Durham Place , Middlesbrough

[Whipby]

Hi Roobarb - I don't personally have access to lots of photos, but have just tried image googling Newport Road Middlesbrough and a few old photos do come up.  There's an interesting one that has St Paul's in the distance - this might be the closest you will get to your ancestor's premises but I don't think it shows the part of the road that you're interested in, but the buildings might be very similar to your ancestor's shop.

On page 49 of Araf Chohan's book, there is an aerial view of the Cannon Street area which includes Newport Road running diagonally across the top right hand side of the photo.  I think this may show the portion of the road that you're interested in, although it's very tiny!  But it might at least give you an idea of the type of buildings - looks like terraced houses which have been turned into shops. 

Another ordnance survey map I have of the area in 1892 also shows that between the North Riding Infirmary and St Paul's church, on that side, there look to be five blocks of what seem to be fairly substantial terraced houses (may have been three-storey) that each had a long thin garden behind, sometimes including outbuildings, and possibly, originally, a very small courtyard garden in front.  If most of these houses were turned into shops at some point, then the courtyard gardens would probably have been paved over and the walls removed, making the pavement wider so that shoppers could walk straight from the street into the shop.  (I'm guessing.)

Hope this helps.   By the way, what was the name of your ancestor?



Jane - glad you have enjoyed the thread.  I know where the current Grangetown fire station is - is it on the same site?



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

[Roobarb]

Whipby, many thanks for looking for photos and for the information. I called into the reference library today but didn't have time to have a good look for Araf Chohen's book but will have a look when I get chance again. I remember someone on Rootschat posting an aerial view of Middlesbrough some time ago, I wonder if it's the same one? I thought I'd saved it but can't find it now.

My ancestor's name was Thomas Lickess, he was a house furnisher and a number of family members worked in the business.

The old Grangetown fire station was in Church Lane, it's now a tyre and exhaust company and where it said 'fire station' above the door they've very cleverly changed it to 'tyre station', looks like it always said that!

Thanks again for the information. 

[Whipby]

Hi Roobarb, thanks for the photo of the "tyre station"!  I don't recognise the building so am not sure whereabouts it is.  My mam comes from Grangetown originally but really the only part of Grangetown I'm familiar with is Lanchester Road, where my auntie and uncle lived until their deaths some years ago - and I haven't visited the area since.  I do still have an uncle who lives on the outskirts, and I think a couple of cousins live there, but I don't know where.  I sometimes travel along the Trunk Road and pass the current fire station, and pass through Grangetown but it's years since I actually visited.

If you get chance to go to the Central Library in Middlesbrough, go upstairs to the Reference Library (is that where you went before?) and ask to see their collection of photos.  I did this a few years ago and they have boxes of them (or they did have!).  I don't know if they've been sorted out in the meantime, but when I was there I had to root around in the boxes myself, they weren't categorised.  So it might be a long shot, but you never know, you might find something.  And if they have actually sorted them out by now then it might be a bit easier.

Good luck and do let me know what you find!

PS - I don't know where you live but I think Acklam Library also has a copy of Araf Chohan's book.

[Roobarb]

Whipby, the fire (tyre!) station isn't far from Lanchester Road, if you look for Lanchester Road on Google maps you'll see Eston Road to the North West, the station is just around the sharp bend (I mistakenly said it was in Church Lane which adjoins it).

I've actually tried the photos in Middlesbrough reference library, it was a very cold wet day last winter and although I didn't find what I was looking for I enjoyed the search and being in the lovely old building. I also took the opportunity to check out a number of their books while I was there. The Redcar reference library is nearest for me, I have yet to work my way through all their books!
Until recently a number of the reference books were stored away but they're now out on the shelves for people like me. 

Thank you for your help. 

[Whipby]

Thanks Roobarb - going back to the original request regarding Durham Place, I've come across the self same photo that's in Araf Chohan's book, on this site, hope this link works and that Smoggie45 sees this message!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/middlesbroughcouncil/5201874184/in/photostream/

There are loads of old photos of M'bro on there - maybe you might find something of interest too Roobarb!

[Roobarb]

Interesting? I can't tear myself away! What a fantastic collection of photos and a great insight into how people actaully lived. Thanks Whipby, you are a love!   

[Roobarb]

I found a photo of Argyle Street, Middlesbrough, taken about 1900. My 3 x gt grandmother lived at a number of addresses in Argyle Street between 1881 and 1904, she could be one of the women pictured standing on their doorsteps, but I'll never know! There was also a photo of the street where my Dad was born. The street is still there but it's good to see how it used to look.

Thanks again whipby. 

[diggerman2]

she did well with that Durham Place ,  I have the same problem on mams side as you have with John Smith . My mams great grandad was David Morgan born in monmouthshire south wales , there is thousands  . I am going to Stockton cemetary tuesday as have found his grave so maybe get some definite date of birth 

Hi smoggie45.
Did you find what were looking for at Oxbridge Lane Cemetery?

[Whipby]

Hi again Roobarb, Merry Christmas!  Have an hour to spare before the family arrives, so have hopped onto the computer!

Argyle Street in M'bro - whereabouts was/is it?  When I saw that photo, I assumed it was Argyle Street in, I think, Grangetown.  I remember my mam talking about an Argyle Street there.  Unless I'm remembering wrongly, or perhaps there's an Argyle Street in both places?   It's brilliant that you've found it, and wouldn't it be fantastic if you could find out if one of the ladies was your ancestor!  Which street was your dad born in?

I was hoping to find a photo of Robert Street, M'bro, as a set of my 3xg grandparents lived there during the 1870s, but no luck unfortunately, unless it's one of the unidentified ones.  But the rest of the photos are great - a  lot of them were obviously taken during the time things were being demolished, but it does let us see what the area was like when it was built up.  I travel along many of these streets on my way to work (Stockton/Commercial/Durham/Cleveland Streets etc) and it fascinates me to see them with buildings, as most of them are fairly sparsely built up at the moment.  It's good to build up a picture.

I was amazed to see the photos of the furnished rooms in East Street from the 1950s.  It's shocking to see that some people were living like that only 50 odd years ago.  Maybe we're too nostalgic, wanting these buildings to have been left when we have had no personal experience of living in such conditions - speaking for myself anyway.  I dare say that sometimes the people in them would be glad to be rehoused into something more modern and comfortable (if that's what happened, of course).

Hope you're having a good Christmas Day, best wishes.