This water colour scene of Norton was used as a carriage picture for the LNER in the 1920s. To the rear right of the central tree is the Tannery. In 1928 the cottages along the front were removed as Norton Hall was extended for ICI.
Image and details courtesy of Bob Harbron.
Excellent. This must be one of the oldest pictures taken around the Green.
There are pictures of the green Bob without a single tree on it, they were planted around 1885’ish. Not all the cottages went, two next to Toulsons Butchers had families in them the Tailors who moved to Billingham to be near ICI and the Sowerby’s two boys and a girl. Towards the middle of the row past Norton Hall although the gates to the carriage house were in the middle of the row and led into a brick laid yard which acted as a Garage for the residents of the Hall, we had the other Sowerby’s parents or Grandparents? Mrs Henderson with two boys and a girl, the other cottages I did know they will not come to mind.
The Tannery was taken over by Kendrew the builder, he had all sorts stowed away though part of it was Harrisons Joiners. I remember sitting in the cockpit of a plane he had in the loft across the yard. The yard also now and then became an area where the men would set their terriers onto rats collected by people like my Dad who had pigs and other animals, he caught them in a wire cage and they would all gather in the tannery yard drop the rats in a concrete ring then drop the dog in, the money went to the fastest dog. We kids were banished though we knew what went on. killing our own meat snaring rabbits shooting birds for the pot we were hardened to it a fact of life at the time and would not happen now.
Toulson had his own abattoir next to the shop we often watched beasts being slaughtered, with the odd one escaping causing panic in the High Street.
It seems strange that the pond was once the Village water supply until wells went in most of the yards, it was still used to launder clothes into the late 1800’s. Most houses got a cold water tap around 1890-1900, a single tap per house.
Norton was a far different place even in my Fathers day 1903 to 1970, I saw most of the changes many happened pre-war though after 1950 the change was rapid, was it for the better? I much prefer my shower, on tap hot water and all the modern conveniences to the old tin bath, lighting the boiler for hot water, no fridge though we had a very cold lartder. It surprises me how many people left Norton as I did then return, there are a lot of old Nortonians still around, we come home because in all my travels I never found anywhere better.
Frank. Yes I knew about the cottages round the corner from Toulsons with the Sowerby’s. I think there wer more than 2 sons. One being my age I think called Ken. There was Billy and another brother who had his own building firm whom Billy worked for. The sister looked after the family. The other cottages further along where Ron Foster and the Pages lived I also knew but it’s the 1st time I’ve seen the buildings in between where the Norton Hall replaced them. I’m just wondering what that date would be? I’ve seen pictures where the Green has few trees or saplings which would be dated in the late 1880’s and early 1890’s.
Bob, The eldest boy, was it Jack went to school with me, the girl was the eldest and a real beauty. I met up with Ken in the Desert when he was one of the medics who rushed me into BMH Fayid and probably saved my life. I often saw him in Town up to a couple of years back. Family groups appeared to stay in Norton as the Sowerby’s had relatives in Beaconsfield Street. The Pages once owned the Norton Hall and the Tannery, Miss Page lived on the Green around the corner from Mill Lane a real lady and I was told one of the Tannery Pages by Mother who was up in local history.
Dating the picture would be difficult as there is obviously some artistic license yet it is mainly as I knew it as a lad, the forge being true to life. Crooksbarn and Redwing Lane were already built when I was born and ICI big wigs lived there, Norton Hall was their recreational club and Hotel for visiting Managers.
I remember Norton House being demolished and Kendrew starting to build there though the first houses were in Mill Lane a short row of them with the Piersons or Carbro’s as I knew them and the Middlemas family in the one nearest the old mill track, no ring road then just fields. Kendrew a Pal of Dads offered to build him a house in Mill Lane with a garage big enough for the truck for £450, the normal houses were £450 and one with a garage and extra bedroom £550, Dad refused the offer. The biggest house on the estate then was in Roseberry Road and belonged to the Edwards Family. Mr Edwards was to be the Head master of the William Newton School being built at the time, he had a Son Bruce and Daughter Ruth who went to Norton Board the same time as me.
Norton is a place of happy memories for me though there was a divide some did have it hard there was poverty and hardship for some, mainly though being surrounded with Market Gardens and people like Dad with small holdings people managed to jog along, somewhere along the line Norton lost its identity.
Bob while watering my tomato’s it came to me, how can you forget someone you went to school with it was George Sowerby not Jack, Bill must have been older Ken younger than me.
My brain needs a kick start now and then.
Frank, Ken was my age 78, Bill who in his later years married Elsie Houghton whose mother owned the wool shop nearto the Green. Her previous husband was the hairdresser (Barber) who had premises somewhere near to where Fosters newsagents shop was. Bill I imagine would be a bit older than you. If alive today he would be well into his 90’s. They did live in Derwewent Street but finished up living on the Green in the house at 12 which John Franklin and his 2 sons Sid nd Peter lived which was next to the ‘Mad Womans’ house.
Bob you have me wondering now, the only Barber I knew would be Edgar Parsons who was in the back room of Miss Forsters shop, you went in the gate between Forsters and Hawes shops, the Toc H went in the same gate and upstairs for their meetings. Edgar later moved to the middle of the High Street and was a leading light in the RAF Association until an early death. The other hairdresser was Jack Edwards near the Highland Lad and I believe a third one was on the top of Tanners bank. Question who was the widow?
We had a few eccentrics in Norton probably something to do with the lead water pipes we were brought up using, I did know the Franklins.
George would be named after his Granddad old George Sowerby some one we lads kept well clear of, he had a temper and chased me for days with his stick simply because we threw a dog and cat in his front door and pulled it shut. Most front doors were open in those days.
We also steered clear of Mr Downs the Army Cadet major who told me I would never make L/Corporal in the army as I was undisciplined that was a bad call. I made WO1 and made sure he saw the stripes on my arm when a young NCO on leave.
Still Bob as long as we remember them they are immortal..
Frank. I believe the Barber was Sid Jenkins. He either did not come back from the War or he died through ill health. I think I can remember being told he had some skin disease. When mentioning the name Page who lived in the cottages where the Norton Hall is or next to the building I made a mistake. The name was Albert Paice. He married one of the Bob Kennedy daughters. He was a builder. Regarding the Barber called Jenkins, that is where his shop was. I would think that Edgar Parsons followed him into that shop. Do you remember Mrs Houghton who had the wool shop? She and her daughter Elsie would sit at the door front of the shop knitting to orders they had received. The shop was next to Johnsons who I believe sold toys. Just futher along was Ords the Bakers. The barbers shop on Billingam Road opposite the Red Lion was owned by a chap called Shaw.. He had a revolving chair attached to the barbers chair which he sat on moving around as he was cutting your hair.
Bob, it was Sydney Jenkins who had the barber’s shop in Leven Road, a couple of doors down from Allom’s newspaper shop. Syd was my uncle and he died in 1955, very unexpectedly from a heart attack. He was living at 7 Lincoln Grove, Norton at the time and was planning to buy a new house at the time of his death.