This photograph was taken in 1944 to be sent to my Father who was serving in the RAF. We were living in Cornwall Crescent in Billingham at the time. Standing at the back is my eldest sister Margaret (Margo), front left is my brother David, next is my mother Emma then me (Freda), with my elder sister Pat on the right. My father Sid was in the RAF in the 1920s and re-enlisted at the start of the Second World War, he was in his mid 40s when demobbed in 1945. My Brother David was well known in Billingham, he ran “Leeks” DIY shop in Mill Lane for many years. Does anyone remember the shop? I live in Australia now and David lives in Stockton.

Photograph and details courtesy of Freda McCorkell (Leek).

This photograph was taken from the rear garden of 125 Fairfield Road, which gives an interesting view of Bishopton Court from c1950. The little boy in the model car is my uncle, Rob Thompson.

Photograph and details courtesy of Julian Rafferty.

A photograph of Stockton Corporation Transport Department taken in 1934. My grandfather, Frank Bailey is 9th from the left on the second row. A family friend, William (Bill) Trattles is 5th from the left on the front row.

Details courtesy of Jan Hemblade. Photograph courtesy of Norman Trattles, son of Bill Trattles.

This is a school photo of class at Richard Hind School in Stockton taken during the late 1940s. I believe the teacher on front row is Sandy Dobing. Does anyone recognise themselves or each other?

Photograph and details courtesy of Simon Parkin.

The team was unbeaten all season, won the league including a play-off against Mandale Juniors who we beat in a replay. Graham Rutherford, Stephen Sharp, David Mellvin (Captain), ??, Bobby Bista, Russell Crawford, Graham Highfield, Geoff Stockburn, David Brown, Alan Jones, Jeff Green, Michael Beale (Goal Keeper) and George Hardwick, ex Middlesbrough, England and Great Britain footballer. I hope this photograph interests a few people!

Photograph and details courtesy of Alan Jones.

A photograph of the Victoria Cycling Club taken in Helmsley c1933.  The cyclist to the far right is my grandfather, Bobby Thompson from Fairfield in Stockton.

Photograph and details courtesy of Julian Rafferty.

This photograph was set up by my dad, Beldon Bensley who helped out on the Dixon’s farm. Dad is 4th from left with mug, bottom row. I think Leslie Dixon would be 2nd from right on bottom row. The photograph was taken circa 1949, possibly down by Billingham Beck and St. Aidans Crescent as the houses can be seen in the background.

Photograph and details courtesy of Bruce Bensley.

Cast members of The Billingham Players prior to their production of “Sleeping Beauty” at the Theatre Upstairs on Belasis Avenue, Billingham. The pantomime was to be staged on the 10th of December 1984. Does anybody recognise any of the three ladies, or know if they are still involved with the Billingham Players?

Photograph and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.

This photograph shows a wedding party outside 16 Russell Street, Thornaby. Taken around 1906. My great-grandparents Edwin and Isabella CLARKE lived at No. 20 for many years. Edwin worked as a bricklayer in the steel works. He had travelled up north to find work in the 1870s from his home near Great Yarmouth, leaving behind an ancestry steeped in the corn milling business. He met Isabella HULL from St Helen Auckland and they married in 1876. Their first 3 children were born in Craddock Street, Bishop Auckland and their last 3 in Thornaby. In the photo, Edwin is standing in the middle at the back and Isabella is on the right in her fine hat! Their daughter-in-law Lucy is sitting front right with her young son.

When I was given the photo many years ago I was assured it was not a family wedding so I don’t know who the bride and groom are. I was told the lady in the middle on the left ran a local pub and the girls on either side of her were “gaiety girls” but who knows if that’s true! Seems unlikely to me. I wonder whether anyone with links to the area might know who they all are? Edwin died in 1937 and Isabella in 1932. They are buried at Thornaby Cemetery in an unmarked plot, which I visited many years ago while in the area.

Photograph and details courtesy of Diane Johansen.

Neal Toulson: Thornaby Cricket Club 1940’s – Hi attached are two photographs of Thornaby Cricket Club in the 1940’s. The first photograph I believe was taken when they won the league, they won again in 1945, it had a player called Norman Nevison who was something of a legend, he took 100 league wickets in 1945, in one match he took all 10 wickets. I don’t know any of the other players.

The second photograph features Dougie Merryweather on the very back row left. Doug played for a lot of years and his sons and grandsons also played for Thornaby over the years.

Photograph and details courtesy of Neal Toulson.

Repairing the clutch on my pre unit Bonneville on the Whitby Road in 1970.
Top left clockwise: Dougie Dunn, Pete (Joe) Johnstone, David (Gabbler) Allison, Dennis (Wombat) Walton. All the guys were from Fairfield except me, from Thornaby.

Photograph and details courtesy of Anthony Bonner.

Following on from last weekend’s Stockton Cycling event, here is a photograph of a group of the ‘younger’ Stockton Wheelers cyclists, stood on the steps of the Doric column next to the Town Hall, just before setting off on a Sunday club run. It was Stockton Wheelers Diamond Jubilee year of 1976 and I think this was a special Sunday run to celebrate the occasion. One of the riders in the photograph is Paul Curran who went on to win two commonwealth gold medals some years later.

Photograph and details courtesy of John Callender.

People from Stockton Rambling Club posing outside the Council Municipal offices on Church Road, Stockton before going to ‘City of Varieties’ c1963.

Photograph and details Chris Firth.

I recently found this photo along with some of my father’s documents, which shows the class of that year, for which my father was my teacher as well! (I’ve read some of the earlier comments about him – he seems to have been quite popular!)

I can only identify a few names…

BACK ROW
1
2
3
4
5
6 Derek Fitzhugh?
7 Barbara Bryson?
8
9
10
11 Stephen Poad?
12
13 Stephen Wathey?
14 Harry Greener (my Dad)

MIDDLE ROW
1 Tony Langford
2
3
4
5 Katherine McMullen
6 Richard Greener (me)
7
8 Mark Smith
9

FRONT ROW
Sorry – no idea

Photograph and details courtesy of Dick Greener.