Is there anything you would like to know about the Borough of Stockton, its history, its industries, its buildings or its people? Just add a comment with your query to this page and we will endeavour to answer it. If we don’t know the answer it may well be that some of our site visitors do…
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Does anyone remember when: Milk bottles had cardboard tops and how sterilised milk had a metal spring clip on top of the bottle with a red rubber seal which you pressed shut to seal it and in every class there was a red box containing 500 straws and some days the milk was frozen and the teachers kidded us it was ice cream and had to be eaten, or do you recall the huge blackboard with white chalk and wood block erasers with a felt cloth base.
Does anyone recall how the boys wore Fair Isle patterned wool jerseys from Scotland, and the girls grey skirts, white blouses and blue underwear (which the boys told them looked like war surplus).’ Boys in those days had pockets full of marbles or milk bottle tops for the game of wall throwing – ‘the closest to the wall wins all’, whilst the girls played hopscotch or skipping.
And what about the pot bellied stoves in the corner of the main classroom with a fireguard around it, where you put your shoes, socks and wellies on to dry, and mentioning wellies – does anyone remember the wellie scars we used to get from the wellie top chafing your calf muscles. Then you had the Monday morning Yorkshire Penny Bank club, and school dinners with 1/3rd of free milk each morning, was it tapioca that we used to call frogspawn? And what about the serving of beetroot, which no one would eat it. In the yard you had the outside toilets, mats to exercise on so your clothes did not get dirty. And each winter the chemist would load your mother up with Virol, Syrup of Figs or cod liver oil, and the co-op did a huge trade in condensed milk.
* I can remember once when trucks came to the school and handed out free apples, these being a gift from our cousins in Canada, and another time we got free cocoa. And the 2 1/2p postage stamps had the Kings face on and they looked so neat and official, and the Police wore Bobbies Helmets with a chin strap, and when they did point duty they would put a white cuff over the sleeves so car drivers could see them better, and they rode around on black bikes we called boneshakers?
I do hope this trip down memory lane jogs a few more memories. Thank You. Bob.
Sounds just like Whinney Banks school when I was there in the late 1940s/early 1950s… and making pom poms for woolly hats using the cardboard milk bottle tops as formers, the smell of those poster paints, making DIY Christmas decorations by painting paper strips and sticking them in loops to make chains, pegging out races on the playing field and “kali” from Attewells shop… metal marbles that we called “bongies” which were really ball bearings, nature walks to the town boundary at Fleet Bridge, lying in the field at the end of Thornaby Aerodrome as the Spitfires then later Meteors and Vampires landed…
Yes, indeed, Bob! I am from the same era (Bllingham 1941-63) and relate to most of the memories you recall. Here are a few comments and additions.
The “frogspawn” was a well-named and scorned school-dinner pudding, but made from sago, I believe (something similar to tapioca).
Yes, very often the milk, which came in crates of 1/3 pint bottles, was frozen as it stood in the school yard. I liked this better than in the summertime when often it stank to high heaven in the heat.
I remember the birds used to often peck through the cardboard tops of milkbottles. These were replaced by aluminium tops around 1950, I would say. We would flick and spin these tops with our index and second fingers, sending our “flying saucers” for up to 30 yards or more.
As for “wall-throwing”, we used cigarette cards for this game. These were beautiful cards (collectors’ items today) which we would beg of anyone just opening a new packet of cigarettes. They depicted series such as steam trains, ships, wild flowers, etc. These would be flicked with the forefinger from the back off our wrists, to try to get the closest to a wall, about 10 feet away. The boy with the nearest card collected the others.
Around the same time, 1950, each boy in our school received a package of tinned food from the American government. Why, I am not sure, we were pretty well fed in those days. Certainly no one went hungry. Anyway it was a generous, if unnecessary gesture. I can’t remember the exact contents but vividly recall the tin of spinach. None of us at home had ever tasted that, and it was consigned to the dustbin after my father had pronounced it “bloody awful”!
Bob, have you any photos of Oliver’s shop in Francis Street Thornaby. Her Grandaughter lives near me in Western Australia and is looking for a photograph.
I’m doing some research into the history of the Sproats family. The 1861 has the family living at what appears to say “Pearcy Row, Billingham”. Does anyone know if this is the correct address and if it is, where is/was it. Thank you
I would love to see or have a copy of a photograph of Adderley Street, my great grandmother and grandfather lived there c1900. Does anyone have one?
Hi, I am the Research and Education officer for Stoolball England. I’ve just come across your fabulous photo of boys playing stoolball in what looks like a school playground. We know that there were over 1000 stoolball teams nationwide in the 1930s but we have very few photos or stories. I wonder if you have any other photos or if anyone has any memories of stoolball they would like to share. Would it be possible to feature this photo on the Stoolball England website?
I’m sure we can accomodate you, Anita – I’ll email you….
Hi.
This site is fabulous. I love the pictures of the old Stockton and how it was. I’m trying to get as much info about a building on the High Street. (Currently the Age UK charity shop ) 98 High Street. I would love to know the history of it. If anyone has any useful advice or can recommend sites etc. Thank you.
Hello Claire
Although there appears to be a few gaps, our records show the previous occupants of number 98 to be as follows…
1834-41 Wm. Caxton
1841-44 J. Caxton
1847-48 Ann Brown, Innkeeper and Brewer
1851 George Stockdale, Butcher
1854-66 John Williamson, Gunsmith
1868 Wm. Salmon, Chemist
1871 Henry Chipchase
1879 C E Maxwell, Insurance / AC Emmerson, Auctioneer and Valuer
1880 F B Boynton, Accountant / Stockton & Middlesbrough Law Students Society
1896-97 J A Birbecks, Ironmongers
1899-1925 Birbecks Stores, Ironmongers
1928-33 Liverpool and Victoria Friendly Society
1958-71 Crown Wallpaper Stores
1981 Ripolin, Decorators
1992 Sue Ryder Charity Shop
We also understand that between 1958 and 1961 the space above nos 98 and 99 was occupied by the Stockton Club.
Wow. That is so much information and history you have given me. Thank you.
Does anyone from Norton Village remember Marky Trotters fruit and vegetable shop on Norton High Street?
Yes it is where part of the Yorkshire Bank is situated now. Can’t remember now but it was either Marky or his wife who had a skin problem as well as his son. There was a short back alley next to the shop. When the shop was knocked down the YB extended their premises taking up the back alley and the shop. At that time it was The Yorkshire Penny Bank..
Does anyone have any information about Hartington Road, especially number 49?
In the 1950s I knew a boy called Andrew Verney who lived at No.51, though I Lost touch with him in 1958…
This time of year always takes me back to growing up in the 70’s and Leslie Browns :0) does anyone know where the coin operated horse with the Indians in the screen and the big motorbike ended up ??? I always rode them on the way out of the shop. …. Any pics of Deans shop on Bishopton lane !!!! Thanks Merry Christmas all …..
I remember Leslie Brown’s had the record booths that you could go into a listen to the music before you bought the record. Unfortunately I think I only got to listen once before they were phased out
Kim
I remember the huge LEGO model of the Queen Mary and what I think may have been a model of York Minister. Ohh that shop was an aladdins cave.
Hi guys first of all I love this site totally hooked full of marvellous memories. I’ve got dozens of questions, won’t bombard you though! I’ve been trying to get photo and a date of two events from my childhood both very vague, firstly going to see an Apollo module something tells me it was John Whitehead park ????? the other was going to see a whale on a trailer in Stockton!! Any information would be apreciated. Great times !!!! Sometime in the 1970’s…
Martin:
I saw the same whale: it had to be some time around 1952, because my memory is only a bit less vague than yours, but I was able to read the signs, so I had to be 6 or 7.. The name was “Jonah,” and I remember it being under a tent, with a compressor, pumping formalin through it, and a red sign telling kids not to taste the dripping fluid: “Formalin: Poison.” At 69, I can still smell the poor beast; enough to make your eyes water.
Is the search Box not operating or is it my computer?
Hello Benny….thats odd that is, if I press the return key after entering the search criteria it works fine for me. Let me know if it still a problem …. Steve
Does anyone have a photograph of the National School, George Street, Thornaby, or of John Thompson fishing tackle shop directly opposite it. John had a daughter called Pat Thompson.
A schoolboy murder in Thornaby. In the National school, I sat next to a boy called Robert (Bobby) ? who was shot and killed with a rifle that had been stolen from the Territorial Army hut in Thornaby. This killing occurred on the footpath which ran alongside the River Tees, behind Foggins allotments and which ran towards the cornfield. Does anyone recall this incident?
Hi Bob, Yes I do remember the shooting. I lived in Langley Avenue at the time and I think it happened on a Saturday, I was in one of the picture houses for the Saturday mattinee, think it was the flea pit on Westbury Street. It played films like Superman, Little Rascals and all that. When the film was stopped and the lights went up, a policeman stood in front of the screen and shouted out a boys name, I can’t remember the name though… He asked if he had been in the picture house or had anyone seen him. I later found out this was the boy that was shot. The lads that did it were barely teenagers.
Hi Fred,
The four lads who committed this crime were all known to me, just one was ‘the ringleader’, the other three I thought, and still think, were really nice boys, I won’t mention their first names in order not to embarrass them, their surnames I did not know, as you know surnames was not in our vocabulary then. After the shooting they all ran to the Queens Cinema in Mandale Road for the Saturday afternoon matinee in order to provide themselves with a ‘We were at the pictures alibi’.
The same thing happened in the Queens as what you described happened in the Central picture house, the lights came on and all four were yanked out of their seats and taken away. Bobby ? the young boy who was shot was a real nice kid, they lived in James Street and his mother was a lovely woman. If I recall correctly he was age 9, so this means this shooting happened in / about 1950.
The boys surname was Smith, he was the son of Bob Smith who was a engineering fitter who worked in the fitting shop at the Malleable and the Head Wrightson’s Heat Exchange Shop, Thornaby.
Thanks Anon, I often think of Bobby, mostly because I sat next to him in class, and daft as it seems his mother once gave me and him an orange. I won’t dwell too long on this point but I recall she was a real friendly person and in those days an orange was like being given a bag of sweets or a bar of Cadbury’s. If this suggests we were all dirt poor, then maybe some of us will know exactly what I mean. The good old days was fish and chips once a week, the Queens Cinema or the Empire, Stockton, Friday night, and hanging around Thornaby Recreation ground, Gilmour Street end most of the time. Does anyone remember the rec never had grass it had what we called ‘horsetails’, and when they knocked the bomb shelter down the hole that was left filled up with water and that was “Lake Thornaby” !
Hi Bob, I remember turning up at the Green Howards Cadet hut 1952. Near the railway tunnel on Thornaby Road. The armory wall was smashed and a .22 rifle had been stolen. Then I heard a lad had been shot. I seem to remember it was said to be an accident. The story I heard was they were shooting and the lad was hidden by a hedge? I did know the lads as they were in the cadets. The picture house in Westbury street was the Central.
Derek, Are you by any chance my old pal from Yarm who sold tyres at the top end of Yarm High Street, or the guy who serviced our trucks whose HGV premises stood 1000 yards from Kirklevington Grange Corner gates and Crossroads? As Quasimodo would say the name Derek Brittain, rings a bell. As for the shooting incident the boy he killed was on the same footpath but further down, the bullet hit him in the central chest area killing him outright. At the trial there was evidence given that they’d gone down the river bank hoping to shoot sparrows. I do know all four were ordered to be detained during her Majesties Pleasure, which is another way of saying until they’ve reformed and we feel it’s safe to let them out. If you know these boys you’ll be aware three were what we used to call nice kids, and one was best kept well away from.
We have uncovered an air raid shelter in the old grounds of Woodside Hall and we are looking for any old photographs of the hall which will allow us to build a historical picture of this great old building. Any help or information/photographs would be great. Thanks.
Philip, where is Woodside Hall?
Just giving this one a ‘bump’! Can anyone tell me where Woodside Hall is please ?Thanks and a Merry Christmas to Steve and all at Picture Stockton and of course the contributors without whom there would be no Picture Stockton!
David, it is the old building that used to house Cleveland School at Eaglescliffe. A couple of photos of the building will come up if you use the search facility and look for Woodside Hall.
David,
Woodside Hall was in Eaglescliffe. There is reference to it here, if the link works.
http://picturestocktonarchive.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/stockton-cycling-club-1882/
Does anyone remember the name of the pub opposite The Saddlers, on the corner of George Street and Westbury Street?
I’ve seen it on a map as the Windmill Inn but that was an old map (1893!) but The Saddlers was called The Saddlers back then.
The pub name your seeking is “The Windmill Public house, Thornaby” my mother was a regular there, It was next to a back alley, an empty shop, then Blooms the Pawnbrokers, then Munro the Butchers, and Hogans flower shop was on the corner, facing Tolson the butchers…
As someone who actually lived in that pub where Fred and later Ethel Sanderson were the licensees, until 1950, I can say catagorically that it was called the Windmill Inn. I have a photograph of the Windmill taken from the Five Lamps sometime after our family left. Perhaps you or someone can now tell me the name of the pub just over the Victoria Bridge, opposite the Stockton Corporation Bus Depot.
Barry, that could be the Alexandra Hotel / The Alexander / The Teessiders ? see the following post – http://picturestocktonarchive.wordpress.com/2012/11/30/opening-of-victoria-bridge-1887/
Hi Bary. I remember coming upstairs to your living room to see all your dinky cars, you had a great collection. Best regards Keith Moore.
Today I bumped into Frank Mee in Tescos. Had it been a few years ago we we would have walked past each other not knowing who each other was. I have met others who use the Picture Stockon site. What a wonderful site this is especially for making new friends.
I used to live in JB Smiths timber yard and I’ve been searching for any photos of the yard or Bridge Road. If anyone has any photos or stories they can share, please let me know. Thanks.
Does anyone have any information about the CORK INSULATION AND ASBESTOS CO. LTD at the Thornaby site – specifically whether they used raw asbestos as part of any production process in the early 1960’s?
I can say that when building work was starting I think near to where the university now stands, that a big area was cordoned off. It mentioned that it was being decontaminated because of asbestos. This would be in the area of where Cork Insulation was previously situated.
Ian, I have posted a few bits of information, it’s listed amongst the 29 January posts, my answering Fay Gould ref Cork Insulation, Hanover Street, Thornaby.
The ‘Heritage of Norton’ published some books some years ago. My future daughter-in-law is very interested in the history of Norton and I wonder if any of you would know where to purchase these?
What a great site, well done a walk down memory lane. Can anybody tell me if they may be any photos of Nesham Street in Stockton? As my wife was born there and we would love to see a photo. Thank you John.
Is the photograph of the ‘Junior’ football team on your front page one of Newtown School around 1960? I think I recognise an old pal in there! Many thanks and keep up the good work!
Hello Phil
This is the source photograph for the banner heading….. http://picturestocktonarchive.wordpress.com/2007/04/04/tilery-road-junior-football-team-195758/ – Its Tilery Road juniors…..
Does anyone have any information/photographs of Fenny Brothers Brush Manufacturers? My mother Marion Davis worked there from February 1949 until June 1952 (I have recently found a reference from the Director R McDonald). I have lots of photographs of the women she worked with but would love a picture of the building. Thank you.
I am looking for old school records for my dad, Walter Leslie Bratley, known as Les, who attended Richard Hind school between 1939 and 1944. If Frank Mee sees this comment, please note that I have read your article re Tales from Wartime Teesside about the school and wondered if you could give me any advice. Or, if indeed, you have obtained your own records/school qualifications and would know how I might go about obtaining them for my dad. Many thanks for anyone who can help. Sue Turner
Does anybody know how I could contact Ian Banks of Billingham? He worked at Head Wrightsons in the 1960s when I was there.
Little Ian Banks known as Speedie worked in the Light Machine Shop,Thornaby. Maybe some of the old apprentices who contribute to the site like Brian Gray and Howard Parker can help.
I recall Ian Banks but regrettably have no idea how to contact him. Similarly, have no idea how to contact many other former HW Machine Shop, Fitting Shop and Heat Exchanger Shop employees. My regards to Ian Dalrymple (and any other DofE Award participants from HW)
Brian, were you involved in the H.W. D. of E. Award scheme? Coincidently I have just sent off some photos to The Remember When. I seem to know your name, and maybe you were in one of the photos…
Hello Ian, I recall you doing the DofE with a lad from the Drawing Office (called Brian ?), and Jim McSorlley. I started it a year or so later than you and three of us went to Buckingham Palace for the presentation (myself, Ronald Wilson plus the son of your supervisor in the Electric workshop, a lad called Ian from Fairfield – I don’t recall his surname). Our “Gold” award was delayed by the foot and mouth outbreak at that time. A chap called Alf Rose was the driving force behind the scheme at HW – a really nice bloke who didn’t seem to get a lot of recognition for his efforts.
Brian, if you contact me through Friends Reunited you could give me your Email address and I could send you one of the photos I have. It was taken when we did the outward bound course up on the Moors. You must be on it as it is of the second influx of Apprentices. And yes Alf Roberts was a real nice guy who didn’t get enough recognition!
Ian, I’ll get in touch as you suggested through FR.
I had two trips to separate facilities, one being a weekend at either Danby or Fryup with people from the ICI scheme, and the other was a five day course somewhere near Hawsker, south of Whitby. If I recall correctly, the Army Youth Team were with us on both occasions. I remember doing some absielling and orienteering there. Our DofE group went to the Outward Bound School at Ullswater mid 1969. I think the Ian I referred to in a previous message was Ian Walton, whos’ father was the supervisor in HW Electricians workshop
One of your banner photos is of a school sports team – can you tell me where I can locate the photo on the website please and thanks.
Hi Linda
You can find the photograph at http://picturestocktonarchive.wordpress.com/2007/04/04/tilery-road-junior-football-team-195758/
What was the name of the public house/hotel on the near corner of Silver Street? The building directly behind this is now The Stag, a favourite watering hole for me in the past, and now one of the few ‘real’ pubs in the town centre.
Was the music and dramatic club in Silver Street before it moved to Buchanan Street many years ago? It has recently been demolished.
Reading the old Stockton Trade Directories for well before the war in the public library some months ago, I seem to remember the Music and Dramatic Club was listed as down in Silver Street or thereabouts.
I would like to know what my street was called in the 1900s please. It’s called Honeysuckle Court, Norton Grange, Stockton-on-Tees known as Blue Hall where the blue bridge is.
Thanks.
The roads near the blue bridge in the blue hall days were Ancaster Road, Alveston Road, there was also Milford Road and Norbury Road. I am not sure exactly where your road is but it could be one of these.
I’ve looked at the old maps of this area and it seems that in the 1900’s, this area would of been all fields and Blue Hall would of been built around the 1938 time. There was Millford Road, Hertford Road and Somerset Road (still there), that ran north-south from Argyle Road to Mulgrave Road, that ran west-east. Guessing Japanica Way, which would of been Waterford Road and Trefoil Court would of been Mulgrave Road. I’m guessing Honeysuckle Court would of been somewhere along Millford Road and Hertford Road…
In fact, I’ve just taken a closer look at the maps and it seems that Honeysuckle Court would of been likely to been nesting between Millford Road and Hertford Road. Hope this helps.
Family History: A Great Uncle, Robert Henry Jary, lived for some years in Middlesbrough/Stockton. My research has led me to a marriage of RHJ to one Annie Kiddle, at Stockton in 1934. This name is not known in the family, so perhaps he never let on that he had married (he would have been 61 yrs old). Annie appears to have died 1949, age 61 reg at SE Durham, (which covered Stockton at that time) that puts her birth at 1888, and unless she was a widow, the only birth for an Annie Kiddle 1888 was at Peterborough. RHJ must have moved back to South Shields after her death. The Jary family lived there, where he died 1954, aged 80. If there are any Stockton “Kiddle”s reading this, especially with connections to Peterborough or, if anyone knows of any Kiddle families there, I would very much like to hear from them in the hope that they may have information of use in my further research. Thanks.
Hi Bob,
There is a marriage at Guisborough in OND 1914 of Annie Wilson and Ernest Kiddle. Ernest Kiddle died in 1931, and is buried at Durham Road Cemetery, Stockton.
On the “Stockton Roots” website, there are quite a few Kibble burials.
Hope this helps.
Bob, Annie Kiddle (Nee Wilson) married R H Jary they had no children together. I am Annie’s Granddaughter Marion Dobson (Nee Rolls). Annie had five children 2 died very early in life at approx 6 months, the three other children Dorothy Kiddle aged 91 is still alive and lives down South, Joyce Kiddle (my mam) died February 2011 aged 87 and Ernest Kiddle the youngest died in 2008. I hope this helps and if you require any further information please contact me, Picture Stockton have my email address.
We have been seeking for some time any information about my Wife’s Father and his family. He was a Robert Walker who married Bridget Hassett (Daughter of George Hassett the footballer). He had a brother Fred, and two sisters, Lottie (Charlote) and Vera. They lived in Stockton although at one stage during the war they were at Redcar. Any information that anyone has would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Ron.
I would like to know the name of the taxi co. at the bottom of Tanners Bank,Norton…Hurds?
Big beautiful R-R hearse and limos.
Hi Phil, the name of the taxi firm at the bottom of Tanners Bank was called Wades taxi/garage he had taxis and sold petrol, that was in the 1950s. I grew up in Elcoat Road after his family sold it, it was then a car showroom and then demolished eventually flats were built on the land opposite Beaconsfield Road the same flats this year that were flooded on the ground floor.
Would anyone on this, very interesting site, be able to tell me when the houses on Springfield Road, Hartburn were built. Many thanks.
Morag, if you mean Springfield Avenue at the bottom of Oakdene Avenue, then that would have been built in the late 1950s – early 1960s. I know as I played hide and seek in them on an evening, before they had their front doors fitted!
This triangle area comprises of three roads, Oakdene Avenue, Linden Avenue and Hartburn Lane. The house in these roads are mid Victorian Properties built I’d guess circa 1850-1860, Springfield Avenue which your enquiry concerns is a ‘parcel of land at the the back of these roads’ a more modern development built I’d say 1967 or thereabouts, to, what was considered then a more modern standard. Without knowing the house number it’s impossible to be more precise. The main attraction for residing in that area was Ropner Park whose brief history is:
Ropner Park, Stockton-on-Tees was opened to the public in 1893. The park was named after the wealthy shipowner and builder, Sir Robert Ropner. He was also MP for Stockton when he donated the money to buy the land. It became an important open space on the edge of an expanding town for the locals to enjoy fresh air, relax, play and generally enjoy. For children the main attraction in Ropner Park was visiting the lake to feed the ducks and to catch with jam jars ‘stickleback fish’. This was frowned on by the Park Keeper who, if he saw you doing it. – would make you run for it’. The lake held a number of frogs and in season tadpoles. The taller trees surrounding the lake were used as nesting sports for wood pigeons whose non-stop cooing was liked by some and hated by many. A wood pigeons coo is a deep throated groaning noise which the male bird uses to call their mates to ‘come and see the nest he’s built’. After they are on eggs, two white eggs, the courtship stops, an act many women in Stockton would agree is typical for all males in the area.
Does anyone have a picture of St. James Parish Church in Portrack please?
In my younger days, I’m 68 now, I think in the 1950s I remember a church on the site where the mallable working mens club is now, its on Norton Road, Stockton. When I mention this, nobody seems to recall one. Does anybody on this site recall it and are there any photos of it if there was a church?
David Gilbert, I was born 1947 in Napier street, and lived there until about I was about 5 years old. I can’t remember any church there at all, and would be very interested if some one knows the answer.
The only church near to the Malleable Club was on the corner of Victoria Avenue. I don’t think at 68 you would have known the building before the new Malleable club but it was a big house which was originally on that site. On the opposite side of Napier Street is an old house which could be Victorian.
The big house you refer to Bob was the old Malleable Club and the original Smith and Jaques dance school started in a room at the back upstairs. A lot of the Malleable’s staff learned to dance there.
I remember going in the old Malleable club as a child, it was on Coronation day, I came away with a Coronation Cup, the church on Victoria Avenue was Strike’s Mission church, the family of Strikes ran the mission church next to Fakeny’s iron foundry. All the best Derek
I remember the big house as the Malleable Club. I once went in there with my father for an horticultural show where all the entries at the close were auctioned off. At the front of this building was a boxing ring.
Looking at the 1896 O.S. map for Norton the only building shown on the north side of Norfolk Street seems to be a large house with large gardens.
May I thank all persons who replied to my question about what was on the site of the now mallable club on norton road thanks again.
David I was born 1947 in Napier Street, just across from old club and the only church I can remember was Strikes mission church, still there today.
In 2014 Tees Rowing Club will celebrate the 150th anniversary of our founding. I am putting together a history of the club and would appreciate any information, stories of family involvement etc. that readers may have. I am also interested to learn of any other rowing clubs that may have existed on the River Tees. We already have extensive documentation on Middlesbrough Amateur Boating Club which existed from 1866 to its amalgamation with Tees Amateur Boating Club (now Tees Rowing Club) in 1946. I have seen reference to a Stockton and Thornaby Rowing Club which was probably a club for professional rowers but have no details. We do know that there were professional rowers on the Tees – Robert Watson Boyd, based at the Shakespear Hotel in Linthorpe Road Middlesbrough, was a 19th century English Sculling Champion. He is buried in Linthorpe cemetary. Nutty Walker, the father of a subsequent landlady of the Collingwood Hotel, Thornaby was also a local professional athlete and sculler.
You mention Nutty Walker being the father of ‘the landlady of the Collingwood Hotel’, Trafalgar Street, Thornaby. This must be Eva Walker. What’s interesting about Eva is: She was the: Eva Walker of the ‘Eva Walker dancers’. Mrs Eva Walker supplied all the local theatres with girl dancers for the Christmas Pantomime’s, including dance assistants to Cinderella, Snow White, Aladdin, Dick Whittington, and Jack and The Beanstalk. Mrs Walker, R.I.P, was lovely woman who had a warm, loving personality for all.
Bob, You wouldn’t happen to have known an Alec or Sandy Dalrymple from the Five Lamps area would you ?
Bob – sorry for the delay, just picked up your Eva Walker information. We knew her as Eva Maiden and for many years our rowing club held committee meetings at the Collingwood. She was very proud of her dad’s achievements and presented us with one of his trophies. I am pleased to say that I was able to take a photo of the pub shortly before it was demolished.
HI MY NAME IS DAVID WALKER, NUTTY WALKER WAS MY GRAND FATHER. I UNDERSTAND HE WAS A GOOD ATHLETE DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFO ON HIM? I WENT IN THE COLLINGWOOD WITH MY MAM AND DAD IN THE 70S.
I’m not a Facebooker, not a Tweeter or a Blogger but my morning routine would not be complete without my visit to Picture Stockton. I look forward to the great photos (would love to be able to buy copies of some) and the wonderful comments and memories of the contributors… I was born and raised in Stockton and in my ignorance thought I knew it, but it’s only through the wonderful efforts of the Picture Stockton team that I have come to appreciate the rich culture of my home town. It’s true, it’s not quite as user friendly as it was but it’s still a great site (surely the envy of other towns) and I’d like to thank everyone behind it. And no, I’m not related to any of them, or maybe through this site I’ll find that I am. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for your kind words, Linda….and incidentally it is possible to buy copies of many of the images on the site….
How do I do that?
PictureStockton Team
Hello Linda
The prints we sell are usually A4 size (it rather depends on the quality of the original – we try to make them as large as we can without losing resolution) and are printed on photographic quality paper. They sell for £5 each including postage. If there are any particular images you wish to purchase just send the address of the webpage to pictures@stockton.gov.uk and, providing its among the images we can reproduce, we will do the rest.
Steve
Would anyone know to to get any information about the graves at Parish Church, Stockton? The ones that are all stacked together across from the Church?
Try Stockton Reference Library. They have the burial details and headstone transcripions on file. You can also access the original copies (Parish on microfilm). For other graveyards in Stockton try http://www.gravestonephotos.com
Many years ago, circa 1948? the graves which had – leaning stones – had them removed for safety reasons. At that time Stockton Parish graveyard was covered with grave stones that were laid flat, they were brown Yorkshire slabs placed over the grave they corresponded to (granite stones were hardly ever used in the 18th century, when this Parish graveyard was becoming established). A few years later 1953..? the Council staff removed these and stacked them against the church walls. They also added eight new park benches for people to sit on. I’m fairly positive that the bodies buried there were not touched, there were graves all around the sides as well. Rumour had it that if anyone had committed suicide they were buried against the wall, technically these graves are still in use. The church may have the old burial registers but bear in mind all the markers have been moved. All this is open to correction and error.
The clearing of the headstones, on the small section of the yard to the South of the church, was to the best of my recollection in the 1970’s; certainly not before. The work apart from safety considerations, made space for the Parish Hall (as still is). Some will have been moved from the north side (I suspect) in the mid 1930’s when The Square / Paradise Row was widened and merged into Church Road.
The stones themselves are all around the perimeter of the yard leaning several deep. The are of sandstone (all I believe) and thus were only good for max 200 years, if the stone was good and erected out of the driving wind/rain.
Stockton Reference Library has microfiche’s of all BMD’s and details of readable stone inscriptions.
The practice of digging up the ‘contents’ of ‘old’ graves died out (pun) as far as I recall in the early 1700’s. The practice was associated with helping those of higher rank be buried in the side of the yard which saw the morning sun – hopefully they would have been the first in at the Resurrection as well as being a bit warmer ’till then (religion did have some very strange beliefs and customs).
I can not recall anything re the bones being moved or not.
A note of caution. Several later burials are logged in the records as St Thomas but were actually buried in a plot reserved for that purpose in Holy Trinity (when St Thomas was full). The library will help I’m sure.
I liked the other site, I just got used to how to do it, but it’s nice being a Stockton lass and able to look back at the stuff we remember, it all brings back some happy times.
It’s a good site for having those memories and also to give your own versions of how you see Stockton and how it has developed over the hundreds of years. Not forgetting the surrounding areas, especially the Norton I love.
I’m trying to get hold of a book called Ropner’s Navy by Billy McGee, who I believe is a fairly regular contributor to this site and may have some copies available. If Billy could get in touch that would be great.
Hi Jeff, Hope that I’m better late than never. I was randomly browsing when I came across your query which appears to have no reply.
Suggest that you enter your exact books name into your search engine: Amazon have some for sale.
Can anyone recall Richard Shops? Does anyone know why it closed? Also there was a rather trendy shop down where the Castlegate is now, does any one recall the name of it?
Was Richards shop next to what was Robinsons – (now Debenhams)
Yes, Richards shop was next to Debenhams. Ann Harbron was manager there for a couple of years.
Richards shops was at number 148 High Street, which was indeed next to Debenhams. It opened in 1962 and closed in September 1981. Formerly numbers 148 and 149 were the old vicarage.
Can anyone tell the rest of us where the coal would have come from that is being unloaded from said vessel, MANCEL VICTORINO? I’d like to know please.
Larry, the Mancel Victorino was built to take passengers to and from Brazil. I believe that the photo shows the vessel taking on coal at Stockton, not unloading.
Most likely the coal the ship was taking on came from Newcastle on Tyne. The mines were all dotted around the tyne. The coal was shipped to the deep water in flat bottomed boats called Keel boats (remember the song?). From the Tynes mouth the coal supplied most of the UK.
Hi Larry, I sent the photo to the the site, I still have loads of photos to look at, there might be something about your query – I will check.
Anybody have any photos of the late Dorothy Potts of Norton, or of the Victorian houses on Hartburn Lane. I am keen to learn the history of the houses that are opposite Ropner Park.
Alan, I suggest that you find out if there was a planning application made for those houses to be built. Teesside Archives holds the old planning applications for Stockton, so start there.
In the 1950s the Nattress family lived at the west end of that terrace, on the corner of Oakdene Avenue.
Hi I think the ask us facility will be very good, I am sure I will use it in the future. I grew up in Stockton leaving in my early 20’s to live in Somerset. It was a great time in Stockton in the 1960’s with the night clubs, not forgetting the fantastic Kirkleavington country club. I lived in Londonderry road, Newtown, we had good neighbours and friends and the great Newtown youth club that would meet in the Methodist chapel, I don’t think the chapel is there now. Would be nice to hear other people’s memories of the youth club.
Hello, is there anyone up there in the North that knows anything about my GRANDMOTHER-MARY JANE DUNCAN, born 16th June 1878 in Gladstone Street, Thornaby (the street that got pulled down in the 1960s/1970s) or UNCLE JAMES born 4th June 1903? He was born in 9 Skinner Street.
I am trying to fill in the blanks of my family tree.
Hi I have a copy of Wards Directory for 1900-1902 which shows a Mr T Duncan living at no 58 Gladstone street. No one else shown as the book only shows the head of the house. It records this gentlemans occupation as Puddler. This is an important job in the steel works.
Not sure if you are asking what a puddler was David. Just in case your not certain, he would have worked on an open hearth furnace; essentially a big insulated rectangular bath with an insulating brick dome. Iron was ore plus coke plus limestone & was smelted in it to produce iron. On the surface floated a thick layer of slag. The puddler’s job was to rake the slag off the surface and in doing so stir up the baths contents. The produce was a mixture of iron and slag called wrought iron. One great advantage of the process was that scrap iron could be added (not possible with blast furnaces)
Apologies if I am teaching granny to suck eggs!
My question – Does anyone know if Glen Campbell appeared at Titos nightclub in Stockton? I would say in 1968 to 1970, I’m sure I saw him there, but my husband thinks I’m wrong.
When did RAF Thornaby close, my father Jacob Wilson, worked on the camp manning an Anti-Aircraft Battery, he’s now long dead – but I can recall him saying ‘he was in the RAF’ and manned a search light beam, would this be correct or was this The Civil Defences Job? And, did he he and his comrades ever shoot down an enemy aircraft flying over Thornaby probably on a bombing run? 1941-1945.
If you search Thornaby on Tees and go to Wikipedia you will be able to read all about the history of Thornaby. This includes the history of the RAF there and when the aerodrome ceased to be. A very worthwhile read!
Does anyone have pictures or know of any for a shop on Norton road called Fred Bedfords or just Bedfords? He was a jeweller I believe, the shop is now called Goodwins.
Hi, I’m trying to locate Ryan Street in Stockton. It appears that it’s no longer there – just Ryan Ave and Ryan Walk, but an old map search shows it might have been near the junction of Bath Lane and Maritime Street, possibly running down the side of The Dolphin? If anyone could shed a little light on this I’d appreciate it – photographs would be even better. Thanks
Ryan Street ran North from the west side of the Dolphin PH on Portrack Lane up to Hill Street.
On the 1899 Map of Stockton, Ryan Street ran between Portrack Lane and Hill Street. On the same map Portrack Lane in Portrack was called Portrack Lane East. It is possible that Ryan Street disappeared when the redevelopment of that area took place in much the same that the East was dropped from Portrack Lane in Portrack.
If you look on the wall of the Dolphin pub you can still see the old sign for Ryan Street.
David you are correct I lived at number 3 Ryan street till I was 10.
I have searched Picture Stockton, Remember When and cannot find any pictures or comments about the Roseworth Festivals which I believe occured between 1975 and 1977, there was a carnival atmosphere with a lot of floats and children and adults taking part. There must be plenty of photographs out there and comments so lets hear it from the Roseworth estate, Stockton residents. Thank you.
Hello David…..see this page http://picturestocktonarchive.wordpress.com/2006/09/07/roseworth-festival/
I have a couple of blurred videos of one of them taken from Super8, The quality could be because of a poor copy from the super 8 film, which is in my brother’s pssession down in Hull.
Hi, is anyone able to tell me what the building used to be on Gilmour Street in Thornaby before it became a children’s centre? It appears to have a historical nature about it as part of a school or church hall of some sort (it is now known as Riverbank Children’s Centre, previously Stepping Stones)?
Nev – This building was previously the Queens Street School, originally known as the Queen Street Board School, so called because it was run by the local School Board.
Hi I
am a 100yrs old next March and I lived in Thornaby from the age of 3 until the age of 32 when we moved to Brotton.l started Qweenst school,then Arthur Head.
When I left I went to do an apprenticeship in Ladies Hairdressing in Parliament street Stockton.the school at the top of Gilmour st was always called Westbury st because it was on the corner of both streets.And yes there was a German plane shot down in what we called the Fox
Covert.I remember going to see it.
Hi Has anyone got any photos of the Grange School, Thornaby – Bayesdale Road. I would love to see some old friends again or St Pats school on Bayesdale Rd, Thornaby. Any year would be great, Thanks in advance
Does anyone remember Midorca house – a shop just past Maxwells Corner. I previously placed a comment but it seems to have disappeared from the site. My mother – Nora Owles worked there in the early 1960′s. There were some comments about Midorca House but again I cant find them on the website. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Yes I remember Midorca House, my mother used to get household goods from them, the money would be paid to a collector who called at our house, I also remember Blundells from Brunswick Street, a very similar type of firm.
As a 13 year old with my mother we went to Blundells for my confirmation suit. It was after school time and when we were leaving we used the lift in the shop and it broke down when we were in it, between floors. I’ll bet we were in there for at least an hour.
Hi, my elder step sister Dorothy Ann Thorpe worked at Midorca House in the mid 1960′s and early 1970′s
I was sales manager 3 oct 1974
Does anyone have any photographs of Parliament Street during the period 1910 – 1940? I’m looking for photographs of the shops that used to be there particularly a shop owned by the Gibbons family who were master drapers. Thank you
Back in the 1930′s, my dad Tommy Hutchinson worked for Teddy and Mary Gibbons, they gave him his first three piece suit. I still have the photo and he looks very ‘dapper’ in it, I think there is also a photo with Teddy Gibbons. I remember they had a large warehouse on Parliament Street and a ‘knitting wool’ stall on Stockton Market, sorry I can’t remember the shop.
There was a family called Grabhams that owned two shops in Parliament Street, if this helps.
Hello Liz, I have only just seen your comment as it didn’t come through on my email. I am so excited to be able to tell my mum. She is the only remaining member of the Gibbons family left and is almost 91 years of age. Would there be any chance that I could trouble you for a copy of the photograph of my Uncle Ted. I would be most willing to pay the cost of reproducing and sending to me. Teddy died in Mansfield in 1984 and is buried with his younger sister Maude very close to his mother Violet. Thank you again.
Hello again Liz, i have just spoken to my mum and she tells me she knows your family as well as her own. She says she remembers your dad very well and his sister Vera. Your dad’s family lived very close to her family, I think your dad’s street backed onto my mum’s street. Apparently Vera wrote to my Uncle Ted right up until he died, in fact mum only disposed of the letters a few years ago. She thinks she also has a photograph of your dad with Teddy. I stayed with Teddy and Mary when I was 10 years old and they lived in Hartburn. I also went with them to the market stall to help.and he took me into number 10 Parliament Street which was his warehouse and also to number 36 which was the family home. Teddy was a lovely man. Thank you again for replying to me
Hello M Nevis, thank you for your reply. My mum remembers Grabhams very well, she tells me they were tailors. Your reply brought back may happy memories for her. Thank you.
I worked in the pie shop in 1951. I think the shop was called Palmers. Lovely hot steak pies straight from the oven…Terry Collinson (nee Mary Long) – now in leeds