GRANGETOWN IN TIMES PAST
Football Teams
St Marys School
Mick Traynor - Boer War Recruit + Others
Streets and Buildings
Grangetown People
World War One 1914 -18
Parish, Priests and Processions
Street Stories + Characters
1925 Ladies Parish Outing + More
The Twenties
A Tale from the Duckie + other stories
The Thirties
School Teams
Junior Teams
World War Two 1939 - 45
Messages from Home & Abroad
Shops and Shopkeepers
Editor's Diary
The World of Work
V.I.P.'S
The Forties
CoachTrips
Upstairs and Downstairs...
The Board School
Pochin Road Infants School
Leisure & Sports
Grangetown Boys' Club
Memorabilia
The Mission
Sir Wm Worsley School
The Fifties
Maps, Plans & Aerial Photos
St Peter's Senior School
Local Books
Salvation Army
Low Lackenby
Eston Grange
Victorian Memories
The Sixties
Eston Junction
Weddings
St Matthew's Parish
Eston Grammar School
Contact Information for Grangetown in Times Past
Links for Grangetown in Times Past
Message Board
Guestbook
Event Calendar
Mail Form
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August 4th 2002
 Tessie Pearsall would be surprised to learn that her chance remark last month about “SlaggyIsland’s” website was the trigger that inspired the creation of “Cardboard City”. This casual observation by Tess (a woman of a certain age with a foot in both camps) to Jim White, (another ex-colleague of mine) and his subsequent email to me, led me to the computer screen where I became totally transfixed by Dick Fawcett’s website; jam-packed full of old images and information - exemplifying an idea that had been growing in me for years ever since the two published booklets by Vera Robinson and Sid France.
I couldn’t wait. I emailed Dick.T he letter is on his site. But before Dick could reply, I leapt into the Communigate Website followed the instructions on the screen and began to create the site.
It was simple. The template provided was easy to follow and within a short space of time the site was up and running. I was lucky. The pictures I had already acquired as I was creating a slideshow on Grangetown St Mary’s were already available and the acquisition of a digital camera over a year ago meant that I had some knowledge of resampling of scanned images. Texts had been acquired in St Mary’s and Jim White’s insatiable appetite for research meant that I have had no problem filling in the vacant spaces when any occur.
So the majority of the work has been done except for an acknowledged gap in the area of non-catholic schooling and the other religious and certain secular groups in early Grangetown...precisely the areas that Vera Robinson and Sid France perhaps covered in their admirable booklets of the eighties.
This then seems the ideal time to ask for contributions from these particular sources in order to give a proper balance to the website as a whole. Please let us know if you have any old photos which you feel will enhance the site..especially the old family snaps which characterise the period; pictures of footballers from the twenties and thirties; snaps of groups in Grangetown, trips, outing or similar events; shops ...we hope to receive a copy of Dalton’s General Dealers near Bessemer St soon from Mrs Meadows of Yarm who has also been active in attempting to find a picture of Jeff Power of Vaughan St who played for Sunderland in the thirties...Hugh McMahon’s details are posted on a Reading FC fan site but a photo of him in professional kit would be ideal. More pics of WW1 Recruits would be great and any details attached..especially the address..with more old school pics from anyone who can.
The reason I’m concentrating on old Grangetown is because the website template is designed so that each new page or section always follows after the previous page..and late additions to the site have to be carefully placed in order to avoid the site looking like a complete “pick and mix” which it can so easily do without a planned layout.
Only Dick Fawcett of SlaggyIsland fame would perhaps understand what I’m trying to say.
Lastly I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to date with photos and information and hope to eventually acknowledge them all in a special page as soon as I can.
John O’Neill |
Aug 10th 2002
 The attainment of over 1400 hits since the creation of the website Grangetown in Times Past only 5 weeks ago is a complete vindication of its existence and extremely satisfying - knowing that others are sharing in a unique project which is completely limitless - according to Communigate - promoters of this particular website ..and so much better than a local history book which often remains dead after one has read it and which always appears to require some sort of adjustment or engenders some kind of dissatisfaction at its final production because of its very nature as a complete piece of work..
But this strange collaborative project which travels across the world through cyberspace to people who once had family in Grangetown, is there for anyone with new or original information, to become a part of , by sharing this unique information with the rest of us.
All that is required is access to a computer network- some kind of computer literacy and perhaps a modicum of ability to scan photos and send them over the internet. E-mails do the rest. If you don’t have these skills of course..your grandchildren will. So there is no excuse and even the use of normal post is not prohibited. I can only marvel at the encouraging response already from former inhabitants as they send information by email and photos by attachment which are so easy to pop in and share. Long live memories !
JON
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Acknowledgements to date
Acknowledgements To :-
Dick Fawcett - inspirational slaggy island site
Alison Nichols + Rupert of Communigate - info
Edward Wilcock of Leeds - photos, postcards, cards and letters
Frank Wafer - use of St Mary’s Archives
Jim White - photos, research + info
Ellen Thomas USA- photos + info
Kathleen Percival nee Cave photos + infomation
Brian Mackin - photos + info
Tony Golden- photos and info
Jimmy Rooney - photos and info
Anne Gray nee Swan - photos and info
Margaret Swan- photos and info
Elaine Meadows - photo + info
Colin Mallaby Sunderland fan - Jeff Power story + pic
Eugene McElvaney AUS- photos and info
Bede Angela and Ursula Hickey CAN - photos and info
Michael McLoughlin AUS - info
Eileen Rooney - Stories
Gerald O’Neill - Stories
Frank Barry - photos and info
Frank O’Neill - stories
Vincent Fox - photos + info
Mary Fox nee Jeffers - photos + info
John Buckton - info
Sheila Barker - prolific provider of photos + information
Craig Evans - Corus plc Teesside
Stephen Dolphin - Corus plc Teesside
Dennis King - photos and info
Vera Robinson MBE - photos and info
Maureen Purvis - photos
Graham Sivills - photos and info
Keith Watson - photos and info
George Ayton - photos and info
Kevin Murphy USA - photos and info
Peter Coleman - photos and info
Carole Harding CAN - photos and info
Vincent Jones CAN - photos and info
Jim Keenan - photos and info
Jean Turner - photos and info
Field family - photos and info |
September 2002
 | Newly-created sections since the last entry are :-
The World of Work; VIPS; The Forties; Coach Trips; Upstairs and Downstairs; The Board School; Pochin Road School; Leisure Pursuits; Grangetown Boys Club; Memorabilia; The Mission; Sir Wm Worsley School; The Fifties; Maps and Plans - a total of 14 extra sections/pages..added to the earlier 17 sections already in the site and additional pictures to the earlier sections/chapters.
These have been aided by the photographs supplied by Corus Steel plc and the wonderful definitive contributions from Dennis King - a photographic archivist with enormous energy and an insatiable curiosity about the world - a talented self-taught musician, who fishes at South Gare and indulges in time-lapse photography who also has an equally inquiring and talented writer-wife Olga - who started writing stories at the age of 58 and succeeded in getting them published - a wonderful couple who live at the top of Eston.
Above are Olga and Dennis - looking slightly embarrassed at all the fuss.
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Vera Robinson MBE
 | Not only did Dennis King supply me such a wealth of material in photographic form but because he was a personal friend of Vera Robinson MBE and shared the same fascination with amateur photography, he was able to pave the way for a meeting with Vera ( author of Grangetown Remembered - which is still selling well ) which was as totally rewarding as the meeting with Dennis.
She allowed me to be the custodian of materials which she had gathered during her research and we both agreed that the Coronation Serviette of 1911 should be preserved and displayed for the future as a reminder of Grangetown's past. Arrangements have been made for its restoration and framing to be made by the Kirkleatham Museum which currently has a small display on both Grangetown and South Bank.
She is another remarkable woman who still has a full social and political life despite her advancing years and disability - as a member of Redcar Photographic Society and a Committee Member of various local organisations and lifelong supporter and worker for the Redcar Lifeboat Organisation.
Below is a record of one of her latest honours as Freeman of the Borough which is hardly ever seen since it normally rests inside an inscribed silver cylinder. We thought you might like to see it. |
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November 2002
In early October we reached the milestone of 5000 hits which suggests that the site is fulfilling a need for many old Grangetowners and indeed many of their offspring.
We have had enquiries from all over the world and even Radio Cleveland invited us to promote the site on October 29th in the Grangetown Opportunities Centre where Dennis King was also present along with the Centre Manager Bill Spowatt and Councillors.
A visit from Andrew Walsh of Canada with his brother Tony produced a large number of family photographs from Tony's own personal collection-for which we are extremely grateful.
All comments have been highly favourable and much mutual information has been shared. We hope for more contact in the future and and an ever increasing supply of photographs and information.
It's amazing to think that in this short time we have captured the imagination and interest of many articulate and educated contributors -all ex members of this small but lively and intelligent community. Long may it continue.
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March 2006
 | Many international and national events have taken place over the last two years which have affected and changed all our lives - but to local people who share the site with friends, the loss of a loved one is always the ultimate change-making situation for families and friends. Life is never the same again. A few days ago the news that Bill Herlingshaw died at the age of 60, quickly sped across the internet.
His family produced a small commemorative piece which they share with us:
William (Bill) Herlingshaw
11 October 1945 – 12 March 2006
Aged 60 years
Bill was born on 11 October 1945 in Thornaby, Teeside. Eldest son of Doris (Cooper) and William (Bill) Herlingshaw.
Bill was brought up in the ‘backwaters’ of Grangetown back dropped against the Steel Industry at the end of the war, he was part of the extended Herlingshaw/Cooper family. As a child and up to this day he was fascinated by all aspects of the war especially as his father was in the Navy during the war. He has a huge collection of books, videos; DVD’s and loved touring the War Museums up and down the country. There are many photographs of his family with tanks and aircrafts.
Bill then moved to Normanby with his parents where the family home was at Cricket Lane.
Bill attended the Bolckow Road Infant School and then went on to the Sir William Worsley School.
Bill was a Bouncer at the Top Deck at Redcar in 1968 and a sporting club; he was also a Life Guard with Redcar Beach Patrol and was a regular at Eston Baths. He was also a member of the Society of Amateur Weightlifters Ltd in 1964.
Bill’s first job was as a Metallurgical Chemist at Warrenby British Steel.
He married Val Foulds, in 1969 and then went to live at New Marske. They had two children, Debbie born in 1969 and Anthony born in 1971.
In 1974 Bill with his wife and children emigrated to a warmer climate in Newcastle, Natal in South Africa where Bill worked as a Metallurgical Chemist at Iscor in Newcastle.
In South Africa Bill worked hard and enjoyed the lifestyle and weather, travelling the country in his ‘Combi’ up towards the Drakensberg for walking holidays (Val, Debbie & Anthony stayed in the Chalet!) and touring the Kruger National Park (trying to drive at 60mph in reverse to avoid the Rhino in front of him), over to Swaziland and then down to Durban for beach holidays, taking with him his parents and in-laws when they visited.
Whilst in South Africa Bill became a member of the South African Life Saving Society and Chief Examiner and Instructor of the Northern Natal & Kwa Zulu Life Saving Club. Bill was promoting life saving instruction to a multi racial club in times of apartheid when whites and coloureds were not encouraged to mix by the authorities. Bill became the driving force behind a series of multi racial life saving clubs and was highly respected by the Kwa Zulu Club for his efforts in raising awareness of the number of drownings due to coloureds having to swim in murky rivers and not being allowed to use local safe swimming pools. When Bill arrived in South Africa, the Northern Natal region had no organised life saving society despite the treacherous and shark infested coastline. Bill was a main force in setting up the local life saving clubs they grew in the region to 15 in 3 years. Bill was awarded a Meritous Service Award by the Life Saving Society which is only normally awarded for long periods of service of 25 years not just 3. Bill was also voted Outstanding Coach by the Life Saving Society of 1977.
Bill and the family returned from South Africa in 1977 and lived for a while in Eston.
Bill brought his family to Penrith in 1979 and began working at Penrith Baths as Assistant Manager where he continued with his Life Saving Instruction.
In around 1987 Bill changed jobs and worked for a local Window Production Company before becoming proprietor of his own successful business, Direct Windows, which he ran until his illness.
Bill married Lesley in 1990 and they have 2 children, Brett and Ellis. They moved to their present home a bungalow in Hawthorn Drive around five years ago where Bill has his cherished garden. In the last few years Bill has enjoyed filling his garden with all the plants he enjoys. Whilst he wasn’t doing this he was getting to grips with his computer and spent many hours e-mailing and catching up with old friends and swapping photos of his childhood and family members. It gave him a new lease of life, he even went to evening classes on computer courses to get himself going, although he did spend quite a bit of time on the telephone to Debbie and Anthony for advice after he ‘clicked’ the wrong box often late evening! But he mastered it.
Bill loved the Lake District and would often go walking ‘on the fells’, sometimes dragging Debbie and Anthony along with him for company. The only problem was once at the top he would fill his rucksack with quartz rocks for the garden. While he wasn’t walking the fells he was either canoeing with Anthony on the lakes or taking the family out in his small motor boat enjoying the peaceful countryside. He loved visiting Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere where he had spent time in his younger days a world away from the smoky Steel Works of Teeside. Bill also seemed to like his cars, he always seemed to be changing his car for a newer model, we have lost count how many he has had.
Bill was settled in Penrith and lived at Hawthorn Drive in Penrith with his wife Lesley and two children in the latter years of his life. He worked hard but enjoyed living in the area where he has many friends, whilst Debbie and her husband Simon along with their children Daniel and Aaran still live in Penrith, Anthony now lives in Leeds with his wife Maria and their two children, Areti and Aris.. Although the majority of his family and friends live in other areas of the country he enjoyed keeping in touch via e-mail and web sites.
Bill’s illness, Leukaemia was a shock to him and his family as besides Diabetes he was always a fit young man, his illness seemed to come on suddenly, but following treatment in Newcastle RVI he seemed to be successfully fighting his illness and had a wonderful summer, catching up on his gardening, with friends and taking the family on holidays to recuperate, he really made the most of this time he was well again. Unfortunately this wasn’t to last and his illness returned. He has spent much of the last 3 months in and out of the Cumberland Infirmary at Carlisle quite un-well, where I am sure when he was feeling well he ran the nurses ragged. Although the family knew Bill was seriously ill, again they were given hope that he may pull through, and did not expect him to deteriorate so quickly.
Bill has brought a lot of joy to his family will be sadly missed by all who loved him, but never forgotten and like his garden his memory will continue.
Bill and his family would like to thank all family and friends who have rallied round throughout his life and illness, Birbeck Medical Practice, Newcastle RVI, Cumberland Infirmary Staff, Dr O’Brian his Consultant and the District and Macmillan Nurses who assisted him and his family in his last days.
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