Hi Kelly, I remember the oak leaf being built in the late fifties. Your relative Richard Dawkins was better known as Dickey Dye. The Oak Leaf was originally owned I believe by your relative and stood on the corner of Normanby Road and Hampden Street in South Bank near Middlesbrough. The new police station now stands on that corner.Your relative had three clubs in the Middlesbrough area, all three were named after trees. The oak leaf in South Bank, The Elm club and the Sycamore Club. The Oak Leaf was a night club and later a bingo hall when your relative owned it.The Oak Leaf changed ownership round about 1965 give or take a year.It was at this point that The Oak Leaf became a pub and night club and was taken over by Scottish and Newcastle breweries.The pub had three rooms downstairs a bar a buffet and a music room.The upstairs room was used as the night club and function room, my sister had her wedding reception in the upstairs room. It was quite a big building and was very popular.The singing star Cathy Kirby starred at the oak leaf on the opening night. I cant remember if the Oak Leaf burned down or not but that story sounds familiar. Of the other two clubs one was at Normanby and the other at Marton. I was a school boy when your relative owned it and my friends dad was a brick layer an he helped to build it.It was later as a pub when i frequented the place.hope this helps.
