Captain Cook Pub Middlesbrough

[John Aspin]

Greetings one & all,
I was wondering as to how many members of this web site have actually been to, or heard of this very old and popular pub.
It was, as is well known for being a seamens pub, but it was very popular with all the locals who lived around that area and holds a lot of very good memories for many people including myself, not with the ladies of the night might I add, but a cousin on my wifes side and her husband Ronny Rees managed the pub for twenty years so lots of good nights and parties were had and enjoyed without any bother whatsoever.
Ronny was and still holds the record of being the longest serving manager (20 years)
However the sad news is that this very old but popular pub sadly closes on the 28th June 2010 after 170 years of history to make way for all the regeneration that is taking place in that area, with the docks closed now for many years all the old original housing including the lovely old St Mary's Cathedral were I was married have all gone.
But as I have said now for many years times change and there is nothing we can do about it & we have to move on.
Last night we attended a farewell party for the closing of this fine old building which was attended by many of the locals including Ronny who now lives in Cambridge with his daughter.
An enjoyable night but sad night was had by all.
Best wishes to one & all,
John Aspin (R685343) Ormesby-Middlesbrough

[Alan Ward]

Dear God do I remember the Captain Cook and the Robin Hood and the Central Hotel in Middlesbro`.I was once sitting in the Cook when my companion,an electrician,said to me`Let`s get the f**k out of here it`s horrible`I answered `You`ve been in Delmonicos,Joe Beefs and a hundred dodgy bars in Nigeria and you`re worried about here???`It frightened tghe life out of him.He`d obviously never drunk in Rayners on the Hessle road or the Earl in Hull.

[DeepSea]

My Dad used to take me there from time to time when I was a kid after he had been to the Pool. Used the pub many times myself when sailing out of Teesport in the early 1980's Also used to frequent the pub with my own Son for years before going to the Boro games. Sometimes wished I had stayed in the pub instead of going to the match. I believe the pub was used for NUS meetings many moons ago, which was a good enough excuse to go to one. Some of the memorabilia on the walls was still the same as when I went in as kid. The pub was also used in Auf Wiedersehen Pet.

[Jimmy Scougall]

Hi John,Sad to here about the Captain Cook was in there a couple of times great old pub, some of the girls in there were harder than the men.Is the Robin Hood still going.We are losing all those great old bars everywhere,they say its for the better I dont know all the best

[DeepSea]

The Robin Hood went long time back. Even the Bongo Club out lastest the RH.

[Louis the Amigo]

HI Shipmates Hi Sir billy, Hi AL, Very sad news this, I was there 1971 on an old Iron ore wagon I still owe a steward on the Pennyworth, a £5 which i will pay back next time we meet? A great pub the girls were fun. I remember drinking newcastle exibition bitter and brown ale. This in my day was not a ruff pub more like a social club But all the seamans pubs in them were the same{Trouble will allways find you if you go looking for it} so an old donkey man once told me. Very happy times up North .

[Colin Hawken]

I agree with you there Louis. Back in the mid 50s I spent a year on a Stevie Clark collier,MS Hayling. I was the only one aboard who wasn't a Geordie. Once I had learned to understand what they were saying,I had a great time. North East Coast Agreement (anyone remember that?) was an odd agreement if you weren't a Geordie but I still had a lot of fun among some of the best Guys I ever sailed with. I made friends and drank with a lot of Durham miners in various Pubs around Seaham. I also got involved with some Steelworkers in Middlesborough.Couldn't match them for drinking,they were too good for me. When I finally got back home to Southampton,nobody could understand me. I had picked up quite a broad Geordie accent.
Like you said,"Great times up North."

[calvin]

remember the pub well from working marton hotel and country club then merchant navy what about thethe pubs in grangetown the queens the junction and people like sweaty betty from eston jetty

[Michael Wisher]

I remember the captain cook, also I think the robin hood, the junction, anchor, queens, the sporting club, I visited them all when on the occasional ore carrier. I found the area absolute paradise for me. I had some great times and rember some lovely lasses, well in my eyes they were. Good hearted people, we had some good sessions both drinking and horizontal excercises, all to the background of the beatles, stones, etc, blasting from the juke boxes. If I payed off there it could take me a week to get home to Shields. occassionally had to duck and dive to get on to the train safely but the area holds many memories to me and I for one loved it and miss the old industrial days that Britain had.

[Svend]

I have been many times at all those pubs and The Sporting Club on The South Banks.

Do any of you know Ronald Cyril Jackson who came frequently on the Robein Hood and Captain Cook. He lived in Middlesborough.

We were shipmates back in 1967 on the norwegian ore carrier M/S Carmencita of Grimstad.