Yes it is an old slipway an the steps immediately to the south and the other steps just north are very old as well. However it has been a shallow water area for a long time (almost a marsh) but this might have been a place where boats (especially fishing boats) were laid up. The water would never have been deep enough to run a reliable ferry service.
I think it is to far up river to be directly linked to shellfish (wild guess!) which much of Liverpool ate in the 19th century.
I was doing some notes the other day about mersey ferries but I've forgotten where the south Liverpool ferries were, I think it was Garston but I will check later when my stomach stops reminding me it has been abandoned.
We don't do charity in Germany, we pay taxes. Charity is a failure of governments' responsibilities - Henning Wehn
According to the 1861 directory, all ferries sailing from Wirral went to the Liverpool South Landing Stage, this appears to be the Georges Landing Stage, Georges Pier Head, erected in 1847.
In 1950 Lieutenant Commander L D Price, manager of Wallasey Ferries carried out considerable research on the subject of additional ferry services running between Eastham and Garston and New Brighton and Bootle. No evidence it took off or a ferry leaving Wirral for Grassendale.
God help us, Come yourself, Don't send Jesus, This is no place for children.
When I said ferry from Eastham.......I was not talking Mersey Ferry as in powered like we have today........but more of a big rowing boat type ferry.....well before powered ferries.
So Eastham Ferry......did any sort of ferry ever set out from Eastham Ferry.....powered or unpowered.....could be talking may 200 or 300 years ago....to any destination on the liverpool side.
Yes, Ferries did take off from Eastham to Liverpool propelled by oar, sail and steam etc . Any evidence I've seen just gives the destination as Liverpool.
God help us, Come yourself, Don't send Jesus, This is no place for children.
Much older than the present Eastham pier position is Job's Ferry, just a few yards further North. Steps exist in the sandstone down to the site which is said to be 13th century.