1935; as you can see is the date of this cutting believed to be from the Northern Echo and the end of an era for the church. Malcolm Moore tells us: ”Just behind the church was a gravestone with a skull and cross-bones on it. As kids we were convinced it was the local pirate.” Jackie Rushton queries: “I recently paid a visit to Brotton on my ancestry trail, I was disappointed to find few old headstones in the churchyard. I can see in this photograph there are headstones. What happened to them does anyone know?” Image courtesy of John Hannah and many thanks to Malcolm Moore and Jackie Rushton for the updates.
One of the editors of the Archive was trying to place this terrace of houses, it is the main Saltburn Road, viewed up the hill (from under the railway bridge shows what is now known as poultry farm corner. It features as the name for a bus stop on the Arriva service but no passenger ever gets to see New Brotton!
Showing the Methodist Chapel and the ”Grand Cinema”, High Street Brotton. Eric Johnson tells us: ”the Grand had ’double seats at the back’ for couples; and that’s as much as I am prepared to say”. Jon advises: “My grand parents and my father used the Grand Cinema as a bingo hall; from around the late sixties to the early seventies, before selling the building back to the Council. It started as a prize bingo later converted to a money bingo; back then you could still see how the old cinema was.”
Image courtesy of Julie Riddiough and thanks to Eric Johnson and Jon for the update.
A postcard by Frith, taken from Chemist’s Corner looking towards The Green Tree, with The Blood Tub and War Memorial on the right. Although entitled The Avenue, most will be aware that the terrace in the foreground, extending from the pub is actually Britannia Terrace. The Avenue starts from the break in the house line at the far end of Britannia Terrace. Norman Patton thinks the photograph was taken in Coronation Year – 1953. Anybody think different? Ray Brown informs us ”If the date of early to mid fifties is correct, then the house with the aerial on is that of the Pub Landlord Freddy Harrison, next door to this is the home of Mary Sanderson (my wife’s grandmother) who lived there from about 1915 to 1965 when she died and the last small property would be the home of George Cuthbert and his son Reg; Reg actually lived in this house when all three houses plus the Pub were put up for auction in 1970 – Reg at the time was paying 9/3d rent per week (with the Landlord paying the rates)”.
Image courtesy of Raymond Brown; also thanks to Ian Wilson for the update on the landlord of the Blood Tub.
A photograph taken from outside of The White House, looking towards The Green Tree again – slightly earlier time frame this time, the road is white-lined and still the old cast iron road signs. It looks as though the old traffic precedence at Chemist’s Corner was equal from Saltburn or Brotton itself; an interesting state of affairs! The little wooden hut on the corner next to the War Memorial was a ”Kingdom Hall” and was apparently the meeting place for the local Jewish population (so Julie Riddiough’s grandfather advises), but to my understanding the term Kingdom Hall is used for meeting places for Jehovah’s Witnesses. The same question as before, when was the picture taken? Norman suggests post 1935, I can’t disagree with that, tarmac and road lining were in place by then and the old British Standard for road signs had been instituted. Jennifer Harrison advises: “The row of houses on the right is Britannia Terrace, as stated previously. The Avenue was further up the hill on the same side and was a through road leading to the playing fields at the back of the houses. There were several bungalows along The Avenue. The playing fields, which had swings, a see-saw and a sandpit, were just below the old cemetery, where the old church used to be. The old cemetery was also accessed from Kilton Lane. I was born and used to live at The Cottage, High Street, next to St. Margaret’s Church and directly opposite Britannia Terrace. My grandparents, who owned the house, were Harold and Alvinia Patton. The house was next owned by the Cush family”. Whilst Rosie Jones (nee Cush) adds: “Having also been born in The Cottage, this was a familiar view. Interesting to see the shop on Chemists Corner was Baines even then, as it was in my childhood”.
Image courtesy of Raymond Brown and thanks to Jennifer Harrison and Rosie Jones for the updates.
Recent Comments