Lawson Street

The first photograph was taken in mid 1930’s and shows my mother Frances Wilson (nee Dunnill) sitting on the front doorstep of 97 Lawson Street, the carved detail seen on the door frame is interesting.

The second photograph is my grandmother Lily Dunnill (nee Bruce) at the rear of the house and the third is my grandfather Stan Dunnill and dog in the alley, I believe these were taken in the 1950’s.

Photographs and details courtesy of MF Wilson.

Mayoral Scrapbook 1960s (Part Two)

I recently came across a scrapbook my nana and grandad Ernest (Ernie) and Margaret (Madge) Temple had/were given from the 1960s when he was the Mayor of Stockton. The scrapbook contains lots of photos from dinners, charity events, meet and greets as well as invites. Here is part two…

Photographs and details courtesy of Michael Temple.

Recognition of Bravery in 1963

Reading about Mayor Temple made me dig deep in my memory bank. I’d left Tilery Boys School Christmas 1962… it was August 1963 when a young lad Freddy Davis ran out of the field where I lived in Swainby Road, crying saying a child had fallen into the water at the disused clay pit and couldn’t be seen. I grabbed my swimming trunks, ran to the clay pit and started looking for the child, my mates Freddy Newby, George Thomas, George Thomas, Franky Large and Jimmy Manion arrived soon afterwards. We searched until two Police Officers arrived with a very long rope. We lads took turns swimming under the brown water feeling the muddy bottom in the hope of finding the child, the two Police Officers stood on either side of the banks as one lad set off from one side to meet the lad from other side in the middle. It was awful. We searched for ages before the Frogmen arrived. When I climbed out of the water, I looked up and saw how all the people from the nearby streets, Swainby, Danby, Tilery and Portrack had gathered above us, it really was the saddest of times as the child was eventually found, but it was too late. Some years later the clay pit was filled in, looking back it was a miracle no other child drowned in the pit.

Image and details courtesy of Derek Casey.

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation

This photograph was taken outside of Stockton Town Hall during the celebrations for our late Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation, in 1953 depicting a very young me (Michael Thompson) with my late mother Mrs S. Thompson. We were returning back to Stockton after visiting my paternal grandparents who lived in Wolviston.

Photograph and details courtesy of Michael Thompson.