Workers adding onions to jars ready for pickling at the Co-op Wholesale Society Preserves Factory on Yarm Road, Stockton.

Does anyone recognise the people in the photographs?

Following on from Roseworth a Winter Wonderland I found these two photos with Richie Bateman posing with my sisters in Ruislip Close 50s/60s

Photos and details courtesy of Irene Robinson.

A little bit of Stockton history. In 1928 a family emigrated from Stockton and they were hoping to start a new life in Canada. The head of the family was Bill Hall with his wife Mary (nee Connor) and their young son called Billy. They finished up in a town called Sawyerville in the French speaking province of Quebec.

Billy wasn’t an only child for long as between them Bill and Mary had 11 children. In the 1980s we were told that family members could be found in every province of Canada. Before she left Stockton in 1928 Mary had her photograph taken with two of her sisters. Facing the camera on the left is Nora, Mary is in the centre with Betty sitting down.

The girls never expected to meet again but they did as Mary visited the area many years later in the 1960s. Mary was a great crafter and won many prizes in the local Cook County show.

The years went by and in 1944 young Billy Hall returned to the UK but this time in uniform. He must have cut a dashing figure as a member of the Royal Canadian Airforce . He was determined to do his bit for the old country.

In 1969 Billy, his wife and youngest daughter made a visit to this area. I met them and they all seemed very pleasant. We made several trips to the Billingham Bowl with them as they were very keen on ten pin bowling.

Photos and details courtesy of Martin Birtle.

This is the only photo I know of which shows my paternal Grandfather William Coleman, he is at the front centre of the main group, he has his foot on the support timber and his hands on the brake rope.

I never knew my Grandfather, he died in 1941, before I was born, my Father never spoke of him and my Mother never met him.

In the 1939 Register his occupation was given as ‘General Labourer & French Digger’. I Googled French Digger and it is somebody who specialises in digging trenches, that would follow as the cable looks to be going into a trench.

30 years or so after this picture was taken I was part of a gang doing the same job, excepting the cable we pulled in went up and across a roof in a steel mill in Scunthorpe.

30 years on again I was once again involved in a cable pulling job, but this time I had commissioned the job and I stood and watched, much better.

These lads wouldn’t win any prizes for sartorial elegance, but I wasn’t dressed any better when I was involved in my cable pulling experience.

I was wondering if this cable was a new feeder for the upcoming electric welding, it would need a cable of that size for such a job.

My Father started work as an apprentice riveter in the shipyard in 1939 and moved into steel erecting in the early 1960s as the need for riveters waned.

Photo and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman

We’ve had some more sad news sent to us about another much valued contributor to this website. Joseph Norman Kidd passed away on 16th November aged 92 years. Over many years he contributed to the archive with stories of people and events, particularly related to the railway, that he experienced during his time living in Norton-on-Tees.

Our condolences go to his wife Joyce who told us the news and wished us all well in continuing to share people’s memories on Picture Stockton.

Here is a photograph first sent to us in 2007 showing Private J. Norman Kidd, No. 4 Squad, A Company, DLI Army Cadets, with a link to the original post where Norman shared his recollections of his time in the cadets.

https://picturestocktonarchive.com/2007/01/27/no4-squad-a-company-dli-army-cadets/

My uncle, Jack Bailey, is the conductor shown in this photograph. He was born in 1905 and worked, ”on the buses” from aged 14, when he started as a tram conductor, until his retirement as a bus inspector, as did his older brother Frank and younger brother Billy.

Supervisors from Woolworths in Stockton. My mum, Eileen Southall (nee Bailey) is the lady on the right. This would have been taken in the early 1950s in the Parish Gardens. The ladies’ very smart uniforms were made by my grandmother Lillie Bailey.

Photographs and details courtesy of Jan Hemblade.

On the Buses Stockton, Harry Kidd Inspector (Blakey) and Emily Brown (Groves) Driver at their Tenth Wedding Anniversary the one they classed as their Silver Wedding due to their age when they married, but eventually made their Silver Wedding Anniversary in later years.

Photograph and details courtesy of Ben Brown.

This “Coronation” picture has me puzzled, does anybody have any idea about what could be happening, there are an awful lot of people, all men, standing around a bus, there are far too many to all get aboard.

Also there are no signs of street decoration that normally accompany such events, the only thing I am sure of is the pickup point was in the high street outside the alleyway leading to the Blue Post Hotel. Judging by the way the men are dressed I would say that 1911 is a very likely date for the picture.

Photograph and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.

This is a follow up to a picture added to Picture Stockton showing the Norton Juniors Team from 1942. The team won a cup and league double with my late father Tom Birtle as captain. This picture is much nearer to the camera and I can only hope someone can recognise some of the other players…

Photograph and details courtesy of Martin Birtle.

The 50th (Northumbrian) Division included the Infantry Brigades 149th, 150th (4th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, 4th and 5th Green Howards and 5th Durham Light Infantry) and 151st. The division was mobilised on 1st September 1939 and in October 1939 was under the command of Major-General Giffard Le Quesne Martel, focused on training in the Cotswolds. Then in January 1940 embarked to France to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). My father (Pte RL Hymer), in the 4th Green Howards fought in France and retreated to Dunkirk. After which was sent to North Africa and in the Battle of Gazala, Rommel surrounded the 150th Brigade Box known as the Cauldron until it was gradually reduced over a stubborn defence and overrun by noon on 1st June 1942. Prisoners were then taken through Italy to German camps and Stalag XVII B [Pottenbrunn, Austria] is where he was taken. His mother, Margaret Hymer (21 Salisbury Street, Thornaby-on-Tees) sent a parcel to him on the 31st December 1944, rather than the Red Cross. Home from the battlefields, the Green Howards honoured with the freedom of Middlesbrough – 1946.

Photographs and details courtesy of Michael Hymer.

A photograph of some of Robert Atkinson 5th Formers, around 1972/3. Back row left to right, Dave Elliot, Shaun Gallagher, Ian Spence, front row, Kenny Daniels, Stuart Graham, Alan Walton, Dennis Hardy, Nigel Richardson.

Photograph and details courtesy of Neal Toulson.