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Nunthorpe memories

Here are memories of Nunthorpe and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Nunthorpe or a Nunthorpe photo.

Raining Frogs

My grandparents, George and Helen (Nellie) GATENBY, lived in Connaught Road during my early childhood in the 1950's. My granddad was retired from working 60+years on the railways so he had retired to a row of about 6 terraced railway cottages. These cottages are gone now and replaced by flats. They had huge back gardens and he grew all his own veg. What I always remember was when it rained it rained frogs. Really! There was always hundreds of tiny frogs all over the place after a heavy shower. I am convinced they came down with the rain but who knows!

Memories of Cleveland

Loss of Childhood

I attended the local school at the bottom of Gisbrough Bank - I have several school photographs of myself and classmates. I had a fight with a school friend as to whose turn it was to serve the school dinner that day. This was sorted by a teacher who said - You do it today - to my school friend and to me - You do it tomorrow. My tomorrow never came. That night I was told that Mr Pugh my foster parent was very ill and that my sister and me would be going somwhere else in the morning. I felt so sad about this. I had a little friend called Rex Harris, others were Valerie and Tania. I never had the opportunity to say goodbye to them. I have lovely memories of the 1952 Coronation party. I went as the weather girl, my sister as a doll in a box - I think she won. I remember looking longingly at a copy of the royal stagecoach which was... Read more

Cargo Fleet Lane

London born, married a Yorkshire Rose, bought a house, semi-detached, corner of Cargo Fleet Lane/Bournemouth Avenue. 2 children born there (so they could play for Yorkshire, so my wife Margaret says). Many happy memories of walks to Stewart Park, going to the Fountain pub on a Sunday for a pint, walking everwhere.  My mother Peggy Pinchin (now deceased) lived around the corner at Woburn Grove. Left to emigrate to Australia in 1973, moving to a place called Slacks Creek, which is outer Brisbane, now Logan City.

Opening of Albert Park

The Park Entrance c1965
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My great grandfather, Mark MIDGLEY was a member of the First North Yorks Artillery Volunteers. He was in number four battery for 11 years where he rose to the rank of sergeant-major.
I have news paper cuttings of him celebrating his 90th birthday (1941) in which he recalls those days. He remembered the visit of the Duke of Connaught when he opened the Albert Park in Middlesbrough 1868. He was a member of one of the artillery detachments which fired a salute. He says it poured down all the time "we got drenched to the skin, and received  a shilling each for it."

Hugh Bell School

Hugh Bell School 1896
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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... Read more

My Old School - John V. Culbert  

Hugh Bell School 1896
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I attended this school around 1945 to 1949. In my final years I was School Vice Captain and represented the school at football, basketball, athletics and swimming. I was Middlesbrough Schoolboy Swimming Champion 1948 and played Water Polo for the Middlesbrough Junior and Senior Team. I also took part in the Mile Swim in the RiverTees starting at Yarm and in the 2 Mile Swim in the River Wear (Durham). In the latter event I was 9th out of 99 Swimmers, the rest mainly adults. I went on to Middlesbrough Constantine Technical College achieving a London Unversity Matriculation in French and English Language after 1 year of a 2 year course.

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