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…
NOTE – Please use the ‘Reply‘ option when answering a query.
Kiora Hall where the anti aircraft guns were during WW2 was on Blakeston Lane. My husband is 91yrs old so can remember it vividly!
Fantastic! I knew there were guns at Kiora. Thank your husband for qualifying that.
Kiora Hall is on Ragpath lane, and was used for Prisoners of War, the gun emplacement were placed behind where Jewson’s is and part of Tesco’s car park
Thank you Bob. I don’t know the area well enough to comment. It’s good to get the details right.
Hello all,
Does anyone know anything about Kirklevington Camp? It has cropped up in one of our enquiries but I can’t seem to find anything within our records here in the Reference Library. Was it similar to Portrack Camp?
Any info would be very much appreciated.
Many thanks,
Hannah
Stockton Reference Library
Speaking to a neighbour recently about the closure of Jewsons the builders merchant on Junction road, he mentioned that this site and possibly one of the buildings still standing were previously used as a Territorial Army base, can anyone comment on this please
Jewsons originally was Crossleys Builders Merchants. But during the WW2 this site was a military base and I remember seeing the buildings (at Crosselys) with camouflage paint in fawn/beige/brown and black on the offices as you drove through the same entrance that is there today.. I think there was Heavy Anti-Aircraft Guns at this site but my memory is dim. I seem to remember the name ‘Kiora’ at this site. also.
info in last message is correct.
I think it unlikely. I am guessing here but I suspect that the Norton TA base was built in the 1930’s and Jewsons a similar time. I can’t think why a Borough of Stockton’s size would have more than one base. This is based on the fact that that Jewsons was there preWW2 (we knew a chap who worked there)
The Jewson’s site was a Wartime defence site. My Dad was in the Home Guard and he talked about anti-aircrafts guns ‘at Norton’ and the name Kiora has a link to WW2 also. I’m on memory here, so would you bear with me. Also when Jewsons was Crossleys Builders Merchants the main office building had – for many years after WW2 – Camouflage paint on all of the walls and roof. Hopefully someone will have a better knowledge.
Crossleys, Jewsons was depot where they kept tanks ext in the early 1960’s.
I do remember in the seventies going to the site which is now Tesco and playing in and around what I thought were old farm buildings., they had earth embankments and what I thought initially were lots of different stalls for farm animals. I later learned they were the ammunition stores foe the anti-aircraft guns at Kiowa on Roseworth.
I used to play in an old derelict brickworks. Funny how kids are drawn to dangerous places to play.
the opening of the groundsman house stockton cricket club 9 June 1954
Hello, Does The Reference Team know, or can find the source of naming the Davis Bridge, Billingham. There has been a suggestion that it might have been named for a British Army Colonel/Leiutenant who lived at Norton. I’ve seen no hard evidence of this. The Davis Bridge – which is part of the By-Pass was built just before/during/after WW2. Thank you.
Hello Brian,
The bridge was named as a compliment to Lieutenant-Colonel S. E. Davies according to an article in the Newcastle Journal and North Mail on 4 May 1944.
Colonel Davies is quoted in the article as saying
“I have pressed for ten years for this scheme, which I have always considered to be essential, and it will be a proud moment for me when the first vehicle passes over this bridge and to know that the scandalous and costly traffic delay will be a thing of the past”.
Kind regards,
Hannah, Stockton Reference Library
Thank you Hannah for all your hard work. That is the only hard evidence anyone has ever seen. I know many Billingham people will be content now.
Hi, I’ve lived in Grange road thornaby for 1 year now, I’m just wondering if anyone knows the history of number 25? When it was built, (apparently between 1900-1929) but I’d like an exact year, who lived here, if there’s any photos of the street when it was built that would be great. Many thanks.
The household survey undertaken in 1939 shows that the residents of 25 Grange Road were James and Margaret Kelly, both born in 1885. They were the only two occupants.
Cliff
TS Fortitude black and white group photo, I would like to get a copy as I am one of the cadets in it?
Keith Lightowler .
Hi Keith,
I have sent you an email with some information about how to go about getting a copy.
Kind regards,
Hannah
Stockton Reference Library
Hi Keith,
The email that I have sent you has bounced back to us for some reason. If you can email us at reference.library@stockton.gov.uk we can provide you with some further information about purchasing a copy of the TS Fortitude photo.
Kind regards,
Hannah
Stockton Reference Library
Can anyone recall a man who lived in either Somerset road, hertford Road, or Waterford road, Blue Hall, maybe in the 60s, I think he may have been a coalman, as he always had black hands and face, and the kids used to shout dirty percy at him, as he was always mucky, he may have had a wife or sister who he lived with, and I dont know if his name was percy Edwards, we lived in 58 raleigh road norton in the 60s crowe family, I dont know how old this man would have been then as he always looked old, just wondered about him thats all, as we were talking the other day and feel awful that we used to call him names
Are there any records relating to Norah & Frederick White who lived in the Port Clarence steelwork cottages from the early 1920’s to mid 1930’s. I believe that at the end of their ‘street’ was an iron Church. They had several children – Margaret, Edith, Hilda, Cecilia, John (Jack), Frederick, Robert (Robbie) & Michael. Two older daughters, Nora & Lillian were married and living elsewhere at the time their parents Norah and Frederick lived at Port Clarence.
Norah & Frederick were my grandparents.
Regards,
Norman Crosby.
Hi Norman,
I’ve had a quick look on the 1921 census and 1939 register and can’t see the family Do you know any of their dates of birth? If you can email reference.library@stockton.gov.uk with any more details and we’ll have a further look for you to try and find them.
hi, I’m wondering if anyone has any information about jt Clarke photographers in stockton? I have a photograph that I would like to date and I’m wondering what dates did the company operate in bridge street stockton? Many thanks
Hello
The National Archives have two pieces of information about John Toulson Clarke, photographer, of Bridge Road Stockton on Tees.
The first is a registration as a company between 1840 and 1890 in Bridge Road, the second is a copyright document for a photograph of three men, Messers Thomas Walton, William Brierley and Thomas Jackson taken on the 30th of November 1866, the actual photograph is not available.
There were two other photographers in Bridge Road at the same time, it is possible the studio and darkroom were used by all three, also Robert Thirlwell the well known Stockton photographer had premises in Bridge Road, possibly taking over from the other photographers.
I have two of Clarke’s photos in my collection but neither are dated, they are likely from the mid Victorian era, around 1870.
Regards
Bruce
I left school christmas 1962, i started work as an apprentice moulder at headwrightson’s eaglescliffe,
there were gangs of men making segments, some made drags (bottom mould)
others made (rammed) tops, moulders would then put core’s in mould’s, casting and remaking moulds went on all day. I worked making small keys segments with an older lad (moulder) making key segments, he was a wonderful lad to work with, he was colin castle, in one of the gangs making drags was a man called jobson, i think he lived thornaby, he said to me one day ‘i think we are related’ when he found i was called casey and lived in swainby road, a life time later i learned we were indeed related but the years had flown by, i guess this jobson would be in his 80s if still with us. I often seen posting about folks who worked at heads thornaby and other heads but never, never seen a posting about lads who who worked at eaglescliffe, danny booth, dave brown, all a little older than me me but such wonderful people to have met in my younger days, has any one out there family members who worked at eaglescliffe, particularly any jobsons.
All the best.
Derek Casey.
Does anyone know where I can get a photograph of Regent Street, Stockton.
[The street ran between High Street & Prince Regent Street. Also between & parallel to Dovecot Street and Wellington Street]
Hi, I typed in Regent Street Stockton on google and a picture of Regent Street was there. It states that it was from Stockton Archive. Hope this helps.
Thank you so much, Anne. My cousin, Llewellyn Williams, mentioned he had tried in 2012 to find a picture of the street but failed. Hence I tried and you delighted me with your info. He may contact you as I’ve sent it to him. He resided in house with pillars at front door [clearly visible] until 1954 when family moved to London where he commenced his ‘entertainment’ career. You can find him on youtube as Mr. Variety or use his name. He’s fantastic on the xylophone .
In Regent Street his mother had the Williams School of Dancing.
It ran from the high street to Nelson Terrace (not Prince Regent Street). Sadly I can’t help with a picture.
Does anyone have any photos of Bishopsgarth Shops in the late 80’s early 90’s?
I am a Dynamic Collections Volunteer at Preston Park Museum and through my research I’ve come across a William Robson who is cited to be a manager of a Bradbury & Co depot in 1894 at 21 Park Road, Yarm Lane in Stockton on Tees. Would there be anyone here to help me confirm this information?
Thank You for all of your help.
Kindest regards,
Jemma Gibson
My mother Margaret Atkinson was born in 1938 she went to port Clarence, I am looking for any information about her and her growing up,
My father John Emery 1941, from Haverton hill, has 2 brothers, 1 still alive, any info would be greatly appreciated x
In the early to mid 60s, I went to Mill Lane school, infants and juniors. The main gates of the infants school were, I’m pretty sure at the bottom of Scarth St. Directly opposite was an alley, which seemed very wide at the time, and after a dog leg turn, brought you out in Fagg St, If you continued towards Dovecote St, on the right hand side there was a large hall which I vaguely recall going into once. I remember Peter Trevor, the tobacconist on the corner of Fagg St, across the road from Jerry Carers ? sweet shop, but this building is proving to be a very elusive memory.
Does anyone have any idea what it was.
Hi Steve,
Taken from another PS post…
https://picturestocktonarchive.com/2006/11/17/church-of-the-nazarene/#comment-36635
“There used to be a place in Fagg Street, Stockton, called The Goddards Mission, as youngsters we used to go to The Band of Hope there. It was taken over by The Nazarenes, in the early sixties”
Hi Jonathan, thanks for the information and references. It being a mission does seem to make sense, it is just a memory that I have had from a very young age that I couldn’t put a name to.
Hi Steve, glad to have helped.
I found the other PS post after I found a list of Mission Rooms in a 1914 directory that showed…
“Goddards Memorial, Fagg St, 11 a.m. & 3 & 6.30 p.m.”
…and then the hall was marked as “Church of the Nazarene” on a later OS map. Which all tied up nicely your description of the location, the bfa images and the details in the other post. 🙂
You can also just make out the hall in these photos…
https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EAW033952
https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EAW033958
There’s not much of the hall to see, but you can see the surroundings, including the school and ally way.
(If you register, its free, you can zoom in a bit)
On the 1881 census the parents of my Grt. Grandma lived at foundry office, 27 Childry Street, Stockton on Tees. Does anyone know if this was the office of a foundry or was the foundry demolished and the office converted to a house. Seems a strange address.
Might be worth you having a look at ” Parkfield foundries” a site set up by the Evening Gazette.
Thank you for your suggestion Derek. I will have a look at the site.
Can anyone remember the name of the youth club that was on Yarm Road before the Blytheholme club, I used to go there in the late 60s, but can’t for the love of me remember its name.
There was a youth club at the Methodist Church. St. Peter’s had one as well, but the it was held in the church hall in Dennison Street.
was it the Lealholme ??
The Lealholme was next door to the Blytheholme. I started going in 1967, good times.
Was it The Crusaders
In a previous reply, I mentioned Youth Clubs in Yarm Road. I forgot to mention one at the Congregation Church. Lealholme – just cannot put my finger on it!! Seem to think it was premises similar to the Blytheholme Workingmen’s Club.
Lealholme Grove comes to mind – after turning right from Oxbridge Lane into Fairfield Road, it is first left after the pub [from memory]
Best wishes,
Dave.
That’s the teddy, cheers Phil. I’m sure it was open for 2 nights a week, maybe Tuesday and Friday. Had some really good nights in there.
The question has been asked again as to who was The Davis Bridge, Billingham named after. I did have a vague reference to a ‘Lieutentant Davis of Norton’, but I’ve never been able to confirm it. No, Mr. Harry Davies, Heamaster wasn’t around until after the Bridge was built so it wasn’t him as his name is Davies anyway. the Bridge was built shortly after WW2. I’m still searching.
I passed through the College in the mid ’70s. It changed my life for the better. Never forgotten…thanks Stuart and others for what they gave!
Hello,
I’m interested in Bishopsgarth House. Does anyone have any information about this house please? Does anyone know the year that the house was built and the names of the families who lived there. All help greatly appreciated,
Thank you
Hi,
According to an article published in the Autumn 2002 Stockton-on-Tees Local History Journal, Bishopsgarth House was designed and built by Dr. Charles Trotter in 1876. Sadly Dr. Trotter died the following year but the house was occupied by his family and descendants until 1960.
I hope that this information is of some help to your research.
Kind regards,
Hannah (Stockton Reference Library)
My husband remembers a family called Trotter who lived there when he was a boy in the 30’s & 40’s. Mrs Trotter used to allow the local kids into the garden to pick up the conkers!
Is this the house next to the Mitre public house which is currently up for sale . It has been owned by Bobby Durham (he of the former Durham haulage company) for about 30/40yrs, however he passed away just before Christmas.
Hi there, I am trying to trace my late father’s old school records so I can produce them at his funeral in 3 weeks time.
My dad known as Allan Rymer born 5 May 1940 attended A.D. Norton Board School. With his sister Pauline Rymer.
If you could provide any information on him or pictures I would be very grateful.
Hi Mark, thank you for your enquiry. We don’t have the school records for Norton Board School I’m afraid, only the school register. I can see Allan and Pauline in the school register but the information given is brief – Admission details, DOB, address and leaving date. You are welcome to come and see the register here in the Reference Library, Best wishes Donna
I suspect that the records, if they have have been kept, are most likely to be at Middlesbrough Archives (also known as Teesside Archives from when Teesside existed). I searched for some around 1900 a while back and the only record that had been retained was of the teacher’s comings and goings. Hope you have more luck. The place was very small but the few staff very helpful. In my case, when they discovered something relevant existed, I needed to go there to examine it; but things may have changed.
is it possible to get a copy of the Weighing man painting by Ian Graham and if so how and where
thanks
Does anyone have any information on the mill that used to be in Norton between Keithlands and Greylands Avenue? One old derelict building remains visible from Albany Road
At Albany Road turn left. (Albany road was originally called Mill Lane). You will see a bungalow on the left-hand side. This was originally the site of the windmill. Continue to the end of Albany Road then turn left onto South Road. Continue past the fire station then cross over and turn right as you reach the roundabout onto Billingham Road.
I’m writing a piece for an exhibition on aviation in Manchester and wondered if anybody had any details or photos of the F Hills & Sons factory in Trafford Park Manchester?
Only one I’m aware of Frank was at Tilery on main road to Norton from Stockton.
Dave.
Does anyone know why the Davis Bridge at Billingham was thus named. Thank you
After Harry Davis. He was a Stockton/Billingham Town Councillor for many years and was headmaster in his working life.
That is incorrect. Harry Davis. didn’t do anything in Billingham until either 60s or 70s The Davis Bridge was completed just after the 2nd World War. Sometime around 1946/;j1947.
Apologies Brian,
the association just sprung to mind and for some reason I did not challenge it. d
It’s no bother Derek. I’ve been trying to find out the source of the bridge’s name for sometime now. The closest I have got is that the name stems from a Lieutenant Davis, (Army) from Norton who had something, (I don’t know what for sure) to do with the Bridge. I’ll keep digging. The Headmaster was Mr. Davies….not Davis. I’ll post if I find out something definite. Thanks for getting back to me.
Hello, Billingham Beck Bridge. Old drawings or photographs available. It is the first bridge you cross coming from Potrack interchange into Haverton Hill crossing Billingham Beck
I’m trying to find 9 Ash Street, Stockton-on-Tees, it was mentioned in a Sunderland newspaper many years ago
Hi, Ash Street was just off Bath Lane (formerly part of Portrack Lane). It looks like it didn’t have many more than 9 properties in total 🙂 The area has redeveloped twice since Ash Street last existed (YMCA/St Mary’s Church & now houses).
See an old map here: https://tinyurl.com/252ns7a9
or on google maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/d52TvvWtKRTJJuBk8
Excellent reply, many thanks.
Can anyone help? I’m trying to locate a photograph of Tarring Street in Stockton dated in the 1950s. 1955-60 would be ideal. It is for a book I am researching. There was a fish and chip shop at one end of the street I believe. Any help would be much appreciated.
Hi wondering if any one can help ,it is about the playing field at the top of Grosvenor Road which was used by the whole of the Fairfield community there used to be kissing gates there but since they have been ripped out and a gate and lock put on and the Stockton Rugby Club have taken it over so we can no longer use it, the people that back on to the field from Whitton road can and the residents of Grosvenor have a code which to gain entry ,my children used to play on this field has it was a safe enviroment for them ,what l am asking does anyone know if the Rugby club can legally do this ,l know someone said that behind the fence was a right of way , hope somebody with history knowledge can help , l have heard the field was gifted to the community form the Ropner family for recreational purposes but then the club said the lease had ran out so they have taken over ,so sad that my grandchildren and all of the community can not use it anymore it is locked up most of the year , just looks like a land grab to me , anyway here is hoping someone can help.
kind regards Mrs Walker
Hi, please can any ex Newham Grange pupils who sang in school choir at durham cathedral remember if any photo’s were taken at the event, my wife casually mentioned she with school choir sang in cathedral around early 1968? Durham Cathedral has always been my favourite cathedral and I was shocked to learn of this event 54 years after we married. My wife went to Newtown School then onto Newham Grange, sadly she has no photos from her school days. If any group photos were taken at Newtown or Newham Grange I would love to purchase a copy or copies for my wife. My wife was then Rita Taylor, she lived in Northbourne Road, Eastbourne. Please if any one can help ask pictures@stockton.gov.uk for my email.
All the best to all.
Derek
Hi everyone
I am looking for any old photos of St Patrick’s Catholic College in Thornaby on Baysdale Road. We are looking at celebrating the school as it turns 60 and want as many photos as possible.
Can anyone help with this or point me in the direction to find anything please.
Thank you in advance
Rachel
would you know who the Mayor of Stockton on tees was in 1945?
Hi Carol, Alexander Ross was the Mayor of Stockton-on-Tees in 1945. He was also Mayor the year before.
Kind regards,
Hannah
Stockton Reference Library
Hello there, would anyone please have a old photo or details of when/history of the houses on Preston Lane, Eaglescliffe, Stockton were built? Many thanks in advance. Clare
Preston Lane was built well before 1954. Two girls who lived in that street attended the Grangefield Grammar school that year onwards. Our group of school friends spent a lot of time in Preston Park, which is adjacent to Preston Lane. Cannot say whether they are post or pre-war houses as we always met in the Park, so never called for them.
Hope this helps.
Dave Williams.
I went to Grangefield with Colin Reed whose dad ran the Parkmore Hotel. Don’t know if this was close by.
From the Stockton direction, Preston Lane is the street on left immediately before Preston Park. Parkmore Hotel is well passed the Park opposite the Golf Club. Possibly 0.5miles away.
Dave.
Preston Lane with Preston Farm alongside it is on the 1912 O.S. map. This should give you a starting point.
Do you have any photos of the lads of the 5th battalion dli from 1937-45 ?
Hi all, just like to ask about group photo’s taken at Newham Grange School, my wife left school 1968, before we married she was Rita Taylor, she lived in Northbourne road, Eastbourne, if any one can help it would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
Derek.
I should add, if any one has school group photo with Rira on it could I possibly have a copy.
Many thanks.
Derek.
I am trying to find the name of the Mayor of Stockton-on-Tees for years 1913/14/15/16?
Also a list or directory of Building contractors in Stockton-on-Tees around 1890 to 1920 in particularly to the iron & steel industry and Furness building?
The name I’m looking for as Mayor is Richard Gaunt.
Hi Austin,
According to Tom Sowler’s ‘A History of the Town and Borough of Stockton-on-Tees’, Richard Gaunt was Mayor in 1921. Edward Stephenson was Mayor for 1913 and 1914, John Bertrand Watson was Mayor in 1915 and John Harrison was Mayor from 1916 – 1918.
With regards to a list of building contractors in Stockton-on-Tees, we do hold Ward’s trade directories in the Reference Library. I shall email you a copy of the relevant pages.
I hope that this information is of some help to your research.
Kind regards,
Hannah
Stockton Reference Library
Hi Austin. I live on Austin Avenue in Stockton – I think the road was possibly named after a relative of yours? Kind regards Karen
I am trying to find an old school friend Anita Vilnitis, who lived on Hartington Road Stockton and went to Hardwick sec mod girls school with me. Should be about 66/67 now I would think. Her father was from Latvia… Susan Hamill/Harker
Hi Susan, I managed to trace a marriage of an Anita Vilnitis. She married in Corby, Northants, in 1980 to an Ian Scales.
The following year they had a son, Kevin Andrew Scales. Kevin was still living in Corby in 2010, so you might find about about Anita if you can trace her son.
Anita Vilnitis married Ian Scales in the third quarter of 1980 in Corby district, Northamptonshire
Hello, my dad worked at Anderson Foundary in the 60’s, Ben Nicholson from Middlesbrough, probably a big stretch for any one to remember him. We immigrated to Canadian 1964. I would be very interested to know anything about that time at the Foundary, thanks!
Was there a street called Millton St or something similar 1950s I was born there, also where was the local graveyard as my brother was buried there 1954, I moved down south at the age of 5, as have little memory of it….
Email Stockton register office Bereavement Services. They used to, (I’m not totally certain that they still do), have a free service to tell you where someone is buried if you know the year of burial. They used to charge a fee if you weren’t sure of the date. Milton Street was to the East of The Gasworks about equidistant from St. Mary’s Church to the East of that. Have a look at https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.0&lat=54.57058&lon=-1.31416&layers=168&right=ESRIWorld
I have never heard of a Milton Street in Stockton-on-Tees. There is one in Middlesbrough. Tom Sowler wrote a history of the town, and Minnie Horton wrote the History of Cleveland which includes the Stockton area.
The cemeteries in use at the time you are interested in are still in use. One is in Oxbridge Lane and the other is in Durham Road. The Chrem would be in Acklam Road, Middlesbrough, near to the Blue Bell hotel.
Best wishes,
Dave.
There is a Mill Street West and East in Stockton, a Mill Street in Norton and a Milton Street in Darlington. I have not managed to find an Milton Street in old street directories but this is an area for potential further searching, as it would also show up other two-syllable streets beginning with Mil or Mill.
Could your street be Mill Street? Definitely in Stockton.
I see that Milton Street was off Thompson Street to the south, and is now partly under Thompson Street West car park.
Does anyone have photos of Furness ship yard, Haverton Hill. My father worked there in the 1940s. Thanks
If anyone has photo’s of shipyard, please let me know. My father, Arthur Williams, was the Personnel Manager. He started in 1927 as an Apprentice Plater and retired on 30.4.64. There is a photo of the annual bus trip of staff in the “Now & Then” magazine dated Nov/Dec 2021, page 59. It would be taken in the 1950’s. Father is on front row ?4th left – in the very smart suit.
Hi Seadogdavesenior
My name is Craig, I am also looking for pictures from the Furness Yard in the 1940s. Specifically for the ss Empire Gold which was built at the Haverton Hill yard in 1941 originally under the name Eppingdale.
My uncle served on the ship and was lost when it was torpedoed on April 18th 1945.
Hello Craig,
Sorry, cannot help re. 1941 launch. Apart from the bus trip photo [1950’s I think], I only have a few showing my Father at functions where he was awarding prizes plus two cartoons of him drawn by one of the workmen.
Thank you for taking the time to reply I really appreciate it.
Kind regards
Craig
For general views of the Furness shipyard there are a few aerial photos on the Britain from Above website. This one is a good start: https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EAW030449
(If you register (it’s free) you can zoom in)
I have over 50 photos relating to the Furness Shipyard at Haverton Hill. I am more than happy to share them with you.
Many of them are shots of ships built at the yard but there are a number showing staff members, the photos cover a period from the early 1920s up to the 1970s.
I also have two films, one is the 1933 launch of the MV Houston City and the other is of MV Ceres during her sea trials off the Northumberland coast, this includes footage of the River Tyne.
I had family members who worked at the Furness yard, my paternal Grandfather, Father, Mother and two Brothers all worked there as well as a number of motorcycling mates from the 1960s and 70s.
If you are interested email Picture Stockton (pictures@stockton.gov.uk) and they will pass my email address on to you.
Hi Bruce. I will drop you a line via the contact in the link. I am also looking for pictures from the 1940’s generally but specifically for the ss Empire Gold which was build in 1941 under the name Eppingdale.
Doing some research for my Uncle who was lost when the ship was torpedoed on Aril 18th 1945.
Kind regards
Hello Craig
There are three or four pictures of Empire ships in my collection, unfortunately Empire Gold is not among them.
Regards Bruce
Hello
I am making models of local buildings, some of which have already been demolished and I am trying to find images to work from. My curent project is my old school, Holly Trinity Higher Grade School for Boys which was situated on Yarm Lane, which I attended from 1951 -54. I have borrowed a copy of “A History of Holy Trinity School Stockton on Tees” by B G Bucknall and this has provided an excellent starting point but I really need to find more images of the building. Aerial Views are particularly useful to determine roofscapes etc. Any advice you are able to provide would be most useful.
Regards
Keith Thompson
I’m looking for pictures of Tynedale Stores, Tynedale Street, Stockton on Tees. My Nanna, Doris Tavolieri, owned the shop in the 1950’s but I don’t have any photos of it.
I’m wonder if anyone has any info regarding the Leeds Hotel, especially around 1910. I believe my mother’s Cousin was the Licensee.
Hi,
Looking at the 1910/11 Ward’s Directory there is an for a T. Lees at the Leeds Hotel. I have also found a Thomas Lees at the Leeds Hotel on the 1911 census which I shall send to your email.
I hope that this information is of some help to your research.
Kind regards,
Hannah
Stockton Reference Library
Hello. I was a pupil at Holy Trinity School for Boys from 1949-1953 and I am trying to find images of the school from that period. My interest is in making a model of the school using Lego. I have already made several local buildings using this method and would like to add Holy Trinity to my collection. Any images, plans or drawings would be most useful.
Hi there does anyone have a photo of Lenny’s butchers on Leven Road, Norton. Lenny gained his angel wings yesterday we would love to have a photo of the shop thank you.
Hi, we visited Stockton last week to see if we could find out anything about my husband’s family and where they were living between 1870 and 1950. Unfortunately we discovered that most of the addresses we had to investigate, no longer exist as the streets were demolished. Would anyone know of any photos, facts etc about the following addresses please?
1 Langley Street
12 Inkerman Street
12 Agnes Street
3 Barrett Street
15 Bottomley Street (this may be Middlesbrough?)
They are all that are places that are relevant to birth addresses and census records for David John Williams and his wives, Mary Ellen and Elizabeth, their children Samuel, Horace Eva and Norman.
Thanks in advance.
My wife’s family, Lanes, lived in 36 Inkerman St, they are on the 1936 list.
Hi Julie, Inkerman and Langley Street were both with 400 ft east of the railway station and ran roughly parallel to the railway lines. Agnes Street and Barret Street were both on Portrack (St. James Ward). Bottomley is off Linthorpe Rd in Middlesbrough (you can pick it up on your search engine).
Where are you now Chris Simpson, Ann Shepherd, Mary Rattray, Judith Whitticker all good people Stuart White
Hi Stuart, I remember all those girls from my school… I was in Wm Newton school, Junction Rd, Norton. I spotted Judith in Stockton High St a year or two ago. She hadn’t recognised me, but not surprising at it had been 60 years since we had last seen each other. We chatted and she told me she was still friends with Christine nee Simpson and they had been at each others wedding. I live in Billingham now. My birth name was Marilyn Miller.
Does anyone know Gilbert Street School in the 1900s I have a photo of my dad and his brothers at school in that time but not sure which school. They went to Gilbert Street before moving to Ovington. They lived in South Palmerston Street, which I believe is no longer there.
Kathleen, this website relates to Stockton on Tees and surrounding areas. I am not aware of a Gilbert Street School in Stockton. There was a Gilbert Street School in the town of South Shields on Tyneside in the early 1900s.
Thank you Cliff, yes I did realise this and have asked on South Shields sites but there are no recent posts. My gggrandparents moved from Whitby to Stockton but not got into that ad yet. My grandfather moved from Stockton to apprentice at the Coop boot & shoe makers on South Shields where he met his wife. I was just hoping that someone somewhere would remember those places.
Robert Rankin was born in Stockton on 1864, but whereabouts in the town? His parents were Robert Rankin and Janet Nelson. He was an engine fitter. The family moved to Lanarkshire in 1871 and emigrated to Australia in 1883. Can anyone throw any more light on the family before they moved north?
The only way to find out where the Rankin children were born in Stockton, is to purchase copies of their birth certificates from the Registrar’s Office in Stockton.
Out of interest , I did a Firefox search for Lanarkshire Industry in 1871. The result is lots of pictures mainly around mining. Are the family on the 1871 census perhaps with Robert the elder being something like a winding engine/water pump etc fitter. There isn’t an awful lot of coal in Australia. Alternatively and just a guess based on the family living in Stockton. Robert the elder could have worked at Blair’s engine factory and been employed to fit the engines into the ships at Ropner’s shipyard. (I have a relative that did just that and died there)–but it is a guess.
Cliff’s suggestion of a birth cert may just give you more precise info.
I am seeking confirmation of the location of “The Open Air School” in Stockton which existed in the years post WW2. I have been advised of William Newton School and of Ragworth area (about were the St Johns school is now). I attended it for 6 months as a child but memory gets in the way of were it was. Can you help please??
I think you may be referring to Ragworth Open Air School which was next to St Joseph’s Primary School in Norton. It could be accessed at the top of Mill Lane in Norton or off Ragworth Road. The classrooms were individual and more or less floor to ceiling windows and doors that opened onto the outside so the pupils could access fresh air. In later years the school became a school for pupils with physical disabilities (nursery to 16 years) and was called Summerhouse School (I believe due to the proximity to Summerhouse Square. It closed in the mid 1980s. Most of the primary pupils went on to a specially resourced provision at Whitehouse Primary School (opened 1987 – I worked there when it opened) and the secondary pupils to a similar provision at Bishopsgarth secondary school a bit later. My mum Joyce Bailey worked at the school from some time in the 1970s till it closed. The headteachers I remember were Alan Burke and David Woolley. Houses now stand where the school used to be.
I remember the open air school from when I went to St Joseph’s, some times we’d see the pig come out of the small wood that divided the two places, that would be around 1953.
I remember the people you referred to who worked at Summerhouse before it closed.
Thanks a million Jane, You have opened another piece of window into my forgotten past; you are wonderful!
Could this be Summerhouse School, which I think was Summerhouse Square. It was near St Joseph’s Catholic School.
Almost there Pat. Thanks for replying. See the reply from Jane above, who hit the nail on the head!
Right here:
https://maps.nls.uk/view/120938841#zoom=5&lat=7334&lon=9579&layers=BT
https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EAW024092 (a bit blurry, but you can see it if you zoom in)
The open air school was at the top of Mill St. Norton it’s now a housing estate I went to that school in the 1950s.
Thanks David,
I already have a map snipped from another responder thanks. Am I correct in believing that we kids went there for “Failing to thrive” – I was a skinny little thing at the time. Also I believe that we went for six months? Did we go home each evening or just at weekends. From my questions I am sure you can see that much the memory lost when I was a kid, still has not recovered at 78?
Derek
Hi Derek it was a normal day school for children with heath problems. I had a bad hip at the time when I left there after about 12 months I went to Frederick mattress school I am 79 now.
I went there after coming out of hospital