A view of Russell Street, Thornaby. My son Paul is in his pram outside of no.7. The corner shop can be seen in the top left of the photograph c1961.
Photograph and details courtesy of Derek Brittain.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Hey Derek, great photo, we as a family lived at 25 Russell street, me, my dad, Norman, Mam Joyce and my two sisters Barbara and Christine Elgie, from 1950-1964 loved that house and area!
Just noticed that the owner of the bicycle knew how to park a bike properly. Not unlike todays kids who just lie them down on the pavement without any consideration of the hazard they are causing.
Hi. My name is Sandra Dover and I live in Rotherham but lived in Thornaby. My Aunt and uncle lived at 14 Russell Street. Do you know them? Regards Sandra Dover
Hi Sandra, Stockton Borough Council have just shared a picture from the late 1800s which shows a family outside number 16 and the front door of 14 is visible. If you don’t have access to Facebook let me know and I will happily send you the picture.
Hi Andrea. I do not have Facebook so please will you send me a photograph. Thank you. Regards Sandra Dover
Hi Norman, how lovely to see a post from you. I lived at 26, Russell Street from 1950 to 1959 with my mam and dad, Doreen and Joe Casey, my brother, Edward and sister, Linda. I have fond memories of your family and, like you, the area.
Does anyone have any photographs showing No. 7 Russell Street. Family relatives lived there before moving to No. 4 Havelock Street.
Hello, I’ve just seen this post, I’ve lost my entire family but I’ve remembered my childhood.
These photo’s have brought me back to a childhood I had forgotten.
Thank You for putting me back in touch with my past……………So Appreciative X Eric
I went to live in Russell Street when I was 3 years old, moved away in 1955. I am now 97 but I remember a lot of Thornaby. Wally Street was not far from me off Gilmour Street.
Can anyone tell me where Whalley Street is? It doesn’t seem to exist anymore and I think someone told me years ago that it was flattened. Our Nana and Pop Littlefair lived there, and I spent many a happy time in their cosy home during my childhood. I’d love to know what became of the street and the house.
Whalley Street is were the British legion club stands now.
A lot of nice people lived in Whalley Street, including Joan Foster our local beauty Queen, Whalley Street was 3 streets over from Spring Street, the Thornaby War heroes street, the top end faced the local recreation ground (the rec) it was on a steep slope and the lower end intersected with Gilmour Street, situated about 75 yards away from Thornaby Road, parallel to Thornaby Road bank. I knew the Littlefairs. everyone did, and I seem to recall they were wonderful “If you fight one of us, you fight all of us family.” The street was demolished when the Highways dept built the A66, the Middlesbrough to Darlington dual carriageway, one of your Uncles lives in Norton, and I lost track of the others, a star family.
Thank you, Mr Wilson – I can’t believe you knew Nana and Pop. That’s brilliant. They weren’t really family; my mum was billeted with them during the war, and they were like grandparents to me.
Where is Norton? I don’t have much family so I’d love to find a long-lost “relative.” Thank you to everyone who has answered. Happy memories indeed.
My aunt Lilly and uncle Jim McQuillen lived in Whalley street along with Joan, Doreen, James, Kevin, Michelle, Tracy, Linda, Brian and Michael, Whalley streets ghost is now hovering above the A66.
I remember the stairs in those houses were narrow and very steep, more like climbing a ladder than a staircase, as you climbed you had to pull yourself up clinging onto the handrail, there was even a bedroom you had to step into directly off the stairs.
Thank you William – yes, I remember those stairs, too. We kids were never allowed up there, probably because they were so steep, and they were always in pitch darkness.
I believe that’s a Singer ‘Vogue’ car, standing on the corner by the shop! Decades later the ‘model name’, was actually adopted by Range Rover.
Chris, the car is a Singer Gazelle of about 1957, they did make a Vogue but that was a bit bigger than the car in the photo !
Singer Vogue was part of the Hillman group later became Rootes cars. They had Hillman Minx Sunbeam Rapier, Hillman Hunter, Humber Sceptre among many more variants of the same name. It was never Range Rover. Range Rover were made by Landrover, then took over by BMW, then by Ford. Many years ago Rootes had a tv advert which went “Rootes cars are boring old fashioned and slow” whilst showing you them whizzing along.
Remember it well taking my nephew for a walk to Little Boy park, Thornaby in his pram.
Ann , you were a good babysitter . Also your sister Christine .
Derek – Do you have any photographs of the 7 Russell Street?
I’m researching my Canadian cousins maternal family line. Her grandmother was Ethel Harrison (nee Dowdy), with her parents Frederick Albert and Mary Ann Dowdy at 7 Russell Street before moving to 4 Havelock Street, Thornaby.
Great pic… can’t remember where Russel St was… I grew up on Whalley St. was it near there?
Yes it was, just further up Gilmore Street on the other side to Whalley Street.
I was born in Henrietta Street then moved to Walker Street.
Just saw this reaction to my brother’s reply, please get in touch with me, I’m looking for anyone that remembers Whalley Street in Thornaby.
My family name is Stockdale……hope to hear from anyone who remembers the name.
Thank You………Eric 👍