A view of the Almshouse on Knowles Street, Stockton c1850.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
A view of the Almshouse on Knowles Street, Stockton c1850.
I came up with a family member running the Enterprise Inn in 1901. The Tyson family seems to have run about 5 hotels in Stockton. Does anyone know anything about them?
In the 1841 Census my distant Grandparents address was noted as being: Bishop Street, North Side Back Of Alms House.
The plank-like sign on the top right house seems to say Enterprise, likely the Enterprise Inn at 6 Bishop Street, on the north side of Bishop Street. This suggests it is Knowles Street off to the left and Bishop Street off to the right. The background would mainly be the Bishop Street car park now.
Hmmm? So the forward expanse of ‘cobbled’ area is actually the High Street and not Knowles Street (or Workhouse Street) which would in fact be to the rear of this? Or, is this the corner to Knowles Street (behind Lindsey House) where the pay and display car park is now situated? I’ve often wondered what the high expanse of ancient ‘rubble-stone’ wall, that is visible in that car-park, was once part of?
According to the 1893 Town Plan of Stockton-On-Tees this photo was the junction of Workhouse street and Bishop Street.The cobbled street on the bottom left led to the High Street. The street to the right led to Thistle Green. A couple of doors to the left of the almshouse and out of shot of this picture is the Sun Inn. The properties in this photo and the whole of this side of Bishop Street were demolished. The wall you mention is to the rear of the Sun Inn and is possibly part of what was once a courtyard adjoining the pub. I don`t know when Workhouse Street became Knowles Street or who Knowles was.
Martin: Re: The 1893 S’ton OS map, you’re certainly correct about the location of the photograph (the 2no. pubs seen further down Bishop St confirm ) But, whilst the map identifies the ‘Almshouse(s)’ on the High St , i.e. standing where Lindsey House now stands, it doesn’t identify this corner property as being an Almshouse, or even an extension to them. Almshouses were usually provided for the aged poor of the Parish.
However in this painting below of 1820 showing the ‘Almshouses’ as a solus building with Workhouse St (Knowles St) running to the rear, you can see the same style of dormer (attic) windows,( as the buildings in the photograph) to the roofline on the rear street.
In my view this is part of ‘The Workhouse’ itself, not an Almshouse. The ‘loft door’ high up on the gable wall, may have some significance for hoisting-in the materials, from which the unfortunate incumbents produced goods.
The next 19thC. Stockton ‘Workhouse’ appears to have been a huge affair with Male & Female accommodation / Workshops etc, on Portrack Lane. It’s size probably relative to the sudden increase in population as a result of the continuing ‘industrialisation’ of Stockton.
http://picturestocktonarchive.wordpress.com/2004/09/14/the-almshouses-in-knowles-street-c1820/
Knowles Street could possibly be named after Anthony Crosby Knowles JP. He had a wholesale grocery business in Workhouse Street in partnership with George Jaques. The company of Jacques & Knowles was founded in the 1850`s.
Anthony Crosby knowles later became an alderman on Stockton Town Council and was the mayor of Stockton 1866-67.He died 11 February 1889 age 64.
Knowles Street was called Workhouse Street at the time of this photo. The building on the right hand side behind the almshouse is the Enterprise Inn. This was located on Bishop Street.
John Colling was the landlord of the Enterprise Inn during the 1850`s. There was another pub on Bishop Street, called the Hope and Anchor. Both pubs appeared to have ceased trading at the beginning of the 20th century.
Quite a busy street, Bishop Street was. Another two to add. The Kings Head and the Star Theatre Hotel, These existed around 1827.
To the right hand side of the photo, is the Enterprise Inn and this was located in Bishop Street. So it is Knowles Street.
looks like Dovecote/Dixon street corner – they were Almshouses
Am I right in thinking that this is to the rear of the High Street, i.e. facing The Sun pub, on the corner to Bishop Street? A site that later became Victoria Buildings and is now occupied by Lindsey House? That’s a rather curiously large overhanging ‘roof’ to such a small bay-window.