THORNABY ON TEES

Thornaby CC was formerly called South Stockton Cricket Club and was founded in the middle 1800`s and was at its old ground, different from today’s location.In the late 1800`s the clubs name was changed to Thornaby Cricket Club and in 1905 changed the grounds to Mandale Bottoms where it is now.
That is nearly 100 years at this ground.
The club are in the NYSD premier league.

Picture to the right a sunny May morning at Mandale Bottoms

Stafford CC

The other pitch is off Basselton Lane and is the home of Stafford Place cricket Club.

AN EXTRACT FROM THE NORTHERN ECHO .
Cricket historian in search of a maiden byMike Amos--
Jack Chapman writes in anticipation of cricket. "The sun is shining, the buds are stirring, the saffron Wisden must rise soon…."Jack, as we have previously noted, is researching a masterwork history of Durham cricket, presently working on a chapter about women's involvement.Ray Price, half the Durham County League's husband and wife pairing, recalls one other woman umpire – but not her name – in the Durham Coast League 20 years ago.
Female participation, apart from on the tea trail, appears scant. Jack's in Hebburn, and would welcome anecdotes. We act as willing conduit.
We've also had a pint, and an occasional word in edgeways, with the loquacious and much travelled Brent "Bomber" Smith, now a knack-kneed veteran among fast bowlers.
This season he'll be restricted to mid-week games with long established Thornaby side Stafford Place – they of the Langbaurgh Rural West League – but falls uniquely silent when asked to explain how the club came by its name.
"I've asked the lads. None of them has a clue," he insists.
The Teesside A-Z has a Stafford Close and two Stafford Roads, but no Stafford Place. It was time for a Staffs meeting, the outcome unexpected. This is a column, however, which likes to know its Place.
Stafford Place was a pottery which also gave its name to a Wesleyan chapel, it transpires. The cricket club, anticipating its centenary in 2003, may no longer hold strictly Methodist beliefs.
"We drink a bit and things," says club secretary Bernie Newman. "My main belief is not getting a round in."
The works was formed in the 1850s, originally as the Staffordshire Pottery. Since claymen might reasonably have expected the product to be made in the East Midlands and not in deepest Thornaby, however, an injunction was obtained which forced the company to change its name or go to pot.
It became the Stafford Place Pottery instead, the chapel ; now a garage ; built for the moral improvement of the workforce who decided they'd also like a cricket team.
Church elders bought the original field, near the town centre and the former Thornaby Airfield, which was played on until the war.
"Already the planes were coming in over their heads, but when they decided to extend the runway they had to get off quickly," says Arthur Weston, a Stafford Place all rounder for 35 years and now one of four trustees.
"Hitler to blame," adds Bernie Newman.

Hostilities over, the War Office invited the club to find five acres of land in Thornaby which would be developed for a cricket field at national expense.
The new Stafford Place was born, as down to earth as a potter might expect, and ; though they won the league in 1964 ; has been given to under-achievement. Stephen Naylor, son of another trustee, joined the Lord's ground staff after beginning at Stafford Place and is now teaching cricket to the Australians.
"We're a good working lads' club, no solicitors or anything like that," says Arthur, without (of course) implying anything untoward about work and solicitors.
Once they skittled Chopgate for 21 and still contrived to lose. Not for the first time, Arthur blamed the booze.
Though no one knows where the club is ; "not even that it's in Thornaby, most of them" ; the name will continue.
"It's probably held us back in many ways," says Arthur. "If we'd been called Thornaby Village, which is more or less where we are, we'd probably have been eligible for all sorts of grants.
"Everyone feels it should be kept as it is, and I go along with that. Stafford Place is part of our history."

Stafford is a real family club .

Click below to go to Stafford Place Web Site and Thornaby C.C. web site.

FOOTBALL.

At the start of the 2000/2001 season, the Albany Northern League gained a freshly-named club in its ranks in the guise of Thornaby - and one that has a bright future to look forward to and will be a force to be reckoned with in its native area of Teeside.

The newly-named club had had a long and chequered career after originally starting life as Stockton Athletic in 1882. For 50 years it became one of the country's leading amateur sides, winning many Northern League honours during this time. After this successful period, thirty more years elapsed with membership held in various other leagues before a decline in fortunes, mainly due to financial problems, saw the club disband in 1975, and the historic Victoria Ground sold off for building land.

Eventually, in 1980, the long journey back began and the re-formed Stockton joined the Wearside League for the 1980/81 season, eventually regaining Northern League status at the 1985 AGM, reverting to Thornaby-on-Tees FC for 1999/2000.

The birth of Thornaby as a new team was based on very sound practical reasons. There was a definite need to identify with the local community in a more effective way, and that much-needed support could be generated with local businesses beig actively involved.

The eventual aim for Thornaby is to challenge the 'giants' of the Northern League, many of whom are hugely respected throughout the non-League scene.
Since reformation in 1980, major honours include winning the Northern League Second Division championship in 1987 and the Craven Cup in 1995.

For any club to be successful the infrastructure has to be in place, and Thornaby's committee, including secretary Peter Morris and chairman Dave Watson, have plans for major ground developments. Already improvemnets have been made to the clubhouse, floodlights and the dressing rooms, which were unfortunataly destroyed by vandals.

BOWLS

Thornaby can boast to having one of the countries very first indoor bowls rinks. Situated in the Pavillion Sports Centre on the Town Centre .This was built in the early 70`s and was the venue of many National and International matches. The venue is still in use and due to the decline in outdoor bowls it isstill very popular. As for the summer season outdoor bowling there are still rinks in the Littleboy park and the Village park. Both are run by private bowling clubs and are now well fenced off to keep the vandals from digging up the greens. .

TEN PIN BOWLING

Hollywood Bowl
Teesside Leisure Park off the A19/A66 interchange
Tel:(01642) 633666
Fax:(01642) 633011
Number of lanes: 26
Kids Party Packages start from £7.95 per person.
Prices: One Game
Adult off-peak: £2.60
Adult peak £3.80
Junior off- peak: £1.80
Junior peak: £2.80
Peak times are 6pm to close - weekdays and all day on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays.
Off peak times are 10am to 6pm.
Junior rates apply for under 16s and under 4s bowl free when accompanied by another full paying customer.

EQUESTRIAN SPORTS

SWIMMING
Thornaby Swimming Pool is situated on Thornaby Road and was originally built in the 1930s.The old pool was demolished in 1993 and a new pool built on the same site was opened on 20th June 1994.Thornaby Pool is very much a community facility and the programme has been developed to suit the needs of the local people.The facility consists of a 25-metre pool with 5 lanes, modern changing accommodation, solarium suite and a meeting room. The pool opens 7.30a.m.-9.30p.m. Monday to Friday and 9.00a.m. -5.00p.m. on Saturday & Sunday.Thornaby Pool has an extensive swimming programme for the local schools during term time. We also operate the A.S.A. Swimming Awards Scheme offering swimming lessons for children and adults. This then acts as a feeder to Thornaby Swimming Club, which has been popular over many years.Other activities available include aqua-aerobic classes, sub aqua, over 50 sessions, class for the disabled, as well as the ever popular children’s birthday parties held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Over the years Thornaby has had many good swimmers and Water Polo players.They had a very good and succesfull Water Polo team in the late sixties and early seventies.They were County and Regional champions(Junior U.18) for a number of consectutive years and were also involved in the GB U.18`s Trophy finals on 3 consecutive years. Most players went on to play at senior level and quite a few won County and G.B. honours.
Stockton Divers
North East England
Meeting Times: 19.30 Thursdays
Meeting Place: Thornaby swimming pool
Contact: stocktondivers@hotmail.com
Web Address:http://homepage.ntlworld.com/neil.clement
Stockton Divers began as a club in the late 70's, we pride ourselves on our extensive training programme ensuring our members are some of the safest in the water. The club combines diving with a excellent social side, with Scubadoo's throughout the year.
The club welcomes all from the complete novice to fully trained divers, from all organisations including SAA, BSAC, SSAC and PADI.
Join and enjoy.

FISHING

There is now plenty of good fishing all along the length of the river covering the Thornaby Boundaries.

From the barrage area right upto the mouth of the Leven you can have a real good days sport.Everything from Minnows to Trout and Salmon can be caught.There are some huge shoals of Dace and Roach .

Favoured spots seem to be around The Diana Bridge, The Victoria bridge and along the allotment paths.The areas around Basselton Woods and the Horse Shoe Bend are also excellent.

The Town Council hope to obtain the fishing rights for the stretch from the Barrage to the mouth of the River Leven .If this is forthcoming then six disabled angler platforms are to built at the back of Cornfield Road.

Numerous fishing matches are being organised all along the stretch from The Victoria Bridge through the old allotments area,Black Bobbies field,Horseshoe Bend and Basselton Woods.

GOLF

Teesside Golf Club

Location/Description
A19 - A1130 to Thornaby 0.7 miles on right hand side. Flat parkland partly tree-lined. 18 holes 6535 yards. S.S.S. 71. Practice ground putting green.

Address
Acklam Road
Thornaby
Stockton-on-Tees
England
TS17 7JS

Green Fees
Weekdays £26.00 weekends £30.00.
Visitor Policy
Welcome mid-week up to 4.30pm weekends after 11am by arrangement. Societies Catered for midweek only. Special rates and conditions for parties and guests.
Catering Facilities
Catering except Mondays bar 11am to 11pm.

THORNABY PAVILION LEISURE COMPLEX

Thornaby Pavilion was opened officially on Monday,25th March 1968 and has been an integral part of Thornaby life ever since.Originally offering much in the way of cultural activities the centre has developed into a multi-purpose leisure complex for all the family. The Pavilion boasts a creche and a nursery for the very young and old time modern sequence dances and a senior citizen club for the not so young! We offer five-a-side football,badminton and squash with a full range of courses and classes to suite all requirements. The double court main hall offers an ideal venue for many major events including international badminton and squash tournaments,,judo and karate championships,concerts,fashion shows and wedding receptions. The Pavilion is open every day of the week between 9.00am and 11.00pm.