Where Four Roads Meet

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This shot of the junction of The High Street with Castlegate, Bridge Road and Yarm Lane is exactly as I remember it.

The Empire is showing “The Long Wait”, released in America in 1954, this gives an approximate date for the shot. n the 1950s I remember visiting Broughs the grocer in Yarm Lane, as well as walking down Castlegate to watch the locos shunting along the dockside.

In the 1960s it was motorcycling along the High Street and Bridge Road to pay a visit to Eddie Holman’s motorbike shop in Parliament Road. In more recent times it was visiting the Thomas Sheraton for a pie and a pint with Brian Storey, my friend of over 65 years. Happy memories all.

Photograph and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.

G. Neilson Wholesale Grocer & Confectioner

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These two photographs were taken during WW2, hence the ‘address’ on the van. My mother, Betty Hill, standing next to the man in glasses worked for the firm as a secretary. I believe her boss is the man on the right on the same picture. Regretfully I don’t know any of the other staff, but would be delighted to hear any information about the staff and/or the firm.

Photographs and details courtesy of Maggie

Dovecot Street, Stockton

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This picture shows Dovecot Street around the middle of the Victorian era. The building that was later to be called Lit & Phil is named Mechanics Institute, this was originally the Corporation Hall built around 1840, it was sold on around 1850 and became the Mechanics Institute, it had another change of name around about 1880, this points to a date of around 1860 for the picture.

The buildings are of a Georgian style possibly early Georgian, mid 1700s, The Alma Hotel may be named after the Crimean battle of the same name in 1854, of course it may have had its name changed at some time so it doesn’t date it accurately. The Telegraph Office points to there being no telephones at the time, they arrived in late Victorian times. An interesting view of a long lost street.

Image and details courtesy of Anon.

Westbury Street School, Thornaby c1945

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Front Row (left to Right): Maurice Gray, ??, Joe Notman, Billy Taite.
Second Row (left to Right): ??, Derick Worn, Jimmy Instone, Barry Chesser, ??,
??, Maurice Thornton, John Boyle, Randolph Macartney.
Third Row (left to Right): Eric Fordy, Keith Barker, ??, Alan Shaw, John Bell, Graham Henderson, ??, Allan Sanderson.
Back Row (left to Right): ??, ??, ?? ??, ??, Geoff Dunwell, ??, ??, Jim Black, ??, Billy Booth.

Photograph and details courtesy of Jim Black.

A Winters Day – Or Is It?

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When I first saw this picture I thought it was a snow scene of Stockton High Street. I was looking for clues as to the possible date of the image and I noticed the shadows under the shop canopies and horse drawn carriages were directly beneath them. This shows the sun is high in the sky, practically overhead, of course this only happens at the height of Summer. Anybody who has walked along Stockton High Street in the Winter will know that the sun shines full in the face from the Bridge Road end of the High Street. I still think it looks like a covering of snow but if it isn’t I can’t imagine what it could be.

Image and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.

Can Anyone Help?

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Can anyone help in identifying these old photos, possibly at Port Clarence Elementary School. My mother and her siblings were born and reared in Stockton between 1908 and 1950. The photos appear to be of school children and to have been taken in the same place (trellis in the background), perhaps even on the same day? Is it possible to identify the school? Was this the school uniform of the time? Is it possible to date the photographs?

I am only guessing that it might be Port Clarence Elementary School as the family lived at Crosby Terrace, Port Clarence. The first photograph shows my aunt, Kathleen Conlon (born 1910) seated middle row, far right and the second shows my aunt Margaret Ann (Peggy) Conlon (born 1915) standing back row far right.

Photographs and details courtesy of Kathleen Holmes.

Almost Rush Hour

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Cars waiting for the traffic lights on Stockton High Street. I think the car disappearing off the left of the picture is a Rootes Group car, either a Hillman Minx, Sunbeam Rapier, Singer Gazelle, I can’t remember if there was a Humber version. I believe it may be a Hillman Minx. The white car behind it is a the Rover P6.

There is Austin Cambridge, complete with AA badge at the head of the right hand queue. I think the one behind is a Renault 5, then a Vauxhall Cresta followed by a Mk1 Cortina, the next two could be a Vauxhall Viva HA and an Anglia but I’m not sure about either, the one way back is big, possibly a Zephyr or Zodiac.

I also spotted the number 2 bus on its way to the Transporter near the bingo at the Cinema/Essoldo. Also worth a mention is the first three bus stops nearest the camera are for red United Buses. The Darlington to Middlesbrough United bus would turn through the centre island and pick up here.

If my memory is correct, the photography is stood near Rossi’s ice cream parlour. I’m not sure about the date, but the Rover and Austin have suffix ‘D’ registrations, which means they were registered 1966, which suggests this is late 60’s early 70’s.

Photograph and details courtesy of Alex Moody.