Two photographs of Stockton Borough Council offices seen from The Square and Church Road.
Taken by Len Toulson. Courtesy of Neal Toulson.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Two photographs of Stockton Borough Council offices seen from The Square and Church Road.
Taken by Len Toulson. Courtesy of Neal Toulson.
Picture Stockton Archive 
I have two books containing interesting historical photographs of Stockton namely “Stockton-on-Tees, Through Time” and “Stockton Past”. Living in Stockton from 1941 until 1961 I consider myself fortunate to have seen many of the fine buildings mentioned in these volumes that have since been demolished. The High Street reputed to be the widest in England, and Church Road with its magnificent Police Station were in my opinion the jewels in the Stockton crown. In Stockton through Time the author comments on the High Street that “The landscape continues to change, but not usually for the better”
The author of “Stockton Past” comments “Stockton has gained impressive buildings in the Church Road area. The Municipal Buildings opened in 1961 and the Central Library opened in 1969” .There are however no photographs of these buildings in either volumes.
I understand that the original function of the Municipal Buildings changed and became home to a Town Planning department. The decline of of the town centre started with the removal of most of the cobbles from the High Street, If memory serves me, just after the Second World War. Done without doubt for the best possible reasons. Unfortunately all that remains now of the Stockton I knew is the Parish Church, the Old Town Hall and the Shambles. I hope that there is never a good enough reason put forward which results in the loss of what is left of .old Stockton, .
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