Gas Street Stories

Much of the information in this section has been compiled from newspaper articles. Some of these articles are written in a language and terminology that, by today's standards, would be considered as inappropriate and politically incorrect.
However, these articles are themselves historical documents, and while it is certainly not our intention to cause offence, the content and terminology of these articles has been left unchanged.

GAS STREET, WEST HARTLEPOOL.

Shields Daily Gazette, Tuesday, January 10^th, 1893:
SHOCKING FATALITY. A shocking burning fatality occurred Hartlepool last evening. A dumb cripple, aged 30, named Ann Agnes Capnell, residing with her sister at Gas Street, West Hartlepool, fell into the fire about five o'clock, and was so dreadfully burned that she was ordered to be sent to the hospital, where she died about nine o'clock, after considerable suffering, her face, body, and legs being fearfully scorched.

Whitby Gazette, Friday, December 31^st, 1915:
WHITBY DESCENDANT KILLED IN ACTION. Mrs. J. A. Steel, of 7, Gas Street, West Hartlepool, has received information that her son, Private William Steel (20), of the 8^th K.O.S.R (King’s Own Scottish Borderers), who joined the Army on September 4th, 1914, and had been in France six months, has died of wounds received in action on November 30^th. He was an apprentice carpenter. A message conveying the sympathy of the King and Queen has been received. Two other sons are in the Army—one in the Durham Light Infantry, and the other in the Green Howards.
Private Steel was a grandson of the late Mr. Christopher Steel, whose death occurred some months ago at the residence of his son-in-law. Mr. Randolph  Jowsey, 9, Well-Close Square. Whitby. Mr. Steel was one of the oldest shipwrights in the town, and served his apprenticeship with Messrs. Barrick, about seventy years ago.
In a letter to Private Steel's mother, the Rev. H.B. Barnaby, states that Private Steel was severely wounded in the head, and only lived a few hours after his admission to the casualty Clearing Station. The Chaplain added “I prayed by his bedside that God would spare him and asked Him if such was not His will, to accept his sacrifice and admit him into that Great Kingdom beyond. I shall today, December 1^st, bury him in a little cemetery, and a little cross will be erected bearing his name and Regiment, and the date of his death. War is indeed a terrible thing, but I hear that peace would be more terrible until the enemy is crushed.”

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail,Monday, October 22^nd, 1928:
FELL OF STAGING. John Garry (48), of Gas Street, West Hartlepool, suffered a fracture of the collar bone and an injured shoulder through falling off a staging at Messrs. G. Horsley and Company's timber yard. He was taken to the Cameron Hospital.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, Wednesday, September 4^th, 1929:
"Accidental death” was the verdict returned at an inquest at West Hartlepool yesterday on David Roberts, aged 67, of 36, Gas Street, West Hartlepool, who died from injuries received in a fall of 22 feet down the hold of the s.s. City of Cairo, on which he was working at Messrs. W. Gray and Co.'s shipyard on Monday.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Saturday, November 25^th, 1933:
WEDDING AT ST. OSWALD’S. The wedding took place to-day at St. Oswald’s Church, West Hartlepool, of Miss Margaret M. Hoey, youngest daughter of Mrs. W. Rowlands, and the late Mr. of Gas Street, West Hartlepool, and Mr. Thomas Laidler, only son Mr. and Mrs. A. Laidler, of Vane Street, Station Town, Wingate. The Rev. Mr. Lilburn officiated. The bride, who was given away by her grandfather, Mr. Robert Lancaster, was dressed in ankle-length shell pink taffeta with veil and carried a bouquet of bronze chrysanthemums. Miss Ada Laidler (sister of the bridegroom), who was dressed in ankle-length lemon satin, with green velvet coatee, and wore a hat and shoes to tone, her bouquet being of lemon chrysanthemums, was bridesmaid, and Mr. Joseph Peel, son of Councillor Peel, of Trimdon, was best man.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Thursday, 12^th April, 1945:
DROVE TOO FAST. For driving a vehicle at excessive speed on Mar. 24, Harry Colvin (35), 49 Gas Street, West Hartlepool, was at Stockton Court yesterday fined 40s.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Monday, 10^th September, 1945:
I, PTE. W. J. HARRISON, of 42, Gas Street, West Hartlepool, hereby declare I will not be responsible for any DEBT or DEBTS contracted in name by any person, male or female, after this date.
PTE. W. J HARRISON 10'9/45

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Tuesday, 11^th September, 1945:
I PTE. W. J HANSON, of 42 Gas Street, West Hartlepool, hereby declare I will not be responsible for any DEBT or DEBTS contracted in my name by any person, male or female, on and after this date.
PTE. W. J. HANSON. 10/9/45.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Friday, January 7^th, 1949:
FOUND HANGING IN 'POOLS WAREHOUSE. Sixty-year-old Faronton Annis, of 19 Gas Street, West Hartlepool, was found hanging in No. 7 Warehouse, Central Dock, West Hartlepool, this morning. Annis was employed by British Railways a bricklayer's labourer.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Thursday, October 23^rd, 1952:
STOLE PARAFFIN When P.C. Haywood of the B.T.C Police spotted a cyclist in Middleton carrying something bulky under his coat, he stopped the man and found a gallon tin of paraffin concealed there. In Hartlepool Magistrates' Court yesterday, William S. Allery (54), of 47 Gas Street, West Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to stealing the paraffin valued at 1s. 9d. from Richardsons, Westgarth and Co., Ltd. He was fined 15s.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Wednesday, December 17^th, 1952:
FINED AT HARTLEPOOL. Hartlepool magistrates imposed the following fines to-day: Pedal cycle, no light, 10s each, Albert Menhennet (33), 43 Howard St., Hartlepool; Leslie Dando (32), 44 Gas Street, West Hartlepool; Joseph McLeod (22), 26 Warren Terrace, Hartlepool.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Thursday, June 4^th, 1953:
TOOK THREE HOURS TO GIVE OUT PRESENTS. It took helpers at the Coronation tea of Gas Street, West Hartlepool, three hours to distribute presents to 250 children and adults forced to stay in their homes by the heavy rain.
While the organizers were running from house to house with the gifts, however, Mesdames K. Jackson and M. Eyres were searching for a hall. Eventually they found one— St. Oswald's Church Mission room, West Hartlepool, which the Vicar, the Rev. A. H Norris, was lending to street parties in relays.
GIFTS FOR GIRLS. Girls under 12 received white taffeta dress, a hat, a parasol and a brush and comb, and boys under 12 soldier’s suit, a ball, and a model of a coach. “Teenage girls were given a powder compact and a souvenir photograph album, and teenage boys received a wallet, pen, and a pencil. Women were presented with a cup, saucer, plate and bread plate, and men with 5s. each.
Each child was also given sweets and fruit.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Wednesday, November 17^th, 1954:
MUST NOW REPAY. A West Hartlepool trade unionist said at West Hartlepool County Court to-day that he had collected union subscriptions and spent the money mostly on beer.
Alan Albert Guffick, a single man of Gas Street, West Hartlepool, sued for £15 by the Constructlonal Engineering Union, was ordered to pay the amount at £2 a month. Guffick said he was a steel erector but was now out of work. He said that to get a job one had to be in the union and "I think I've dropped out. I shall have to take a job as labourer." Judge Clifford Cohen told him:  “You have had your bit of fun, you'll have to pay for it.”

Related items :