The most famous man on Marsh road

SNICKERED

SNICKERED

Well-known member
Thanks to the post the other day about this book.Got me thinking about my dad who is 88, and grew up around there,I only knew bits and pieces about his past.
I decided to give him a bell and talk to him about it. We talked like we haven't in years. Schooled in Denmark St, lived on Cannon St, Marsh rd Grenville st ,usually in a rented room with his mum.Whilst in Dundas Mews he slept through the bombing of the railway station In 1942 whilst his mum was in the underground shelter near Clinkards. Remembers the Cannon St riots, we discussed kids born out of wedlock, being sent to Blaydon Remand home, nicking off the buses,knife fights and general grinding poverty. Managed to carve out a decent living working at Acklam steel works, Dorman Long, and ICI,and bring up a family now has 8 grandkids and 4 great grand kids.....needless to say I will buy the book for him.
 
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SNICKERED said:
Thanks to the post the other day about this book.Got me thinking about my dad who is 88, and grew up around there,I only knew bits and pieces about his past.
I decided to give him a bell and talk to him about it. We talked like we haven't in years. Schooled in Denmark St, lived on Cannon St, Marsh rd Grenville st ,usually in a rented room with his mum.Whilst in Dundas Mews he slept through the bombing of the railway station In 1942 whilst his mum was in the underground shelter near Clinkards. Remembers the Cannon St riots, we discussed kids born out of wedlock, being sent to Bladen Remand home, nicking off the buses,knife fights and general grinding poverty. Managed to carve out a decent living working at Acklam steel works, Dorman Long, and ICI,and bring up a family now has 8 grandkids and 4 great grand kids.....needless to say I will buy the book for him.
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Great to hear this story, thanks for sharing. I remember my dad telling me about all his stories of growing up in and around Thornaby, various shenanigans he got up to, working at Head Wrightson, oh and crossing the bridge between Thornaby and Stockton to get an extra 30 mins drinking time on a weekend as last orders was 10.30pm in Stockton and 11pm across the river (or vice versa). I miss those chats, loved hearing all the memories, I wish I’d asked more when I had the opportunity.

Make the most of the time Snickered, its precious, as I am sure you know anyway👍
 
Got to say I've only come to realise this as I've aged myself.

My dad can be difficult, but I have acknowledged that we are products of our environment. His was far harder than mine,and I am incredibly greatful he provided for us and created a stable home something he never had.
 
It's a lovely little book. Clearly home published and full of typographical errors, but your father won't be concerned by that. The accounts of the poverty endured by the residents of that area (where I also grew up and went to Marsh road school) are beautifully observed by Patrick Durkin, the author of the journal which makes up a large part of the book.
 
My Dad was born in Marsh Road and raised in Cannon St. One tough place to grow up. Some of his stories were hilarious about the various characters, families and the pubs. Lost him last year 😔
 
Sorry to hear that John, you might like this thread I linked to on another subject yesterday.
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Will take a look. Cheers. He was some bloke me dad, never moaned about the poverty he suffered as a kid after his own father died very young, as it was just something that people went through. We saw some social work/probation reports from when he was a young lad and a group of them had got into some legal difficulties. Very tough read.
 
My gran was the church cleaner at st pats for many years, loved staying with her, walking across from Linthorpe and having the run of the church and community hall as a playground.
 
Thanks everyone,he definitely developed a sense of humour, "I had to learn to fight as my best mate was a black lad and we kept getting beaten up" My dad reached the semi finals of a National Remand home boxing competition,,,," mind you my kids are soft as *****"...... 😜
 
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My grandfather was japanese so my uncles must have put up with some abuse during the war down there. The eldest apparently carried a samurai sword in his black leather coat. The top drawer was full of coshes and knuckledusters.
 
pierrequiroule said:
My grandfather was japanese so my uncles must have put up with some abuse during the war down there. The eldest apparently carried a samurai sword in his black leather coat. The top drawer was full of coshes and knuckledusters.
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😬 I think people might sometimes look through rose coloured glasses when looking back
 
Great to read OP. What lockdown is doing is making some people reflective on life. I certainly have. If it’s reading more history books or merely watching The Repair Shop it makes you value the dear things in life and how precious they are.
 
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