Stranton Grange Farm

The farm was demolished in 1955 and it stood on the corner of Brierton Lane and Stockton Road.

The last occupant, William Lamb, had lived there for most of his life having moved there with his parents from Seaton at a very young age. His father Charles Lamb had also been a farmer of 510 acres employing 10 people at Seaton Carew where William was born. His parents both died at Stranton Grange Farm in 1906 and in 1907, William married Elizabeth Usher and they had a number of sons. Onot one took up farming and that was in Canada. In a Hartlepool Mail article of 1939, Mr Lamb said that the farm had been 100 acres and that a memorable moment for him had been when he walked 1000 geese from Seaton Station to Stranton Grange Farm, the first goose reaching the farm as the last was still in Seaton Lane! He  sold them at a healthy profit.

In 1944, his wife died and William sold off the last 42 acres of his farm to West Hartlepool Council who were to build the first part of Owton Manor Estate on the land. He also became a tenant of his 7 roomed farmhouse. There were dried up remnants of a pond in the farmyard, from which he allowed animals led by passing travellers to drink. There was also the first milestone on Stockton Road from Stranton at the corner of his farm.

The farm hind house was latterly much used by West Hartlepool Civic Defence as a test battleground and often there was much activity with smoke bombs and 'bodies'  In an interview with Hartlepool Mail, William said that the Civil Defence people were good company as he had been alone for many years.

William Lamb was also know for riding the winning horse Santoy at the last Stranton races in 1901.

Related items :