Above picture: The January 1979 student nurse intake at North Tees Hospital, Stockton. Jane Gregson is trying to locate as many as she can to celebrate the 35-year anniversary of the event. Jane writes: “We have a Facebook group ‘35 years and counting’ where we can be contacted or I can be e-mailed at janestannett @hotmail.com.”

From this newspaper 150 years ago. Market Marking. –

Joseph Dresser, a man of respectable appearance and a dealer in cattle, appeared to answer a charge of cruelty to animals purchased by him in Darlington market that day.

Mr Nixon appeared for the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

A person named Lancaster proved the infliction of wounds on the buttocks of the animals, by defendant, with a pocket knife.

Witness said he cautioned defendant that if he repeated the act he would get into trouble, but he, with a round oath, said he had a right to do as he liked with his own.

Buckle, the officer of the society, spoke of some of the wounds being an inch long and deep incisions; one of these wounds he observed gaping wide open and from several blood was pouring freely.

The officer said that he knew that some dealers were in the habit of marking their cattle by this “scoring” but he had not before this been able to bring forward a case.

The defendant admitted cutting the cattle, and said some of them were cut more than others by reason of their not standing still. He had often done it before and never knew it was wrong but he would not repeat it.

The Bench expressed their surprise that such a cruel practice existed and thought it high time it was put a stop to. Mr Hammond asked defendant how he would like such a marking himself? The defendant had clearly never looked at it in this point of view and replied that it should not again occur. The chairman said: “Well, after consulting my brother magistrates, we shall not impose a heavy fine as otherwise we certainly would have done, because we think that a person of your respectable appearance would not wound your cattle wantonly, but that you have done so without thought. There can be no right to inflict this pain on dumb animals and the cruel practice must be stopped. Believing in your promise not to repeat the act, we shall impose only a fine of £1, inclusive of costs.

Darlington and Stockton Times:

From this newspaper 100 years ago. –

One of the largest meetings of tradespeople ever held in Richmond took place in the Council Chamber, convened for considering the advisability of forming some kind of an association in the town to revive declining trade.

The Mayor (Mr W Walton) presided and said in the olden days they had a number of guilds in the town and before people could trade in Richmond they had to be a member of one of those guilds. An apprentice had to serve his full time and everything was regulated through the guilds.

If they looked through the history of the town they saw that many were fined for starting a trade without serving their apprenticeship but in those days the magistrates pocketed the fines (laughter).

In Richmond it was quite possible a kind of association of tradespeople would be very useful.

There were many grievances which they might get rectified by an association.

Mr T H Singleton, grocer, said he did not want them to think that he was the prime mover of that gathering, but he thought it was possible to have an association and combine for their mutual welfare and advantage. The reasons and objects were many – combination meant strength, and he did not see why they should not combine in Richmond and help one side, and remember that they live one out of another.

Darlington and Stockton Times:

From this newspaper 50 years ago. –

“Teesside has grown successfully under the present local government organisation and the proposed acceleration of this development can best be achieved under an established and tested administration.”

This comment is made by Ald J T Fletcher, chairman of North Riding County Council, in his triennial report to the council, in which he referred to the one disturbing element of the future – the proposals of the local Government Commission for the alteration of boundaries.

Ald Fletcher says: “It is to be hoped the Council’s opposition will be successful and we will be left to pursue our work without interruption of such magnitude which, in the opinion of many, is unnecessary.”

The Council is no doubt about to enter into a period of intense activity.

Plans are already made for substantial expansion of services and the Council will take an active part in the Government’s proposals for the growth and development of the North-East.

Negotiations have already begun to provide Teesside with a civil aerodrome and a university. The Board of Trade recently announced the establishment of a trading estate south of Thornaby and a new oil refinery is to be built near Redcar.

Ald Fletcher, commenting on this expansion, adds: “It would be unfortunate if this great opportunity for the development of the northern part of the Riding should be prejudiced by a change of local government boundaries resulting in the creation of a new authority which would be recovering from the difficulties of its establishment during the early and vital years of the development of the Government’s plans for the North- East.”