Hills cakes, cockles from the wet fish shop and pork pies from Higgins .... memories of a Hartlepool street

We shared old photographs of the Oxford Road area and King Oswy Drive and asked for your memories.

The King Oswy shot was from 1983 and prompted interest from more than 13,000 people.

It showed the old youth club and Judith Chaffey said: “No longer there and loads of speed bumps now.”

Nicola Calvert liked the post and said: “Wow never thought I would see this sight again.”

Michelle Clayton said: “Good old Henry’s,” while Michelle McDonough said: “My old school and youthy.”

Our second photograph, this time showing a part of Oxford Road, was just as popular among Mail followers.

And among those to comment was Sue Ryan who said: “The shop on the corner was Hays. Their son was a teacher at Brierton tech for girls.”

Stanley David Hansford told us: “The shop on the right is a bakery now”

Our thanks go also to Kevin Collier who said: “The fruit shop opposite was a butcher’s, Chinese used to be Tommy Allen’s, shop next door was Fred Lumsdens, then Hills bakers. I grew up round there.”

Enid Ridgeway said: “Loved Hills cakes when I was a kid.”

Another popular place was the wet fish shop and Jacky Nicholson gets our thanks for telling us it was “round on the right”.

Rita Charlton commented: “Great set of shops here ... could get anything ... love the picture!”

Ian Robson believes the photograph was probably taken around the time when he was an 11-year-old living in Oakland Avenue and having just started at Brinkburn Grammar School.

Eileen Addison said: “I remember Tommy Allen’s off licence,” while June Hansen pointed out that the photo was taken at the junction with Shrewsbury Street.

Ian Hardy suggested: “I think ex Pools player Jack Cameron used to run the Post Office in the 1960s.”

Angela Henderson was another to love the post. She said: “This photo has taken me back. My nana lived in Gloucester Street, my auntie in Marlborough Street, my uncle up the road in Kingsley and I was born in Peebles.”

She remembered some of the treats you could get from the local shops and said: “Cockles or a dressed crab if you were flush from the wet fish shop, corn beef slice and a custard cake from the bakers. Pork pies from Higgins, my uncle coming home from an afternoon at the Steelworks Club and letting me open his raffle tickets .. and wool put away for your Christmas cardi from Jack n Jill’s!

“I’d give anything to have a day back in those days with those loved ones again x happy days x.”

Thanks also to Jeanne Patchcott who said: “My aunt Joyce Gibson worked in the post office and lived in Shrewsbury Street.”

If you have any nostalgia to share, email [email protected]