Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Old Hebron Hall, Liscard

I know that Hebron Hall on the corner of Liscard Village and Egerton Grove was built in 1924, but I’ve come across some plans which indicate that there was an earlier Hebron Hall in Liscard Crescent which would have been built around 1906. This has dredged up some vague memories from the late 1940s / early 1950s of us kids playing in the gardens of a derelict building in the Crescent which was opposite the side of the Fire Station. I also seem to remember that not long after, the building was demolished and an extension to the Woolworths shop in Liscard Road was built on the land.

Anyone any info? Obviously not of earth-shattering importance but perhaps confirmation that I’m not going completely senile.

Awesome!

Would a comparison between 1901 census and 1911 census help, numbers missing or number jump.

Nice idea, Bert, but from what I remember that side of Liscard Crescent was mainly loading bays for the shops in Liscard Road.

There used to be a little chapel there in the 60's, facing the back of Woolworths. I'm not sure which church it was but I had it in my mind that it was Methodist.

I'm sure you've already looked at this link before, but it might help jog a few memories.

http://www....co.uk/wallasey/Shopping_In_Liscard/index.html

You may be thinking of Wesley Hall which was at the Liscard Road end of the Crescent, at the back of the Co-op.

I've managed to crop a bit off a photo taken about 1953/4 which shows part of Liscard Crescent. From left to right: the wall encloses the yard of the old Co-op. I had completely forgotten about the houses which are probably Liscard Terrace. I can't remember them being occupied - perhaps by then they were being used as storage for the Co-op? Then the back entrance bays to shops in Liscard Road.

Many thanks to a friend on here Dolly 007 for finding this for me, from 1911 Enumerators book.

So, it looks like the row of houses next to the hall was Poplar Terrace. I had assumed like nightwalker that it might have been Liscard Terrace.

The Chapel at 2 Liscard Cresent, would that be what was mentioned earlier in the thread?

Brilliant stuff, Bert and many thanks to Dolly 007. Never thought of using these records before - you can teach an old dog new tricks! A lot to take in as it is nothing like I remember.

Yes, the chapel at no. 2 would have been Wesley Hall, at the corner of Pear Tree Grove.

Perhaps you could record your findings NW, i think they would be most welcome.

http://www.genuki.eu/CHS/Church1670.htm

Good idea Bert. I've already contacted the Church to see if they've got any info on the old building and to offer them the plans if they're interested.

I've been in touch with a friend of mine at Wirral Archives and she's checked the Wallasey Building Plans Register there. There were apparently two plans deposited for the proposed new Hebron Hall in 1905, nos. 4368 and 4445. She managed to locate the original plan, numbered 4368, but the amended plan, numbered 4445, is missing from the Archives collection. Do you not think that your plan would be better returned to where it clearly originally came from - judging by the official Council stamp - at the Archives?

I do hope that you're not suggesting that I pinched the plan from the Archives, marty! The plan I have has been nowhere near the Archives - I rescued it from a pile of rubbish (which also included many other plans which were of no interest to me, and were presumably dumped)in the basement of Wallasey Town Hall in 1976. I have no problem with letting the Archives have it, I merely thought that the plan would be of more interest to the current Hebron Hall congregation than lying in an archive and never seeing the light of day.

Sadly, many items which would now be of interest were destroyed in the mid-60s and mid-70s. Firstly, when the old houses alongside the Wallasey Town Hall, which were used as Council offices, were demolished to make way for the annexes and secondly following local government reorganisation when departments were relocated and storeage space was at a premium. Because of my interest in local history I rescued items which were of interest to me and would otherwise have gone to the incinerator. Over the years, most of these have been 'returned' via Wallasey Reference Library, including a set of original negatives of Wallasey war damage and various school logbooks.

Perhaps if someone has the facility to copy the plans then the original set could be offered to the archives and the copied set could be offered to the present day hall. Thankfully they have been kept by Nightwalker so we can all benefit from them.

Wasn't suggesting anything of the sort!! I gather from the Archives staff that at some point before the collection of Wallasey building plans was transferred to the Archives, many of the non-domestic plans (ie those for public buildings, churches, pubs, factories, etc) had been removed from the main sequence and stored separately. It was during this time it is presumed that many of them 'went walkabout', which is a shame, as these plans are arguably more important historically than the run-of-the-mill ones for domestic extensions, conservatories and garden sheds.

The Archives would probably be happy to get a copy done in return for getting the originals back. They could also do a copy of the 'unamended' earlier plan as well, so that both could be given to the Hall.

Next time I'm over there I'll drop the plans in. No need for copying - as you can see from my original post I was able to make reasonable copies and from attached correspondence,it seems the amendments were only relating to a rainwater pipe and not the fabric of the building.

Sounds like a plan.

Well done Nightwalker.

I've had a very nice reply from the Secretary at Hebron Hall:

"I am responding as secretary of Hebron Evangelical Church to your message left on
our website which I found of great interest.

Yes, the original "Hebron Hall" in Liscard Crescent (which became a clinic, I think)
is the forerunner of the present building on Liscard Village which was opened in
1930.

You may be interested in the following information concerning the old "Hebron":

Land bought from a Mr. Moses Hughes at a cost of £110
Building built in 1905 by Mr. John Bellis at a cost of £548!
Registered as a place of worship on 24th. August 1905.

We ourselves are not sure of the history once the building was vacated, but we
think it was still owned during the war and perhaps sold for use as the clinic around
then.

It would be very good to be able to have plans of the old building for our small
archive, so thank you for your kind offer.

You doubtless already know that the present building was erected on the corner of
Egerton Grove on the site of Egerton Cottage ("Ma Egerton's).

Thank you for contacting us".

Some very interesting info. I'd picked up from somewhere that the new Church was opened in 1924 not 1930 - must try and find the source and correct it.