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Serving the community
Warrenby Post Office
 | The Post Office was situated on Tod point Road, and run by two sisters Edie and Elsie Nelson of 75,Queen street Coatham.
The business was operated as a Post office and general dealers.
Colin Barker was errand boy until he left school from 1947 -1949.Colin remembers he used to go every evening except Wednesday, straight from school. He delivered any orders waiting for him.
Saturday mornings were his busiest time, with a lot of orders to be taken out into the village, especially potatoes and fresh bread,He then used to take any empty wooden orange boxes and containers to the home of the two sisters in Queen street Coatham, for firewood,All these were delivered on a little wooden barrow with wicker bread baskets across the handles he was paid two shillings and sixpence,and usualy received about three shillings in tips.Colin vividly remembers Edie and Elsie warming their hands over an old gas ring. |
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 | Errand boy Colin Barker 1947 - 1949
Coatham shops Remembered by Doug Kyle.
Coming down from the roundabout and heading into Redcar in the 1950s and 60s there were no shops in the first block on the left and the right was allotments down to the unmade road that fronted Church house. (One should perhaps wonder if the Spirella corset house counted. It was at the top near the round about about 230/232. It was perhaps and odd coincidence that I should end up buying the Spirella Corset factory in Letchworth in the 1980s)
Then Church Street, opposite the Church itself
There was a house something to do with the Church and the school but with a big front garden before you got to Vasey's shop at no. 168 Coatham Road.
This was a general shop where you went for your groceries for day to day living. There were big pats of butter and cheese. The butter was cut by palette knife and the cheese by wire and there was a red winding bacon machine. There might even have been and old fashioned red coffee machine but coffee was a rarity in those far off days , The best coffee the average person could aspire to was in a bottle just like sauce called Camp. I always thought it was foul. The sacks of vegetables were laid out around the floor and there were a few tins on the shelves - we didn't use many tins.
Mrs Vasey was in charge - a big woman with unruly hair. The daughter Marion was at the local school
Then there was Buckenhams at no 156. I'm not sure I remember the old man but I might. The butcher was John the son and his mother was around too. Mother always had her hair pulled back into a bun. It was always grey .
John worked in the shop all day but he used to spend all this free time up at an allotment / small holding near the old fever hospital, where he kept some pigs. That was the last shop I remember going into with a ration book.
Ration books for the unfamiliar were perforated paper a bit like stamps that were torn off to get you a meat ration. You did not argue too much what it was you were just grateful to have some. Sounds fantastic in this day and age but its true.
There was big chopping block behind the counter on which the meat was ceremonially prepared or so it seemed, every bit was cut fresh. The carcase was then put over the shoulder and carted back to the walk in fridge at the back of the one room shop.
154 must have been built as a shop too as there were no walls around it but I never remember it being a shop
152 was the newsagent. It was the Haws when I first remember it. The children were Janet and Lindon, I think There was a garage in the back street with a sliding door and they had a car ! They sold and moved on it was taken over by the Horsleys who altered the windows to great big ones - you got your comics there. I have a feeling that MrHorseley made it into a much bigger shop and it was only under this stewardship that an off licence appeared. Then Gibson and Kitchens family's had an initial interest. there are a couple of Boro directors names that I rememebr there. I think. It went on to become KMS and at one time was run by no lesser personage than John Hickton who'd played for the Boro for many years. It's probably the only one left now!
The barbers was the next one down no 138 I think. It must have ceased to be a shop in the 1950s and I've a feeling the Browns moved in then. Miss Neasham the teacher lived at no 134 and had a big tree in the garden which had bats at one time.
There was a lady's hair dressers at about 124 and the Wee Shoppe at the bus stop. The Wee Shoppe just sold sweets and ciggies mainly to those getting on and off the bus there as well as the local kids. There was a little old lady with grey hair who dispensed these luxury items.
The block ended with the Post Office (no. 98 ?) and sweet shop run by long time local councillor Henry Darling. Most of the sweets seemed to be "given away" or had those dreadful children from the grammar school "helping themselves" at lunch times. Henry seemed an odd man who always seemed to wear a grey or blue overall and had strange wispy hair that never seemed to be in the right place. I do not ever remember seeing Mrs. Darling but I always assumed she existed
How he made a profit I have no idea.
It was then empty of shops until you reached the little set back hairdressers at about no 20 and then onto the block that was the start of the town centre just opposite the Coatham Memorial Hall (Art room and Hall for Coatham Grammar School in my days)
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The Village Bobby
 | Hello Sheila,
Just to let you know how much I enjoyed the site and all the hard work you have put in.Well done !
I was the local bobby at Dormanstown and Warrenby in 1968 so I got to know some smashing people, and even today was at the Farm visiting my very dear friends Billy and Margaret Troup.
I have watched their family grow up.
Salt of the earth!!
The years have gone by and it still upsets me when I remember the knocking down of a great little community.
Regards, Bruce Ross
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The coal man
John Garn lived in Coney street in Warrenby. married to Minnie Barker.
John was well known with his horse and cart delivering coal. |  |
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the milkman
 Ben Ayton was born on Rocket terrace.
He worked as milkman in Redcar,
and is well remembered by Redcar people.
Ben is shown here with his delivery van.
The photograph was kindly contributed
by Bens nephew George Ayton. |
Warrenby milkman
Scotty! everyone remembers Scotty the milkman
I do hope we will be able to include a photo of him in our history |
Cooperative stores Warrenby
Margaret Boswell worked in the Cooperative stores
a photograph will be made available. |
The Fish Shop
People who run the fish shop over the years
Amelia Robinson nee Temke. from 1920s
Amelia is pictured with her family in
(Coatham families)
Alice Murphy nee Ranson owned the fish shop in the 1930s
Winnie Latherin from 1940s
Mr & Mrs Millner in the 1950s
Mrs Bavin of Rocket terrace in the late 1960s and early 70s
Mrs Bavin left the fish shop and took over a grocers on the corner of Rocket terrace and York road which was previously owned by Jack Yeoman. |
Hintons
 | | Hintons of Redcar - A representative would visit homes in Coatham and Warrenby to take orders for provisions and would deliver the goods the next day. |
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Sea coal
 | Collectng seacoal was a way of life when you lived in Warrenby and Coatham,
Men and boys could be seen pushing the bags of sea coal off on their bikes, it was hard work, I imagine, back breaking rakeing the seacoal, and filling the sacks. and the long treck through the soft sand pushing it off home. but it must have been a tremendous saving on the household bills, I know my husband Colin told me, that he and his two brothers Maurice and Brian were expected and deemed it their duty to go seacoaling, they kept a good supply for their own home, and also made sure that their grandparents had a good supply.
I can remember helping to make the paper cones that were then filled and stacked for the fire.
Oh yes everyone had glorious fires ! ! !
I don't know where or when the photo was taken
but I hope it will rekindle memories for a lot of people looking at the picture. Sheila
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Fish shop
My aunt Amelia Robinson nee Temke had a fish shop in Warrenby, I am not certain of the exact time,she was known as Mealie, She then moved to Redcar. Old Charlie Phillips and his son Alf lodged with her.
information contributed by
Barbara Lister nee Temke
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Mc Brides 1933
 This photograph depicts
McBrides shop in Plover street.
standing in front of the shop
is Eddie Mc Bride aged 19 years.
Kindly contributed
by Margaret Hunter nee Mc Bride |
A prize winner
 | | Goodswins of Redcar 1920s |
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Pacitto's
 | | contributed by Doug Kyle |
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The Cobbler
 Mr Mullarky
a Warrenby cobler |
Mr Patterson
 | Pictured is Mr Patterson who had a sweet shop in Redcar.
photo and information from John D Fox
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Benbows Chemist
 | | courtesy of Sheila nee Caddy who is pictured on the right in the doorway. |
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Cleveland Food supply 1918
 An Article from the South Bank Express
Saturday February 2nd 1819 |
memories
Do you remember Edie & Elsie Nelson who ran the Corner Shop? They never married, but shared all the joys and sorrows of their customers. My Grandparents William and Mary Gibbon lived behind the shop with bedrooms at the front, and a good view of the Hills.
The shop sold everything you could need. The side windows had sweets laid out, and we pressed our noses to the glass trying to decide what a penny would give us.
The main counter held the bread and teacakes delivered by Welfords, and marble slab held the cheese,and butter and corned beef, all next to the Bacon Slicer, which also cut the cooked ham. The slab was washed down at the end of the day.
Under the stairs was a cupboard where the Ladies hung their coats.
There was a gas ring and a kettle, and a cold water sink, how we escaped Salmonella I don’t know. No Refrigerator! in the summer the cheese and butter sweated to say the least.
The Post Office was at the rear of the shop, hanging above it was a net holding the Sandshoes we used to buy at Easter, we wore them all summer long. If we needed proper shoes, they were in boxes on the back wall, paid for at sixpence a week. By the time it was paid off we needed new ones.
The front window was kept for cabbages and cauliflowers, underneath a sack of potatoes and bundles of sticks to light the fire.
You could buy everything from Aspirin to biscuits and Baby Milk,
Now we go to Asda and queue at the Till! Margaret Cunningham.{nee. Gibbon}
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The Maypole
 | Mrs Crane with her delivery van serving the community
Photo courtesy of Linda Maude nee Close |
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 | Maypole girls
Top Rita Rudland
middle Susan Stout
and Linda Close
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 | Maypole Staff left to right
Angela Dolan,Sheila ?, Sadie Quick,Linda Close,7 Rita Rudland.
The Maypole was situated on Redcar High street next door to W H Smith.
Maypole photos and information are courtesy of Linda Maude nee Close |
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The Hexagon Cafe
 | | 1952 |
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