I am a Billingham lad and Thornaby was a distant place to me in the 1950s, but I did once make my way to the Army Surplus Store on Mandale Road to buy a “Commando Bike”, the bike was a folding affair that could be carried on your back with a couple of straps, the shop faced where the Bon Lea trading estate now stands and was either next door to or a little along from Jack Russell’s motorcycle shop, all long gone, I did visit Thornaby more frequently in the early 1960s to visit the Swimming Baths on Thornaby Road, this was because they had a high diving board whereas Billingham Baths only had a 10 foot diving board and my friends and I used to really enjoy the big leap into the pool at Thornaby.
A man called “Smithie”, owned the Army Surplus store, Mandale Road, Thornaby, before he rented these premises it was a greengrocers called Jaques, which I always thought a strange sort of name. It looked Parlez-vous français to me. Smithie had a much larger tool shop in Norton Road, Portrack, Stockton. As a boy of 10, I enjoyed dealing with him on the market buying from him “Genuine guaranteed racing pigeons, for 2/-“, birds with a flying club ring on the right foot 6d extra @ 2/6 (the ring numbers in those days were SDU 1234, NU 1234, NEHU 1234 (SDU was the Short Distance Union) (NU was the Northern Union) (NEHU was the North Eastern Homing Union) unknown to me most of them were “church roof specials”. These clubs formed into one combine called the UNC (Up North Combine 1234) ran from Greatham, Hartlepool) (Hi’ya Pam Grange, Secretary, and greetings to all the UNC staff, drivers, loaders and unpaid volunteers)
In the mid 1950s, Smithie owned the pet stall near the Shambles, If anyone see’s him about (which is very unlikely since he’s more than likely deceased, please give him my regards, and ask him does he still have the pigeon pedigrees he promised me?) I also remember the man who assisted him on the stall because he set the stalls out the night before market day, and helped to collect them back in when the market ceased trading on Wednesdays and Saturdays night. What a grafter he was. Regards to all. Bob Wilson.
My wifes GT grandfather, was Moses Coppick, a potter, he married Susan Carman, (his 2nd wife) at Stockton in 1866. Their address was given as Pottery Bank, Thornaby. I think he may be the potter who had his name on a cider mug in Gaymers cider, mugs on show, the mug dated 1877. I am trying to find out if it is the same Moses. I picked the details up on a site,
Kate Wilson & Cider Mug Collection.
More of Thornaby please. Scotts newsagent on the corner forgot about Uptons my wife worked in Pumpheries in the late 50 early 60s as a cake decorator – Joyce nee Thornhill.
I remember going into Paleschis café for an ice cream cornet I think it was to the left of the photograph. My Nana lived on Pottery Bank 132 Thornaby Road and she used to send me shopping for her groceries on Mandale Road. My reward was sixpence which I spent on the aforementioned cornet!
Mandale Road showing Uptons and the Five Lamps.
Picture Stockton Archive 
Does anyone have information or photographs of Sheldon and Pearson sweet factory?
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There’s now a care home, in place of the call centre I trained at. Mandale Care Home.
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I am a Billingham lad and Thornaby was a distant place to me in the 1950s, but I did once make my way to the Army Surplus Store on Mandale Road to buy a “Commando Bike”, the bike was a folding affair that could be carried on your back with a couple of straps, the shop faced where the Bon Lea trading estate now stands and was either next door to or a little along from Jack Russell’s motorcycle shop, all long gone, I did visit Thornaby more frequently in the early 1960s to visit the Swimming Baths on Thornaby Road, this was because they had a high diving board whereas Billingham Baths only had a 10 foot diving board and my friends and I used to really enjoy the big leap into the pool at Thornaby.
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A man called “Smithie”, owned the Army Surplus store, Mandale Road, Thornaby, before he rented these premises it was a greengrocers called Jaques, which I always thought a strange sort of name. It looked Parlez-vous français to me. Smithie had a much larger tool shop in Norton Road, Portrack, Stockton. As a boy of 10, I enjoyed dealing with him on the market buying from him “Genuine guaranteed racing pigeons, for 2/-“, birds with a flying club ring on the right foot 6d extra @ 2/6 (the ring numbers in those days were SDU 1234, NU 1234, NEHU 1234 (SDU was the Short Distance Union) (NU was the Northern Union) (NEHU was the North Eastern Homing Union) unknown to me most of them were “church roof specials”. These clubs formed into one combine called the UNC (Up North Combine 1234) ran from Greatham, Hartlepool) (Hi’ya Pam Grange, Secretary, and greetings to all the UNC staff, drivers, loaders and unpaid volunteers)
In the mid 1950s, Smithie owned the pet stall near the Shambles, If anyone see’s him about (which is very unlikely since he’s more than likely deceased, please give him my regards, and ask him does he still have the pigeon pedigrees he promised me?) I also remember the man who assisted him on the stall because he set the stalls out the night before market day, and helped to collect them back in when the market ceased trading on Wednesdays and Saturdays night. What a grafter he was. Regards to all. Bob Wilson.
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My wifes GT grandfather, was Moses Coppick, a potter, he married Susan Carman, (his 2nd wife) at Stockton in 1866. Their address was given as Pottery Bank, Thornaby. I think he may be the potter who had his name on a cider mug in Gaymers cider, mugs on show, the mug dated 1877. I am trying to find out if it is the same Moses. I picked the details up on a site,
Kate Wilson & Cider Mug Collection.
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This is my favourite picture. Its the way I remember Thornaby when I left in 1953.
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sorry to hear about cliffs passing john my wife said he was a nice man.
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Alan Lythe Glad to hear your wife remembers Cliff Ashman ( my cousin ). Sadly he passed away in 2001.
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More of Thornaby please. Scotts newsagent on the corner forgot about Uptons my wife worked in Pumpheries in the late 50 early 60s as a cake decorator – Joyce nee Thornhill.
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Wonder if your wife remembers Hilda Curry and Cliff Ashman? They were my cousins. Hilda worked in the cake department and Cliff was Transport manager.
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My wife remembers Cliff but not Hilda. John she also worked with Jenny Berry nee Oates now sadly passed away.
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I remember going into Paleschis café for an ice cream cornet I think it was to the left of the photograph. My Nana lived on Pottery Bank 132 Thornaby Road and she used to send me shopping for her groceries on Mandale Road. My reward was sixpence which I spent on the aforementioned cornet!
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