Bailey Street Board School in Bath Lane opened in 1868 and served Stockton until c1968. I remember that it had a good reputation for swimming.
Photograph and details courtesy of Derek Buttle.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
My dad went to Bailey st school he was an amazing swimmer he once swam from Stockton to Yarm for the school, he had dozens of medals.
A good man, I knew your Dad well.
My cousin Bill Harburn was also a good swimmer for Bailey Street. https://picturestocktonarchive.com/2006/08/04/bailey-street-boys-1937/
I was born in Bailey Street in 1951 and a year or so later moved to Herbert Street has anyone got any pictures showing the houses?
John Dobbing
Hi my dad was at Bailey Street School and played football for the school he would have been there around 1913 to 1920ish depending when they started and finished school, then he lived in St Anne’s Terrace, Portrack and played football for the Shamrocks, name of Fred Highfield.
Stuart… I have asked on FaceBook… Where did Bailey Street Football team play their matches, in the early 60’s? I played for Thornaby St.Pat’s, but cannot remember where it was when we played against Bailey Street. Do you have any idea?
Bailey Street played all there sport on Tilery rec. both football and cricket which was played on a herd standing wicket with a mat on top.
I too attended Bailey Street. I did infants school and yr 1 of juniors, then the school closed down. I loved it there. I was sent to Mill lane, but was happy as my friends were there too. Mr Brown was a straight shooter. We moved to a new estate in Hardwick and I attended Harrowgate junior school. The assistant head was Mr Fitzgerald, who was one of my teaches from Bailey Street. He was a very good teacher and I have fond memories of that time in my life.
I went to Bailey Street. I was there from Junior 3 class – I went to Mill Lane before that but hated it there. I loved Bailey Street, I remember our teacher was Miss Turnbull a tall lady and a lovely personality, but we moved onto Tilery Road School when Bailey Street shut down. I think it was 1963
my father-in-law went to this school, Stanley P Thomas. Has any one got school photos from 1944 onwards?
Great to see this photograph but the reference to the school being open until 1968 is wrong. I think it more like 1963/4. I joined it for the last 12 weeks of Junior 3 there aged 8/9 (having moved into a new house on Victoria Estate) and at the end of term we could take whatever books or items from school that we wanted as it was closing down. It did stand empty for a few years after that as I remember climbing the slate tiled roofs with friends. Quite dangerous, but then we were adventurous. Went to Tilery for Junior 4 in 1964 and then Albany after that from 1965 to 1969.
I went to Bailey Street School most of my school years, you’re right it closed in 63 because I had one more year to go and lived on Hardwick so did my last year at Hardwick Sec Mod.
I went to Bailey Street and left in 1963 to go to Hardwick for a short period so I was amazed to see in this first article that it stayed open until 1968.
Some of the teacher I remember were the headmaster Mr Wearmouth,Mr Brown,Mr Kitchen.
and in the junior school Mr Fitzerald. Oh happy days?
One of the teachers I almost forgot was the reverend Ronald Weldon from Redmarshall.
I remember them all. Ronald Weldon was our English teacher at Tilery Road after Bailey Street closed, I remember a group of us walking to Redmarshall one summers day to visit him
I was one of the group Les. I remember getting sun burnt that day too. Great days
My Mam Rose Stewart went to Bailey Street School. Does anyone have any photos from 1940 – 1955 and does anyone remember her? My email address is available through Picture Stockton if anyone would like to get in touch.
I left this school in 1938 when I was 14 years old. In those days there was no pens or paper, you wrote your lessons on a piece of slate with a stick of chalk. Good old days eh?
And definitely no computers, Paul! I have to say, given your age, I am impressed that you’ve embraced modern technology and have come so far from the simplicity of your early days. A fine example to many, often much younger people,who make no attempt to ‘move with the times’.
My husband Alec went to Bailey Street school about this time. He seemed to have many happy memories leaving during the war years 1943..
I left bailey street in 1963 at age 13 moved to hardwick secondary modern which had just been opened.
Brenda can you remember anyone called Jennifer Brace my elder sister she’s about your age we all went to Bailey Street school then moved to Hardwick then my parents divorced and we moved to Ferryhill would love to hear from someone who remembers us.
I started my school life at Bailey Street school, happy times. At the end of every day the teacher fed kids jelly beans, sadly I can’t remember the teachers name.
Yvonne, I wonder if you are related to Robbie & Thelma Cockcroft. I know they had a daughter also a son named Phillip. Thelma was the daughter of Annie Harris who for many years had a general dealers shop on the corner of Garbutt and Emmanuel Street. In later years she took over the shop at the top end of Garbutt Street, that building still stands.
I went to that school as well, my name is peter dickenson from Paxton Close
I remember in 1943/4 I was in the swimming/Diving team from Robert Atkins at Thornaby, they beat us in the relay, they were good
A question related to the schools early days if anyone can help? I had a uncle Albert Howgill who was born 1897 in Catholic Street, which was close to St. Mary’s but is long since demolished. I believe that he and his female siblings all attended St James Infants in Portrack. Albert, being a boy, moved (I suspect) to Bailey street for his remaining education to age 11 years while the girls remained in St. James.
Can anyone confirm, or otherwise, that I am correct in believing that the boys were moved on after infant education in St James and that Bailey St was the destination? Information will be much appreciated.
Hi Derek I’m sorry I can’t answer your question, I just wanted to say that I too was born in Catholic Street, though I don’t remember much about it as we moved to Ragworth when I was about 5 yrs old.
I attended Bailey Street from St Ann’s ,as far as teaching was concerned, in my experience it was coming from the dark into the light – Miss Green in 1b a wonderful teacher, 1948
My father attended this school. I think he started in about 1909 or there abouts his name was Charles Frederick Atkinson.
Bailey Street School was where I started my school life. I remember having to have a sleep on little camp beds in the afternoon
Hi Joan,
Strange how modern schools claim to care for the kids welfare. I was a ‘fail to flourish’ war babe and spent some months in William Newton at Norton. But even the normal schools recognised the value of periods of short intense teaching then good active playtimes. A lot, particularly the infants had a little siesta (spelling?). Todays methods appear to involve start late, have a long lunch with no supervision, and finish in a very disorderly fashion about 3 pm. Then again it could be that I am becoming one of the ‘ it was always better in the old days, brigade. Unarguably, my education was sound and aimed at improving society.