A brilliant photograph of the now demolished Turks Head pub which was very popular in its day.
Photograph and details courtesy of Peter Jordison.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
A brilliant photograph of the now demolished Turks Head pub which was very popular in its day.
Photograph and details courtesy of Peter Jordison.
My dad Bill Cheall fought in World War II and was a good pal of the son of the proprietor of the Turks head. He was John Bousfield and his mum was Ma Bousfield. Sadly, John was killed on sixth of April 1943 in the Battle of Wadi Akarit, Tunisia, North Africa. Dad had to visit the family when he was home on leave to console the family. He spent a lot of time with John on the ship the Queen Mary which sailed from Glasgow to Egypt in 1943. I’ve done a podcast episode on the Queen Mary voyage which can be found at the link below.
The earliest reference to the Turks Head I can find is in 1845 when it was put up for sale by the owner, William Carter. The address was given as Clarence Terrace, Stockton-On-Tees. In 1851 it was run by Samuel Silvester who came from Derbyshire. From 1856 to 1868 James Ball Owen was the landlord. By the 1873 the pub was owned by Thomas Heslop who owned the Grange brewery on Norton Road.
The earliest mention I have of a Rowell as licensee is in 1875 when George Rowell was fined 10s & 6d for selling spirits during prohibited hours. George Rowell was landlord up to 1891. From 1894 to 1898 Joseph Clapham was the licensee.
Incidentally the name Turks Head refers to a type of rope Knot. The manufacture of ropes for sailing ships was a thriving business around the time the pub was built.
Would love to know more about this pubs history and the lady standing at the pumps. Plus the year the photograph was taken
The lady behind the pumps is “Ma Bousfield” as she was known to her regulars, she is my sister-in-laws granny. The photo is about mid 1950s and she had the Turks Head for many years till she retired.
The woman is Ma Bousfield, she brought her grandson Dave Bodley up he will be about eighty one now.
The Turks Head was our family for many years. Rowell was the family name then
Hello June. Is the Rowell side of your family connected to the Rowells of Chesterton, Cambridge? They were pub owners too!
I think it was the Turks Head I had my first glass of cider one summer as a teenager
I did pop in the Turks Head from time to time over the years. Also the Tilery, Wild Ox, American Tavern, Spotted Cow, Cricketers and no doubt others which are just memories these days.