A lost part of Stockton’s High Street that many will remember is the Victoria Buildings, which stood on the north east side, not far from the Parish Church.
Lost Almshouses
A view of the Almshouses which once occupied the site.
Originally on this site was the Almshouses built on Stockton High Street in 1816.
They comprised a small row of buildings which provided for poor people of the town as a charitable entity. They could accommodate 18 people at a time.
However, a new, larger site was acquired on the corner of Dixon Street and Mill Lane and built in 1897 with the foundation being laid by Mayor Thomas Walton on 26th October 1896.
Victoria Buildings
An aerial view of the Victoria Buildings
A stunning view of the Victoria Buildings from the book Stockton-on-Tees: A Colourful Past, by Paul Menzies
With the Almshouses site vacated, a new premises was planned and built between 1986-1899.
Known as the Victoria Buildings, they comprised an elegant row of four-storey retails premises with offices and accommodation on the floors above.
It included Dutch, Greek and Roman architectural elements, with corner towers, and was well liked among residents of Stockton.
The Victoria Buildings survived until 1964 when it was demolished. By this time the building had possibly fallen into disrepair, and a photograph from that year shows signs in many of the retailers’ windows announcing they would soon close.
A Modern Replacement
Them 1960s Lindsay House
Following its demolition, the Victoria Buildings were replaced by Lindsay House – a 1960s style office and retail building with little style, but seen as very modern for the time.
This building was not universally liked, with a marked contrast to the elegant older buildings on the High Street.
In 2013 it was decided to demolish Lindsay House, with the resulting space now being used as a car park.
What are your memories of the Victoria Buildings in Stockton? Leave a comment below.