This photograph shows the 1st Billingham Boys Brigade, taken outside the Methodist Central Hall on Billingham Green around 1947.
Amongst the many faces is my late husband Charles ‘Chuck’ McCorkell, Chuck and I were married in this very church in 1960, the church has long since been demolished.
Other names of the people in this photograph are:- Gordon Brown, Jackie Stoves, Harry Oliver, Harry Gilbert, Brian Kemp, George Gamesby, George Crawford, Eric Brown, David Jefferson, Alec Brown, Billy Oliver, Jim Barnes, Bill King, Skip Tinkler, Alan Dent, Bob Stewart, Terry Gilbert, George Whitehouse, Stan Calvert, George Brown, Frank Barnes, George Fleming and Harry Whitehouse.
If anybody remembers any of these names then do write in, they may be Fathers, Grandfathers or even Great Grandfathers of people still living in the Stockton area. I shall be very pleased to hear from some of Chuck’s old friends.
Photograph and details courtesy of Freda McCorkell.
Picture Stockton Archive 
Reference to “Picks”. Pickering Lifts were known as “Picks” and are still in existence. I thought their original main factory was in Church Lane or somewhere on that side of town.
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Earlier comment ref. Brian Kemp. I did know Brian Kemp, of course, but the Brian I remember with the Morris Minor was another Brian. I think his surname was Hird.
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I served under Chuck McCorkell as a young boy when Chuck was our officer in the Boys Brigade. What a lovely, lovely man he was and I feel honoured to have known him and Terry Gilbert.
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My dad was Brian Kemp & I am led to believe I live near Chucks old house in West Avenue.
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Memories coming back!! Brian and I and a few more used to go around together when we were young, unmarried and carefree. I think Brian was the first to have a car, a Morris Minor. I followed with a Hillman Minx.
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If these are the same people I can add that Harry Oliver was a well known and respected referee in the Stockton football leagues, Alan Dent became a school teacher and taught in Billingham and Bob Stewart worked in the ICI Billingham laboratories and specialsied in acoustics as well as being an active member of the Royal Observer Corps. I seem to think that Stan Calvert also worked at ICI but cannot be sure?
It would be nice if Freda or anyone else could match the names with the faces?
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I played football with Charlie (Chuck) McCorkell) at Norton C.C.T. (photo is on picturestockton) & as well as been a good footballer he was a nice gentleman.
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Did Chuck go to the Billingham C of E school on the green? If so, I think he was in my class. I recognize the young man on the extreme right of the middle row.
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I’ve been in touch with my aunt Freda and she tells me that Chuck did go to the Church school in Billingham then on to Stockton Grammar which she thinks may have been in Nelson Terrace, does anybody know?.
She also thinks Chuck worked for a firm called ‘Picks’ who were located down a street alongside the Empire Cinema, this is about where Wilkinsons is now located in the Castlegate centre, does anybody know of this company?.
In the photo Chuck is in the second row from the back and second from the left, he is just a little face in front of the double doors.
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Stockton Secondary School was in Nelson Terrace which became Grangefield Grammar School, Stockton Grammar School was on Norton Road where the Buffs Club is now, they moved to Fairfield.
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Chuck McKorkell was in the same year as I but in the Science class. I was in M.
They did Chemistry whereas we did Latin The school in Nelson terrace was the State grammar school. The other Grammar school was C.of E.
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