Evening Gazette

Every Person has a History to Tell

Readers are invited to submit articles and ideas for consideration in Remember When, but are reminded that such items may be condensed for reasons of space. Photographs to accompany articles are also welcomed.

When Ted Made the Coffins for the Co-Op ; the Co-Op Craftsmen

FIFTY and more years ago, most large retail companies employed their own maintenance crews, Ted Gull reminds us. He writes: Labour was cheap and after a five-year apprenticeship, a fully time-served tradesman would have a take-home wage of about pounds 12 to pounds 14 or so for a 44-48 hour week's work.

When Harry Was the Wheel Boss of Ici ; the Ici Transport Manager

70 Years Ago

'The only hooters you'll hear' THE air raid warning system has come into full operation in Britain. From now on the sounding of all factory sirens and hooters is prohibited, except for giving air raid warnings. An air raid warning is given by a series of short blasts, the 'raiders passed' signal is given by a long steady blast lasting two minutes." - Notice on the Gazette's front page September 1, 1939 Schoolchildren ready for evacuation PREPARATIONS to evacuate Middlesbrough schoolchildren h...

Dad Was a 'Special' ; the Ici Transport Manager: A Norton Childhood

FOLLOWING our recent article on the Surtees family, Olive Atkinson, MBE, has sent us more information on the family. She says her father, who died when he was 93, always intended to write his life history and has sent us some of his notes.

60 Years Ago

Clothes price reduction is welcomed THE government decided to reduce by five per cent the statutory maximum prices in the shops of utility clothing, utility footwear and utility household textiles. Harold Wilson, President of the Board of Trade, announced the reduction which was welcomed by Teesside retailers. Steel plant reveals development plan DORMAN Long announced the second stage of their major pounds 8,000,000 development plan which was to be put into effect immediately. The centre-piec...

50 Years Ago

Jet squadron leads to noise complaints COMPLAINTS of noise caused by low flying aircraft had mounted throughout the Teesside area, letters had appeared in the Evening Gazette and questions were raised in Parliament. The cause was a squadron of Javelin aircraft operating from Middleton almost every night and flying over Stockton and Middlesbrough. Court told boy could not read newspapers MIDDLESBROUGH magistrates were told a 16-year-old boy could not read newspapers and was of low intelligence...

Taking the 'Midnight at Midday' Story to the Kiwis ; From the Ex-Pats

NOW living in New Zealand, Brian Fitzgerald has been following readers' stories on that day in 1968 when it seemed like midnight at mid-day. He writes: I was 12 years old at the time and living at the top end of the Easterside Estate in Oswestry Green, Middlesborough. I was home alone from school for reasons I can't recall and was still in bed when I noticed the sky start to darken.

Shock for Sue Took Her Back to the 1950s ; From the Ex-Pats

A SHOCK was in store for Sue Williams (nee Borwell), of Bussleton, Western Australia, when she received a copy of Issue 79 (January, 2009) from a family member. On Pages 14 and 15 were photographs of children at Yearby School in the 1950s and the two boys not named are her brother Richard Borwell, in the front row, and, behind him, Rory Thompson.

40 Years Ago

Original parish church is target of vandals St HILDA'S, the original parish church of Middlesbrough, was having a tragic end to its magnificent 130 years of history. The roof was caving in, the once beautiful building was in a state of collapse and there was no money for vital repairs. The building had also become the target of local vandals. The invasion of the giant caterpillars POLICE and public health officials set out on the trail of Teesside's latest invaders, giant caterpillars. The ca...

When We Watched a Doodlebug Fly Towards Its Ici Target ; From the Ex-Pats

AN article in Issue 75 on doodlebugs over Teesside brought back memories for T Bell, who emigrated in 1948 to Australia. From his home in Victoria he writes: J Cole, A Dewing, B Nicholson and T Bell were walking home from the cinema at Boosbeck to Guisborough, where we lived. It was after 10 o'clock that Sunday night when we heard the air raid warning as we walked down Fancy Bank.

Our 60-Year Friendship ; From the Ex-Pats

THIS record of a remarkable friendship between two Teesside men has been sent to us from France by Barry Thomas, who grew up with Billy Nellis in Walpole Street, Middlesbrough. Now aged 70 Billy, who is 18 months older than Barry, attended St Philomena"s School and the Technical School, while Barry went to Fleetham Street School and Middlesbrough Boys" High School. They have been friends throughout their lives, keeping in contact even though Barry travelled widely with the Merchant Navy and l...

How the Millpool Survived the War but Perished in Mountainous Seas ; the Seamanship of 'Ropner's Navy'

WE are told by Billy McGee, of Hartburn, that October 3, 2009, will see the 75th anniversary of the loss of the SS Millpool and her 26-man crew. On September 3, 1906, the steamer SS Millpool slipped into the Tees from the Ropner Shipyard. It was a brand new 4,218grt trunk deck steamer, the 19th of its kind designed and built to the specifications of Robert E O Ropner Jnr, the second son of Sir Robert Ropner.

30 Years Ago

Schools suggest plans for Ironmasters' district LOCAL schools made suggestions for redeveloping the Ironmasters district of Middlesbrough in a competition as part of the Tidy Up Middlesbrough Campaign. Among the suggestions were a wild life centre, a marina and moving Ayresome football ground near to the river so fans would not have to go through the town centre. Jobs bombshell leaves empty site in town A HUGE swell of protest built up as Cleveland prepared to fight back after plans to bring ...

Young Offenders Damage Institution ; 20 Years Ago

COPYCAT teenage troublemakers laid siege to Kirklevington Young Offenders' Institution for the second time in two months. The boys aged between 15 and 17 caused an estimated pounds 15,000 damage to a flat roof. Prison officers contained the protest and the boys were all sent to other institutions to await criminal proceedings. A1 motorway plans slammed by MP LANGBAURGH Tory MP Richard Holt slammed new plans to upgrade the A1 to near-motorway standard with dual three lanes and hard shoulder. R...

Buildings and Names Have Gone Forever

IT'S amazing how many once famous shop names eventually disappear, and sometimes even the properties, writes Albert Farrow. He says: All of the names in this picture of Newport Road, left, have gone and, also, all of the property (with attics) demolished. There was, fairly recently, some confusion as to where the Scala Cinema exactly stood. It was on the site of the "square building" on the corner behind the bus station. The Scala, once an 1865 church, was converted in 1919 to a cinema and de...

Patients Face Journey After Unit Closure

BATTLING parents formed an action group against plans to close a hospital unit. The cleft lip and palate surgery at Middlesbrough General Hospital faced the axe. That would leave patients, from children to adults, facing a journey to Leeds for treatment. Brazilian unveiled for the second time JUNINHO was officially back with the Boro -and was raring to go! The brilliant Brazilian was unveiled at a press conference at the club"s Rockcliffe Park training headquarters. He said: I am glad to be a...

You Answer

First bombing raid was not on Middlesbrough FRED Prest, of Eston, read Jack Martin's article regarding the war in April's Remember When with interest but wants to point out that the first bombing raid was on Cargo Fleet, South Bank and Grangetown, not Middlesbrough. The local archives have a record of the bombing and show there were eight people injured, the first civilian casuals in a raid on mainland Britain.

Who has Stories of Their Evacuation?

SUE McArthur is researching for a book about pregnant women and mothers with children under five evacuated during the Second World War. "My interest is in the adult"s stories and experience. Information from billeting officers, WVS or Red Cross workers, and those offering a billet to evacuated women would all be relevant, as well as the personal recollections of the women evacuated," she writes.

The School in the Grounds of the Church

DOROTHY Butler, from Washington, writes to clear up our piece on Page 34 of Issue 84 about Holy Trinity Church. The writer asks for information about the school that was in the grounds of the church along Yarm Lane and Dorothy replies that the school in question was Holy Trinity Church of England Boys' School, not Richard Hind Boys' School, which was sited on Richardson Road joined to the Girls' School which rang along Yarm Road.