Frouds Cottages, the Frouds or Froods were village blacksmiths from the 17th to the 19th century.
When Widow Thompson's pub was by-passed in 1789, Tommy Linton, the blacksmith who lived and worked in the cottage next to the later Times Inn, converted Froud's Cottages into the Wheatsheaf Inn to attract the coaches from Stockton and South Shields.
A short lived venture, see next photograph.
When the Bull Bridge was built in 1820 during the making of the turnpike road (Stockton Road or old A19) the Wheatsheaf Inn was itself by-passed and Tommy Linton built the Times Inn next to his blacksmith's shop and took over Colpitt's Farm to supply change horses for the coaches.
This photograph around 1910
See next photograph.
Western end of the village c1900 possibly earlier showing St Andrew's Church, the Sexton's Cottage, Hornsby's Farm and Rose Cottage.
Hornsby's Farm was demolished in 1905 and Rose Cottage in 1912, I have no date for the demolition of the Sexton's Cottage.
