Teesside Area - History and Old Photos

[steppenwolf]

I think Middlesbrough and Stockton could benefit from a bit of this approach -

£10m to restore 100 old commercial high street buildings on Whitechapel Road, London. A relatively cheap way to bring the quality of the town up.
The architect is Julian Harrup

http://www.designforlondon.gov.uk/ne...ents-unveiled/

[lms]

Originally Posted by steppenwolf

I think Middlesbrough and Stockton could benefit from a bit of this approach -

£10m to restore 100 old commercial high street buildings on Whitechapel Road, London. A relatively cheap way to bring the quality of the town up.
The architect is Julian Harrup

http://www.designforlondon.gov.uk/ne...ents-unveiled/

Wow ,it just shows you what can be done ,it obviously gives all the area a lift,bringing more people in and with them more investment.

[lms]

Interesting piece in tonights Gazette about the refurbishment of one of Middlesbroughs oldest buildings,The Custom House .
Built in about 1837 its being refurbished after being empty for years to the tune of £4.3m


Hidden features found during Custom House revamp
by Sandy McKenzie, Evening Gazette
Mar 12 2011



DISCOVERIES, both welcome, and unwelcome, have been made by workers transforming one of Middlesbrough’s oldest buildings into a world class youth facility.

A secret room down a hidden passageway, a mystery shop front, a 170-year-old newspaper and a forgotten cellar are some of the secrets the historic Custom House has revealed.

The Custom House is being transformed into myplace, a £4.3m state-of-the-art youth centre.

The project will bring back to life the building in North Street in the St Hilda’s area.

The Grade 2 listed building, built during the birth of Middlesbrough as an industrialised town, will be transformed into an activity, leisure and support centre with up to 9,000 young people using it every year.

The project is now taking shape and progress has been made including essential work to ensure the structure of the Custom House is safe.

It has involved underpinning and repairing walls, roof and window repairs, brickwork repairs and refurbishment. A new lift shaft has also been constructed.

During the work staff from contractors Tolent Construction have revealed some surprises including a hidden passageway to a secret servant’s quarters. It is thought the servant’s room dates from the 1830s when the building was a hotel and business exchange.

The room will now be preserved in its current state so young people can get a glimpse of the building’s history.

Project officer Andrew Mearns, from Middlesbrough Council, said: “The servant’s room offers an insight into the way the other half lived in Victorian Middlesbrough. The servant who lived there would have served the rich businessmen of the day.

“We are planning to leave it as it is as a time capsule of the era for the young people who use myplace.”

A forgotten cellar discovered by workers will also become a plant room for myplace.

The discovery of a shop or pub front in the stonework and orange metal pillars shows how the building was adapted for a variety of purposes over the year. The features are to be incorporated into the new structure.

A copy of the front page of the York Herald newspaper from December 2, 1837 - the year the building is thought to have been built - was also found.



Read More http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/te...#ixzz1GPjKAUT4

[Vinboro]

I know people were talking about posting some old photos of Teesside, but I haven't seen any.

Any photos?

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[Handsome C]

I will give you some links to old photos of Middlesbrough and the rest of Teesside, but be warned, it almost brought tears to my eyes trying to understand the deranged mentally of the councils decision's to demolish a lot of these treasures:

http://www.thisismiddlesbrough.com/gallery/
http://rememberwhen.gazettelive.co.u...ethen-and.html
http://rememberwhen.gazettelive.co.u...dlesbroug.html
http://rememberwhen.gazettelive.co.u...ddlesbrou.html (roughly where the new police station is)
http://rememberwhen.gazettelive.co.u...rt_road_m.html (somewhere on Newport Road)
http://fansonline.net/middlesbrough/lost_teesside/
http://rememberwhen.gazettelive.co.u...ld-custom.html (the Royal Exchange is roughly where the Aruba nightclub is today)
http://rememberwhen.gazettelive.co.u...-stationt.html (it was bombed during the war)
http://daverob.catalyst2.com/MBoro/Odeon.jpg (just because I miss her so very much)

Hope this is what you were looking for.

[Vinboro]

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...ml&h=-AQAcPixc

great pic

[Handsome C]

Good Lord. When are the council going to learn?

[Vinboro]

Looking at the photo of Hugh Bell you wouldn't think it was taken in 1962. Brilliant quality. Hopefully there are a few more pictures lurking about similar quality.

[Newcastle Historian]

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A piece of Hartlepool Retail History.


A little bit of Hartlepool Retail History, which also charts the 'demise' of the Corner Shop.

Also, a piece of personal history here, as this corner shop is where I lived for the first five years of my life, in West Hartlepool . . .


1986, much the same as when I lived there . .



2007, all gone . .



Oh, and this is ME in the pram, in front of that very shop, with a proud Mother . . .



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[lms]

Originally Posted by Newcastle Historian

.
A piece of Hartlepool Retail History.


A little bit of Hartlepool Retail History, which also charts the 'demise' of the Corner Shop.

Also, a piece of personal history here, as this corner shop is where I lived for the first five years of my life, in West Hartlepool . . .


1986, much the same as when I lived there . .



2007, all gone . .



Oh, and this is ME in the pram, in front of that very shop, with a proud Mother . . .



.

Fantastic photos ,they really capture the moment of time

[Newcastle Historian]

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Now that we have a History and Old Photos thread, here on the TEESSIDE Forum, I have 'linked' all the similar historic threads together, on all four of our North East England forums, by use of the TAG - Historic North East Eng


Principally (amongst others) these FOUR equivalent threads on each Forum . . .


TEESSIDE FORUM:
Teesside Area - History and Old Photos
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1425242

HULL AND HUMBER FORUM:
Hull and Humber - History and Old Photos
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=985858

NEWCASTLE METRO AREA FORUM:
Remembering HISTORIC NEWCASTLE - Old Photos, Maps, even Stories
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=982536

SUNDERLAND AND DURHAM FORUM:
Sunderland and Durham Area - History and Old Photos
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=987425


The mentioned TAG can be found at the bottom of any page of any one of the linked Historic Threads . . .

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/tags.p...north+east+eng

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[Handsome C]

By far, Middlesbrough's greatest ever loss was The Royal Exchange Building. It's really hard to believe this building was once in the town:

It was originally meant to have a clock tower.

Here's a better photo of The Royal Exchange (centre):

Virtually none of the buildings in that ^ photo are there today. The building with the black roof is the train station. You might recognize the curved buildings. They're opposite Aruba.

And if you don't think that's the train station take a look at this:

[Newcastle Historian]

Great photos Handsom C, the Royal Exchange building particularly!

[Newcastle Historian]

Here are a few 'old postcards' of Hartlepool that I found amongst my father's papers, that I inherited back in 1996.

They are all from the early 1900s, I believe . . .







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[Handsome C]

Hartlepool doesn't look that good anymore (no offense intended).

I'm only young so I cannot remember The Royal Exchange but my father remembers sitting on its steps waiting for the post office (which was opposite) to open when he worked there as a lad. It's been a sad 26 years since it was demolished. Yes, it was only demolished in 1985. If you walk by Aruba there's a street sign saying 'Exchange Walk' - one of her last surviving memories. The other is the red telephone boxes. She had four - I'm not sure where they ended up but I believe they're the same ones that are outside the Town Hall. When it came to build the A66 planners were eager to save her (the exchange), by knocking down the houses next to her. But she was in ruin. She was falling apart, burned from arson attacks in places, had broken windows, was tagged and was in a really bad way. The choice was obvious. Evict people from their homes or knock down the Exchange. She led a graceful life but died most ungracefully. Ironically, the old Royal Exchange Building survives to this day. It's the orange curved building near Albert Bridge. Here's the last known photo taken of her (you can just see the phone boxes - if they're not the ones outside the Town Hall they're definitely in a warehouse somewhere):

She would have made a great art gallery (not that I have anything against MIMA) and she'll never be forgotten.

I have hundreds of photos of old Middlesbrough. Any major street I'll find you something.

[Newcastle Historian]

I do not know the name of the street, but I have searched in a lot of books on 'old Middlesbrough' for one particular shop, completely without success.

The reason for my search is that when she was a young-un my Mother worked in a shop in Middlesbrough called Home and Colonial, from about 1935 to 1939.

There were lots of them around the country at the time, they were like small General Stores/Grocers.

My father's Diaries for those years (he was 'courting' my mother at the time!) frequently refers to him picking her up from there, or meeting her off the train from Middlesbrough (in Hartlepool) after work there . . . BUT, he never mentions the street or road the H & C was on in Middlesbrough!!

I would LOVE to (one day) see a photo of that shop, and wonder if there may be one amongst your collection of old Middlesbrough photos (dare I hope!)

Just as background, here are some images of Home and Colonial stuff, that I found around the Net, but nothing from Middlesbrough . . .





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[rich209]

All these photos were taken way back in 1988, mostly from the top of Corporation House (now Centre North East).

Albert Road




Albert Road in the opposite direction


Looking east towards North Ormesby. Teesside Crown Court under construction.


Roseberry Topping just visible


Cleveland Centre car park and beyond


Middlesbrough's Ugly second tallest and Ayresome Park just visible in the distance


Middlesbrough Town Hall from above.


The Draganora Hotel - looks musch better without the cladding.


Middlesbrough Bus Station


Can't remember the name although I used to park there every day (many years ago).

[Handsome C]

Those photos are really cool. I love photos from our tall buildings. The view is quite good. That car park (the big one in the background) is now a part of James Cook Square, so the car park is now called Captain James Cook Square Car Park. He'd be so proud.


To Newcastle Historian:

I have an extensive collection of old photos of our streets but I cannot read a lot of the street signs and the ones I can read don't mention this store.

I didn't give up, though.

On doing some research, I discovered exactly what you said - it was widespread and very popular. There was no one store - it was a collection of stores, all retail stores, though, selling mainly food and groceries. There are four possibilities I've thought of.

The most likely is that your father was actually referring to Stockton. From what I know, the two towns were so closely related people often referred to Stockton as a 'part' of the town and sometimes called it Middlesbrough. There was a group of Home and Colonial Stores in Stockton on the high street. The Transporter Bridge would have been free back then and in high use. It was easier to cross between towns, then. He might have got off in Middlesbrough and crossed over. But it was a big, well-known store - if there's no record of one in Middlesbrough, there may never have been one. It still doesn't explain why he said 'Middlesbrough' unless he really wasn't fond of Stockton like many weren't in Middlesbrough back then. Here are two photos of their stores in Stockton:



Alternatively, on doing some research, it could have amalgamated with other stores and some sources suggest Debenhams, BHS or Binns could be its decedents. This would suggest all records of the store are unlikely to be found in a photo because they are huge stores and big companies, now.

If either of these are not the case, you might want to take a second look at your father's diaries. Anything could help. A shop front he remembers, another particular sight, even a sound or a smell. It might help to place the store if you are adamant it was in Middlesbrough. I may have a photo of the store but not know it because I cannot read the name. It may have been next to another well-known store.

If you have no luck with any of that, I recommend you check out this site:

http://forums.gazettelive.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=11

Middlesbrough's Evening Gazette owns another publication called 'Remember When' - that site is its forum pages. It might be worth looking into. I don't know if you can post questions or just memories but from the face of it, it looks like you might be able to. I can see some questions posed. You do have to sign up, I think, but it should be free. It might be a long shot - the '30s was a very long time ago. H&C merged with Liptons and several other stores from 1924 and 1931.

There is an H&C shop but I imagine it has nothing to do with the store. It's an antiques shop probably named by someone with a good memory.

I'm too young to remember any of this (21) and my dad (60) has a good memory but he's not that old. My grandparents would remember the store but sadly, they're all gone. I'm really sorry I cannot be more helpful but I hope that's enough to go on. Good luck.

[Newcastle Historian]

Thank you very much for your research Handsome C, it is really appreciated.

I think I will re-visit my Father's very comprehensive diaries (from that era) and look for 'clues' along the lines you say! Also, I will try that GazetteLive Forum.

You know, I wonder if he did mean Stockton?

We'll see!

Also, I think that this thread is having a VERY good start, don't you think?

With luck, it will gradually build up to become a "reference resource" for people researching into the area, as SSC often features very highly on Google (etc) searches, so the more historical topics we cover the better!

[Vinboro]

Handsome: If you have any i would love to see more pictures of the royal exchange. Most of the ones i've seen are black and white and from the victorian period.