West Hartlepool memories
Here are memories of West Hartlepool and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of West Hartlepool or a West Hartlepool photo.
My Childhood
I was born in the town,and spent my first ten years in what would now be regarded as the slums of Stranton, Bower Street, going to school at Oxford Street juniors. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Bower Street and neighouring streets were demolished, and its inhabitants moved to the new council estate at Owton Manor, to the west of Catcote Road. I walked to school daily along Catcote Road. I remember the "Catcote" pub at the top of Oxford Road, and another called (I think) the Pink Admiral, and the building of Brierton Secondary School.
My Childhood
My parents were married at Stranton, and I was baptised there. We lived in a neighbouring street, Bower Street, in what would now be regarded as a slum property, with outside toilet and a single tap that was also outside. My lifelong hobby, ringing church bells, also began here. The vicar at the time was Canon Hancock, who later became vicar of Sedgefield, and whose son John also became a vicar in the diocese. The organist and choir master was Alf Peacock, a real character. He tricked me into joining the choir, telling me that I would then get a chance to join the bellringers when I was 14. However, it all rebounded on him, as my voice was terrible, and I only lasted 3 weeks! In the 1950s the church was one of the most active and well-off in the town. The ringers consisted almost entirely of the Maughan family. Brothers Bill and Jack also ran the Boys' Brigade and were active in the Sunday School.
Methodist New Connexion Preachers' Plan 1989-90
I have a copy of the the above which I found as a a scrappy piece of paper in one of my family's bibles. I have since had it copied and laminated, named on it as part of the preachers for the Hartlepool Circuit for 1889-90, which includes Stranton Street, were two of my Great Grandfathers - Thomas Blenkinsop and George Raine. The former's eldest daughter, Mary Jane married George the eldest child of the latter from which my maternal line stems. My paternal grandparents Clara Fox and William James Hinds were married at Stranton Street Church in about 1893.
When was this church demolished?
Phillips Teesside Operations Site Build at Seal Sands
I am currently researching the build of the Phillips Teesside operations site at Seal Sands. I am wondering if anyone may be able to help me with any information related to the time of the build. I am hoping to gain real information and events. E.g what the Economy was like in Teesside at the time that Phillips began the site build at the Seal Sands? Was it welcomed? Did it bring jobs to Teesside? But most of all I would love to be able to make my research real by adding actual stories/events, peoples feelings and memories of the time or pictures.
I wonder if you have any information/articles that may be useful to me ?
Watsons of Church Street, West Hartlepool
My grandfather's parents had an inn on 5 and 6 Church Street, West Hartlepool. His name was Thomas Watson, he was married to Ann Elizabeth and he was a Baker, Confectioner and Restaurant keeper. Does anyone know the name of the Restaurant or Inn or have a photo?
Memorial to South African War
I need your help. The man who modeled for the statue seen in this photo is my grandfather. Unfortunately, the museum has the wrong man as the model, a relative with a close name who wasn't even born when the statue was made. Is it possible for you to get the original newspaper article stating who dedicated the statue as I believe that person was my grandmother. The model's name was Joseph Andrew Bright McClure and he worked for the stonemason who did the statue. I have the paperwork to prove it. The statue was vandalized and the bronze taken and only the boots remained for many years. Now only the cairn remains. I am anxious to clear this error before my mother dies as it was her father. Diane
Chisholm Cottage
My great-great-great grandparents lived opposite Wesley Chapel in the late 1800s, behind the trees on the right-hand-side of the 1901 Wesley Chapel photo.
During the 1830s, Richard JACK (b1813) and some of his brothers moved to Hartlepool from Dalkeith Scotland. In 1841 Richard lived in Northgate Street, with his brothers nearby - they were coal trimmers. Richard lived with the WALTONs from Hexham, Northumberland; Thomas WALTON a Mason by trade; son William WALTON, a Joiner. Richard married Thomas' daughter Margaret WALTON (b1819).
In 1851 Richard and family were on their own in Northgate Street.
Richard JACK and two sons (Samuel and William Chisholm) were not found in the 1861 census, but Richard's wife and their youngest son were with the WALTONs - now on the East Side of Old Hart Road, Stranton, among the houses known as Fountain Terrace. (The area is now Raby Road, and on the north side of Wesley Square.)... Read more
Anderson's Stranton
Hi, I am looking for my grandmother's family, Hannah Anderson, she was born in Sunderland in Southwick in 1898 and moved to Hartlepool to 22 Portland Road in about 1904 and then moved to 6 Marmion Road, Hartlepool. Her father was from Hartlepool, he was Thomas Anderson, born in Stranton in 1862.
Mitten Family
My father took me and my sister Jean to see a family in West Hartlepool whose name was Mitten, they had a boy named Brian, one girl Lucy then Gwen and two other sisters whose names I cannot remember. As my father had been in the war with Mr Mitten he thought that he would like to see all his family, they were so kind to us all. I do remember being taken for a walk down to a place which they called the Dean which was by a railway. I think the girls all were members of a morris dancing team, they did come to my home which at that time was in a place called Rhostyllen near Wrexham. It would be nice to have any news of this family.
My Great-Grandmother Mary Robson of Hartlepool
My great-grandma Mary Robson lived at 40 Hermit Street with her father William, (mother - Frances - deceased), a brother called William H Robson. Mary Robson had an illegitimate child called Frances, the child was born to a member of the well-to-do Field family. I would love to know more about the FIELD/S FAMILY all I know they were a very well to do family and influential, and possibly related to the Fields of LARTINGTON HALL in Barnard Castle, County Durham. Though I could be wrong and have been given the wrong information. Before Hermit Street they lived at Temperance Street. If anyone has any info for me, being the great and great-great-grandaughter of Frances or Mary and the grandaughter of the baby Frances, I would love to hear from you. My email is terick.farrow@ntlworld.com
My Grandparents Were From West Hartlepool...
I live in Alberta, Canada now, but my grandparents were Edith Readman who married Ernest Rowlands in 1912. If anyone has any information about them from when they lived there or their families.. please let me know.
Thanks
W. Hartlepool WW1
My father, Maurice Arthur (1902-1982), was the son of the GP, W. B. Arthur, in Wingate. He kept a daily diary from 1917 to 1982. There are many entries regarding Hartlepool, WW1 and the Durham Minefields. However, in 1918 he states (040218) "Hartlepool Tank gets £803,421". Then on 090218 he states, "Tank No 130, total to 4 pm. £2,200,000". And there are other references.
These refer to a lot of money in those days. Were they some kind of War Effort? I wonder if any local historian can tell me what these "tanks" were?
roland@rebarthur.f9.co.uk
Memories of County Durham
Sun, Swimming, Sand & Sandwiches on The Fish Sands
As a child I swam in the sea next to the Sandwell Gate and the ruins of The Freemasons Arms which was an old pub that was on the Fish Sands. I remember sunny days, swimming and picnics with sand in my sandwiches with my friends. One day my friends noticed that when I walked back up the beach after a swim I left 'red' footprints. I had unknowingly stepped on a piece of broken glass, so I hobbled all the way round to St Hilda's Hospital where they took out the piece of glass, cleaned & bandaged my foot and gave me some 'ket' for being brave! ('ket' for those that don't know was a name for sweets when I was a child). I knew so many of my grandmother's friends that lived along the town wall that if I got caught out I could knock any house and ask to use the toilet. The lady of the house would ask "Are you hungry bairn? Would you like a slice... Read more
War Memorial
This war memorial is in what we called Old Hartlepool, near the sea by the Hartlepool Docks/Headland. The war memorial for West Hartlepool was called the Cenotaph and was in Victoria Road, West Hartlepool.
Takes You Back Doesn't It!
Takes you back doesn't it!
Just for a minute, forget everything stressful and read
this............
Close your eyes and go back in time...
Before the Internet...
Before semi-automatics, joyriders and crack....
Before Playstations, x-box or Super Nintendo...
Way back......I'm talking about Hide and Seek in the park.
The corner shop Pironis.
Hopscotch.
Butterscotch.
Skipping.
Handstands.
Football with an old can.
Fingerbobs.
Beano, Dandy, Buster, Twinkle and Dennis the menace.
Roly Poly.
Hula Hoops, jumping the stream, building dams.
The smell of the sun and fresh cut grass.
Bazooka Joe bubble gum.
An ice cream cone on a warm summer night from the van that plays a tune
Chocolate or vanilla or strawberry or maybe Neapolitan or perhaps a
screwball.
Wait......
Watching Saturday morning cartoons, short commercials or the flicks.
Children's Film Foundation, The Double Deckers, Red Hand Gang, The
Tomorrow People, Tiswas or Swapshop?, and 'Why Don't You'? - or staying up for
Doctor Who.
When around the corner seemed far away and... Read more
Swimming at Seaton Carew Baths 1971
When I was eleven years old I went to Galleys Field School in Hartlepool and I have memories of going to the baths with the school. I was Ruth Thompson then.
The baths were salty and usually cold as they were fed by the sea. There were changing rooms at both ends of the baths and I remember going there one day with the school when they were having some work done to the changing rooms at the deep end and we had to use the ones at the shallow end. I wasn't taking a lot of notice as I just wanted to get in the water and swim.
I did my usual thing of dashing out of the changing room and diving straight into the water. I ended up with a bump the size of an egg on my forehead were I hit the bottom. I never did it again!
The baths are no longer there. I am not sure when they were demolished, but it is typical Hartlepool... Read more
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