The team that reached the Boys Brigade National Chess Final in 1972, but narrowly lost, left to right: Colin Wennington, Alan Boardman and Clive Bell, all Norton boys.

Photograph and details courtesy of Alan Boardman.

This Sports meeting at Billingham Synthonia Cricket Ground was an annual event and attracted all the local athletes and usually a very large crowd as can be seen in the photograph.

This is the men’s mile race with Benny Brown leading but he finished second to a runner from Synthonia Harriers, John Ellis I think his name was. These meetings were good training for local athletes where they could compete against the top local runners. They usually gave prizes up to a maximum of £50, this was so that the winners did not exceed the limit applied by the AAA for prize money and they could maintain their Amateur Status – they were allowed to run in the Olympic games if they were good enough.

I remember my second place prize was a set of gold plated cuff links that I have to this day (some where in the house). Are there any such Sports meetings held today for the local Athletes?

Photograph and details courtesy of Ben Brown.

Back row (L-R): Andrew Pratt, David Magson, Martin Eels, Michael Bellerby, Kim McKaig, Diane Zichelmanis, Deborah Rowntree, Clifford Chambers.

Front Row (L-R): Coleen Chambers, Yvonne Spooner, Mrs Chesser, Sandra Bell, Julie Oates.

Photograph and details courtesy of Mike Bellerby.

My brothers Norman and Alan Parr who joined the 2nd Norton Boys Brigade in approximately 1946.

Photograph and details courtesy of Margaret Hodgson.

This photograph shows my mum Eva Jennie Sunley (Hill) and Clarice Sunley (left). They are in the backyard stood next to the potato peeler which was used to supply the families chip shop situated on Victoria Terrace, Norton Road c1930.

This later became a pet shop before being rebuilt as work wear supplies c1970.

Photograph and details courtesy of Norman Hill.

A group photograph taken at the Christmas Dinner Dance for British Refraisal of Stillington later to be renamed Darchem Chemicals Company. The Workforce at Refraisal was mainly from the Stockton and District Area. Refraisal was the local company who supplied all the Insulation materials and panels for the Concorde Super Sonic Plane in the in the late sixties..
Left to right: Dave Kennedy – Sheet metal and chemical cleaning section, Flossie Kennedy, Della Trotter – worked for the Fenney Brush Company for many years in Stockton as their secretary and Norman Trotter – General Foreman for Holst the large Civil Engineering Company who built most of the Large Water Cooling Towers for ICI in the Billingham and Wilton works.

Photograph and details courtesy of Ben Brown.

William John Johnston, son of Ellen and Robert Johnston of Whitwell Street, Thornaby seen here at the age of 18. I believe he served on HMS Birmingham during the Great War.

Photograph and details courtesy of Penny Lindo.

Pupils at George Street Church of England Primary School, Thornaby c1951.

Photograph and details courtesy of Bill Calvert.

A photograph taken either the summer of 1969 or the summer of 1970 of 5A girls at Richard Hind Secondary Tech School.

Back row (l-r): Suzanne Lucas, Gwen Carter, Lesley Barber, Leslie Watson, Audrey Neville,Trudy Dodd, Lynda Knott.

Middle row (l-r):  Christine Paine, Sally Witts, Christine Fawdon, Lorraine Hodgeson.

Front Row (l-r); Catherine Bell, Elizabeth Hindmarsh, Dylis Hymer?, Corinne Smith.

Photograph and details courtesy of Norman Hill.

This team would all be in their eighties now… Back Row (L-R): Keith Farraday, Les Mitchell (Captain), Peter Wrigglesworth, Tommy Rigg (GK), John Callum, Ray Frost, Trevor Briggs.

Front Row (L-R): John Cartwright, Danny Jones, Charlie Peacock, Charlie Rose, Benny Brown. Front row kneeling is Alan Cartwright.

This team played in blue shirts with white shorts or black shorts if white shorts were not available. Three of the team have lived in Australia for many years now, Charlie Peacock lives in Whyalla, South Australia , Les Mitchell lives in Lemon Tree Passage, New South Wales and Benny Brown lives in Melbourne, Victoria. It would be interesting to know the whereabouts of the rest of the team and what they have been doing for the past sixty odd years.

Photograph and details courtesy of Ben Brown.

A photograph of the 2nd Norton Boys Brigade Company taken outside St. Michael’s Mission Room. I have mentioned the names of the people I can remember but I am sure some old Nortonians will be able to put names to other faces. Many of the older boys played bugle and drums in the band which paraded regularly around the streets of Norton after Sunday morning service at St. Michael’s Church, lead by Mace bearer Harry Charlton. My husband Brian was one of the side drummers and his brother Ivor played the big bass drum.

Back row; Rev. Ledgard, John Ison (Capt.), Ray Butler, Brian Hodgson, Tommy Seaman, Billy Johnson, ??, George Booth, Maurice Smith, Malcolm Wren, Matt Moses.

Middle Row: ??, ??, B. Willis, ??, ??, ??, Harry Charlton, ??, ??, ??, Ivor Hodgson, ??.

Front Row: ??, ??, ??, ??, T. Wharton, Trevor Davies, John Forsyth, ??, ??, Ken Littlefair, Stan Marwood (officer).

Photograph and details courtesy of Margaret Hodgson.

Len and Ivy Harrington (nee Cowley) with a friend on the island in the middle of a pond, taken at Pond House, Billingham. Len used to breed chinchillas for their fur, they couldn’t escape because of the surrounding water (unless it froze!).

Photograph and details courtesy of Ivan Harrington.

This photograph shows a class of boys at Robert Atkinson School in Thornaby c1953. Can anyone put names to faces?

Photograph and details courtesy of Bill Calvert.

This photograph shows my father Eric Wilson, Chairman of Teesside Park Racecourse, cutting the first sod in 1977.

Photograph and details courtesy of John Wilson.