Photographs of the Fish Quay and the people who worked there.

In Robert Wood's 'West Hartlepool' the author tells us that the first old Hartlepool Railway Station was actually a ship brought onto land. The first custom built station on the Headland opened close to Commercial St.

It became a goods' shed when the 'new' station was built in 1878 a little further west and close to the library. This can clearly be seen on maps up to the 1960s.

For many years, this second station served passengers to West Hartlepool but in later days only carried excursion passengers and children from the nearby colliery villages who attended Henry Smith School. The station closed in 1964 following Mr Beeching's axe when passenger facilities were stopped at Easington, Horden and Blackhall. Children from out of town were then taken to school by bus.

Workmen and women from Hartlepool

Old Hartlepool is the original fishing village which existed before West Hartlepool. The origins of ancient town of Hartlepool (Old Hartlepool) can be traced back to ca 647 AD. In the 8th century AD, Bede mentions it (“heopru” – the place where harts (deer) drink). The record goes blank then, and does not reappear until the 12th century. In 1201 King John confirmed a charter owned by Robert Bruce V. The name “Brus” or “Bruce” is still associated with parts of the town.

The fine abbey church of St. Hilda is mainly Early English, dating from 1185, on the site of an abbey which flourished as early as 658 AD. St. Hilda’s still flourishes and stands in a prominent place on the Hartlepool headland, and nearby the ancient town walls (completed ca 1322 as a defence against the twin enemies of the Scots and the sea) can still be seen.

On 8th February 1201, the town was granted its first royal charter by King John. A second royal charter was granted in 1593 by Queen Elizabeth (the First).

Hartlepool was visited several times by John Wesley on his preaching tours … he was certainly in the town in 1757 and 1786.

Old Hartlepool continued its independent existence until 1967, when local government reorganisation created the merger with its young neighbour, West Hartlepool.