St Johns Church, Haverton Hill
Posted on January 5, 2012 by chris.twigg
All that remains of the church from 1865 is the lych gate and graveyard.
The church was demolished in the late 1960s along with most of Haverton Hill due to heavy pollution.
I have only been able to find one tiny composite photo of what the church actually looked like.
55 thoughts on "St Johns Church, Haverton Hill"
gemma paling on March 7, 2012 at 10:28 am said:
hi there i hope someone can help us..we are looking for a plot number of my great aunt who passed away 27th may 1969..her name before marriage was mary forbes, her married name was cookson..she was born feb 13th 1944 in trimdon colliery….she died in haverton hill, her grave is unmarked and she is in haverton hill cemertary..any help and information would be greatfully received…thank you, i will look forward to your reply
sue on September 25, 2012 at 9:00 am said:
you may find the plot from the registry office, probably stockton, if you have her death details 🙂
christine on October 5, 2016 at 7:45 pm said:
Hi I am in the same boat locating grandparents which I have a idea of which is there unmarked plot, I have gained a copy of the register book so they are confirmed as been in there but all lists of plot number are nowhere to be found. Got the info from durham council
gemmapaling on October 11, 2016 at 11:58 am said:
Aww I hope we can find something out about this, there must be some information somewhere x
anthony on March 5, 2014 at 7:18 am said:
hi, i dont know exactly where her plot is but i do know the small area of where she was laid to rest,i will ask my mam if she knows,and try to solve this for you, i think mary married my uncle edwin, and had three children to him, linda, colin, and ian,cookson.
gemmapaling on October 5, 2016 at 1:02 pm said:
Sorry for the late reply, Il will find out if this us anything to do with my family member, thank you x
carl cookson on August 30, 2016 at 6:14 pm said:
Hi,Not sure that this may help but our family name is cookson and we are from Haverton,port clarance area,Regards Wendy
I'm grateful for your reply, I'm not sure, I will have to speak to my mum, her maiden name is Watson, does this ring any bells?
Annette Quinchard on February 6, 2019 at 4:47 pm said:
I made the same enquiry in Middlesboro because my grandmother, Frances Phillips, was buried in this cemetery in 1926. I was told that archives for the cemetery are held in the Durham County Library. Unfortunately I live abroad and have not had the opportunity of visiting the Library to find information. I know that the graveyard was extended after 1936 so the grave you are seeking should be in the newer part beyond the dividing wall, Maybe you will have better luck than I did if you live locally.
Beryl Cassey on February 9, 2019 at 12:17 pm said:
I have also been looking for my grandmother grave which is also unmarked. Stockton-on-Tees Library has a hand written book which lists Name date of Death and what I think is a plot number. There is two numbers one which I think was painted along the wall(some of them are very faint now) and how many rows from wall. It also said it was a double so I think it probable is grave reference. Due to bad weather lately I have not been able to go and check but I think it is well worth you checking with Library. I had checked with Durham who only had date of death they told me grave details would have been in a book possible held by curate and when the church was demolished only document in safe were transferred to them. Good Luck.
brian jones on May 17, 2012 at 6:01 pm said:
hi i am sorry that i cant help you looking for mary forbes grave plot but you may be able to help me .my late grandmothers name before she was married was jenny forbes from haverton and most of her family are burried in st johns cemetry and the name forbes was passed down to me and my late mother as a christian name have you any info about mary forbes family that you can pass on to me as we could be distant relatives.
thank you brian forbes jones
Thank you for your reply, I will try and find out some information for you 🙂
Maxine Baker on June 25, 2012 at 8:42 am said:
The church was still up in the early 1970s because my mother died in 1971 and we had her funeral in there. My mothers grave isnt marked but my sister and I met a vicar from billingham who had a book with all the names of the deceased in there and we found her plot with his help, that was in 1989.
Mervyn Booth on August 31, 2015 at 3:03 pm said:
Hi what was the name of the vicar please Mervyn booth
Lawrence Clark on February 17, 2018 at 1:06 pm said:
hello just came across this post i got married in st johns October 1970 the vicars name is David Murphy
keith lang on March 15, 2013 at 9:10 am said:
my grandad is buried in st john`s..my grandma worked in the `middle house`…i was born in collingwood road and my mom got her welding papers in the shipyard there…a long time ago they used to have a movie night in the church..i remember watching rob roy there
Alison Watson on April 15, 2013 at 5:16 pm said:
Hi I 'm afraid I cant help with any of these people just wanted to say that I have lived in Middlesbrough all my life and I was most surprised when I came across this cemetery today.I had been to do some recycling and said to my husband as we left the tip just turn left instead of right as I have never been down this road before so he did and I thought I had seen a cemetery but then I imagined I had been mistaken so as we came back and I realised there WAS a cemetery I had to get out of the car and have a look. I have to say I felt very upset when we left this place although it is not at all unkempt or overgrown it is still a very isolated grim place and there is a real sense that this place is unloved it seems such a shame as some of the graves are still tended , I mean it is supposed to be a resting place where you can visit the grave of a loved one in quiet contemplation and reflect ….I don't think so not in that grave yard you wont .Still very interesting to visit .
anthony on March 3, 2014 at 9:21 pm said:
i think i could be related down the line, i think mary was married to my uncle edwin cookson, my mam is called jean cookson , before she was married,
ingrid clark on August 24, 2014 at 11:39 am said:
hi my name is Ingrid clark.IAM looking for portraiture hire dad was a vicar in st john,s church haveton hill.Befor I was married I was Ingrid allan.So if enyone knows hire please let me know by email me.We whent port Clarence school of haverton hill.
barbara fleming on May 15, 2015 at 8:37 am said:
hi ingrid my name is barbara in haverton i was barbara kelly,could i ask if your father was the vicar at st johns church 1968,and if he was not, do you remember who was the vicar then? i can not for the life of me remember this vicar,s name,( vicar murphy seems to ring a bell) he married my friend, sorry i cant help with the above question, regards barbara, p,s i did know a marion allen from haverton hill any relation?
Bob Gibson on February 8, 2016 at 6:10 pm said:
I remember a vicar called (Darling) he had two sons around that time
David Crawford on November 3, 2018 at 11:16 pm said:
Mr Darling had a daughter Marjory & two Sons Christopher & Sandy. Mr Darling was a keen follower of horse racing I remember.
Beryl Cassey on November 4, 2018 at 11:05 am said:
Unfortunately Mr Darling has died and the death record held in Durham do not have the plot numbers for the graves. I have been told possibly sextant or warden held the book and no one though to collect it when church was destroyed all other records were kept in sage in church were eventually transferred to Durham after spending some time at St Cuthberts in Billingham. If anyone knows any of the Darling sons or daughter or how I could get in touch to see if they have any information I would be very grateful. There is a lot of graves in the churchyard that have no markers I believe I am not the only one trying to find plot records. Thank you for your reply I had been told about couple of sons but was not aware he had a daughter.
Mandy (Marilyn) Wood on November 4, 2018 at 12:53 pm said:
It's at the back of my rusty memory somewhere that the graveyard plot details from St John's Haverton are in Hartlepool library – yes, I know it's weird but I'm 99% sure that's where they are. Good luck. The girls upstairs in Central library are very helpful.
ingrid on February 8, 2016 at 9:36 pm said:
HI BARBARA MY DAD WAS NOT A VICAR.BUT I DO HAVE A SISTER CALLED MARION ALLAN.
Beryl Cassey on March 12, 2017 at 5:34 pm said:
Hi Barbara, sorry can't help with the vicars name but I think I went to school with you my name was Beryl Archer we lived at 48 Collingwood Road until it was demolished. My Gran was buried at St Johns both my sister Carole and myself used to take flowers every Sunday until we moved. I can't remember her plot number but I know we approached the church down main path then turned right when we got to church door we went through a small wall and graves were on our left.
keith lang on November 12, 2017 at 7:54 am said:
hey Barbaral i was born in collingwood rd. in 1949…my nan worked in the 'middle house'..my cousins are the whites and the hills from there too ..just saying hello …
Elizabeth Pickard on December 4, 2014 at 7:18 pm said:
Hi i was born in port clarance haventon hill in 1964 Temparence street my sister lesley is in the graveyard and if anyone can help me were do you go to find out were she is she was 13 months old 53 years ago thank you liz
Mandy (Marilyn) Wood on December 22, 2015 at 6:07 pm said:
Hi Elizabeth
I researched for a friend who used to live in Haverton. I went to Stockton library Family History and was told the records for Haverton and Port Clarence are, surprisingly in Hartlepool library. I've been before for my own ancestry to Hartlepool, and the staff are very helpful. It is near Middleton Grange and next to what is locally known as 'the ramp', a footbridge. The no. 36 bus stops outside. Good luck – Mandy
Jim Tuckwell on January 15, 2015 at 3:38 pm said:
I am attempting to collect photographs of all of the Durham Light Infantrymen who died in WW2 from over 4,000 originally I have now less than 600 worldwide to secure, and one is in St Johns Haverton Hill would anyone be able to take a photograph of the white CWGC stone which commemorates Pte William Irving its situated at the West Wall and has the DLI Regimental capbadge on it?
All of the photographs are placed online and relatives or researchers can access them free of charge. Thanks for looking:)
Ian Hunter on May 3, 2015 at 4:17 pm said:
Jim, has anybody sent you the photograph of Pvt. William Irving's stone that you asked about in January. If not then I have taken some.
Jim Tuckwell on May 5, 2015 at 6:49 pm said:
Hello Ian ,I did get a photograph unfortunately if looked rather weather beaten I have reported the condition to the CWGC but I think that its replacement will take awhile due to their WW1 Centenary .
martinfpeagam on April 1, 2017 at 10:21 pm said:
Jim I took a photograph of this gravestone today. Looks in a reasonable condition. If you would like a copy, I can send it to you.
Patricia Frampton on January 23, 2019 at 12:06 pm said:
Do you still want a photo of the DLI grave stone in st Johns haverton?
Janet gore on May 11, 2015 at 12:42 pm said:
HI i am looking on behalf of dad colin fairweather. His dad is buried in the graveyard but we cant find the grave. His dad name was kenneth fairweather. We think his death was around 1960 as it was about 55 years ago. If anyone can help me that would be great or if they have any information at all even about the family that would be great. we think the grave might be unmarked. she died as a result of a accident in the shipyards. he was married a lady called enidth and had 4 kids, ken ,tony,my dad and lynn. if anyone call help please get in touch
Alec Higgins on June 27, 2019 at 7:16 pm said:
Hi Janet, I am trying to contact Kenny Fairweather who lived High Clarence and loved motorbikes. He was mate of mine back in the 70's but we lost touch when I moved South. Is he a relative of yours? Cheers, Alec
Mervyn booth on June 5, 2015 at 1:57 pm said:
Does anyone know where the plans are for Haverton hill st johns church need to know who or what vicar would have records of burial plots 1968
Mandy Wood on December 1, 2015 at 5:55 pm said:
You should be able to get the plans for burial plots at Stockton Borough Council 'Cemetaries dept'. Also try the Family History dept at Stockton library (for lists of Births, marriages, deaths/burials.) Teesside archives in Middlesbrough too. They are both a mine of information. Even unmarked graves will have numbers so can be traced. Burials and baptisms at the church will be listed chronologically – i.e. from when the church was built.
Hi Chris, the records for Haverton and Port Clarence church are surprisingly in Hartlepool library (rather than say, Teesside archives) Good luck
I mean the burial map for the plots
Beryl Cassey on August 13, 2018 at 8:28 pm said:
Do you know who has the burial map for the plots at St Johns Haverton Hill, I have tried Stockton council, Durham registry they only have burial records not plots and I have been advised by someone for St Cuthberts that only records kept in chuch safe would have been transferred to St Cuthberts burial plot records were not kept in safe. It is possible church warden could possibly have records and no one thought to collect them. I am trying to locate my Grandmothers plot Margaret Ivy Green who died December 1963′ Can anyone help me.
john on August 13, 2018 at 8:54 pm said:
I believe the records for that church are kept in Hartlepool library.
Ivor Kelly on August 13, 2018 at 10:00 pm said:
I'm afraid that I can't add anything. Between 1955 and 1962 I went to Stockton Grammar School with Sandy Darling, the son of the then vicar of the church, and often visited the vicarage. His brother was Chris, but sadly I've lost touch with them. My father worked in the Furness shipyard opposite the site of the church.
pat walmsley on June 22, 2015 at 10:48 pm said:
The vicar of St. Johns in 1968 would be Mr. Darling
Mervyn Booth on January 30, 2016 at 3:45 pm said:
Is Mr Darling still alive and does he have a phone number
Peter Brown on September 12, 2016 at 6:17 pm said:
The Rev Jim Darling was my Unicle and as a child I stayed at the vicarage for summer holidays. This was before my voice broke and I used to sing in the choir with their sons Christopher and Alexander (Sandy). They also had an older sister Margery. Jim's wife Ethel died of cancer in 1972 and Jim died in 1977.
Ivor Kelly on April 16, 2017 at 1:46 pm said:
I went to Stockton Grammar School with Sandy. Does anyone know where he is now?
Jenny Bardgett on August 17, 2015 at 11:07 pm said:
Dear All, St John's is now part of Billingham Parish. Church Warden at St Cuthbert's might be able to help but I don't think nowadays they will have hands-on access to the information. I cannot ever remember seeing a plan of St John's churchyard, but all burials are recorded into the burial register and the plot number is recorded alongside. The registers were originally stored at St Cuthbert's Billingham (when St John's closed), but all completed registers must now be sent to Durham and it was sent there as far as I know. Durham has a website where you can trace the information they hold. I am not sure if they also hold a plan showing the plot numbers/names. My grandparents are buried there. Hope this helps.
What was the name of the vicar
Jennifer on September 20, 2015 at 4:22 pm said:
20/9/15 On Ebay at the moment there is a postcard of this church,showing a different angle to the picture above . Hope this helps . Jennifer Pinder
I also remember a house in the grounds of the cemetary. It was in the seventies and must of been quite large because there was a servants bell board on the wall. I was there today and there is no sign of were this house might of been
Mrs v cross on August 20, 2016 at 9:00 pm said:
We have had the same problem finding our name grave my sister's went to Durham they found the names but no numbers we've been to hartlepool they have nothing .the flag they had a St Johns is at saint Aidan's but my sister phoned to no avail.if anyone can help to find my mothers grave thank you in anticipation vie cross
christine on September 13, 2016 at 8:08 pm said:
Hi my mother and father were both from haverton hill/port Clarence surnames robinson and fields, I know my grandparents are in unmarked graves in st johns grounds but have emailed durham to try and find out where about they were buried, if anyonehas any information that would be great
JOHN on November 12, 2016 at 10:53 am said:
I went to Sunday school in haverton hill, the victor was MR MURPHY and his daughter was IRIS MURPHY, it was the early 70,s . I'd love any comments or memories and wonder where IRIS MURPHY is now. We used to play in the vicarage, I was about 10
any comments welcome… John.
Mandy (Marilyn) Wood on November 12, 2017 at 10:14 am said:
Oh, I see someone has answered the question I was going to suggest as to the vicar's name…. I was going to say his name would be on any baptism, marriage or burial records at the time. BMD records can often be found in archives or with luck Family history departments at some libraries. Good luck