Claypath was a centre for leisure, education and worship and a home to dozens of shops and pubs. It was the site of the city's post office, as well as a cinema, workingmen's club and the Blue Coat School.

Many of Claypath's shops were demolished during the 1960s for the building of an underpass. These included Richardson's Travel Agency, established on the south side of Claypath near the Market place in 1947 by Norman Richardson.

A former Durham Johnston pupil and ex-RAF pilot, Richardson was Durham's first travel agent. He made Claypath Durham's gateway to the world but he was also very keen to bring the world to Durham.

In 1963, he was elected mayor of the city and was one of the first to recognise Durham's important tourist potential.

He campaigned successfully for the establishment of a dedicated tourism committee and brought about the opening of the first Tourist Information Bureau in the city. Part of the town clerk's office in Claypath was converted for the purpose, but the mayor would have preferred a more central location in the market place.

Richardson was not the first Claypath proprietor to become mayor. In the late 19th Century, a Claypath grocer called James Fowler was elected mayor on several occasions. James and his son, Matthew, had established a grocery store at 99 Claypath in 1853.

The store became popular with the Durham miners after Fowler supported them during a lengthy mid-19th Century strike. He helped the miners with provisions during this difficult period and many pitmen returned the favour, becoming loyal customers once the strike was over.

An early 20th Century view of the Co-op stores Fowler's shop stood on the south side of Claypath and in its later years it proudly displayed the famous Durham teapot.

The teapot was symbolic of a grocery store and had previously hung outside a shop and post office in the Gilesgate area. After the 1960s demolition, it was moved to Saddler Street where it still hangs today.

Claypath's biggest and best-known store was undoubtedly the Durham Equitable and Industrial Co-operative Society's store, or Co-op for short. It stood opposite Fowler's store and occupied a number of the buildings that were demolished to make way for the Claypath underpass.

The Co-op was divided into several departments covering items such as food, furnishings, insurance, holidays and funerals.

Another Claypath "outlet" of sorts that still exists is the Army recruitment office, which has been located in the street since the war.

A 1960s view of Claypath. The Co-op and a sign for the Wheatsheaf inn can be seen on the left. Fowlers teapot can be seen on the right A neighbouring outlet which is now a newsagent's was once home to a recruitment office of a quite different kind. In the 1930s, this was home to the Durham branch of the British Union of Fascists. However, they were not there for long and it later became the home of Ben Clark's Cycle Shop, selling bicycles, toys and fancy goods.

Claypath was home to many pubs and inns, but the Big Jug Hotel is the only old pub to survive, with the prominent jug hanging from its faade. Like the teapot, it is a reminder of days when people were often illiterate and identified outlets by symbols rather than words.

In 1899, there were 15 public houses in Claypath's short street. The nearest to the Market Place was the Wheatsheaf Inn, on the north side of the street at Number 3, only two properties away from St Nicholas Church.

Other pubs on this side included the Golden Eagle at number 9, the Grapes Inn at number 16 and the Wearmouth Bridge at number 17. The latter was originally the Nottingham House but changed to the Wearmouth Bridge in 1856, to commemorate the opening of a famous iron bridge at Sunderland 60 years earlier.

Further up the street on the north side of Claypath stood the Maltman Inn, next to which stood the Palladium Cinema from 1929. The pub is now the site of a cycle shop.

On the southern side of the street, opposite the Wheatsheaf, stood the Angel Inn, the Kings Arms and the Claypath Gates Inn. They were located at 107, 105 and 104 Claypath but all of the properties were demolished for the underpass.

Other pubs in Claypath in 1899 included the Cellars at number 18, the Princess Mary at 20, the Masons Arms (52), the General Gordon (63), the Seven Stars (90) and the Travellers Rest at number 73.

Number 63: The General Gordon pub in the 1950s. It is now a private house In 1899, Durham had a much smaller population than it had today and it is remarkable that little Claypath played host to 15 pubs.

However, this was not unusual, and there were many other Durham streets that were similarly crammed with pubs, as we will discover in a future Durham Memories.

Next week we will take a look at the stage and screen and discover the closely tied history of theatres and cinemas in the city of Durham.

Dip into North-East history

The history of Durham features in my new book, called North-East England: places, history, people and legends published by Business Education Publishers of Sunderland. It is available from local bookshops. If you have memories or old photos of Durham including old pubs, shops, cinemas or well-known personalities, write to David Simpson, Durham Memories, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF. E-mail David.Simpson@nne.co.uk or telephone (01325) 505098.

Published: 06/06/2003