What a different view of the site we can now view daily? Charlie Stokoe for many years occupied the garage and as well as petrol sales, he was an agent for Saab cars! His garage was one of two on the main street of Loftus, the other Fletcher’s vanished into the valley in a landslip some years ago. Derick Pearson advises us: ”I started to served my time here before Charlie Stokoe had the garage with a man called Con Shippey. He was also married into the wealthy Goldsborough family I think they called them. They had the Picture house (cinema)at Saltburn and on some occasions we had to go there to do jobs. He was a funny chap, he used to make jokes and laugh greatly at them. We dare not do any other but laugh even though some times we didn’t get it as they say. He reminded me greatly of the comedian John Clease. Similar in stature and character. Some years later when Charlie had it the head Mechanic was a grand lad called Trevor and he was a very knowledgable man with the Saab and any other vehicles. He ran a Saab v4? for years that was immaculate. Although I lost contact I believe he and his wife possibly ran the garage for some time after Charlie left.” Whilst Martyn Richardson tells us: “My Grandma and Grandad lived at the opposite end of the block on West Road and as a little lad I was always along at Stokoe’s talking to Trevor and asking him about cars. “Why is this, what is that, what are these” …. generally getting in the way and being a pest; but Trevor always had time for me and called me “Young Tink” if I remember correctly. I even got time off school to get to the launch of the “new” Saab 900, where the actor George Lazenby (007 in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service) did the unveiling.”
Image courtesy of Joan Jemson and many thanks to Derick Pearson, Martin Richardson and Callum Duff for the updates.
Did a Royal Air Force fellow name of Cliff; I don’t know his first name take over the garage in the 1960s from RAF Goldsborough up the road, I would be grateful of a reply’, I was stationed with him at the time and suddenly he did a disappearing act.. Thank you Geoff Powell formerly Pallett.
I have just rememberd the first name of Mr Cliff was Alan ,we were serving together in the RAF at Goldsborough, 1960/3 East Barnby, If anyone knows of his whereabouts contact Geoff on Geoffrey.m3uxb@gmail.com Thank you..
Trevor users to live at Skelton on Marlborough road ,I knew him well from his days at stomped ,he was a good friend of my dad’s and used to work on his cars,he came to see me about 3 years ago and said he was moving back home to Tyneside .
Did anyone know Majorie Rigg who worked at the Loftus Co-op, I worked with her but lost contact!
George Lazenby played 007 in the film ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’. George Layton appeared in the popular 1970’s sitcom, ‘Doctor in the House’.
I’m pretty sure I never said George Lazenby lol……. I know it was George Layton, I think I still have a photo of me meeting him somewhere.
Norman Tennant here, I served my apprenticeship at Keith Watson’s at Saltburn and got to know Con Shippey well. I was just out of time and he asked me to run what was then Central Garage, all he wanted was 10% of the profits in new cars but not running a business. I had to refuse his offer, some years later my boss died (Malcolm Watson) so I got in touch with Charlie and Trevor. I lived next to the garage so I worked for Charlie and it was great. I remember them dragging me up to Sunderland watch football we needed ticket numbers for the draw to go to Wembley Cup Final it worked. We took a Saab 900 out of showroom, off we all went to Wembley. I had a 96 96 a 900 saab working there,Trevor had passion for alpines, we would ask local farmers for stone troughs They even delivered them to Skelton for him. Hello Derick, I remember you too. When Charlie died I moved, to Potash for nearly 30 years, I own a Saab 9-3 now.