy of John Vincent.
Greetings to you from Ryedale, North Yorks.
The work of Derek Smith’s included some rich memories for my brother Alan and I. We both attended Westbury St Infants Infants School in the early 1950’s. It also also presented me with the a reminder of Fred Costello with whom I shared a desk with in my first year in 1952-3 when our teacher was Miss Roxby.
Peter Clark
Hello Peter, I have just stumbled upon your May 4th 2015 posting in which you state you and I shared a desk during our 1950’s Westbury Street school days. Unlike you I sadly don’t remember those days but don’t read too much into that because I don’t remember much about any of that time or the other kids in our class. Clearly you do so, can you tell me any more about any one else in our class and possibly include any school photo’s you may have. I remember more of me growing up in my parents shop in Gilmour street which was directly opposite the school and all the mischief my brother Ray and I used to get up to playing in the nearby streets. Regards, Fred Costello.
I wonder if bob Irwin is the same joiner who went to Stockton billingham technical college with me 1955-60
That would me Alan. I remember your name but don’t seem to be able to put a face to it. Did you come from Thornaby and had a mate who worked for a builders which was near to the Bridge Hotel?
hello Bob I was the good looking one! Yes Arthur Weston worked at clarkes, tutor was Jim Carter, Dave Hilton was my mate at college thought it was you. just bought the head wrightsons book very good.
Yes I remember Arthur Weston but there was another lad also worked there. Jim Carter was a very good lecturer. In one of the years there I spent my time making up his lecture manual and the same year was top lad in the whole of the NE in the S3 exams with 3 distinctions and a 1st class pass which was 1 mark of a further distinction and again thanks to Jim Carter. In the HW’s book I have a few remarks in it. I was at the presentation at Preston Museum where I purchased the book for a reduced price of £5.
Ok Bob on Mr Carter… last time I spoke to him was in 1983 in Yarm. I was building inspector for SBC at the time. In the Heads book you will have known my old neighbour Les Ellis. I also worked with Alan Twizell from Heads also my brother John worked in the office at Heads in the 1950s.
I think that could be my dad Brian Wardell on the back row…
Would that be the Brian Wardell who worked in the office at HW Stampings at Seaton in the early 60’s with Howard Dawson and Brian Smith. I worked in the labs there but was good friends with the 3 of them
HI John, our Benny is living at Eston with his wife. He goes by the name of Terry, That’s his real name,although we still call him Benny. Last time l saw him his health was not to good. You can get my email address from the Picture Stockton team…
Alan duckett next to Miss Bell, he lived next door to me for a few years I was then 5 years of age, he was a good athlete in his teens and went to Middlesbrough High Scool and played Rugby we lived at 22 Newby Grove in Thornaby. His father was Sid Duckett who I beleive was a Foreman in the Boiler yard at Head Wrightsons and they also had a daughter called Avril. I later went on to work at Head Wrightons for 17 years and later moved on.
Yes Dereck, Sid Duckett was the foreman over the drillers in the Bridgeyard. Where did you move onto workwise? Some of your old colleagues Albert Roxborough went into insurance, Dave Randall was a engineer at I.C.I. Wilton, Graeme Morgan went to work for the Water Board and Stevie Bromfield went to Saudi Arabia, then Vickers at Barrow and is now in Australia.
When I was at HW’s I think the Foreman for the drillers was called Smith and then again it might have been the rivoters. I realised shortly after moving into my 1st house that the previous occupants were this chap Smith and his sister. Why I say realised was that when emptying one of the outside cupboards I found lots of greenheart dowels used on the dockgates to fill in the bolt holes in the timbers. These were good for the fires as they were an oily wood. Smith was found dead in the garden, with his sister being an invalid she had to move on to a bungalow.
The riveters foreman was Ernie Cooker who was Dave Phillips father in law who was one of the Heat Exchange Shop fitters and Sid Duckett was the drillers foreman with Mick McLeary the A.E.U.shopsteward. I was at Head Wrightsons in the fifties.
I do remember the man called Smith as a Foreman in the Bridge Yard. I remember the rivot lads (catchers) being absolutely scared of him.
Hello. Do you remember my dad Tommy Dover? I am his daughter Sandra. I was born in Stockton but lived in Thornaby. Went to Mandale Infants, Mandale Juniors and Robert Atkinson schools
There is quite a few of these lads that went on to work at Head Wrightsons; platers Dave Henderson, Fred(Barney) Iceton and Norman Liggett, the latter two played football for Stockton Boys and Middlebrough F.C.Juniors, John Crowther was a fitter and turner in the Machine Shop and Ronnie Larsen worked at Harkers Engineering, Church Road.
Gordon Houldey worked in the joiners shop at Thornaby as well.
I think the date of this photo as 1953 maybe wrong. The boys are short trousers. Gordon Houldey started work at HW’s in 1955 so I would think these boys would look a bit older re the dates of 1953 and 1955.
Bob,These lads are now seventy two/three years old,so they would have been in the Head Wrightsons Apprentice School in 1956.
Yes Anon, that is what I am saying, mentioning Gordon Houldey. I think I am referring that on the photo they don’t look old enough to be leaving school in 1956.
This photo would have been taken when they were in the final year at junior school 1952,then four years in a senior school Arthur Head or Robert Atkinson,then work at fifteen.