Over the years I have submitted photographs of family members who lived in the old Portrack area of Stockton and here is another.. This is a photograph outside 32 Elliott Street, Portrack – the home of my maternal grandmother Margaret M Dobson c1950’s.
Photograph and details courtesy of John Robson.
My great grandfather, Esau Towning lived at 30 Elliot Street. He was born in 1867 and he joined the British Army (Royal Field Artillery) and went on service to India. Does anyone know any members of his family?
My mam (sat here with me) says that on a Saturday my nanna would give her some money and send her to Nelly Dobson’s to get some pie and peas. Apparently she would bake pies all day Saturday for a bit of extra money.
My mam lived in 53 Elliott Street – Betty Lee.
My Gran did a lot of baking, as you mentioned pie and peas, also cakes, fadgies all bought by neighbours. My Gran also made clipped mats, which were also sold around the doors. I have never tasted chips better than Gran made, not oil fried back then. I remember a Mr Lee who was caretaker at the school at the bottom of the street.
My mum remembers Mrs Dobson.
I am searching for family. My father Peter McCue was born in 1929 has now passed away I never got to meet him can anyone help?
I remember a girl called Aurdrey Lee of Portrack. Met her at the dance hall behind the Old Odeon and Cinema picture houses 1952. I think it was called Butlins or Coop Hall. It’s still there now, but not used.
My mum lived in Portrack St Ann’s Terrace.
Hi I was born in Joseph Street Alan Peacock 1957 mam and dad Alice and William Peacock (Bill or Tazer) his nickname
I believe that St James school was the first in Portrack, and my grandmother Florence Starr went to it. I also recollect that she was able to leave early, aged 13, being able to read, write and do arithmetic properly. That would have been around 1903.
Not sure what is the date of the map, but it shows that Portrack Primary School, now called Tilery Primary for some mysterious reason, did not exist.
I would guess from the look of the oldest part of Portrack Primary, which was next to St Annes Terrace, with its high churchlike form and gas lit classrooms, it was built either just before or just after WWI.
My grandmother was born & brought up in Rupert Street. Surname Dickinson. They lived there for many years. Unfortunately I never knew my grandparents. Does anyone know the name of the school just to the right of Rupert Street on the map above?
I understand it was called St James School, there is a photograph I took of it at the bottom of this page. I know my 87 year old sister attended there as a young girl.
My granny, Mrs Walsh, lived in that street, did you know her?
My mam remembers her. When she was learning to knit and doing a school project your granny taught her to ‘turn a heel’ when knitting socks on four needles.
I lived at 97 Portrack Lane until 1960, my parents were Jim and Ethel George, can’t picture where my house was on the map, happy days.
I came across some family history on Elliot street, there were two pubs in the street, Puddlers arms & Rail Mill Inn, my slight family connection was the Rail Mill Inn, the Dutson’s
were the landlords 1891.
All the best.
Derek
Hi-John
Great map.
I lived in Law St at the top of the map(in Tilery).used to walk everyday in late 50’s/early 60’s along the path to Portrack and my friends dad had an allotment next to the path.
Tom
Tom – The team at Picture.Stockton deserve the praise for the added map, a nice touch.
Hi Tommy are you the Tommy Osborne that use to play Football for Portrack??
This is Derek Heatley, I played for St.Patricks School / Thornaby, along with Alby Porch/Mick Haycock/Ron Gourlay/Paul O’hara/Dave Smith etc…in the Early 60’s If so would like to hear from you … get in touch with Picture Stockton and they will pass along my email. cheers
On the 27th April 1963 my family returned to 7 Elliott Street after attending the funeral of my great aunt Emma who had lived there. On arrival in the street my mother was summoned down to 32 Elliott Street, she was told her mother, my granny Dobson, had been found passed away in her home having suffered a heart attack. That was quite an extraordinary day in the life of our family. In those days neighbours rallied round and helped in the laying out of a deceased person, after the official confirmation of death, it happened that morning. The same neighbours often took charge of the after funeral tea, always a great help for the bereaved families concerned.
Did you know the Williams family from this area? Mrs Williams was my Great Grandmother.
The Williams family I knew lived at 9 Elliott Street, next door to my great aunt Emma Edwards.
Thanks for the reply John. Are there any relatives of the Williams still around?
Mervyn, sorry don’t know the answer to your question. When my gran and great aunt Emma died we lost all contact with residents of Elliott & Joseph Street, not helped by our family moving to Fairfield.
thanks john
My Grandfather used to live in 11 Leonard Street – did your family know them? They were called Loughran.
Paul I did not know many people from the top end of Portrack Lane, which included Leonard Street. I remember more of the residents in Elliott & Joseph Street which housed my relatives. I was born at 10 Buxton Street on the Garbutt Street side of the railway.