Middlesbrough, Cleveland

Family Tree

My father's family came to Middlesborough at the time of the Pig-Iron. He came from Worcestershire, around Lye. His name was Robert Jepson. He had 4 sons and 1 daughter. Charles Jepson, being my great grandfather. Fred Jepson, his son being my grandfather. Fred and his brother Frank were professional footballers for Spennymoor United Football Club, and received a medal medallion which hangs on a necklace. I still have it. It declares that they won it in 1917. Frank ran a newsagent in Middlesborough. His brother Harold drove trams for the town of Middlesborough, and then Reginald, who died in 1941, and a daughter Gladys Jepson. It is not known whom Gladys married, and it would be interesting to know. So, if there is anyone out there whose mom was Gladys, please contact me.
Fred Jepson had 2 children - Constance and Dennis, my aunt and my father. It would be great to hear from anyone that remembers him.

Its a Small World - Clifford Wilson

Hi, I was interested to see you were in 4p Clifford as I was also and of course Dickie Purvis was a familiar name to me as he became School Captain with me as Vice. Our House if I remember rightly was Dormans, which is where I had my first job for a very short time - in other words i worked for Dormans but not for Long! You would have to be from the Boro to appreciate that 'joke'!I was also interested in the fact that you were in Royal Signals for 2 years. I served in Royal Signals 27 years basically as the result of George Harmers advice and recommendation. He was dead right I loved it and served all over the world only left for family reasons but having reached the rank of Captain from that of a Beverley Boy Soldier. In fact the year i left I was due to become Major. So I owe a lot to good old Hugh Bell and in particular George Harmer. For your particular interest I served in Bielefeld, 4 Div Herford and 22 Signal Regiment Lippstadt where I was the Anglo German Liaison Officer which I enjoyed. My first posting was to War Office as a Cryptographer and then off to Korea with further posting to Singapore, Hong Kong and Cyprus (twice) where I served with 9 signal Regiment formerly 2 Wireless. Its a pity we never met. I still attend reunions so if there are any names you would like me to see if I can trace for you, let me know. Kind regards John culbert

Hugh Bell School

Seeing Norman Jackson's reflections on the teachers of Hugh Bell School conjured up all sorts of wonderful memories. I agree totally with his description of the two headmasters, "Taffy" Evans, the cane toting, foot stamping disciplinarian and Charles Harmer, a gentle man but with a persuasive manner. Mr. Evans at times took us for music and he would always push "Sweet Lass on Richmond Hill" to the point where we got fed up of it. I remember once the class singing Sweet Lass on Richmon Dill and we all thought he was going to "blow a gasket".
Looking at Norman's list of teachers I was reminded that my favourite subject was Maths with "Buller Madden". His teaching methods would certainly be outlawed today but in most cases got results. I am sure ex pupils will remember his entry into a classroom filled with silence, mark the register and then go to his "cane cupboard". Having selected his favourite for the day he would hit his desk top a few times and then start going around the class, "area of a square, you don't know get out, circumference of a circle, you don't know get out", and so on until everyone in the class had been asked a question on formulae. The "get out" instructed those who hadn't answered correctly to go to the front of the class where they would be caned and sent back to their seats. I have to say that I was never caned and can still remember all those formulae some 60 years on. Unfortunately there were those who were caned quite a lot, one in particular was a lad called Arthur Lee.
When I started at the school I was very small for my age and I know my parents worried that I may be bullied. However they need not have concerned themselves for two of the tallest lads in the class kept an eye out for me namely, "Polly" Wharton and "Dicky" Purvis. My best pal was Fred Kirby until his family emigrated to Australia.
Leaving school I went to Smith's Dock where I did an apprenticeship as a joiner, followed by two years National Service with the Royal Signals. Much of my army time was spent at NATO HQ in Germany where I was squadron chief clerk and this experience changed my view on the future totally. Instead of joinery I decided that commerce was to be my future occupation and thankfully was offered a position at Cochrane's as a transport clerk. That started a career in Transport and Distribution for the next 39 years.
I hope these "memories" stir someone else into sharing and in particular I would love to hear from any of my former classmates in 1a, 2a,3 p and 4p in the years 1945-1949....Cliff "Willie" Wilson.

Hugh Bell Teachers

Reading John Culberts memories, I was reminded of my own time at Hugh Bell from 1947 to 52. I believe Hugh Bell to have had the most significant influence on my future career together with the Southfield Road Baptist Scouts.

It made me try to think back to the teachers. They were in my opinion all sound and decent men. Anyway this is how I remember them. I would appreciate any corrections or additions if only to help maintain the memory of a fine institution.

'Spanky' Macfarlain - Craft
'Fred' Pickering - Commerce
'Buller" Madden - Maths and Deputy Head
'Charlie' Maingot - French
'Jock' Macbretty - Geography
'Baggy' Jones - English
'Pop' Fowley - History
'?' Backhause - Science
'Mick' Proctor - PT

I remember my two headmasters as 'Taffy' Evans and '?' Harmer. The former very tough and the latter gentle and learned.

Norman Jackson

North Yorkshire Photographic Memories

The electric street tramway system operated on 3ft 6in gauged track, and opened in 1898, the same year as similar systems in Bradford, Glasgow, Halifax, Liverpool, Stockton, Cork and Kidderminster.

North Yorkshire Photographic Memories

The Grand Opera House opened in 1904 at a cost of £38,000, but struggled and was taken over by John Imeson in 1909. Imeson was one of the leading figures in the town’s entertainment business; his involvement with the theatre began in 1866, when he started building the Royal Albert Theatre. In 1870 it was renamed the Theatre Royal and did extremely well, presenting a wide variety of shows ranging from comedies to pantomimes and operas.

North Yorkshire Photographic Memories

On the left is the old Town Hall, which was built in 1846; the town fire engine was also kept here. A new and rather grand Town Hall, designed by Alfred Waterhouse, was opened in 1889 by the Prince of Wales; it cost £130,000 to build.