The photograph shows my Mother Margaret (known as Madge) taken in 1956 and the oldest two children Margaret (aged 13) and Malcolm (known as Mick, aged 10) who went to Richard Hind School, Stockton. Mick played in goal for the school team and also played Cricket for Norton.
Photograph and details courtesy of Paul Gilhooley.
Is this family anything to do with the Gilhooleys who had a shop on Thorntree Road in Thornaby?
I lived in Fordy Grove and knew the Gilhooleys quite well. Mrs Gilhooley only daughter was called Pat.
Nice to see Kitch get a mention, he was a good friend of mine As well as goalkeeping he was a gifted high jumper. Last I heard he went to live in New Zealand where his 2 children had emigrated too, this was after his wife Margaret had sadly passed away 2 or 3 years ago
I think this photo was taken before 1956, because if Mick was aged ten it would of been about 1950-51, Mick would of been seventy-three or four now, he also played in goal in the Northern League for Billingham Synthonia & Shildon.
Mick was in the same year as me at Richard Hind, we played in the same football team. I am now 74 and left the school in 1956. Just to add, Mick was a great sportsman and a good lad to know.
So like I said John, he is not sixteen in this photo.
In his 1st year at Richard Hind Mick Gilhooley was not goalkeeper in the Under 13 team. Alan Kitching filled that role well. Mick was in the team though as he was a gifted outfield player too. A special gift was that he could see how play was developing and be moving into space. That was a useful gift too when in goal. Of course in the 2nd year he was goalie in the League Championship winning side. The pattern continued throughout as in the 3rd year Alan K in goal, then 4th year in goal again.
There’s a photo or photos of RHS teams with Mick in the goalie’s jersey. A very pleasant, cheerful young man. KCS – teacher i/c in those years.
Dear Ken,
I would love a copy of that photo, where do I find it?
Regards,
Paul
Anon probably has a better memory than me. Mine is wearing out at 87 and a difficult health problem. I enjoy visiting on here!
We enjoy your input Ken & you had a lot of successful Richard Hind team so it must be easy to make little slips now and then. Did you know Dougie Cattermole has just had a second knee replacement operation?
I cannot trace it just now. One of him in the cricket team is t12309… https://picturestocktonarchive.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/richard-hind-cricket-team-1955-57/
Paul,
Google . intermediate team salmon cup winners 1954/55
I knew Mick well when he played for Shildon, he trained with us (Whitby) at Billingham Tech.
Paul, if you are his brother who worked at Mossmorran and once lived in Holland,
you know me well enough.
Best Regards to Ken Sawyer
Thanks Gran. Can’t run along the touchline to urge the lads on now.
On my own, housebound as disabled and use trolleys and stairlift to aid movement. All due to slowly progressed rare neuropathy started 21+ years ago pdn-info.co.uk. One of life’s pleasures is to visit this excellent site as it stirs memories of hometown Stockton.
I am his brother but I did not work at Mossmoran or live in Holland, Malcolm (or Mick) did.
He lived and worked (and married) in Sparendam in the Netherlands before moving to Portugal. As I understand it he played football in Goal for Blau-Wit (the second team of Fjenord)and helped form the Dutch National Cricket Team in Amsterdam.
He died (of Cancer) in Feb 2006.
It was Mick,s brother, Peter, that I was referring to, who worked with me on a project at Esso Mossmorran and later lived in Holland and married a Dutch girl, he did advise me of Mick passing away in Portugal many years ago.
Anon may be interested to know that I am listed on the players archive list at Synners website, mentioned by Martin Birtles
Yes Gran, 32 games & 10 goals between 1954 to 1961, a couple of others you would of known were Gilly Dunford 21 games & 13 goals (not bad for a centre half) 1961-63 & Bill Harburn who turned out for them prior to going to Australia 6 games & 2 goals in the 1953/54 season.
Dear Gran,
I am Peter’s brother Paul, all you say is true. Peter still lives in Holland and has 4 kids having married a Dutch Lady (Trix).
The second son is the leader of the Dutch Youth Parliament! Strange with a name like Gilhooley!
Regards,
Paul
Paul,
Peter was a young cost engineer for me as manager of commissioning of the Fife Ethylene Plant in 1984, Esso. He would be about 30 at that time. I have not seen him since those days on a successful project. He did contact me many years later, when I think he was manager of a Recruitment Agency in Holland, to see if I would be interested in managing a refinery construction in Egypt. I am afraid I was, not!! Give him my Best Regards, he might be surprised that I am still around!!
Granville Cooper
Ken, Alan Kitching was a year younger than Mick Gilhooley, he was the same age as Dougie Cattermole, Brian Summerhill & Tony Gilhooley, Mick & John Robson were in the year above.
I remember Geoffe Groarke, Jim Shaw and I think Tony Elliot being in the team. I hung around with most of them at the time as Geoff lived close to me and we all used to go to the pictures together on a Friday with a guy whose nickname was Bonce but his name escapes me. Great bunch of people and a great football team. I used to cheer them on at the Victoria Ground in many cup finals.
John, would you have been in the team when Arthur Head school played against you sometime around 1955 or 56 ? If so, we would have played against each other as I played for Arthur Head school outside left. That year , we won every thing except the Durham County cup final at Victoria Ground Stockton. Would be nice to hear from you !!
Hi John, yes I played in that game it was one heck of a match as I remember. We had quite a good team but beaten by a better one on that occasion. Myself and Alan Dodsworth were the goalscorers for Richard Hind, however I was guilty of missing a second. John I am not sure if it is still on this website but I posted a photograph of that RH team a few years ago.
John, nice to hear from you. Like you I posted a photo of our Arthur Head team on this site, which is still available. I scored one the 4 goals and, I think, Norman Liggett got the other 3 !! Great days ,those, you agree ?
John, I was very happy to be allowed to play alongside such good players that were in that Richard Hind side. I am so grateful to Ken Sawyer for making it possible. I agree with you John, great days indeed.
John, would you be the same person that played against us (Arthur Head school) in the semi final of the County cup at the old Stockton football ground where we won 4-2 ? I was outside left for Arthur Head then and scored one the goals. If you are it would be nice to get in touch. PictureStockton have my email.
I’ve just checked the players records on the excellent Billingham Sythonia website. Mick Gilhooley is shown as having made 26 appearances in season 1959/60
He then moved onto play for Shildon in the Northern League same as another Synthonia player John Kirk from Thornaby.
John Kirk also played in the Arthur Head team that John Vincent is talking about, he also played for Stockton Boys like Norman Liggett, Freddy Iceton & Yoyo Harrison.