For those that can remember the old High Street which to most of us was Stockton, I worked at Doggarts shop which was a fine building in 1944-1948. It was of fine white stone and good proportions and a small archade entrance to the main shop. The menswear department had a seperate single door on the right leading straight into the menswear department which had its own display window, I know because I dressed it and cleaned the glass many times and all the brass counters shone with great pride. The Manager was Mr Liddle in those days, it really was like ‘are you being served’ with a first sales, second sale etc down to the counter skipper’s, of which I was one. More like a dogs body at the time, as you had to do as you were told. Failure to to this meant the sack. However I learned quite a lot about meeting people and how a proper salesperson should behave. This is a thing of the past, most sales persons today do not know what they are selling and ‘if is not on the rail we do not have it’. Mathius and Cyril Robinson would blow their top today – I worked for them as well.
As far as I can see and tell, this way through from the riverside leading through to the present High Street is about where Doggarts shop stood, in fact my wife and I went into a little cafe half way through the new develpment and I would say we were about in the old Doggarts boiler house, or very close to it. It was a funny experience thinking of times past. The pub next door would pinch the coal waiting to be shovelled into the boiler house. Just another little job for the boys! In fact I had a boiler suit to change into from my shop clothes which cost 24 clothing coupons for a new suit. 1 coupon for a tie. A lot of people today do not know what real work is.
Ah Reltons, run by Mr and Mrs Tapping, friends of the family. Kathleen and Roz Tapping, their daughters, friends of my sis Marion (Smith) – spent many happy hours in their company. They lived in the flat above the shop, now occupied by the dentist. I recall Stotts the butchers too, best mince pies and cornish pasties around! Love the pics, wish they could put the centre back like that.
Peter I am amazed at what people like you can remember, now remember the shops mentioned but not HM Customs next to the then called Labour Exchange. As mentioned before, I worked on that shopping block for Tarmac Building as a bricklayer in 1960/1, it was the first company I worked for after completing my apprenticeship. Proper apprenticeships in those days took 5 years to complete, it is quite good coming back to visit and still seeing monuments to my skill around Billingham.
The shop showing the ‘LTON’ was called RELTON Wine shop, it was there from the town center being rebuilt. If my memory is right P.J Stotts Butchers was next door to it then Carters Chemist, Arm & Navy Stores then Burtons on the end. Opposite Reltons was the Labour Exchange, then HM Customs and The Post office and Barclays Bank. Seeing the Gazette the other night saying that Mr Rea passed away, I was wondering how many people can Remember when Chris Rea ran his dads cafe opposite Billingham Police station? He was normaly in there on a sunday afternoon, I went in the odd time but never liked it mutch as back in 1967 it was full of hippys and the flower power mob. I normally went into Finleys cafe, just accross from Burtons.
Note the traffic still going through the Town centre would date this about 1962/3, what was the shop showing established 1864 with last four letters showing LTON.
Picture Stockton Archive 
For those that can remember the old High Street which to most of us was Stockton, I worked at Doggarts shop which was a fine building in 1944-1948. It was of fine white stone and good proportions and a small archade entrance to the main shop. The menswear department had a seperate single door on the right leading straight into the menswear department which had its own display window, I know because I dressed it and cleaned the glass many times and all the brass counters shone with great pride. The Manager was Mr Liddle in those days, it really was like ‘are you being served’ with a first sales, second sale etc down to the counter skipper’s, of which I was one. More like a dogs body at the time, as you had to do as you were told. Failure to to this meant the sack. However I learned quite a lot about meeting people and how a proper salesperson should behave. This is a thing of the past, most sales persons today do not know what they are selling and ‘if is not on the rail we do not have it’. Mathius and Cyril Robinson would blow their top today – I worked for them as well.
As far as I can see and tell, this way through from the riverside leading through to the present High Street is about where Doggarts shop stood, in fact my wife and I went into a little cafe half way through the new develpment and I would say we were about in the old Doggarts boiler house, or very close to it. It was a funny experience thinking of times past. The pub next door would pinch the coal waiting to be shovelled into the boiler house. Just another little job for the boys! In fact I had a boiler suit to change into from my shop clothes which cost 24 clothing coupons for a new suit. 1 coupon for a tie. A lot of people today do not know what real work is.
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Ah Reltons, run by Mr and Mrs Tapping, friends of the family. Kathleen and Roz Tapping, their daughters, friends of my sis Marion (Smith) – spent many happy hours in their company. They lived in the flat above the shop, now occupied by the dentist. I recall Stotts the butchers too, best mince pies and cornish pasties around! Love the pics, wish they could put the centre back like that.
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Peter I am amazed at what people like you can remember, now remember the shops mentioned but not HM Customs next to the then called Labour Exchange. As mentioned before, I worked on that shopping block for Tarmac Building as a bricklayer in 1960/1, it was the first company I worked for after completing my apprenticeship. Proper apprenticeships in those days took 5 years to complete, it is quite good coming back to visit and still seeing monuments to my skill around Billingham.
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The shop showing the ‘LTON’ was called RELTON Wine shop, it was there from the town center being rebuilt. If my memory is right P.J Stotts Butchers was next door to it then Carters Chemist, Arm & Navy Stores then Burtons on the end. Opposite Reltons was the Labour Exchange, then HM Customs and The Post office and Barclays Bank. Seeing the Gazette the other night saying that Mr Rea passed away, I was wondering how many people can Remember when Chris Rea ran his dads cafe opposite Billingham Police station? He was normaly in there on a sunday afternoon, I went in the odd time but never liked it mutch as back in 1967 it was full of hippys and the flower power mob. I normally went into Finleys cafe, just accross from Burtons.
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I remember my mam gran and auntie worked at reas café
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I used have coffee and lots of laughs with Richard Griffiths in Rea’s cafe. We were at Billingham Tech together between 1964 and 1966.
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Note the traffic still going through the Town centre would date this about 1962/3, what was the shop showing established 1864 with last four letters showing LTON.
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