A view showing Goldfinch Wines, 107 High Street and Mill Street in Norton.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
A view showing Goldfinch Wines, 107 High Street and Mill Street in Norton.
S,Hyatt – The Freda Clayton I went to school with and knew from the Green days did not have children at that time unless she hid it in her satchel she would change her name when married and believe me in the days most Fathers had a shot gun behind the kitchen door marriage was it, none of this modern idea. Of course a girl may have a baby out of wed lock though it would cause catastrophic after results both for the girl and the family. I knew one such girl who was sent away to have the child which was promptly taken off her, months later I saw her and the change from a lovely quiet girl to a very hard woman was beyond description.
Norton has such vivid memories for me some of which I have written down for the family to read if they ever become interested, a close knit community where we all knew each other and interacted, school until 11 then some of us to High school others the Freddy Nat yet we still mixed played cricket and other games on the Green, skated on Billingham bottoms and walked the lanes hand in hand, that was the girls of course the boys walked blushingly behind until we were old enough to walk hand in hand with the girl of our choice and that was it, holding hands sweethearts, it was a big deal to us.
!8 saw many of us in the forces girls as well, Pat Ness one of my loves joined the WREN’s I never saw her again until six years ago, she had come back home after all those years, it draws us all back the magic memories of Norton and Stockton of that time period. I was on four Continents and getting home was as if a large rock was lifted off my back, things changed though still recognisable, home. My Daughter is off on a World cruise, did I want to go she asked, “no done that we called them troop ships” I do not think she understands.
Blackwells are still winning prizes for pies sausage etc. but you should taste the large ham and egg pie they make family size, it is as good as Mother made and she was a brilliant cook among all the other things she did.
Lambert’s when I knew them lived in the Farm next to the Fox Alms Houses, I was always in Summerset Square because my best friend Dennis Goldsbrough lived there, they moved to Station Road and Dennis died of cancer at just 21 years of age, so many now gone but as long as I have memory of them they live on.
How very discriptive Frank you have summed up most peoples thoughts on a time gone by in Norton so very well. I try to talk and describe my love and feelings for my childhood in Norton to my son, but sadly it often falls on deaf ears. Like you I want to leave happy memories, because it really was happy. I know how hard it would have been for our parents, my dad worked for ICI and mam worked part time until such time as she could be full time. Dad was quite strict in as much as we had certain chores to do before we went out to play on a Saturday, his time in the Royal Navy was evident, “all shipshape” and school shoes polished ready for the Monday back at school. Like you said many of the lads from school did join the forces and those fortunate went on to a good apprenticeship from the many companies in Stockton or Middlesbrough, sadly no more.
My sister when 1st married rented a house in Summerhouse Square next door to the Samuels. There was a lad living in the Square with his family who was a mate of mine called John Good and later the family moved into council accommodation in Swale Rooad, Norton. In Mill Street was an old lady called Miss Laverick who lived there with her brother, both or either often seen taking the dog for a walk in the High Street. She kept a lot of old time clothing which was used in the church pantomimes which were held in the William Newton School at Christmas time. Another family livng in Mill Street were the Bowmans. Bunty visited the George and Dragon which he treated as his local.
Hi Bob – I was interested about Swale Road when you mentioned your friend John Good,I had a friend called Carol Lund who lived a few doors from him, her parents were Alan and Dot and she had 3 brothers.Her mam worked for one of the dairies delivering milk,she was picked up at the most unearthly time of 4am and I often got up early to help her.The Good family consisted of quite a few daughters and I remember Janet quite well,could this have been your friend Johns daughter I wonder,they were a lovely family.
You mentioned Mill Street again referring to Miss Laverick’s and her brother,I always thought it was Miss Laycock.She really looked as if she had just stepped out of a Dickens novel,I was fascinated.Did you by any chance know Emily Moore who lived in 28 Mill Street,I know she worked on the tote at the greyhound track just off Norton Road behind Danby Road.I have so many vivid memories of growing up in Norton and to this day they are so precious.
S Hyatt. Yes Janet was a younger sister to John, one down in line to him. There were another 2 sisters but don’t remember the names. I don’t remember the Lund family but do with the La Roches. The other way from Goods were the family called Manners with Billy going to school at the FN with me. Another friend of both me and John was Ray Garbutt. His family lived in the cottage next to Curry’s butcher shop in the High Street. He had a sister who you would probably know but don’t remember her surname. I could mention many names of people you could remember from both Mill Street and Oakwell Road. One especially. Eric Robinson, he was born at 17 Oakwell next door to me, when his gran died from number 3 they moved in there till going to Green Court estate. He now lives next door to me in Victoria Avernue. Hew is now 65 yrs.
Hi Bob yes I remember Eric and his family,his mam was a lovely lady,and also Irene who I think may have been his auntie and may have worked for the Post Office.I remember he had 2 older brothers and a younger one who was David,and very sadly died quite early.He was a really lovely person and did his “own thing” I’m sure he lived on the Isle of Wight at some point,my brother was very good friends with him.After chats with my brother Ian it transpires he sees Eric in the Red Lion quite often on most Monday nights. It is hard to believe where the years have gone since our carefree school days,it would be lovely to go back in time but sadly we cannot,but so nice to look back,regards Sandra
Sandra. Eric 2 elder ones were half brothers, the elder John no longer with us and then George now in the early stages of dementia. He would always be with Eric before his medical condition in the Red Lion. Also a long time friend who you would also know called Frankie Raw now living in Benson Street. Funny thing, a courier called at my house with a parcel for Eric. Norma, Erics wife called for it and when she received it said, “Bl—y hell, he wasn’t that heavy when he was alive” meaning David, it was his ashes that had been sent from the Isle of Wight. Very good neighbours, when going to the shops he always asks if we need anything.
I lived in Mill Street from 1951 to 1953 then moved to Oakwell Road, and my mothers parents moved into the same house as we moved out, they came up from Southend on Sea where I was also born. I remember an awful lot of neighbours and children I grew up with, and dad having a few pints in the George and Dragon along with Sid Price,and many others. Some of the “kids were The Darley’s, The Carter’s, The Clayton’s, The Whitfields, The Cullen’s, The Ellis’s, and the Lewis’s. It was a lovely place to live, and I also remember going down to Mrs Bottomley’s shop for a few pence of sweets, she terrified me standing there with her arms crossed, but her husband was a lovely man always ready with a smile. I remember dad taking my brother to Edgar Parsons for a haircut, and it really was short back and sides then.
Lovely memories S Hyatt. Like you remember all those people along with others from Summerhouse Square. Sid Price was my fathers friend and they boozed together in the front room of the George and Dragon, so your dad would be with them.
Mrs Bottomley put the fear of God into all of us even in my time, my memory of that shop which was Green Grocer come General Dealer was going up steps or stairs to the long counter covered with goods for sale mainly vegetables yet later memories the shop became a level walk in.
Edgar Parsons was my hairdresser from being old enough to have one, his shop was in the yard behind Miss Forsters shop pre-war he went in the RAF for the war and when he came out I went back to him. When home on leave I would get a hair cut before going back as he knew what a military hair cut was we all got the same.
Apart from the Darley’s and Elises I also knew a Freda Clayton who would come to the Green she was my age and we went to the Norton Board School together.
I sat on the Green yesterday with one of Blackwell’s big sausage rolls remembering all the names of the children playing there in my time, most now gone.
I trust you enjoyed your sausage roll Frank sitting there with all your lovely memories of Norton,and especially getting them from Blackwells .Sadly here in Cheltenham there are no decent pies whatsoever, and I often yearn for a steak or mince and onion pie. I know the Clayton girls I grew up with were Barbara and Maureen, perhaps Freda was their mother. I can remember having many a picnic on the green, Sandwiches mostly always made of jam and a bottle of water,and riding our bikes through the water.
BOB IRWIN yes I imagine my dad was in the George the same time as you along with Sid Price and also Harry Bowman,Stan Raw and Joe Jackson.In summerhouse square I remember the Lamberts and Hartleys,it’s just so sad that things change but that is life,it was a beautiful place to grow up in.
I remember Stan Raw, Jimmy Raw’s dad from Station Road. Jimmy was a good footballer like Denis Law, very clever
Terry, this Stan Raw must be a different person than the one you know. He moved from Oakwell Road to Station Road. He was also a plumber by trade and was a Director for Stonehouse builders and taught at the Stockton Tech part time on the evening classes. His son is Frank.
So where did his footballing talent take him, Terry?