A selection of photographs and documents kindly shared with this project by Mrs. Katrina Harper.
Lily Tombling (Katrina Harper's Grandma), in front of some heavy-duty tents on the beach at Seaton Carew in 1912.
More detail »Times were tough in the town during the 1930s, as Charles Harper's testimonial from William Gray & Co. clearly illustrates.
More detail »Joseph Tombling and a friend setting out for a cycling tour of Norway in 1938. They are on board the small Norwegian steamer Gol, bound for Bergen, which is just passing the swing bridge as it enters the North Basin.
More detail »Taken from the beach collecting sea water.
More detail »Lily (Livinia) Tombling stands in the doorway of the General Dealer's shop she ran with her husband Joseph from 1923 to 1954 in Burbank Street. Lily was renowned for baking pies. The windows of their shop were blown out by a bomb blast during WWII.
The shop is now a take away, and the left side of the shop is now at the end of a long terrace stretching up to Clark Street. To the right of the shop,a house has possibly been built since this image was taken.
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.
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