This shot of the junction of The High Street with Castlegate, Bridge Road and Yarm Lane is exactly as I remember it.
The Empire is showing “The Long Wait”, released in America in 1954, this gives an approximate date for the shot. n the 1950s I remember visiting Broughs the grocer in Yarm Lane, as well as walking down Castlegate to watch the locos shunting along the dockside.
In the 1960s it was motorcycling along the High Street and Bridge Road to pay a visit to Eddie Holman’s motorbike shop in Parliament Road. In more recent times it was visiting the Thomas Sheraton for a pie and a pint with Brian Storey, my friend of over 65 years. Happy memories all.
Photograph and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.
Picture Stockton Archive 
I can remember the flower beds shown being built. The bus stop railings shown were for the United buses number 21 to Darlington, amongst other stops stopping at the Sutton Arms, Elton (closed 2 years ago) then continuing on its journey to Darlington. The trip highlight for me was passing the Ropner ship building family’s mansion known as Elton Hall, Stockton’s answer to Buckingham Palace, it was a sad moment when it was sold and turned into a nursing home. Strikes had it before this as their regional headquarters.
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I remember going into Broughs Supermarket with my mam. I think it was above what years later was the video shop? Also I think a friend of mine used to live above the motorcycle shop of Parliament Street in the early 70s. Memories are fading now mind.
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I too bought my first motorbike from Cowies, it was a four year old Ariel Arrow with 7000 miles on the clock, it cost 30 pounds. The thing that tickled me was it was the only bike out of about 30 that didn’t have a dish under the crankcase, this was because it was a two stroke and didn’t leak oil.
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I remember Holmans from the 70s when I had a 250 Suzuki. Down those rickety stairs it was one of those places that we sadly no longer have today, where it looked so random, but the staff knew where everything was.
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Rossi’s was the one just out of shot in the High St. Pacitto’s was on the N side of Yarm Lane so Rea’s must have been on the S south, though I don’t remember it so well.
I’d concur with a date of 1954 or possibly a year later. The 3 in the middle of the pic could have been me, aged 7, with my mam and grandma, except that gran would never have had a dead fox round her neck!
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I was 11 in 1955, getting the bus to grammar school in Middlesbrough right about there. Five days a week for five years. My Mam Edna would be a cleaner mornings in the Empire and she’d get me free tickets. Your photo brings back many memories.
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It’s a shame that the High Street has been ‘developed’ over the years instead of being maintained. I think the soul of it has been lost over the years in the name of modernity.
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Yes I remember the high street like this I also used to look at the bikes at Cowies on Norton Road but I used Eddie Holmans in Parliament Street very often for spares for the various bikes I had it was amazing the amount of stock they kept. Also a good friend and neighbour Eric Gladders worked there in the sixties good times and good days
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Looks like number 4 bus waiting to turn left on to the High St. Morris minor turning right. No minis in sight so perhaps early 50s
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Colin, the film The Long Wait was premiered May 1954 and judging the clothes of the women in the photo, so agree with you, mid fifties.
Dave.
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Hello Colin – Was your Mum & Dad Norman & Vera with a sister Sheila?.. J.
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I remember playing prize bingo under the empire in the 60’s. I think that’s where the snooker was played too.
Hintons took over from Broughs grocery store. There was a ” little” Hintons near Rossi’s which was where I worked on a Saturday when I was still at school. Also I remember “big” Hintons having a fire.
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I remember it well, I worked at the Odeon at the time, bought my motor bike at Cowies, sat with my friends in Pacitto’s many a Sunday afternoon. Those were great days.
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Just as I remember Stockton as a child it’s a sin that it was knocked down, and going to be again shortly.
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I along with many others agree with you… They are knocking the soul out of the High Street. I know High Streets have to change and adapt but demolishing is NOT the answer. Perhaps reducing the rents is one option – also some could be turned into residential flats. The back of the ‘new’ Castlegate used to have a wharf with a railway… Stockton was offered the chance to turn some of it into a ‘living’ museum, no doubt perhaps because of its S & D rail history. But it was turned down by SBC so Beamish was chosen instead. Beamish continues to thrive and grow.
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Always great to see early photos of the High Street and associated roads, my motor bike, car days came the back end of the 50’s but well remember Eddie Holmans and visiting Cowies on Norton Road looking at the motor bikes.
That particular photo reminds me of the three ice cream parlours, two opposite each other on Yarm Lane, Pacitto’s and Rossi’s and one on the High Street just out of shot, Rea’s, may have got the name, location incorrect but all their ice cream was very tasty and unique to them.
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My parents bought me my 1st and only new bike from barry’s, might have been 1959ish. Wow old photo takes me back.
All the best.
Derek.
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