After the heavy rain last week the river at Leven Bridge was in flood. This area was our playground as children. Taken Monday 4 December 2017.
Photograph and details courtesy of Derek Brittain.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Picture Stockton Archive 
About 1960 I walked along the path which was next to the river. We went to a building or shed and the owner had loads of amusement arcade machines in it. Does anyone else recall this?.
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I remember diving off the bridge into the deep part of river Leven. We would go by bus and have the pleasure of pushing the bus up the hill before getting a ride home. It was nice to hear the old teachers names at the central school or to give it it’s correct name Robert Atkinson. I was there 1941 – 44 but my favourite teacher was Miss Ableson. Happy days.
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In those car free days, it was just about possible to hit 40mph on a bicycle, reasonably safely, coming at the bridge from the Yarm direction. Trying it the other way would be plain crazy.
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I still do this now from both directions!
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We used to go to Leven regularly as kids either by bike or walking the fields way from Thornaby, fishing 🎣 swimming at the waterfall and at sandy bottoms just up the road great memories
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Many happy days as a youth fishing at Leven falls trout and dabs riding my dads bike. We used to pay the lady in the cottage half a crown for a days fishing, how things move on. Great days I definitely miss. Paul Smith, Stockton
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Derek, Did you go to Robert Atkinson school? I went there and your name seems familiar, although we may have been in different classes at that time. I remember teachers like Mr Wood, Pop Allen (Headmaster) and the Dawson brothers to name a few and “swagger Swainston”
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Hi John. I was at Robert Atkinson school, 1949 to 1953 ish. My 1st classroom was the one near the entrance gate. The teacher was a Mr Jones Hurst. He taught us French. Then Mr Smith ‘Smiggy’. Next classroom was Joey Hutton then a lady P.E teacher ?, Pop Allans office, at the corner was Mr Wood then Dawson Senior and Dawson Junior. Upstairs was science teacher Hooky Britton.
Over the road we went to woodwork with Mr Swainston and Tech Drawing with Mr Horsley. No messing with him and if you had ‘SEE ME’ on your drawing it was the cane.
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Derek, I seem to remember a teacher called Mr. Coleman, and possibly a lady teacher who taught French but I don’t think she lasted very long!! I would be there same years as you then went to Arthur Head, due to that change that if you lived below Lanehouse Road you went to Arthur Head. Also there was a music teacher called Mrs Mathias. Good days!!!
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I remember Mrs Mattie Mathias, she took us for music.
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John did you know Alan Huitson or John Featherstone?
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Derek, I knew John Featherstone but not Alan Huitson, although my good mate Ian Pearson knew him. Next time you contact Alan ask him did he know Ian Pearson. Good to hear you remember Mrs Matthias, and I remember Joey Hutton. If you did wrong he would hit you on the head with his knuckles !!!
Derek, just thought I have some school photo’s of the classes at Robert Atkinson school round about the time we were there.
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Barry and Gavin Swagger Swainston played with me in Francis Street, I’m 1 year younger than Gavin.
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Spent many hours there with our gang cycling from Thornaby, fishing for tiddlers, swimming etc, one day one of our friends brakes gave up going down that hill and he hit the bridge and plunged over the top of the handle bars into the river apart from a soaking he escaped without serious injury. From our point of view it was like watching a scene from a Charlie Chaplin film we were in fits of laughter, this would have been early 50s. Memories eh!!!
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Hi Alan. You got home ok after the Remembrance visit? See you again next year.
Happy times at Leven as kids. This was our swimming pool and a slide down the falls. I climbed over the fence to get the pics. Its all private now. Happy times.
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