BACK in April, Darlington MP Peter Gibson challenged us to explain a curious corner of his constituency that he had noticed one day out canvassing. He’d looked up above the shop on Barton Street, Albert Hill, and noticed two feature stones. One said “Erected AD 1865” while the other was empty, its message clearly having been hacked out.

What had it once said?

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The Northern Echo: Barton Street, Albert Hill, DarlingtonThe datestone on the left but the panel on the right has been hacked out. What had it once said?

With the help of readers, we concluded that it was once a pub known as the White House, which was taken over in 1919 by the newly-formed Albert Hill Club and Institute, Darlington’s ninth working men’s club. About 30 years later, the club moved to new premises nearby, allowing the building to become a shop with a gym above.

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The Northern Echo: Barton Street, Albert Hill, DarlingtonThe plaques are on the Phoenix Store in Barton Street, Albert Hill

That did not explain what the second, empty stone might once have said.

But Katherine Williamson in Darlington library has found the answer.

The Northern Echo: Darlington Post Office workers outside the Albert Hill Club in Darlington. Picture courtesy of the Darlington Centre for Local StudiesDarlington Post Office workers outside the Albert Hill Club in Darlington. Picture courtesy of the Darlington Centre for Local Studies

While looking for something else, she came across this fantastic picture of post office workers going on a charabanc trip from outside the club and there, as clear as a bell, can be seen the inscription on the second stone: “The Albert Hill Club”.

Really, we should have guessed.

However, as the building was erected in 1865 and the club didn’t take over until 1919, this cannot have been the original inscription, so in a way, we are no further forward – although this is a fantastic picture of times past.

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