The introduction to engineering draughting after a selection process started at Pickerings Lifts in 1971.

Two apprentices for the drawing office were taken on that year, where I participated with memorable moments in a professional career. The first year of my apprenticeship was an initiation to drawing office procedures of drawing and documentation. Manufacturing courses in the second year were at the Engineering Industry Training Board in Billingham. Unfortunately, I was instructed to try harder as the time went on. A project of manufacturing a set of gauge of guides for Pickerings Lifts did not meet the required standard, sadly I accepted the verdict from my apprentice partner from Pickerings. At least I managed to attain the EITB certification. We went on to Stockton & Billingham College for the engineering qualifications. There is abundance of admiration I hold dear to the staff at Pickerings Lifts. (In the photograph, that is me in the middle).

My reflection on life in my career and ancestry started in 2010 when I was diagnosed with cancer. Two surgical operations later (left & right dissections; partial tongue removal), 60 treatments of radiotherapy and 6 regimes of chemotherapy, hope the coronavirus does not get me. Still my wife who I met at Pickerings Lifts looks after me and me to her.

Images and details courtesy of Michael Hymer.

I started school (Billingham Intermediate School) in September 1942. There were three intake and leaving times in the school year. The new school term started in the Autumn, any child who reached their fifth birthday before the end of the term started school during that term. The Winter term started after the Christmas holidays and continued until the Easter Holidays, the last term ran from the end of the Easter Holidays until the start of the long Summer holidays. I don’t remember anything of my first day at school but I do know my teacher was a Miss Keep, she was still there as headmistress when my eldest son started at the school in September 1968.

The children came from a very large area, even as far as Trimdon, Greatham and Sedgefield, they came by normal service buses and when they got off at the Green they had to race to get to school on time, this worked fine in the warmer weather but in the Winter it was not unusual to have them arrive as late as 10:30, these children were allowed to leave an hour earlier than the local children so they could catch their buses and get home safely.

Another thing that comes to mind is the whole class walking to the Green area and having our lunch in the British Civic Restaurant, which was next to the Methodist Central Hall, why we did this I don’t know as there were school dinners available within the school, I do remember having my dinner in the school whilst sitting at my desk, once again I don’t know why. We spent time (girls only) in ‘The Flat’ in the school to learn cooking and ‘Washing’, we had to take a handkerchief and a sock and we were taught how to wash and iron them, to this day I can still remember how to iron a sock but have never done it since leaving school.We also cooked a main meal and invited our favourite teachers to share it with us. – Freda McCorkell, nee Leek

I too was at the South Modern from September 1957 until July 1958 before moving the new Stephenson Hall school on the Billingham Campus site.Mr Martindale (Head), Mr Laws, Miss Dent, Miss Wood, Miss Fletcher, Mr Cowperthwaite and Mr Wilkinson were still teaching while I was there, the latter three came to the Campus when we went there.I mentioned to my aunt that Miss Fletcher, the art mistress, had a wonderful way of sorting the wheat from the chaff, our first lesson with her we were asked to draw a person and a house, she took one look at my effort and that was it, she never spoke to me or any other of the no hopers for the rest of our time at school, our weekly art lesson was a double period of sitting in silence while leafing through back issues of
Country Life, my aunt suffered the same fate but without the benefit of the Country Life magazine, admittedly those with artistic talents were encouraged all the way.My late friend Brian Storey thought the un-named teacher was a Mr Milburn. – Bruce Coleman

I have posted this on behalf of my aunt, Freda McCorkell, nee Leek. Courtesy of Bruce Coleman.

A genealogist suggested to me that the chain my ancestor is wearing looks to be “of the Mayor of Stockton”. My father was born in Acklam, Middlesbrough and I know that some of our ancestors came from the Stockton area. My father left Yorkshire for New Zealand in 1925 so I’m assuming he brought the photo with him. It looks like an official portrait photo. Any help in identifying this person would be much appreciated.

Photograph and details courtesy of David Sickling.

A photograph of Thornaby Cricket Club first team circa 1970. The photo was taken at Darlington CC, team is as follows, back row left to right. George Bell, Ian Hunter, Harry McCewan, Benny Cross, Geoff Aston, Neil Pearson, front row left to right, Reggie Reece, Norman Toulson, Barry Smith (Capt), Billy Hornby (wicket keeper), David Mills.

Photograph and details courtesy of Neal Toulson.

The photograph is from around 1972, and it was taken while the group were at Lanehead Outdoor Pursuit Centre near Coniston in Cumbria, hence the matching anoraks. Starting bottom left, going clockwise the group is Paul (Billy) Gorthorpe, Anthony (Bomber) Boult, Shakir Rajput, Neal (Nelly) Toulson, Tony Lonsdale, Dave Elliot, Mike Reed, Alan Walton.

Photograph and details courtesy of Neal Toulson.

This is an image of my maternal grandmother, Mary Jane Redican (1886-1912). She is also the grandmother of my cousin Jim McCurley, who is a regular contributor to this site. Mary Jane married Andrew McCurley, after whom I was named, in 1905. They had two other children apart from my mother and Jim’s father. Mary Jane died of rheumatic fever during 1912, aged just 25. Andrew McCurley died in 1916. The Evening Gazette of 26 December 1916 reported, “Fatal accident at Stockton”. A verdict of death caused by being run over by a cab, was returned at an inquest in Stockton today on Andrew McCurley, of 37 Waverley Street, who died at the hospital. It appears that on Friday night the deceased, when in Hartington Road, stepped off the pavement in front of an approaching cab, and before the driver could avoid the accident the wheel of the vehicle passed over Mr McCurley”. The cab was horse-drawn.
Folklore claims that Andrew had just left the Clarendon public house on Dovecot Street
As a consequence, all four children were orphaned, the eldest, Jim’s dad, was ten years of age and the youngest just five.
In those days there were only two options open to orphaned children, the workhouse/orphanage or be ‘taken in’ by the extended family. Fortunately, the latter was the choice for these four children. That did not mean that there were not hard times ahead, there were plenty, but it was far better than the alternative.

Photograph and details courtesy of Andrew Wood.

This is a picture of a Stockton Amateur Stage Society production, probably during the 1950s. While my mother-in-law Joyce Bullock (then Croft) was a member of the Society, we cannot see her among the cast. So, afraid we don’t know anything more about the image. Costumes are interesting to say the least, looking at the set and costumes I wonder whether this was a production of Heidi?

Photograph and details courtesy of Tony Meehan

A team picture from Norton Cricket Club this time from 1946. The line up is as follows. Back Row (L-R: S Forster (scorer), Basil McQuillan, Tom Birtle, Harry Thompson, George Carter, Wilf Lawson

Front row (L-R): Dick Spooner, Freddie Harker, David Walford, David Townsend (captain), Jimmy Grigor, Edgar Manners.

David Townsend had played for England in the 1930s and Dick Spooner went on to play 7 test matches for England in the 1950s. A very strong team which won the league in 1946.

Photograph and details courtesy of Martin Birtle.

This photo is in an unusual format, it is a folded card the same as any greeting card with the image on the front and the players and officials names on the back, the inside is blank, possibly for a message.

It is titled Billingham Football Club but it doesn’t specify if it is The Synthonia or another Billingham Club. I remember the Synthonia and North End were the two teams in the 1950s and 1960s, the North End played on a pitch where the Forum now stands but in 1935 the ICI houses in the Pentland Avenue area were still under construction so that team were probably not yet formed. If anybody knows differently then please let me know.

Back Row L-R: Thompson (Secretary), Finlayson, Simpson (Captain), Redpath, Bains, Walker, Lowes, Ferguson (Trainer), Front Row L-R: Skeldon, Downs, McLean, Harforth (President), Thompson, Anderson. Unfortunately the name of the dog was omitted!

This picture is from 85 years ago and many of the people in it will have been born before the First World War. This card is one of a series all showing small town football teams such as Shildon and St. Helens, I wonder if they were for presentation to the players.

Photograph and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.

In 1930 The Northern Echo organised a swimming competition in the River Tees at Stockton, the competitors were marshalled on a barge moored alongside Victoria Bridge, I have no idea as to what sort of competition it was, a straight race or a marathon or what would now be called a Swim-A-Thon, but judging by the number of people on the barge and the bridge it was of some interest.

The building in the background interested me, I have seen it in a number of Stockton photos, it has an unusual arrangement of Oriel windows, I imagine it disappeared when the Clevo Mill was built.

Image and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.

The Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) citation pictured here, belonged to my mother’s cousin, Peter Redican, who was born in Stockton on 16th April 1913. Peter served in The Gordon Highlanders during WWII.  I have not seen his official service record, so my knowledge of his military history before 22/08/1944 is very limited.

I became aware of Peter’s D-Day heroism by the late Dora Redican, who was Mayor of Stockton during1995/6.  Dora was at that time the widow of Sydney (Sid) Redican who had also been Mayor of Stockton (1985/86).  Sid was Peter Redican’s cousin and died in 2000, Dora passed away ca. 2010.  It was Dora who was kind enough to give me the original citation.

While doing some genealogical research about 20 years ago, I discovered that Peter Redican had a son and a daughter, but I have not been able to trace them.   I was able to make contact with several of his female cousins and one niece.  The cousins were quite elderly and most have now been deceased for several years.  Peter’s niece kindly provided me with a couple of photographs of him.  I’ve now lost touch with her.

I’ve no idea what happened to the DCM medal and thought that the original citation would be better placed, where it would rightfully given the appreciation it deserved, rather than just languishing in my filing cabinet.  Consequently, I made contact with the Gordon Highlanders Museum.  The original citation is now in the museum’s good hands at Aberdeen, where I feel that  it belongs.  Hopefully, it will remain there in posterity, as a testament to Peter’s bravery that day in 1944.

Ruth Duncan, curator of the museum, kindly undertook to carry out further research in connection with the “5^th/7^th Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders and the events leading up to and beyond 22nd August 1944.  It was my intention to take details from the results of Ruth’s kind efforts on my behalf, but thought that her own words would give a greater emphasis than ever I could.   The following represents her findings:

“5^th/7^th Battalion sailed from Tilbury Docks, Essex, at 9am on 5 June, 1944.  The landing, on the western side of JUNO Beach on 6^th June, was unopposed.  5^th/7^th Battalion was the first unit of 51^st (Highland) Division to land in Normandy, landing around midday. 

While the fight for Caen was going on, both 1^st and 5^th/7^th Battalions were fully occupied to the East and South-east of the city.  With occasional breaks in reserve at Douvres, they fought in this area against tenacious German resistance for 2 months.  Small hamlets – Touffréville, Bréville, Escoville, Herouvillette, Colombelles – all had to be cleared.  The Gordons and their fellow units may not have gained much ground in terms of distance, but they played a vital role in tying up – and defeating – German troops who would otherwise be fighting in Caen or further west. 

1^st and 5^th/7^th Battalions were both involved in the crossing of the River Vie on 18 August. 5^th/7^th were resting after their exploits at St Maclou when they were ordered at half an hour’s notice to attack Grandchamp, on the east bank of the Vie.  After an unpleasant night advance in the wet, they managed to cross despite resistance and secure the bridge”.

The entry into Lisieux is covered in the Regimental history, and in fact Peter Redican is mentioned by name in reference to the events of 22^nd:

“Entry into the near side of Lisieux on 22^nd August was undisputed. The Brigadier and his intelligence officer drove in, followed by Major du Boulay and the officer commanding the attached tanks; then came a company of Gordons and a tank squadron.

The Gordons pressed forward and were soon across the river. In the houses on the further side, however, S.S. troops offered a determined resistance and progress was slow. It was here that Private Redican proved his worth. His platoon were in an awkward position and at a critical moment he opened covering fire with his Bren gun, keeping it in action after being wounded in both legs. He was recommended for the Victoria Cross and eventually received the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

Eventually the men moved as far as the central square and then barricaded themselves in for the night. The next day the Battalion was ordered to help clear the houses and then find a position on the Lisieux-Paris road. It was a difficult task as they were pinned down by fire from well hidden Spandaus and the tanks moving in support of them were taken out by the Panzerfauste, but after much hard fighting, Lisieux had been won.”

The emphasis relating to the recommendation for the VC is purely my own and it makes me wonder why a recommendation, presumably by his commanding officer would be turned down.  I’ve made enquiries about this and I understand that the recommendation would have gone before an awards committee, which would have decided what award was to be given.

I understood from what I was told, that Peter lost one or both legs following his bravery on 22^nd August 1944.  Ruth hasn’t mentioned this and I have no way of knowing whether it is factual or not.

Peter’s father, John Redican (1884-1918) was killed just before the end of WWI, when the minesweeper on which he was serving as a stoker, was torpedoed.  John’s father was Irish and John worked at Thornaby Ironworks, where he was a labourer in the rolling mills.  John Redican and his siblings had all lived in Stockton.  One of Peter’s lady cousins told me that the hostility directed to towards Irish ironworkers crossing the Victoria Bridge, leading from Stockton to Thornaby, was so fierce that John & his family had to move their home to Thornaby.

John’s commemorative reference at the Naval Memorial, at Chatham, gives his widow’s address as, 19, Lumsden St., Thornaby on Tees. Apparently, the term “Irish” also referred to those born in England, but of Irish parentage.  I was also told that their identity was not too difficult to determine.

Photograph and details courtesy of Andy Wood.

Top Row (l-r): D. Mould, A. Jenkinson, M. Pimlott.

Middle Row (l-r): R. Thomas, D.Wright, M. Craig, M. Lunnon, P.Morris, J. Alderdice, B. Hamilton.

Bottom Row (l-r): R. Emmerson, R. Wade, K. Campbell, J.Parker,  Mrs Mould (School Sec), S. Grigson, C. Reid, C.Cooley. M.Williams. Also featuring the school’s stuffed pangolin, held by John ‘Bamf’ Parker.

Photograph and details courtesy of John Alderdice.

This is a photograph of the same class ‘Class 2G Grangefield Grammar School for Boys 1962/3‘ but a couple of years on! I don’t know whether it’s 1965 or 1966, though. Perhaps visitors to your site could enlighten us.

Photograph and details courtesy of Bill Dickson.

Enjoying a day at Stockton Racecourse c1962. Teesside Retail Park now stands on this former site.

Names Front (l-r): ??, ??, ??, ??, Mr Walton, ??, ??, ’Haggis’ Anderson,??

Middle (l-r): ??, John Michael Brown, Vic Creed, ??, ??, ??, ??, Bill Dickson,??

Back (l-r): ??, John Dixon, ?? ,’Cess’ Challis, Michael Byrne.

Photograph and details courtesy of Bill Dickson.