Images and memories of childhood in Hartlepool and the surrounding area.
Lily Tombling (Katrina Harper's Grandma), in front of some heavy-duty tents on the beach at Seaton Carew in 1912.
More detail »A young Keith Bloomfield on his tricycle in Ward Jackson Park, Whitsuntide 1935.
More detail »Young Margaret Ward and her parents, Fred and Betty Ward, in a good spot close to the seawall at Seaton Carew.
More detail »A family group. Two of the boys have bicycles and another boy is holding a dog. Probably taken in one of the villages.
HHT&N 501
More detail »Bernard, Christine and Pat Kooiman dressed in their best on a Sunday trip in the car.
More detail »Peter Ledington (second from the left) at a children's outing probably organised by the Rovers' Quoit Club in the early 1950s.
More detail »A charming photograph of seven girls dressed as angels. The image was kindly donated by Raymond Morris whose mother, Dorothy Sowerby, is the girl on the far left. Can anyone identify any of the other girls, the church or the event? Could it be a Non-Conformist church due to the position of the organ behind the girls rather than an altar?
More detail »Jane Robinson enjoying a tub of ice-cream at the Block Sands Paddling Pool on Hartlepool Headland in 1964.
More detail »Jane and Paul Robinson splashing about in the Block Sands Paddling Pool in 1964.
More detail »Paul Robinson at the Block Sands Paddling Pool in 1964 - he might need his spade to carry out some repairs on the pool steps!
More detail »A young Keith Bloomfield in the sand dunes at the 'snooks' in the mid-1930s, with the beach huts in the background.
More detail »Grandmother Rose Applegarth, with daughter Betty Elizabeth (Ward), and grandchildren Margaret (standing), Muriel and Brian, getting ready for the beach, probably in the summer of 1955.
More detail »It is unknown where this photograph was taken but Harry Milburn (1925-1975) is far right, third boy up.
More detail »Young Brian Ward holds on to his sister's pram at the back of their house at 10 Shakespeare Avenue.
More detail »A very young Alan Archbold with two of his older sisters, Margaret and Dorothy.
More detail »On the left Neil Wainwright (on the left), about 6 years old & big brother Ian 10 years old, in the back garden of No.8 Lime Grove, West Hartlepool. Both attended the nearby (Old) Jesmond Road School. "The Prefabs were temporary war accomodation, demolished in the 1970-80's or there abouts? They were made of a sort of cardboard, warm and you could bounce of the walls and still get up to continue the chase!"
More detail »The playground in the lower part of the Burn Valley was very popular in the 1950s and 60s in particular when there was never an adult in sight ! Here the children are on the rocking horse.
More detail »The Burton children dressed in their best coats. The little girl certainly has the best position.
More detail »Unclear when this was taken, but possibly not long after the 'camp' was opened as the ground is still quite uneven.
More detail »The girl on the cart appears to be a little sulky while her sister is mesmerised by the photographer.
More detail »Catherine Pattison watches as young Gladstone sits on his horse. Arthur and Ann Gladsone had six children and lived in Station Lane.
More detail »A boy sits on the wheel of one of the bathing machines while other children play and paddle nearby. The clothing of the children is in sharp contrast as the girl is wearing a bathing dress, some boys are in swimming trunks/pants and others are fully dressed in jackets and hats!
HHT&N 696
More detail »The children are all smiling for the camera except the young boy in his sailor suit whose attention appears to be elsewhere. The children include Ralph, Fred & Kitty Hulton, two Lumley boys and Lillian Hogg.
In the 19th century a bathing attendant, Mary, worked for 25 years 'dipping' the ladies and little boys.
More detail »A large group of children dressed up and posing for the camera. Not known whether it was a dance school or another organisation.
More detail »A photograph taken in 1952 of a group of children from Ormesby Road. Maureen Stephenson on the right, smiling at her friend Linda Holroyd. Derrick Stephenson stood behind them. Front row, fourth from the right with the cap on, Geoff Stephenson. Peeping from behind, Barbara Tate. On the left, Carol Landreth, with her hand on shoulder of her sister Kay. Possibly Tommy and Mavis Seaton behind the girl with the hood.
More detail »Children in Hart Road Nursery school, Hartlepool c1960. The nursery was situated in New Friarage, the home of Hartlepool Rovers.
More detail »Photograph is a postcard with post mark dated 5 Aug 1913. Sent to Mrs E Dickinson from Sid(?). Describes agricultural show and says "X marks where I began school." Sticker says "looking from west row towards High Street. School building no longer there".
More detail »Children on the beach in front of the Croft. There seems to be a mixture of children with some well dressed and others not. One child to the right of the group has a crutch.
Cambridge Buildings on left behind beach. Public House. Freemason's arms in centre was demolished in 1906 (also called Jane Hunter on the Sands)
More detail »Children playing on the beach at Seaton Carew. Some in the water and others standing on a rock surrounded by water.
HHT&N 549
More detail »Ian Simpson's Christening St Paul's Grange Road.
More detail »Greatham Children on the Post Office Garden Wall around 1930. These children were playing on the village green when a photographer from the Northern Daily Mail asked if they would like their photo taken.
More detail »Believed to be a Church group dressed up for a play. Possibly in Seaton Carew or Greatham
HHT&N 514
More detail »A young Terrence (Terry), Arhbold - playing hide and seek?
More detail »A very young Debra Lakey in Turnbull Street in the 1960s.
More detail »Youngsters Sally Ann Rogers and Michael Williams digging holes in the beach at the Fish Sands in 1960.
More detail »Billy Henderson, William and Colin Slack on the back field in the early 1960s.
More detail »St. Paul's Church Easter play, 'The Ten Commandments', sometime around 1953/54. Ann Shaw (later Ann Stanbridge), is Commandment No.7, with Valeria Hardwick as No.9. The 'Commandments' are making their way from the Church to the Church Hall in Murray Street.
More detail »Alan Archbold's older brother and sister, Eddie and Edna, playing out in the street.
More detail »Children watching the photographer in Elwick Village. Note the horse on the green in the background.
More detail »On February 5th 1953, this West Hartlepool shop along with others all over the UK was inundated with children buying sweets as rationing had ended.
It is most likely that the shop is 'top shop' in Elwick Road on the corner of Powell Street and the shopkeeper Mrs Armes.
More detail »Children from Sacred Heart School with teachers in Scarborough having been evacuated.
More detail »A young Brain Ward enjoying a fairground boat ride, probably in the summer of 1955. The girl in the foreground with her back to the camera is probably Brian's eldest sister, Margaret.
More detail »Muriel Ward, aged about 5 or 6, enjoying a fairground ride in the 'rockets', probably in the summer of 1955. Her elder sister Margaret and her Grandmother (Rose Applegarth), look on.
More detail »Rose Applegarth waving to her grand-daughter Muriel Ward, on a fairground ride at Seaton carew, probably in the summer of 1955.
More detail »A young Muriel Ward driving a train on a fairground ride at Seaton Carew, probably in the summer of 1955.
More detail »Billy Henderson and his older brother Harry fielding at a cricket match at West Park Cricket Ground in the early 1950s.
More detail »A child picking wild flowers at Hart Station with the new estate - Barnard Grove, being built in the background.
More detail »Irving James (left), Davy Ferguson, Robert Leck and Danny Davison, with 'Prince' the dog, in the dunes at Crimdon in the 1950s.
More detail »A very young John Watson, sometime around 1938, attempting to mow the lawn - or perhaps just holding on to stand up - at his home in Hutton Avenue.
More detail »Harry Henderson sitting on the window sill in Gill Street, probably in the late 1930s - early 1940s.
More detail »Bill (at the back), and Harry Henderson in Gill Street in the early 1950s.
More detail »John and Billy Henderson sitting on the windowsill in Gill Street in the early 1950s.
More detail »Bill Henderson, Terry Musgrave and Barry Hatch in Dunbar Street in the early 1960s.
More detail »Very smartly dressed youngsters Mark Stanbridge (aged 5) and his brother John (aged 6), on Hartlepool Station in 1969, about to set off on their holidays.
More detail »Unknown group possibly in a school yard. Possibly 1930s /40s?
More detail »Riding the range in Dunbar Road in the 1950s. 'Cowboy' Colin Jacques on his trusty three-wheeler while in the background Billy Henderson gets to grips with his roller skates.
More detail »All smiles on the Dunbar Road back field in the early 1960s.
More detail »Programme for Hartlepool Schools' Athletic Association 3rd Annual Sports Day to take place at Victoria Ground on 13th July 1910.
More detail »Taken about 1966 at Hart Road Harvest Festival. The girl holding the loaf is Elizabeth Elder and the two children kneeling are twins Steven and Susan Kisby.
More detail »Back row from left: Betty Ward, Marjorie ?, Mary Smith
Middle: Marion ? , Yvonne Wade, ? Harding
Front: Gladys Rowan, Dorothy Brewis, Edith Noble, Eva Bartlett and Mary McDonald
More detail »Harry Henderson enjoying a kick-about at Crimdon Dene in the late 1930s.
More detail »Harry, Hannah (with a very nice parasol), and Jim Robinson in the dunes at Crimdon Dene in 1930.
More detail »A young Derek Simon in his Sea Scouts uniform in 1945.
More detail »One of the Hensewrson boys playing on a trike in the back alley, Gill Street, probably in the early 1950s.
More detail »A young Brian Ward in his front garden at 10 Shakespeare Avenue in 1951.
More detail »A young Mary ward in her front garden at 10 Shakespeare Avenue, in June 1951.
More detail »Susan Applegarth, Kevin and Irene Braham in a sunny Dunbar Road sometime in the 1960s.
More detail »Age eight years at Lynnfield School.
More detail »School photograph, age nearly 11 years.
More detail »Jim Wilson, at left, displays his model of a Tribal Class destroyer. The building at right is the Queen's Rink dance hall.
More detail »Taken about 1925-6, the image shows Joan Wilson (later Donkin) and her elder cousin Mary Fowler
More detail »A young John (Joe) Green standing outside No. 43 Turnbull Street, in 1948.
More detail »Sisters Margaret (right) and Joyce Auton, in Turnbull Street, 1955.
More detail »Young Keith Cormack on what is obviously a cold day in Dunbar Road. Note the open-plan layout of the gardens.
More detail »Kip, Cissy May and Hazel Herring outside No.48 South Street. Hazel is holding a very nice fan.
More detail »Kip Herring and his young son Norman outside the back door of No.48 South Street, 'Old Town', in 1949/50.
More detail »Ten children on the grass at the corner of Kipling Road in 1957/58.
More detail »Children of varying ages on Hartlepool Promenade. Boys Brigade/Scouts in centre front. Many of the children are wearing sashes or garlands. A large audience of adults watches from above & there are people on deckchairs at the forefront of the view.
More detail »A young Norman Herring, with his Grandfather John and father Kip, looks a little uncomfortable on a bike that is clearly too big for him. This photograph was taken outside No.48 South Street, 'Old Town'.
More detail »Picture of two young boys playing on a Seesaw
On the right is John Sands
Robert Morrell is the one on the left?.
More detail »1950/51. Margaret Ward looks on as her son Brian masters the art of riding his tricycle without hands!
More detail »Marian Davison, aged 10, at her home in Hurworth Road, Hartlepool, in 1912.
More detail »Maureen Hamilton (now Ledington) with her bike in 1956.
More detail »Circa 1975 at the old Lynnfield School the image shows a class 'milk monitor' which was a prized position in class !
More detail »Ten year-old Mollie Keenan enjoying a walk on the beach at Blackhall/Crimdon, in September 1921.
More detail »Violet Butcher and her young daughter Diane, outside their house in Perth Street in 1963.
More detail »Hannah Mary Mills (nee Dennis) and daughter Hannah. The boy is unknown.
More detail »Mr R.J. Tate with a bicycle. Nothing else know about Mr Tate.
On reverse: Pangbourne Park area. Unclear of aspect. Possibly looking down the Parade towards Grange Rd.
More detail »Bob Johnson sits in the doorway of a bathing machine entertaining Ness and the young Burtons with his whistle.
More detail »1942. John Watson with one of his favourite bicycles, all painted black.
More detail »1939. A young John Watson stands proudly beside his new tricycle in the back garden of his home in Hutton Avenue.
More detail »Having outgrown his earlier tricycle, young John Watson now has a new machine. This photograph was taken sometime in 1940, and in the background, leaning against the side of the house, are wooden blackout shutters.
More detail »Amy Allen standing with her bicycle in Carter Drive (Coney Island), Hartlepool, sometime in the 1940s.
More detail »Two small girls, Margaret Ward (front) and Mary - (back), playing on a pull-along horse. Mary's father, Frederick Walter Ward, is just in shot to the right.
More detail »A young Colin Jacques about to take to the road in the early 1950s in his Triang Centurion pedal car - Prince Charles also owned one!
More detail »On the rides at the Headland Carnival in 1957.
More detail »Elizabeth Elder in Arch Street in 1965. She was outside 'Dickie' Bird's dairy and the shop in the background is Bobby Moore newsagent. The street on the left is Lambton Street (later Stapylton Street)
More detail »Elizabeth Elder on the playing field at Central Estate. Behind is the railway leading to Hartlepool from West Hartlepool.
More detail »Slyvia Thompson in her parm, enjoying the sunshine.
More detail »Sylvia Thompson in the arms of her mother (Frances Myra), in Westbourne Road.
More detail »A well wrapped-up Pauline Butcher playing outside her house in Perth Street, in 1955.
More detail »Venue unclear but it appears this is 1937 Coronation. There are 3 further similar images numbers q01449,q01450, and q01451 in the museum collection should anyone be identified.
More detail »People Queuing at a Stand pipe in Elwick Village. A group of children & adults all with buckets & pails to collect water from a stand-pipe on the village green.
More detail »Phil Dixon in the garden of a lady he knew as "Nana Molloy", although she wasn't really his Nana. Phil spent quite a bit of his childhood in Old Town, as his parents had the Volunteers Pub in Church Street. This photograph was taken some 60 years ago in Pilot Street.
Brian Atkinson lived in one of the houses opposite.
The photograph says Jura Grove Playground although the playground will have been at the far end of the Grove in an area now grassed.
HHT&N 140
More detail »Brian and Muriel Ward (and Muriels's doll), enjoy some afternoon sunshine in the garden of their home in Kipling Road. Brian used the flowerbed to lay the track for his toy train.
More detail »Young Muriel Ward playing with her pushchair and doll, at the side of her home, No.10 Shakespeare Avenue, in 1953. Coronation bunting can be seen on the gable end behind her.
More detail »This is one of a number of photos in the Museum files of children on a summer playscheme at various venues in 1980. Here the children appear to be waiting for a bus perhaps. Errol Street is on the right behind the children and the building which had been The Workshops for the Blind on the left have been replaced by a terrace of new shops.
More detail »Taken in 1980 by Hartlepool Mail at Millhouse Pool.
More detail »Jim Robinson and his baby son John playing on the grass at Seaton Carew in 1950.
More detail »Sylvia Thompson (in the pram), being pushed by a young girl in Cornwall Street.
More detail »A group on the beach at Hartlepool. Most of the children are shabbily dressed and may be from the workhouse.
More detail »Recollections of Trains and The Match Factory Fire – Ken Sharpe
My earliest memories of Hartlepool would be of playing in Church Street where the present Yorkshire bank is. I believe it was an old air raid shelter, but you could not get inside because it was locked up. It was good to play on because it had an unusual wedge shape we could slide down, and when you climbed to the top you could see over the wall to see the trains coming and going from the railway station. l suppose that was the start of my railway spotting interest.
Once we started we would go to the railway canteen where the railway staff would have their breaks for a cup of tea or a cracking bacon sandwich. They would also tell us what trains would be coming to Hartlepool. When we lived in the telephone exchange in Baltic Street we got a view of the match box factory when it caught fire. After watching it for a while my friends and I went down to the railway canteen and got a grandstand view of the fire - we could see the fire tug spraying water all over the building.
Some of the firemen climbed into a wagon and started to hose down behind the signal box, but it must have got a bit too warm and dangerous because they got out. The wagon was a coupled to a small shunting engine. We came away after a couple of hours or so. The following day we went round to see that they had finally got it out and had started to knock it down. God knows what the passengers coming in to Hartlepool thought .
I remember that we first lived in the flat in the GPO building in Whitby Street, before moving to the telephone exchange in Baltic Street, and then to Heather Grove (No.15). When we lived in the GPO I used to go the Lex Cinema a lot, especially the Saturday children's matinee where we would follow the adventures of Flash Gordon, Hop-a-Long Cassidy, and Johnny Mack Brown. We used to sit at the front on wooden benches then sneak to back where you could get more comfortable.
When living in Heather Grove, I remember one of the residents, aged about 8 or 9 at the time, was Winsome Dimmock, better known as weather girl Wincey Willis.
More detail »Cover of Edith Noble's report book from Henry Smith's School when the Headland area was Durham County Council.
More detail »Richard Banyer in Clifton Road in 1951, taken from Eltringham Road looking west. On the right between the two sets of houses is Wilton Road and the scene has changed little.
More detail »The 'Rodney Royals' Juvenile Jazz Band in 1959/60. This band was formed by Mattie, Amy and Dick Shaw.
More detail »A birthday party in the garden of Rose Cottage, Greatham in August 1963. Left to right: Susan Lancaster, Janice Heywood, Anthony Heywood, Ian Lancaster, unknown.
More detail »Children playing on the frozen lake in Rossmere Park.
More detail »Ryder George Sherwood whilst a child in Hartlepool.
More detail »The RAOB Harry Hutton Ryan Lodge Christmas Party 26th December in the Travellers Rest. Small girl at front is Elizabeth Aisbitt and man kneeling on right her uncle Dave Aisbitt for many years a Hartlepool councillor.
More detail »A picture of a group of children, mainly girls, with some older women. Believed to be a school photo. The building in the background looks like Ron Perrys old building in Victoria Road which was Coverdale School of Commerce.
HHT&N 520
More detail »Violet (on the left), and Olive Forstad standing on the steps of their home at 14 Mayfair Street around 1930. They are both dressed alike in over-size navy blue frocks (for them to "grow in to", which they never did!), rolled-up under their jumpers - hence the bulky midriffs! They both went to Jesmond Road School.
More detail »Undated but on the reverse it says ' school holidays almost over and boys are having a last game of archery in the Burn Valley'.
More detail »Back row from left: Mr Tom Noble, D Hamilton, J Hussey, Metcalfe, F Lithgo, N Crannage, R Elwine, Mr J Waller
Front: J Hanson, Noddings, K Garnett( captain) L Easton, P Featherstone
Sitting: L Dodds, K Morgan
More detail »Names unknown although the man in glasses is MrWaller and left of him Mr Tom Noble.
More detail »Molly Sprintall (nee Hanby), Doris Hall (nee Matthews), Leo Bond, Mary Sutheran (nee Connor), and Enid Mathwin (nee Matthews), sitting on the front step of Mrs. O'Neill's house in Alma Street. With its polished brass name plate on the door and wide front step, Mrs. O'Neill's was the "poshest" house in the street.
More detail »Three youngsters, Pamela (?) Stewart, Brian and Margaret Ward, sitting in the back garden at 10 Shakespeare Avenue.
More detail »Margaret, Muriel and Brian Ward, with their neighbour, possibly Tommy Hall, sitting patiently while they have their photograph taken in the garden of their home in Kipling Road.
More detail »Youngsters Pamela (?) Stewart, Brian and Margaret Ward pose for the camera in the back garden of 10 Shakespeare Avenue.
More detail »A snowy scene in Burn Valley, 1956.
More detail »The Burn Valley has always been popular in winter and here two boys, in short trousers, are enjoying the snow. The area to the left is where there is now a slide and the beck is to the right. This was taken in the early 1950s.
More detail »A soup kitchen set up to help people left homeless or unable to get back in to their homes because of the fire.
More detail »Elizabeth Aisbitt in Southbrooke Ave . This looks down the street most of which had been built in 1948
More detail »Elizabeth and Matthew Aisbitt in Southbrooke Ave
More detail »Youngsters help prepare the food at Carlton Camp in 1951. The camp had just re-opened after World War 2 and everyone was expected to pitch in!
This was Rogation Sunday and names on the reverse are : R Waller,Ray Wilson, Kenneth Bruce,Cyril Mottram, Tony Harris and ? Wilkinson.
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John Irvine, Tommy Amerigo, Sylvia Amerigo, and Ann Stephenson, playing out in Streatham Street, date unknown.
More detail »Tommy Amerigo, May and Eva Stephenson in Streatham Street.
More detail »Brian and Margaret Ward in the Burn Valley Gardens.
More detail »Mary Scurr and some young girls from a Sunday School class in September 1931.
More detail »A large group of boys swimming in the sea alongside the New Pier, date unknown.
More detail »Brothers Andrew and Mick McCluskey at Seaton Carew in the 1950s.
More detail »A young boy sitting at the wheel of a Shew Motor car reg no BR 211. The SHEW rediscovered after years in storage at Wynyard Hall and before ‘restoration’. Note the solid tyres, flatbed back and striped colour scheme on the seat sides. Now in possession of Beamish museum.
HHT&N 670
More detail »The four Mudd lads behind the Park on the way to Elwick in 1945. From left to right: Eric, John, George and Brian.
More detail »Muriel and Brian Ward sitting on the grass near the beach at Seaton Carew, each with a toy ocean liner, in the summer of 1955.
More detail »The Connor children outside their home in Havelock Street in the 1920s. From left to right: Nancy, John, Winnie, Leo and Peter.
More detail »Allison, David and Maurice Weegram on the Dunbar Road back field in the early 1960s.
More detail »Taken at Seaton about 1929- 1930 are the three Willoughby sisters, back L to R Sarah and Margaret and at the front Irene.
More detail »The Depression caused great hardship across the country. In 1930, Eveline Robinson camped with her children at Hart (Crimdon Dene), for most of the summer. Here she is holding baby John behind a group of children including her own three, Hannah, Billy and Jim.
More detail »Alan Archbold's youngest sister Carol, travelling in style!
More detail »Albert and Joseph (at the back) Tombling in a rather fine pedal car, complete with number plate and tax disc holder. The Tombling's General Dealer shop can be seen in the background with the large Whitbread's advertising boards.
More detail »The Artillery Barracks were in Alliance Stree and on the corner of Baltic Street on the Headland, were built in 1861 and demolished around 1963. They were very close to Sea View Terrace and these two children appear to have beach balls
More detail »John Churchill (left), and Norman Herring standing in a front garden in South Street, 'Old Town', in 1949/50.
More detail »Unknown school class photo 3. The same venue as unknown school class photo 2.
HHT&N 576
More detail »Unknown school class photo 4. A lot of the children appear to be wearing medals. Unusual that there is no teacher present.
HHT&N 577
More detail »A view from Middleton towards the Headland, site of the current lifeboat station. Lots of children playing and a steamship heading out to sea.
More detail »The Herbert family children outside their home at No.9 Portland Street, Longhill, West Hartlepool, taken sometime in the late 1890s or eraly 1900s. At the back is the eldest child Bella, holding baby Elizabeth and the tall boy next to her is Tommy, who was killed during the Frirst World War.
The names of the other children are Dot, Cilla, Danny (who later ran a newspaper kiosk in Church Street), Marshall and Derick.
The original 'camp' at Pinchinthorpe in 1929. Mr Wilson Clarke is the teacher.
More detail »Taken on the other side of road to the other photo in Ward St back street. From left is Richard Banyer, Gillian Banyer, Brian Coverdale and June Coverdale in 1952. The War Memorial and beyond that Perry's building can clearly be seen. To the right of the children is the back of Binns Department Store.
More detail »Trevor Banyer in Ward Street back street looking towards Stockton St. To the right are Binns 'bicycle sheds' although they were always full of cardboard boxes and a good place for hide and seek . The only danger was Binns staff finding out!
More detail »West Row Greatham. Photo has 'uncle Jack' written on the back.
More detail »Children peer longingly into a shop window at Seaton Carew. The shop was probably on Front Street. Perhaps the dog is wishing they would play.
More detail »Nanette Prest on left with Santa possibly at GEC
More detail »A young Andrew McCluskey (on the right), with sister Pat holding younger brother Mick. This photograph was taken in Nelson Street in 1950.
More detail »A group of young lads at Seaton Crew with the Swimming Baths in the background; Derrick Apedaile, Fred Bond, Harry Henderson, John Harrison, one unknown.
More detail »Youngsters playing on the beach in front of the Staincliffe Hotel at Seaton Carew, date unknown.
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