Denshams Corner on the corner of Yarm Lane and Yarm Road, Stockton. Date unknown.
Photograph and details courtesy of Keith Stephens.
A more modern photograph of the old doctors surgery on Densham’s Corner courtesy of Keith Stephens.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Picture Stockton Archive 
I was a patient if Dr John Bow at Denshams Corner Surgery. At first it was a private practice until 1948 when the NHS was founded. He was in partnership with Dr Bowes and Dr Anderson. I remember the surgery, the seats were covered with leather, not very comfortable for young legs. Those were the days when doctors really cared about their patients .
Dr Bow was a Highlander from Sutherland, his gentle manner brought comfort to many.
Lesley Walton.
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The thing I remember about the doctor’s surgery in the 1950s was the smokey waiting room and the fact that there was no sense of who was next to go in. You eyed up every one on entering and tried to make sure you got your turn.
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Can anyone correct or corroborate this? Dr. Densham lived on or adjacent to Oxbridge Lane in pre-WWII days and was driven to’from his “surgery” as it was then called, in a two-wheeled covered, but open-fronted, horse drawn vehicle? This is my memory.
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You are correct. I saw him on his way many times in my early years from 1937 onwards. I knew which house was his then.
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Joan Dumain’s family lived in this surgery in the fifties, she now lives in Canada.
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I went to Oxbridge School 1955-1960 my friend Philip Gamble lived there.
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The Dumain family were the caretakers of this practice in the fifties.
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Densham’s Corner was named after Dr. Henry B. Densham who moved to Stockton from Cornwall in the 1880’s to live in Barrington Crescent where he became a practising Surgeon. Census returns record that Henry Densham was an apprentice Chemist and the son of William Densham a Congregational Minister.
The first GP’s at the the Densham’s Corner Surgery were Dr David Anderson and Dr Curd who were both trained Surgeons.
In 1974 the Practice moved to a Health Centre in Lawson Street with Dr Fletcher and Dr Colin Anderson. Dr Williams joined the Practice in 1982 followed by Dr Oliver in 1999. Dr Fletcher retired in 2000 and Dr Williams in February 2016. Dr Oliver is now joined by Dr Chaudhury.
A New Health Centre was built on the site of the original Lawson Street Health Centre and opened by Tony Blair in 2006. The Practice moved into the new building on 27th March 2006 and is named ‘The Densham Surgery’.
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Dr Gordon Bowes, who was our family doctor- until the mid 1970s when Dr Ramaswamy took over- was based there. I think the others in the practice included Dr Fletcher and Dr Curd.
Those were the days of home visits and I can remember one evening Dr Bowes came out to see my sister who was ill in bed upstairs. When he arrived, his favourite TV programme was on : “Land of Song” with Ivor Emmanuel -so as he watched it – enthralled- my mother made him a cup of tea and gave him a piece of cake.
When the programme finished , he suddenly stood up and said ” Well, I must be off- I’ve another call to make ” and he swiftly left the house, leaving us somewhat astonished as he hadn’t even ventured upstairs .
Fortunately my father eventually ran down the path after him and caught him just as he was clambering into his car to remind him of the real reason for his visit – and he duly returned and attended to the patient !
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I remember sitting for a long time in the waiting room for Dr Bowes who was always late to arrive for surgery, he seemed to arrive very late in the evening when a home visit was arranged, but we stayed with him as he was very likable.
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I remember a Doctor Curd and a Doctor Bowes
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It’s nice to see a great old building that hasn’t changed and escaped redevelopment
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It seems to me that Denshams corner was all Doctors and Dentists offices. My Doctor, was called Doctor Place, he even did house visits… does that still happen?
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Dr place was my grandmothers doctor he eventually moved to Birmingham, when I moved to South Essex in the late 1980s I met a guy in my workplace who lived in Southend-on-Sea he said his doctor was a Doctor Place who had moved from Birmingham – small world!
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When I went to Oxbridge infants and juniors, there was a boy in our class who lived there. It was some 53 years ago when I last saw him as I’m sure when we left to go to the senior schools he went to Richard Hind, I’m sure his name was Peter Swift?. His dad must have been a doctor there, as I always thought it a doctors residence, or am I wrong on both counts, can anyone confirm this? There was another school friend who lived almost opposite here and his name was Peter Johnson, sure his dad was a coal man, again he went to RH school.
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Harry Johnson, Coal Merchant. Dave Johnson his son. There were two others called Dave Johnson in Oxbridge at that time. One was a local hard man and the other was in the RAF and then worked in a bodyshop in a garage in Yarm Lane.
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Dave Johnson worked with me in Dinsdales bodyshop he was a great lad to work with, he later married a girl from one of the streets near Stockton football ground I believe he died quite young.
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Dave Johnson worked with me in Dinsdales in the bodyshop, he was a really good bloke and lived in one of the roads behind the Moor pub. He died awhile ago he can’t have been that old. Nice guy.
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I knew Dave Johnson and his wife very well. Dave died in 1980 aged, I believe, 40 years of age. Too young. Dave was a great guy to know.
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Dave Johnson lived in Oxbridge and then moved to Buchanan Street just off Yarm Lane and opposite his place of work which was the bodyshop of Fred Dinsdale Ltd, Rover and Land Rover motor agents. Dave worked there for most of his working life. I think he was working there until he was called up for national service in the fifties and returned to work there when he was released from the RAF.
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I lived here from around 1960 until, I think, 1964. I think we had the apartment at a very low rent in return for my mother taking out of hours telephone calls for the doctors. I went to Oxbridge Lane Primary (my aunt, Miss Pedalty was the headmistress) and Junior Schools. I was reminiscing about the house and looking for photographs after reading Margaret Forster´s wonderful memoir, My Life In Houses.
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Harry Johnson was based in Marlborough Road. His brother Jack lived on Varo Terrace. Perhaps this is the Johnson Dave is referring to.
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Harry & son Dave lived right at the bottom of Marlborough Rd. Opposite the school where it meets Oxbridge Lane. Kept his car in the “front room”.
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Philip Gamble
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My doctor’s surgery was in this building in the late 50’s and throughout the 1960’s but can’t remember his name.
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That must have been “old” Dr.Anderson and “young” Dr. Anderson.
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That’s the way I remember them from being a kid in Oxbridge.
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My aunt has reminded me that my doctor’s name was Colin Anderson. Other doctors at the practice were Bow, Bowes, David Anderson and Curd. Dr Fletcher joined them later.
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Barrington Crescent was incorporated into Yarm Lane in 1950s. At what number did Mr Densham live?
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On the 1891 census Henry Densham aged 27 is recorded living in 5 Barrington Crescent. Also in that household was a House keeper Sophia Alderson and page boy George Staw. I understood this household to be in Yarm Road adjacent to the Densham Corner building. A study of the sequence of addresses in the enumerator records does not help to confirm this understanding.
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I remember Dr Curd well, when he was out and about he always dressed in a Deerstalker and cape and rode a sit-up and beg push bike he was a real eccentric with a booming voice, so every body in the waiting room knew what was wrong with you, he was a very nice man.
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I lived at number 31 Barrington Crescent. When Barrington Crescent was incorporated into Yarm Lane in the nineteen fifties 31 Barrington Crescent became number 49 Yarm Lane. There were five properties situated between Lawrence Street and Shaftesbury Street which were incorporated into Yarm Lane and which become 47, 49, 51, 53 and 55 Yarm Lane. Number 47 Yarm Lane was on the corner next to Lawrence Street and number 55 Yarm Lane was on the corner of Shaftesbury Street. At the time of incorporation into Yarm Lane number 47 was a former bicycle and motorcycle shop which was bombed during the second world war and was awaiting renovation. Numbers 49, 51 and 53 were inner terrace residential properties. Number 55 Yarm Lane was a former builder’s yard upon which a motor car showroom and repair facilities had been built. After incorporation of Barrington Crescent into Yarm Lane the lower numbers were at the High Street end and ascended as they approached Densham’s Corner, so to speak. It is not known if the Barrington Crescent numbers ascended as they approached Densham’s Corner or if it was the other way round. These premises are situated opposite Kwikfit and currently occupied by various commercial organisations.
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