An aerial view of Head Wrightsons, Thornaby. We believe the photograph was taken in the late 1950s.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
An aerial view of Head Wrightsons, Thornaby. We believe the photograph was taken in the late 1950s.
Does anyone remember my dad Tommy Dover?
Tommy was a very well liked foreman welder, who would help anybody.
Thought you may be interested in this old photo of the Head Wrightson Senior staff Garden Party… http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/history/10403280.Family_seat_was_a_wright_old_pile/
How many of these Teessiders are still with us?
I was re-searching the Wrightson family history as I am picking up at Melbourne Airport a relative of the Wrightson Family Andy Wrightson who will be staying with me for a few days. Andy is the partner of my niece who comes from Stillington originally, Nicky Chatto, Andy is a Marine Engineer and is living in the Philippines, they both crew, maintain and sail the Yacht for rich Arabs.
I would say that it was the late 50’s as I was an apprentice in about 1956/7 I worked with Benny Harle doing foundations for a heavy machine that would be installed in the Heavy Plate shop that was built at that time. I also see the houses at the bottom end of Trafalgar Street with Johnnie Savages shop who would sell 10 Woodbines but then take 2 out and replace them with 2 Pashas. Also the Bradford Vaults, when the houses were demolished I’d bet it was the omly works in the Country with a pub in it. Jimmy Rickleton, head Security Officer had his house built next to the pub on the entrance to the Craig Taylor offices. In this photo it has not been built which would have been at the end of the 50’s.
You are right Bob about the date & the foundations you worked on were for the big lathe, post borer bed or the big press in the Heavy Plate shop, we actually worked on setting the post borer’s big table level.
I would say it is earlier than late 50’s due to the large number of railway lines, and the jumble of old buildings outside of the R & D workshops under the Mc Kee drawing office.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bMh4ZEVRUs
For anyone interested the above link on youtube is a film about Head Wrightsons