The Stockton Northern Gateway Townscape Heritage project is a five-year scheme joint funded by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It aims to improve the historic environment at the northern end of Stockton High Street from Regent Street up Norton Road to Queen Street, focusing on a series of restoration projects of identified historic buildings and works to the surrounding area. It builds on improvements that have already been made to the historic environment of Stockton Town Centre through Stockton Heritage in Partnership (SHiP) and Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) projects. The work will also complement the current Stockton Globe restoration project, due to be completed this year.

Part of the initiative will involve the re-landscaping of Tennant Square on Norton Road at the northern end of the project area. This small urban pocket park marks the site of the once imposing Congregational Church and so before the landscaping can be carried out, an excavation of the site will be undertaken by Tees Archaeology working alongside local volunteers

We would love to know if any photos exist of its interior, perhaps taken during a wedding or christening. Do you have memories of trips or events? Did you watch its demolition and did you take any final images? What happened to the internal fittings and furniture? Please do get in touch, we’d love to hear from you. If you have any information that you would like to share or are interested in the excavation project of Tennant Square, please contact Fiona Riley, Townscape Heritage Project Officer, fiona.riley@stockton.gov.uk or 01642 524551. It would be great to think that the excavation reveals some small detail of its role as the heart of a vibrant and democratic church community.

Image courtesy of Teesside Archives.

A recent comment on the Theatre Royal in Yarm Lane led me to older comments about the similarity of the building to the Plaza Cinema: https://picturestocktonarchive.com/2014/01/16/the-theatre-royal-2/#comment-89897

One of the images shows the Theatre Royal after it was damaged by fire in 1906, the interested bystanders appear to be standing in front of The Garrick, in the background is the Holy Trinity School.

The other image is of the Plaza Cinema in Bishop Street, it must have been a theatre originally as the box arrangement stuck on the front of the building was built to house the projectors when it was converted, this feature was fairly common on quite a few old theatres, most of which have long since disappeared. After the fire at the Theatre Royal it was replaced by a roller skating rink which later became that well known venue The Maison De Danse.
On one of my earlier postings I listed the cinemas I had visited in Stockton over the years, I didn’t mention the Plaza as I didn’t know it existed, never having been there, I was pleased when this photo was sent to me, it came with another shot from the other end of Bishop Street with the Grand in the foreground and the Plaza in the background.

Images and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.

The Royal Rink (roller skating) was built on the site of the Theatre Royal, and later became the Maison De Danse (No.21 Yarm Lane). This in turn became Riley’s Snooker & Pool Bar, The Players Lounge and most recently a bar called Room 21. Was the rink converted into the Masion or was it rebuilt? Did the Maison look anything like this on the inside? with the curved roof being quite distinctive.

Image and details courtesy of Jonathan May.

Here is a drawing of a few girls chatting to a couple of American GIs outside of the Maison in 1945. Holy Trinity School is in the background. I am trying to recreate a rendezvous that most probably happened.

Sketch and details courtesy of Graham Wright.

A photo of The George And Dragon, Norton High Street, which was described as 1930s. Is this the true definition of a Public House! it really looks like it was somebody’s house, that was opened to the public.

Photo and details courtesy of Jonathan May.

The images are marked “New Shopping Centre, Norton, 1971”

The photographer looks as if he is stood roughly where The Centenary now is, looking towards Weaverham Road. In the views you can see Hanover Point which is under construction, with scaffold and a crane clearly in view. The low building with the glass frontage is the sales office, which I think was for Hartlepool based Yuill Homes, it is on the corner of The Glebe and the A1027 Ring Road. The sales office was eventually knocked down and the area is now grassed over.

I thought it would be fun to try and repeat the image. I was unable to stand where I believe the previous photographer stood, the Centenary pub is in the way, but I tried to get as close as I could.

Photos and details courtesy of Alex Moody.

A popular venue for many people over many years.

Photo courtesy of Bruce Coleman.

A picture of the Jubilee Hall in Leeds Street taken when the surrounding housing had been demolished so most likely in the 1970s. Not sure if it was owned by the Stockton Co-operative Society.

Photo and details courtesy of John Emmerson

HD BOUCH shop name has appeared on a building at 704 Yarm Road, Stockton-on -Tees. The former tattooist shop has had some work done to it revealing this name. Any clues who this person this and what business was conducted here?

Photograph and details courtesy of Peter Southgate.

Photos taken from the top of the Globe Theatre, Stockton.

Photographs and details courtesy of Tony Cooney.

A panoramic view of the The Globe theatre in Stockton High Street where behind the protective sheeting rebuilding and restoration work is currently underway to bring it back to its original glory. Picture taken Wednesday 17 June 2020.

Photograph and details courtesy of Tom Collins.

This photograph taken c1978 is of rear yard No 9,  Finkle Street.