This is one of those posts that was lost when we moved to the new site.
It shows the Collingwood at 22 Trafalgar Street, Thornaby.
We have tried to recreate as many of the original comments as possible…
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
My grandparents Joe and Esther Bird ran the Collingwood for some years. My family lived with them for a short while in 1957 after we had to leave our tenant farm in Hampshire.
I use to frequent the Collingwood occasionally in the later 1970s when Tony Carter was the Landlord. My brother-in-law Paddy McGee almost lived there, running his office and business from the telephone on the bar. He ran a small company on the former Ironworks site beyond the end of Hanover Street. Strange to go back and not find any trace of the streets, pubs and Head Wrightons…
Was that the Paddy McGee who went to the Pats school?
(Martin Yallop) Reply: Was it Paddy McGee who crushed and sifted the estimated 100 000 tons plus of slag that was on Corks Insulations land, I can remember this ore-recovery operation taking place, it used a magnetic-separator to crush and find slag that had an higher-iron-ore content than is normal which when recovered was heaped and removed and no doubt sold on to some steelworks, I often wonder what in the end happened to the rejected low-value iron content mountains of slag that was dumped there in the Victorian era, it was no use for roadways use or foundation work because it was known when wet to move and heave and expand which explains why it was there for over an 100 years. Quite a number of wild birds nested on this land including grouse.
I used to keep company in the Collingwood pub with the Head Wrightson, British Road Services drivers and Cork Insulation workers who frequented it. I know some tales about it centred around the subject of ‘clannish behaviour there due to the landlords strict rule of One for All, and All for One behaviour. I know Eva Walkers (The Eva Walker Pantomine Dancers) pub was yards away but where was it in relation to the Collingwood, and what was the name of the public house she managed? My grandfather Henry Wilson and grandmother Bella Farrow lived in Chapel Street, my father Jacob Wilson who lived there also went to the National School, George St, Thornaby, 1902 to 1907? An amazing in a way 110 years ago. I will try and get the Census returns for 1901 & 1911 to see if they are listed on it.
Langham’s was further up Trafalgar Street, on the corner of Duke Street. I lived in Duke Street until 1958 when we moved to The Green, I was eight. I remember Mrs Langham with great affection, if she was in a playful mood she used to squirt us kids with a soda-siphon.
Hi, I was born at no 2 Duke Street in 1941, my granddad was Jack Bulmer he worked at Head Wrightsons then moved to Albert street. I also remember the fire across from us about 1947 my aunt lives in Norton Jean Bulmer/Wade.
Jack won’t be a relative of Alfred Bulmer who married Nellie Hope (of York St.)
Alf was my uncle They lived in York St. and then 42 Victoria Rd. before retiring to Watson Grove. Died maybe in the 1990s or thereabouts.
Although I worked Heads and after overtime on an evening we would have a pint on the way home. I never used the Collingwood as I didn’t prefer Camerons beer. Then in the very early 60’s or just before then a chap called Armstrong became head Brewer for Camerons and brought out their best seller ‘Strongarm’ an anagram for Armstrong. I then started going to the Red Lion at Norton.
The shop next to the collingwood was owned by my father and was rented out to Mrs duck. Langhams shop was on the other side of the street at the top next to The Commercial Pub.
Was that Mrs Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Duck? She was my grand aunt. I have been researching my family history and believe that her mother, Sarah Ann Degnan, also ran a shop in Trafalgar Street. Do you know if your father rented out the same shop to her and if so, do you have any details about the family? Kind regards Tracey
Hello Tracey
My father inherited the shop on the death of my grandmother in 1946 and although the I recognise the name Degnan I have no memories of who rented the shop before that time. I remember Mrs Duck having a son Bobbie, and a daughter Mary and they also had one of the earliest T.Vs down below the railway.
In the early fifties I along with some of the other kids in the area would go round the to Mrs Duck,s to watch the cup final which was a special treat.
P.S Mrs Duck was always referred to as Lizzie Duck and I believe she had relatives in Great Ayton hope this helps.
Hi George
That is lovely to hear some details about my relative, Lizzie Duck. I knew Bobby and Mary Duck, as well, three very lovely people. I will have to keep searching the Degnan connection, but thanks for this information.
Tracy, Interested to see which one of the Degnan sisters was your grandmother, my grandmother was the eldest, married to Robert Eglington
Hi Mike, just seen this message! My grand-mother was Sarah Ellen Degnan who married Norman Hunter. My mother was Mary Hunter. Do you have any family history information on the Degnan family?
We used to live at number 10 Nile Street opposite Heads.
This photograph of the Collingwood shows part of the Head Wrightson canteen building in Nile Street
Anthony Bonner
Head Wrightsons canteen does anybody remember the dances that were held there on a Tuesday night with Hida Stevens Band in the fifties. We had some fabulous nights good music & dancing & never any bother. Hilda Stevens daughter Doreen used to sing with the Billy Cotton Band & used to call in at the dance if they were playing locally.
Mark Dolan
Langham’s shop was next to the Collingwood to the left of the picture.
Anon
I remember blowing up balloons with my sister & brother in law Sheila & Jimmy Huggins to be dropped at the end of the night for a dance in the canteen. I also remember going in to see a play being performed there the high point of which was a bit of stagecraft that turned all the cast black with a change of lighting. That would have been around the mid 50s.
Anthony Bonner