Harking back to Hintons in South Shields

Maureen Kane Snr posted: “I worked there when I left school in 1953, it was bottom of Fowler Street then.”

Joanne Battenbo revealed: “My mam used to work on the cigarette counter at The Nook, now Sainsburys, I think the one in the photo here. Used to remember picking her up from work.”

Gary Maitland also worked in Hintons, saying: “I worked at the one behind King Street.”

Denny Wood added: “ I used work there. Loved it.” While Pauline Carson went online to say “my first job when I was 16, Fowler Street, loved it.”

Another ex-Hintons employee is Margy Midwood, who said: “I started at the Fowler Street one in 1975. Training there with their first electronic tills. Then went to Nook for a few weeks before the new shop in North Street opened, brand new. Great staff there.”

Wendy Price posted: “ I got ‘lost’ in the one at The Nook!

“As a littleun I thought that place was huge! As you went in the main door there was a manager’s office built up high so they could see over the shop floor. They put out a tannoy for me to go to the check-out area.”

Wendy Mazzucco took to Facebook to reveal: “My grandad opened first Hintons in South Shields, Harold Cuthbert. Anyone remember him?”

Eileen Drummond worked at the Hintons store at the bottom of Fowler Street “many moons ago” while Lee Bell said he “started my y.t.s at Hintons in 1985”.

Other memories came flooding back.

Carol Gofton posted: “My mam used to meet me there as I worked further down the street at Quigleys.”

Margaret Nicholson said she “worked at the one in Clayton Street in Newcastle city centre, best job ever, it was 1976, it was my first job.”

Julie Collins explained that she “worked in Hintons behind King Street” while Barbara Anne Todd says “I used to work here before I had my children, 1977-78, loved my job.”

Simon Bruce went on to say: “Used the Hintons in Shields town centre which became Riddicks as it moved to what is B&M.”

Denise Jopling Faill revealed: “Mr Courts was the manager there (at The Nook store). We also had Kwick Save, Laws. Co op, all at The Nook, some at different times like.”

Lynn Laidler: “Used to be one behind King Street.”

Blayne O’Brien: “Can anyone remember what is now B&M and was clothing direct (used to enjoy the music blasting out). What it was before clothing direct?”

Viv Marley confirmed that the picture posted is “the one at The Nook,” prompting Jeff Lazenby to recall “Just a kid when it closed, but remember it just.”

Dorothy Newton also took to social media to explain: “My mother and I shopped at the Fowler Street shop and the one up North Street.”

Jackie and Jim Waugh asked “When did this close?”

Olivia Frampton said: “I shopped there with Nana many a time”, while Michelle Dawson commented: “See the traffic is just the same, always chocka block in The Nook car parks. Must do some business along there, it’s even outlived King Street, and still going strong.”

Jacqueline Jobes also remembers working at Hintons while Elizabeth Hyde pointed out that “the little dog (in the photo) is called Pepsi, it was my friend’s dog.”

Gloria Garland Davidson says: “Loved these older shops” while Judith Musgrave typed: “Hintons! That takes you back. Where have those years gone?”

Barbara Anne Todd commented: “It’s now the Sainsburys, same style and shop”, while Dan Jameson asked, “Didn’t it change to Prestos?” and Beverly Olds pointed out, “Was Woolworth’s before it was Hintons.”

Gemma N Dean Long posted “The one in Laygate was great!” What are your memories of Hintons?