HARTLEPOOL HISTORY

My sincere thanks to Owen Corrigan for allowing me to use several photographs, from his valuable collection, to be included on this page - a look back at the history of Hartlepool, and West Hartlepool, as it was. Be sure to visit our books page and look at "Hartlepool - The Postcard Collection" which includes many of Owen's postcards.

Certain internet sites are using images from this page PLEASE STOP it is theft!

Greetings from West Hartlepool. Like many cards and images on this page we are not sure of the date but you can see clearly, in the top right hand corner, the crest and motto of the town - E Mare Ex Industria - from the Sea Comes Industry.

A postcard showing various views of old Hartlepool and West Hartlepool - including St. Hilda's Church, the Town Hall, the Wesley Chapel, Heugh Lighthouse and Ward Jackson Park.

Another postcard with views of Hartlepool and West Hartlepool including Ward Jackson Park, The Harbour and War Memorial in Victoria Road.

There were certainly some nice postcards around in those early days. The fountain in Ward Jackson Park, the Wesley Chapel and Lynn Street are featured on this one.

They certainly did make some nice postcards of the town all those years ago. This one shows scenes of Grange Road, Christ Church and various shots from inside the parks and gardens.

A very decorative postcard showing Church Street, in West Hartlepool, with the old Christ Church in the background.

Another wonderful postcard from the Owen Corrigan collection. Titled simply The Hartlepools and showing various locations from around the towns including St. Hilda's Church, the Bandstand on the promenade in old Hartlepool, the Heugh Lighthouse and others.

Another old card with various scenes of the town with Christ Church, The Docks, The Sands, The Ferry, The Park, Lynn Street, The Lighthouse and Church Street.

A postcard showing Christ Church, as viewed from Church Street, with the crest of West Hartlepool.

An interesting old postcard showing various scenes of Hartlepool, West Hartlepool and Seaton Carew from the British Amateur Radio Station in West Hartlepool, County Durham.

This is a lovely postcard by Hills, of Sunderland, showing the Wesley Chapel in West Hartlepool. On the back of the card there's a message from a lady called Olive and addressed to a Mrs. Robinson in South Shields. The stamp is a halfpenny and it was posted in Whitley Bay.

A postcard showing a painting of the Burn Valley Gardens and lake in West Hartlepool.

Burn Valley Gardens with a couple of gentlemen, in the centre, relaxing on a park bench and, on the right, The gates and clock at the entrance to Ward Jackson Park. You can see modern images of the clock tower, and a little of its history, on the Hartlepool page.

People out and about in Ward Jackson Park enjoying a stroll. The statue on the far right is a tribute to the men who fought in the South African War between 1899 and 1902. You can read more details about the memorial in the right hand column and there's a closer view of the South African Memorial in Ward Jackson Park on the right.

A colourful scene in Ward Jackson Park - a toy boat on the lake and people of all ages enjoying a day out.

Ward Jackson Park

Another rare postcard showing Ward Jackson Park and the Bandstand.

A very early photograph showing York Road in West Hartlepool with a really old car in the centre of the road.

A Certified Optician A. Wood. The sign in the shop window says that Mr Wood is a spectacle specialist and that he has sight test rooms on the premises at number 27 Church Street. Thanks to Ian Muller for informing us of the shop's location. He got his first spectacles there in 1962! On the right there are some bargains to be had here - the Hartlepool Gas and Water Company's Showroom offers a further reduction and cheaper gas.

Birks' Station Hotel in Church Street, West Hartlepool - immediately outside the station.

This photograph, showing outside of Hartlepool Station, came from former resident of the town John Rees and used with thanks. It shows the approach towards Church Steet with the Dovecot Sale Rooms where Blacketts & Robinsons used to be. The building on the corner, to the left, was Birks' Cafe in days gone by.

A photograph taken at the top of Church Square showing Christ Church with the old bus station off to the left and the United bus office. Photograph © John Rees

Christ Church and the statue of Ralph Ward Jackson in Church Square/Church Street in the town. The church is now the home of the local art gallery and tourist information centre.

Upper Church Square and the local library. Note the tramcar in the centre of the photograph. That was the site of the bus station in the 1950s - directly opposite the old Northern Daily Mail newspaper offices.

An interesting view of a busy Church Street which was the centre of the town back then. Note The Shades Hotel to the left, two trams heading to the Park and Seaton respectively with the Yorkshire Penny Bank to the right.

Very little has been changed on this old postcard showing Church Street as it was. It is looking towards Christ Church with the clock at ten to ten.

Although this postcard says Church Street it is, in fact, looking towards Christ Church from Church Square with the Borough Buildings on the left hand side.

The Moorhouse store at the junction of Park Road and York Road taken at 3.50 in the afternoon!

Upper Church Street with Ralph Ward Jackson observing all he sees. The jewellery shop of D.A.Scott is long gone, too!

A really old postcard showing the Grand Hotel in Victoria Road. This building, built in 1899, is Grade II listed.

As the card says a view from Christ Church Tower looking west. Binns' Department Store (now Wilkinson's) is in the centre with traffic turning left and right from Church Square. Look closely and you can see a policeman on traffic duty near the vehicles on the right.

An up-to-date photograph of the above postcard taken from the top of Christ Church which is now the Art Gallery and Information Centre.

Church Street, Lynn Street and Whitby Street were the main shopping areas of West Hartlepool when I was growing up in the town. The photograph above left shows a bustling Lynn Street with the wonderful Empire Theatre on the left hand side. So many great stars appeared at this theatre over the years and, in the right hand column, you can see a programme from those days of variety. On the right is another postcard showing a busy scene in Lynn Street with The Empire Theatre on the left hand side. Such a shame that this part of town suffered as it did all those years ago.

Another view of a bustling Lynn Street with a local policeman keeping an eye on the photographer. Some of the shops in this view include F.W.Woolworth, Hardy & Co., True-Form, Sams and Woodhouse. The registration of the parked car is EF 8670.

This colourful postcard of Lynn Street in West Hartlepool shows Sages the stationers, F.W.Appleyard & Sons and Masons Haircutting Rooms.

I do like this postcard of Lynn Street which is nicely framed. I am sure many will recall some of the shops here such as Prinsky's, Stewart's and the Leeds Clothing Factory.

Showing part of Lynn Street before it was finally demolished. This is the old Marks & Spencer store in 1975 and from the collection of John Rees.

This photograph, also from the John Rees Collection, shows the start of the demolition of Lynn Street in 1975. It also shows the entrance to the former indoor market - you can also see on this, if you look close, the Singer shop, Find It Out, Lynn Coach Works and there’s a painted white sign on the boards next to Find It Out which says ‘removed the clock to York Road’ which was on the premises of H.Lamb the jeweller. You can click on the image to view it in a slightly larger size.

Lynn Street as it used to be before the demolition and thanks to Owen Corrigan for supplying this image from his valuable collection.

Every once in a while we receive a photograph that we need help in finding a correct location. A lady called Barbara Lennon sent this one showing the Bombay Tea Co. Ltd in West Hartlepool but where exactly was it? Barbara's grandfather was William Walker Rand and is on the extreme left of this picture. He was born 1878 in Cockfield, County Durham and, in the 1901 census, he was 23 and working as a grocer's assistant. At this time he lived in Tankerville Street in the town and Barbara believes this image dates to that year. However, thanks to Hartlepool Library Reference Services they inform us that, in the Wards Directory 1902-1903, the Bombay Tea Company was situated at 39 Lynn Street in West Hartlepool.

A colourful postcard showing Grange Road in West Hartlepool. Note the tramcar to the right hand side coming down the road towards St. Paul's Church which is on the left.

The postcard said this was Victoria Street in West Hartlepool. With the Wesley Chapel on the right hand side, this would be later named Victoria Road and long before Binns department store was built to the left.

A parade of musical soliders walking past Binns Store and marching up Victoria Road.

A photograph of St. Paul's Church which is on the corner of St. Paul's Road and Grange Road. The trolley bus wires are still in position.

The UMF Church (United Methodist Free Church) in York Road, West Hartlepool. It is interesting to see one of the Bruce Moore shops we had in our town, to the left of the church, selling pianos and organs.

Two views of the General Post Office in Whitby Street, West Hartlepool. The building is still standing and is Grade II listed. Note the telephone kiosks on the black and white photograph. There are not many of those around these days. And how nice it is to see cyclists using the roads - not like today!

This photograph, from the collection of Alan Grange and taken in December 1978, shows the demolition of the old Engineers' Club in Raby Road. The modern Engineers' Social Club, totally closed in August 2017 due to financial reasons, can be seen to the right. On the left hand side of this photograph you can just see the building which used to be the ABC/Forum cinema which is also in the process of being demolished. There's another photograph of this demolition work in the right hand column.

We don't have a date for this one but it shows an ambulance going into its station on Elwick Road. I beleive this property, in later years, was owned by the local builder Cecil M. Yuill.

This photograph was sent to us by David Kell and shows West Hartlepool Police in 1930. David's father and grandfather were both in the police and his grandfather, Inspector Joe Kell, is sixth in from the left on the second row. His grandparents, on his mother's side, were Stalley and lived at Low Throston Farm. I recall the old Police Station in Raby Road but not sure where this was taken?

This little girl enjoying a bag of sweets in Dyke Street, West Hartlepool, is Anne Stevens aged about 3 in 1956 and was kindly sent to us by her big brother Peter. The chapel of the Free Methodist Church is at the bottom of the street on the extreme left.

I wonder whether anyone out there can shed any light on this? It might have been a bus trip or an annual outing from West Hartlepool but I have no idea when, or where, it was taken. My own mother and father are on the photograph and, as my mother passed way in 1968, I would suggest it's from the early 1960's. By clicking on the image you can see it in a larger size.

The Lex Cinema in Whitby Street. Films on show at the time included "Titanic" and "The Silver Whip" both from 1953.

The ABC/Forum Cinema in Raby Road, West Hartlepool. This photograph, courtesy of Old Cinema Photographs by Dusashenka, was taken in 1937. The film on show at the time was "This'll Make You Whistle" starring Jack Buchanan which was released in 1938.

The photograph of the left shows the beautiful reception/foyer inside the old ABC/Forum Cinema in West Hartlepool. This photograph, too, dates from 1937. The wall poster, on the extreme right advertises the 1936 film "Juggernaut" which was a thriller starring Boris Karloff. The Forum was later called the Fair World before it was finally demolished. The image on the right is another rare photograph of the ABC/Forum Cinema in West Hartlepool. This is the upper level of what once was a lovely old cinema. The film poster on the right is advertising as 'coming soon' the 1936 movie "The Road To Glory" starring Fredric March. Thanks to Dusashenka's Old Cinema Photographs for the use of these image from his wonderful collection.

Hartlepool Odeon as it was - and still showing moving picture shows back then. Photograph courtesy of Mawgram.

Long before West Hartlepool came along, of course, we had the village of Stranton.

Part of the town known as Foggy Furze. Interesting to see horse-drawn carriages here as well as a tram.

Destination Foggy Furze for the trolley bus on the left with an old West Hartlepool registration - EF 2123.

Another form of early transport - this time a Piccadilly Ice Cream horse and cart. It shows Aunty Eva Amerigo, with the horse, along with Aunty Mary Hogan and her daughter Nellie Hogan. The photograph was kindly supplied to us by Eva Smith, Aunty Eva's daughter. It was taken in Streatham Street, West Hartlepool - date unknown.

This photograph was taken on VE Day on May 8th, 1945, in Reaburn Street, West Hartlepool. It was sent to us by Ian Muller who received it from former Hartlepool man Malcolm Smith in Canada. The only people in the picture we know is the one-year-old little boy, third from the right in the front row, which is Malcolm Smith. To the left and behind him, is his eldest sister, Ellen. Both lived in Reaburn Street at the time. Both Malcolm and Ellen now live in Canada. Malcolm in Saskatchewan and Ellen in Toronto. Malcolm went to Jesmond Road School from 1949 to 1955, Elwick Road School from 1955 to 1959 and was an Apprentice Electrician between 1960 and 1965 with Edgar Phillips. He left the UK for Canada in 1976.

Another fine old building was Cameron's Hospital. It is no longer standing and closed to the public in 1991.

Grantully Maternity Unit in Westbourne Road, West Hartlepool. The unit, I am informed by a former midwife, was run by local doctors and midwives for women with a history of uncomplicated pregnancy and the expectation of a normal delivery.

According to old books on West Hartlepool this building, in Mainsforth Terrace, used to be the original railway station. I certainly remember it as a parcels office and goods yard as it was right next door to the sheds.

Lovers of steam locomotives will enjoy this. It's the A3 4-6-2 4472 (60103) "Flying Scotsman" crossing the tunnels at the bottom of Church Street on September 10th, 1967. She was the last steam engine to be watered and bunkered at the sheds in Mainsforth Terrace before they finally closed. There are more photographs of classic locomotive in West Hartlepool on our "Flying Scotsman" page.

Then and now - the Electric Tram Offices 1900 building was originally at the tram sheds depot in Lancaster Road and was moved in 1982, brick by brick, to its current site at the rear of the Gray Art Gallery and Museum.

Then and Now photographs showing Lancaster Road. You can just make out a steam engine on the black and white photograph which was taken between 1965 and 1966. The 'now' shot was taken in 2012. Thanks to Tony Pearson for these two images.

This card was issued in 1984 to help celebrate Hartlepool Public Transport Centenary and shows 14 Daimler/Roe Trolley buses of West Hartlepool Corporation Transport in 1938. Copyright © Unknown.

How times have changed at the bottom of Church Street, with the junction of Mainsforth Terrace, when John Rees took this photograph in 1975. As you can guess, this is where the buses used to park at the time.

Charles Street Motors & Reg Booth Electrical Contractors near the South Durham Steel & Iron Company in Belle Vue, West Hartlepool. The Steelworks Bridge can also be seen on the photograph on the right. There are more images of the bridge lower down this page under the Seaton Carew section. Photographs © Bill Henderson.

These photographs were scanned from a slide and taken by Alan Grange in May 1987. The first photograph is looking across from the old Coal Dock towards the Middleton Road swing bridge. The remnants of the railway ramps, to the staithes, are in the foreground. That’s “HMS Trincomalee” on the right and a larger image of the vessel just above. The images can be seen slightly larger when you click on them.

I am sure people of a certain age will remember this scene on Middleton Beach. It is from the collection of Alan Grange who believes these old buildings may well have been part of the original lifeboat station. In the background is the one of the old Richardsons and Westgarth workshops.

Staying with Middleton - this photograph came to us from a lady called Sylvia Bowron. It is the Small Crafts Float and taken outside the Small Crafts Club in 1983. We don't know all the names but we have, third from the left Marie Russon, Sylvia Bowron is fifth from the left, the gentleman at the very front is Tommy Gofton and the man on the extreme right at the top, with the horns around the helmet, is one of the Maiden family.

Three wonderful postcards showing scenes on Middleton Beach with plenty of activity with shipping and children. In the centre of the first smaller one is a hut which says "boats on hire" and the ferry in old Hartlepool is off to the extreme left. The second card has cobles on the beach and a fishing boat heading out out to sea.

More activity from the beach at Middleton showing men in top hats admiring the view as a tug heads into port. The Grade II listed houses on the Town Wall are clearly visible.

Middleton Pier, on the left, taken about 1983 in quite a dangerous and derelict state. This was just prior to the massive renovation in the area which was to create a new marina in Hartlepool. The entrance to the marina, with the lock gates, would be on the left of this view. In the background you can see the fishermen's huts where the village of Middleton once was. On the right is the Old Dock Office in Victoria Terrace taken about 1983 just before the regeneration of Hartlepool Marina. Photographs © Bill Henderson.

The Old Customs House in Hartlepool Marina then and now. The first photograph, by Bill Henderson, dates to about 1983 before the development of the marina. The new photograph shows the building in 2016. The Customs House was built in 1911 and had the duty of overseeing the collection of tax revenue at the dock. The building replaced the former Ship Hotel which was built around 1844, which had been used as a custom house since 1880 and was given over to commercial use after 1911.

The Angel of the North by Sir Antony Gormley stands proud at Gateshead in Tyne & Wear. What's this got to do with Hartlepool you might well ask? Well, it was built here by Hartlepool Steel Fabrications Ltd at Graythorp. Work began on the project in 1994 and cost £800,000. The Angel was finished on February 15th, 1998 and celebrated its 21st birthday in 2019 when I visited and took this photograph which can be seen in a slightly larger size by clicking on it.

The Steetley Chimney, a local landmark in Hartlepool for many, many years, is now gone. Just after 11.00am on Sunday, July 29th 2012 local man Dave Fricker and his grandson, Jamie Browne, won a competition to push the plunger to blast the chimney into history. Thousands of people gathered in the area to witness the demolition. Photograph © Stan Laundon.

It might have been in 1967 when the amalgamation of Hartlepool and West Hartlepool took place but the "signs" are still there. I'm giving no clues as to where this was taken in case it gets damaged! Photograph © Stan Laundon.

The Brus Arms public house used to be on the corner of Winterbottom Avenue and West View Road. Another popular public house in town which has now long gone. The photograph is copyright © to Bill Henderson and used with thanks. There are more images of public houses, from both Hartlepool and West Hartlepool, midway down the right hand column.

The Market Hotel in Lynn Street as it was and as it is now. The photograph on the left is copyright © to Bill Henderson and used with thanks.

Two more images from yesteryear. The first, from 1975, shows an old chip shop which was in Surtees Street, just off Lynn Street with a public house on the right of the photograph and from the collection of John Rees. The chip shop owner, we are informed, was a Mr. Bob Richmond and, according to ex-West Hartlepool resident, Richard Ward, who now lives in Australia, he says the shop was called the Empire Fish Grill. The photograph on the right, from the mid 1980's, shows the pub in question in greater detail. It is the Commercial Hotel and from the collection of Bill Henderson.

The Princess Helena public house on the corner of Hope Street and Whitby Street. The photograph on the left, taken in the 1980's, is copyright © and from the collection of Bill Henderson. The newer version was taken during May 2014.

The Shades Hotel in Church Street - once a popular public house and was 'The Shades Party Palace' with a disco bar before it finally closed its doors. It is a Grade II listed building.

The Shades at the junction of Church Street and Lynn Street as it was many years ago.

Owton Fens Then & Now: I had an interesting email recently from Mr. Matt La Rou of Hoogeveen, in Holland, who sent me the photograph (above left) of his Great Grandfather's house taken from the air in 1948. On the back of the original image it said: Owton Fens - Florrie's house in England. Formerly belonged to Grandfather Tweedy. The property was in the vicinity of Greatham on the outskirts of West Hartlepool. The image on the right is courtesy and copyright © Bing Maps.

Mr. La Rou asked me if I could make further inquires about the house and asked if it was still there? Well, it is still there and these days called Norton House and thanks to the present owner I have taken the two photographs below. I have also put them both in touch with each other so they can share memories and discuss the history of the house.

The Owton Fens house, as it was called in 1948, as it is today as Norton House. My thanks to the current owner for allowing me access to take these photographs. All images can be viewed in a larger size when clicked on.

An aerial view of old Hartlepool showing many landmarks including the New Pier (Heugh Breakwater) to the lower right, the Town Moor, St. Hilda's Church, the Kafiga Landings and the Heerema Fabrication buildings on Northgate. You can see a slightly larger view of the photograph by clicking on it. Copyright © Unknown.

We are not sure who took this photograph but it was given to us by Cedric Williams, the manager of Hartlepool Marine Supplies. It's certainly a wonderful aerial view of the docks - long before the Marina was built. You can clearly see the swing bridge in Middleton Road and, on the extreme right, the vessel with the tall masts could well be HMS Warrior which was restored in the town before being moved to Portsmouth. You can see a larger view of the photograph by clicking on it. Copyright © Unknown.

The Victoria Dock and Old Harbour from the air. Copyright unknown. Thanks to Alan Grange for this photograph.

At the start of World War Two, the Germans planned an invasion of Britain and took aerial photographs of places that were bombing targets for the Luftwaffe. There are large files of these images which the US captured and placed on public record in the Library of Congress. Two photographs relating to our own region can be seen above. Roughly translated the captions read "The Iron & Steel Co Ltd factory, Seaton Carew in Hartlepool. Blast furnace and steelworks with coking ovens." On the second photograph the text reads “A detailed view of the harbour, in the background a boatyard or shipyard." Thanks to Ernie Brown for bringing these to my attention.

THE OLD HARTLEPOOL SECTION

A postcard of Hartlepool with the bathing pool, promenade and breakwater, the promenade and cliff gardens - better known as Redheugh Gardens these days.

The Searchers on the promenade in old Hartlepool on July 4th, 1964 at The Big Beat Show. Sadly the bad weather kept the anticipated crowds away but those who showed enjoyed themselves. Photograph copyright © Ian Wright, a former photographer with The Northern Echo, and used with thanks. There's more about this show in the right hand column.

The High Street in old Hartlepool with St. Hilda's Church towering above the houses. The sign on the building on the lower left is a shop owned by Cornforth & Carter. The premises near the lamp post is a hairdresser.

Another picturesque view of the High Street but this time with lots more activity. Looks like it was getting ready for a market when this was taken in 1905.

This is certainly an old photograph of Middlegate in Hartlepool. It shows the Cleveland Hall and Liberal Club on Durham Street.

Lower Middlegate in old Hartlepool then and now. The older photograph shows the post office and library on the right hand side. Today's image shows the hairdressing shop on the left and the bus terminus on the right. Thanks to Ian Malcolmson for this image which can be viewed in a larger size by clicking on it.

Photographs, before and after, showing The Lawns at the junction of Friar Terrace. The black and white images, copyright unknown, show them as they used to be. The building in the centre and on the right was used as a rugby club. The newer images show The Lawns as they are now. A resident in Friar Terrace informed me that the older buildings were demolished sometime round about 1961/62. The newer houses were built in 1984.

As it used to be all those years ago. The Borough Buildings in Hartlepool showing the Borough Hall in Middlegate and Croft Gardens on the right.

St. Hilda’s Amateur Dramatic Society presenting “World Without Men” on stage at St. Hilda’s Hall in the early 1950’s. The ladies in question are Joan Longmoor, Blanche Wanley, name required please, Mrs Hunter, Gladys Bradford, Betty Waller and Joyce Hastings.

Northgate in old Hartlepool. On this photograph it shows The Globe public house which is on the extreme right.

Another view of Northgate in old Hartlepool taken from an old picture postcard. The public house on the left was the Middlesbrough and the street opposite was Coverdale Street.

The Station Hotel in Baltic Street, Hartlepool in the 1930's. There's another photograph of this old hotel in the right hand column under the Public Houses section.

A postcard showing the Hartlepool Lighthouse - still very much a prominent feature in old Hartlepool.

An old photograph showing the Heugh Lighthouse, the Battery Rocks and Cliff Terrace. Year and copyright unknown. Thanks to Natalie Robson for this photograph.

This is quite a nice photograph which, we believe, comes from the late 50's or early 60s and shows Harry Carter, the Heugh lighthouse keeper on the right, being interviewed by Richard Dimbleby for the BBC programme "Down Your Way." We do not know the identity of the gentleman on the left. The photograph was kindly supplied to us by Robin Carter, the grandson of Harry Carter.

Good to see four more old postcards showing the Heugh Lighthouse in Hartlepool. The lower two came from the collection of Ken Burke and used with thanks.

The Promenade in old Hartlepool - now the site of the Heugh Battery and Museum. In the middle distance you can see the bandstand.

This postcard says it all - The Sea Front, Old Hartlepool. The HL 58 code might well suggest it was one of a series of postcards to be issued by the council some years ago. My thanks to Mr SH for donating the card for this page.

Another early postcard from old Hartlepool showing the promenade, break water and Redheugh Gardens.

An old postcard from the Peter Pinchen collection showing the Heugh Breakwater (New Pier) in old Hartlepool.

A nice colourful postcard showing The Promenade and Bandstand in old Hartlepool. The date stamp on the back was 1908 and sent to an address in France.

Bandstand

On the promenade in old Hartlepool with the Bandstand, off to the left, and the Heugh Lighthouse in the centre of the background. Thanks to Nicolas Pokrownichki for sending the two cards directly above.

Another hectic scene on Hartlepool Promenade with hundreds of peope enjoying a day out. The bandstand is in the centre of the photograph - long gone these days, of course.

This postcard was sent to us by Mrs Pearl May from Stockton. It was in her father's collection and shows Harry Leslie's QT's who appeared on Hartlepool Promenade Pavilion way back in 1930. There's another image of Harry Leslie's QT's in the right hand column and thanks to Roger Codner who provided more information on Harry Leslie.

The bandstand on the promenade in old Hartlepool is no longer there these days, of course, but many people remember it well. The pop group The Searchers appeared there on July 4th, 1964, in the Big Beat Show with local bands The Corantos, Tony & The Meazzis and The Toffees in support.

Three photographs of the outdoor bathing pool in old Hartlepool which was destroyed by the storm of 1953.

This postcard, from the collection of Peter Pinchen, is titled South Promenade with the upper terrace of the old bathing pool to the right.

We have no idea when this photograph was taken but it was suggested to me that it might have been during the great storm of 1953 with giant waves hitting the New Pier (Heugh Breakwater) in old Hartlepool. Photograph © Unknown.

This photograph was sent to us by Brian Slater who lives in Blackburn, Lancashire. It shows Councillor Mrs. Scott-Cowell laying a stone which took place in Princes Drive, Hartlepool, on March 26th, 1931. Councillor Mrs. Scott-Cowell was the great great grandmother of Mr. Slater and he is conducting research on his family background and has traced many of his relatives to Hartlepool. The "Hartlepool History Then and Now" website shows a photograph of a Hartlepool Council Group from 1933/34 outside the old Naval Barracks with Councillor Mrs. Scott-Cowell in the back row.

The old pier in Hartlepool being extended in 1909. The pilot's watch house and the link shed are shown in this photograph.

This old photograph dates to 1940 and shows fishermen loading pots from the old pier. You can see the door of the joiner's shop open and a door to the blacksmith's, on the right, that was later blocked off.

The old pier showing a crane that used to haul bell buoys up and the two bunkers that once were armed. You can just see one bell buoy on the extreme left of the photograph.

The Pilot's Pier taken in June, 1989. Visitors to this location will see several changes these days following the demolition, in December 2013, of the big white shed that was used by the old port authority. One half was a blacksmith's shop and the other side was used by joiners and painters. Thanks to Ian Malcolmson for the four photographs directly above.

The Fish Sands in Hartlepool showing the Sandwell Gate plus another gate opening to the beach. I am reliably informed by a gentleman by the name of Ferrers Young that the tower on the right is an elevated sewage tank.

Another view of the Town Wall and Fish Sands with fishing boats on the beach.

The ferry in old Hartlepool. On one of the houses at the rear there's a sign that reads John J. Lister coal agent & ship docker. Website visitor Jeff Bramfitt says "John J. Lister was indeed a coal merchant and later ship owner, who for some time lived at 11 Beaconsfield Square. "His son, Harry Laidman Lister, known as 'Colonel Lister' was Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Durham in the 50's and Vice Lord Lieutenant of Cleveland in the 80's. He lived in 10 Cliff Terrace for many years."

One of many old photographs showing the Hartlepool ferry which ran to Middleton.

This postcard of the ferry, from 1901 and taken from the Middleton side, has plenty of activity in the bay.

An old postcard showing the ferry from Middleton looking across to old Hartlepool with the fishing boat HL 54 sailing out of the harbour.

East Hartlepool

Another really old postcard showing the ferry on the Middleton side of East Hartlepool and you can clearly see the lifeboat station, Richardsons and Westgarth, ship repairing dockyards and plenty of boats on the beach.

We have no idea of the origins of this card, who the artist is/was or when it was drawn. It shows the Town Wall in old Hartlepool with the former Seamen's Mission to the extreme left - known these days as the Gospel Hall. The card was donated to this page by Mr SH from Hartlepool.

A post card showing Hartlepool Fish Quay as it used to be and now long gone at this location.

Memories of the old Fish Quay with the Fishergirls hard at work on this one.

Celebrations at old Hartlepool Station, in Northgate, on September 2nd, 1956. My thanks to Vic Smith who has been kind enough to provide me with the background relating to this photograph. He says: "Locomotive 61443 is taking water whilst working the Stephenson Locomotive Society & Manchester Locomotive Society’s “Tees-Tyne” railtour." For more information be sure to visit the Six Bells Junction website. This is certainly a rare photograph of the station and comes from the collection of Hartlepool man Tony Pearson.

Staying with the railways, this photograph from the collection of Owen Corrigan, was titled East Hartlepool NER (North Eastern Railways) and shows old Hartlepool Station. It was taken by railway photographer and is © Copyright H.C.Casserley.

Throston Bridge had railway wagons running across the top leading to the coal staithes - and was also the main route to Hartlepool railway station in Northgate. Before the amalgamation of the two towns Hartlepool Corporation had their own transport with blue buses - with West Hartlepool having red ones. Thanks to Ian Malcolmson for providing this photograph which is copyright © J. Graham Deacon 1967.

Another rare photograph of Throston Bridge with the railway wagons running across ready to be loaded with coal at the staithes. I am sure people of a certain age will also recall seeing a policeman on duty at this junction.

Throston Bridge

The railway wagons used to roll across the old Throston Bridge which has been long demolished. Thanks to the Headland Local History Group for the use of the above photograph.

The Comet Cinema which stood on the corner of Thorpe Street and Northgate was never finished. It never opened, either, because of the Second World War. It was demolished in the 70s about the same time as Throston Bridge came down. Photograph courtesy of Ian Malcolmson.

You are probably wondering why on earth are we showing public toilets on this page? Well, to be honest, they are part of our history and were once used by our ladies and gentlemen many years ago as they walked along the promenade in old Hartlepool just past the fish sands and on towards the block sands. The doors might be permanently sealed but those stone signs above them showing Gentleman and Ladies are still very much there.

Hartlepool's Hospital - also known as St. Hilda's - was a wonderful old building. Sadly it is no longer standing having been demolished many years ago. The old Friarage Manor House, which was part of the inside of the hospital and built in 1605, still stands on the Friarage Field and is a Grade II listed building. You can see a photograph of the Friarage Manor House here or on the Old Hartlepool page.

The Hartlepool School of Nursing prize giving day in 1962 with two Matrons in the front row - Matron Hand, from St. Hilda’s Hospital, and the Matron from the General Hospital. Thanks to KW for this photograph © unknown.

Just one photograph of the dreadful Bombardment of Hartlepool on December 16th, 1914.

Those of you who enjoy books about our region might well be interested in three recent releases from Amberley Publishing. They are "Hartlepool Through The Ages," "Hartlepool - The Postcard Collection" and "Hartlepool History Tour" and all by Paul Chrystal and Stan Laundon. The books are available from Amberley's own website and also from various on line book sellers such as Amazon, Waterstones and W.H.Smith. More detailed information can be found on our main Books page.

If you are interested in the history of public houses in Hartlepool and West Hartlepool I'm sure you'll be interested in “The Lion Roars and the Monkey Bites” by Marie-Louise McKay. The book, which sells for £10, can be bought from Cameron’s Brewery Visitor Centre in Stranton. Then there's "The History of The Lion Brewery" which gives the history of Cameron's Brewery from its start in the 1830's up to the present day. It has some interesting photographs showing historic Hartlepool and I particularly enjoyed discovering just how many breweries existed in the town in the 1800's and 1900's. It sells for just £12 and is available from Cameron's Brewery Visitor centre in Stockton Street and from the Museum and Art Gallery in Church Square.

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Please do not ask for photographs from this page as refusal sometimes offends. Certain internet sites are using images from this page PLEASE STOP it is theft!