In New Ferry,near the Toll Bar (same side as Woolworths & the Co -op with its overhead system of taking the order,cash in & then returning the change down a shute !)
There was a little shop (a Chinese Laundry)with nothing in it except a counter,an ironing board,& a Chinaman with a long black plaited pigtail (to his waist)who spat on his iron ..creating loads of steam....which scared me witless !

I used to go in there with my oldest brother. He was picking up,our Grandfather's white collars.
The Chinese man, picked up a collar,spat on his iron,& a few minutes later..the perfectly,starched and curled collars were put in a round leather box.
When we arrived back home at Grandpa's...he gave my brother a "Thrupenny Jozzler "..for going.

(Can anyone explain that expression ? )
I know it was a 3 pence (old money )...

Seem to recall a Chinese laundry on Borough Road, now long gone. LH side heading down town. Somewhere in the vicinity of the library (?) From the top deck of the bus, you could look down into where they did the ironing. Clouds of steam and pigtails - as lynneb said !

I quite like ironing, as long as it's only hankies and tea towels. Anything more involved is a no-no. I might attempt a "posh" shirt if I have to, but that's it !

Can't remember any specific one, but they were quite common.


I haven't ironed since I left the RAF in 1960. I don't own an iron, nor anything that needs ironing; not even a shirt. If I have to go to a funeral,(increasingly likely at my age), I'll have to go & buy one.
"Thrupenny Jozzler " never heard that expression. We called them Thruppeny Joeys; can't explain that either.

Thruppeny Joey or thruppeny bit we called them. A Jozzler is a new one on me. Maybe shows my lack of education !!!

There was a Chinese laundry on Conway Street, Birkenhead, on the left-hand side going into town. It was between the old Conway Street School (now the Conway Centre) and the Crown pub (round about where Europa Boulevard now is). We used to take my Dad's collars there years ago and it was still going in the early 70s. By then, a launderette had also opened a few doors away.

yes the chinese laundry on Borough road was right opposit the library. I use to go there to get my white shirts washed and ironed during the 50s. some will remember the standard dress for us {teds} was a white shirt with slim jim tie

Dont remember a laundry on New Chester Rd but there was one in Brownlow Rd New Ferry in the 40s, early 50s,it was just an ordinary terraced house.You were given a little coloured square of paper as a receipt,I was always nervous of going.No Chinese takeaways then

i am looking at the death certificate of Fong Chang Lee, died 29 January 1946, age 57. His occupation was Laundry Proprietor, 342 Borough Road, Birkenhead. the informant of his death was H Y Cheung, his nephew. Would like any information anyone has, either then or now. Is 342 Borough Road still standing?
Kind regards to all

If its the one next to the Happy Valley, it is no longer there and was knocked down some years ago. photo put up by dereckdwc on other thread.

Conway street school

342 Borough road, was in the row of properties that the photo shows been knocked down. I use to live at 380. The chinese laundry was still operating in the early 60s. so the gentelman in question must have been an earlier proprieter of the laundry.

the wife of one of my ancestors worked in a laundry in birkenhead before she was married and so did her sister, i have it on 1911 census, it says ''Mr Travis Laundryman''
ancestors wife was a carrier out, and her sister was a coller ironer,they lived in Hind St, behind Birkenhead central, i would like to find out were this laundry was.

yes used to go in with my dad in the very early sixties to get his collars done I was very young but vaguely remember a tiny window inside the shop that you were served through interesting memories.

I wonder what constitutes a laundry in 1911, many a woman or family would take in washing and ironing, perhaps behind a shop or in the back room of a house, A collar ironer did exactly that and there was also a ironer.

1916 wilmers st directory
hope this helps

I remember the laundry, the surname was Lee, I went to school with the daughter but can't think of her first name. I lived at 297 Borough Road from 1954 - 1966.

I think her name was Dot Lee. I went out with a friend of hers and also knew her from dances at the Instonians. I lived in Harrowby Rd. and worked at the Central library in the late 60s.

I went to school with a lad whose family had a chinese laundary
in Borough rd opposite the Central Hotel in the 1950 s
his name was Billy Gun Why he had a sister called Lily who
became a top nurse at St Cathrines hospital
I went to the Woodlands with Billy i think he went to Park High
i finished up in Hemmy he was a real good mate

i remember the chinese laundry on conway street ,you could see the steam and smell the ironing.you could sometimes smell it on our street marion street.happy days.