My brother Arthur Sills went to school with Adrian Overton. we lived on the other side of Tanners Bank, Colchester Road. There was a small general store at the bottom of Beaconsfield and another shop half way up. Both gone now.
The shop half-way up the road was owned by a Mr & Mrs Pepper in the 60’s/early 70’s. They retired and moved to the ‘new’ Glebe estate after that. During the early 90’s it was owned by a police traffic officer and his wife (can’t remember their names).
I seem to recall that the shop (larger) at the bottom of the road was owned by Mr Elcoate from the early 70’s or thereabouts..
My husband lived in number 2 at the bottom of the bank from 1935 until 1956 when we got married. His parents lived on there until the early 1970s. Bob remembers a fish and chip shop at the end of their garden which was redundant when they moved there. They kept hens and a pig during the war. During the war his father used some of the land between their garden and the road (where the new houses were built) as an allotment. The cinder track was known to them as the black path the way to walk to the Green. A lady in the last house of the “old” houses sold apples in the autumn as she had an orchard at the side of her house.
Pat Billsborrow on behalf of Bob
My grandfather had the shop at the bottom of the road on the right, and lived there for many years, dying in 1949. His name was John Carrol. He had the bungalow built nearby, mentioned occasionally in Remember When. My mother, brother and myself lived there when I was young. The bungalow burnt down before I was born, but had originally been a tea room. It’s a private house now, by the looks of it.
David, I knew your Granddad often visiting the shop of which there were two the other being half way up the Street. The Old tea room was built in an Indian Bungalow style, Mr Carol stored things in it for years until it burnt down after the war.
The area behind became a land fill and then an estate was built on that, although the houses along the bottom were built earlier.
Norton was a compact village separate from Stockton, people knew each other went to the same schools even married, my wife Joan was a Norton girl though I did not meet her until I came home on leave from service abroad, she lived at the bottom end as we called it there seemed to be a boundary from Leven Road ne’er the twain shall meet.
It always amazes me how little parts of Norton have changed, may it always be so.
Yes Beaconsfield Road was lovely, a few school friends lived there, one being Jennifer Wilcox and Valerie Durham, she had a sister Joan who sadly died this year and a brother. Jennifer had a brother Barry. I also remember Angie Parsons who I think everyone knew her dad was Edgar, the barber in the village. I seem to remember the Overton family as well, he may have been a business man. The houses were always smart and clean and of course very few cars then.
An ageless Street, my Father and his family lived In the end house on the left at the bottom of the bank through the first world war until the early 1920’s then he moved to 5 Mill Lane when the rest of the family went to New Zealand. An Aunt and her family lived there The Diddems until late in the war, many of my school friends came from there and one girl of the Fletcher family is still walking around Norton, we never leave, for long. My Daughter moved in to the street when she married, it was a first house that took them up the ladder, going in brought back many happy memories of playing down the back streets and in the gardens all of them well cultivated many with animals as people lived out of the gardens at the time.
The street was paved with blocks they may still be under the asphalt pre-war there was only a cart track from the Green to the top of Beaconsfield Street, cattle grazed the fields where Kendrew built those houses. Dad used to tell me Hillside Road was built on a sand bank and would eventually disappear down bank, he must have been wrong it is still there.
The Street was an upmarket part of Norton in my time, the housewives were house proud and would be out scrubbing the pavements, holystoning the steps and window sills then the back streets would get washed down on wash days (Monday’s) as they emptied the wash tubs and used a bass broom on the blocks, there was a pride in people unlike today where rubbish is just thrown down, the last time I sat on Norton Green I picked up rubbish and put it in the bin five feet away, why?
Then there was the old Tea Room there were two in Norton after the first world war, a wooden pavilion that had an Oriental look to me Dad said he took his girl friends there though it closed after a short time then the other one shut down too, It was a warehouse in my time I never saw the opulence they once apparently had.
A time warp of the street I have known all my life, of vibrant people who went through hard times and a war then the austerity afterwards, children I grew up with went to school with and now at times follow behind for the last visit to Norton church, a complete history lesson of the way things have changed in a quite short period of time, lets hope it is never developed.
I lived at 23 Beaconsfield Road between 1951 and 1963. Next door ( 21) were the Fletcher family. On the other side of us were the Hughes family( 25) I think the son was called Dennis.Next door to them were an elderly couple (27 ) who had a beautiful garden. Unfortunately I cannot remember no.29. I think the Clarke’s were at no.31.Mr. Clarke kept a large wheeled cart, but I don’t know what he did for a living. Perhaps he sold flowers or fruit and veg. They had a daughter called Vera Clarke. At no.33 was my friend David Jenkinson. He lived with his parents Jim and Evelyn Jenkinson and his sister Carol. Further up ‘my side’ were Mr. and Mrs. Little. Their daughter was Wendy Little. Further on were Mr. and Mrs.Overton. Mr. Overton was a builder.They had 3 sons – Paul, Adrian and Neil. They had a daughter but sorry I cannot remember her name. My mam would probably remember (nearly 95 yrs. now and living with my sister in Middlesbrough). If any of the people I have mentioned are still around it would be good to hear from you. I know David Jenkinson went to live in Spain and we lost touch.
Hello Leigh,
I recently read your post , although it was a little while ago I thought I would try a reply ! Sadly our families long connection with Beaconsfield ended in December last year when Adrian died after a long battle with cancer . We have recently sold 49 , mam and dad moved in in 1952 , prior to that dad’s family had lived at 32 . our grandparents moved in there in 1916 ! Neil lives in Norton , he returned after working away in Kent for decades . Christine and her husband still live near to Norton.
Haven’t seen you since we were teenagers but I did meet your mam in 2015 when she came to our mam’s funeral , we were very touched by that .
Views of Beaconsfield Road, Norton. Taken July 2006.
My brother Arthur Sills went to school with Adrian Overton. we lived on the other side of Tanners Bank, Colchester Road. There was a small general store at the bottom of Beaconsfield and another shop half way up. Both gone now.
Anyone have a old picture of 29 Beaconsfield Road?
Does anyone know the names of the different shops which were on on Beaconsfield Road please?
The shop half-way up the road was owned by a Mr & Mrs Pepper in the 60’s/early 70’s. They retired and moved to the ‘new’ Glebe estate after that. During the early 90’s it was owned by a police traffic officer and his wife (can’t remember their names).
I seem to recall that the shop (larger) at the bottom of the road was owned by Mr Elcoate from the early 70’s or thereabouts..
My husband lived in number 2 at the bottom of the bank from 1935 until 1956 when we got married. His parents lived on there until the early 1970s. Bob remembers a fish and chip shop at the end of their garden which was redundant when they moved there. They kept hens and a pig during the war. During the war his father used some of the land between their garden and the road (where the new houses were built) as an allotment. The cinder track was known to them as the black path the way to walk to the Green. A lady in the last house of the “old” houses sold apples in the autumn as she had an orchard at the side of her house.
Pat Billsborrow on behalf of Bob
My grandfather had the shop at the bottom of the road on the right, and lived there for many years, dying in 1949. His name was John Carrol. He had the bungalow built nearby, mentioned occasionally in Remember When. My mother, brother and myself lived there when I was young. The bungalow burnt down before I was born, but had originally been a tea room. It’s a private house now, by the looks of it.
David, I knew your Granddad often visiting the shop of which there were two the other being half way up the Street. The Old tea room was built in an Indian Bungalow style, Mr Carol stored things in it for years until it burnt down after the war.
The area behind became a land fill and then an estate was built on that, although the houses along the bottom were built earlier.
Norton was a compact village separate from Stockton, people knew each other went to the same schools even married, my wife Joan was a Norton girl though I did not meet her until I came home on leave from service abroad, she lived at the bottom end as we called it there seemed to be a boundary from Leven Road ne’er the twain shall meet.
It always amazes me how little parts of Norton have changed, may it always be so.
Yes Beaconsfield Road was lovely, a few school friends lived there, one being Jennifer Wilcox and Valerie Durham, she had a sister Joan who sadly died this year and a brother. Jennifer had a brother Barry. I also remember Angie Parsons who I think everyone knew her dad was Edgar, the barber in the village. I seem to remember the Overton family as well, he may have been a business man. The houses were always smart and clean and of course very few cars then.
An ageless Street, my Father and his family lived In the end house on the left at the bottom of the bank through the first world war until the early 1920’s then he moved to 5 Mill Lane when the rest of the family went to New Zealand. An Aunt and her family lived there The Diddems until late in the war, many of my school friends came from there and one girl of the Fletcher family is still walking around Norton, we never leave, for long. My Daughter moved in to the street when she married, it was a first house that took them up the ladder, going in brought back many happy memories of playing down the back streets and in the gardens all of them well cultivated many with animals as people lived out of the gardens at the time.
The street was paved with blocks they may still be under the asphalt pre-war there was only a cart track from the Green to the top of Beaconsfield Street, cattle grazed the fields where Kendrew built those houses. Dad used to tell me Hillside Road was built on a sand bank and would eventually disappear down bank, he must have been wrong it is still there.
The Street was an upmarket part of Norton in my time, the housewives were house proud and would be out scrubbing the pavements, holystoning the steps and window sills then the back streets would get washed down on wash days (Monday’s) as they emptied the wash tubs and used a bass broom on the blocks, there was a pride in people unlike today where rubbish is just thrown down, the last time I sat on Norton Green I picked up rubbish and put it in the bin five feet away, why?
Then there was the old Tea Room there were two in Norton after the first world war, a wooden pavilion that had an Oriental look to me Dad said he took his girl friends there though it closed after a short time then the other one shut down too, It was a warehouse in my time I never saw the opulence they once apparently had.
A time warp of the street I have known all my life, of vibrant people who went through hard times and a war then the austerity afterwards, children I grew up with went to school with and now at times follow behind for the last visit to Norton church, a complete history lesson of the way things have changed in a quite short period of time, lets hope it is never developed.
As tidy now as it was when I was a lad in 1946
Do you know what no.29 looked like in 1946? I’d really like to know
I lived at 23 Beaconsfield Road between 1951 and 1963. Next door ( 21) were the Fletcher family. On the other side of us were the Hughes family( 25) I think the son was called Dennis.Next door to them were an elderly couple (27 ) who had a beautiful garden. Unfortunately I cannot remember no.29. I think the Clarke’s were at no.31.Mr. Clarke kept a large wheeled cart, but I don’t know what he did for a living. Perhaps he sold flowers or fruit and veg. They had a daughter called Vera Clarke. At no.33 was my friend David Jenkinson. He lived with his parents Jim and Evelyn Jenkinson and his sister Carol. Further up ‘my side’ were Mr. and Mrs. Little. Their daughter was Wendy Little. Further on were Mr. and Mrs.Overton. Mr. Overton was a builder.They had 3 sons – Paul, Adrian and Neil. They had a daughter but sorry I cannot remember her name. My mam would probably remember (nearly 95 yrs. now and living with my sister in Middlesbrough). If any of the people I have mentioned are still around it would be good to hear from you. I know David Jenkinson went to live in Spain and we lost touch.
Hello Leigh,
I recently read your post , although it was a little while ago I thought I would try a reply ! Sadly our families long connection with Beaconsfield ended in December last year when Adrian died after a long battle with cancer . We have recently sold 49 , mam and dad moved in in 1952 , prior to that dad’s family had lived at 32 . our grandparents moved in there in 1916 ! Neil lives in Norton , he returned after working away in Kent for decades . Christine and her husband still live near to Norton.
Haven’t seen you since we were teenagers but I did meet your mam in 2015 when she came to our mam’s funeral , we were very touched by that .