Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral Now and Then The Gutter, Wallasey

Has anyone any info on the Gutter, School Lane, Wallasey.
Apparently it was a house next to a girls school.
This name has come up a couple of times in family records of around 1850-ish!
Any info on the CARLILE and NELSON families of wallasey.
Any info on BIG YARD also in Wallasey Village, on the sight of St marys College. Was rows of terraced houses.
They were there into the 1960`s, but any info greatly accepted.

LOADS of stuff about "Nellys Gutter" and the school (and Voses field which was where the houses along Folly Lane now stand). Info etc I have is all scattered over lots of files and will take a while to collate.

The "girls school" was situated more or less where now there is a bend in the road as Folly Lane meets School Lane - probably whewre the are some of the flats and the first of the pensioner bungalows

I remember the Gutter/ Folly Lane/ Buxton House (abandoned) gardens like the back of my hand - lived in the area from wartime through to my 20s. Mum (now 93) and her mum lived in Stonehouse Rd from the start of 20th century

Snod

Whilst Snod gathers his stuff...

My mate "Gazzy" used to live at the cottages by the pig farm in Big Yard.

A painting by Harold Hopps showing Carlile’s Cottage in School Lane. The cottage took its name from Henry Carlile (also spelt Carlisle or Carlyle) who was a churchwarden at St. Hilary’s. Perhaps that’s old Henry sitting on the wall!

The lane was originally called ‘Nelson’s Gutter’ after George Nelson who, I think, lived in a house on the corner. It became known as School Lane after St. Hilary’s Girl School was opened in 1847. The school is the building alongside the cottage (centre left).

Just found this photo from about 1905 looking at Carlile’s Cottage (on the left) from a different angle. On the right is Salisbury’s Cottage belonging to Sam Salisbury. These were among the last thatched cottages to survive.

Wow, what great pictures Nightwalker

Lovely pictures thanks for sharing

Thanks for all the info people, my mum will be made up. She says was there a building at the end of the cottages called something VILLA?

I think there was a Mercer Villa on the corner of School Lane and Beaufort Drive.

in 1871 census 215 school lane was girls school 216 was the gutter 217 was buxton or burton villa.george and mary nelson and 3 sons lived at the gutter. thanks for all the info especialy the picks .theyre great.any more info out there? molong

If you let me know what specific info you're looking for I'll see what I can find out. Pm me if you prefer.

I bet the family have come a long way since growing up in the gutter!

I'm sure that you're probably already aware of this, but here's a bit more from the 'Sandstone & Mortar' book about the people who lived in The Gutter (School Lane).

Noel Smith says:

'School Lane was once known as the Gutter or Nelson's Gutter. At the top of the lane on the left-hand side was once a "post and panel" cottage which was known as "The Old Cottage" or "The Toffee Shop". It was built in the middle of the 1600's. It was kept by Miss Jones, who sold toffee apples and her father, John, had it earlier. The old cottage was knocked down in about 1920 for road widening.

Next to the "Toffee Shop" was "White Cottage" which was the home of George and Sophia Nelson, whose name gave rise to Nelson's (or Nelly's) Gutter (or "Gut" as it was known by the locals). They had a son by the name of Walter. "Roseberry House" was built by Admiral Richard Smith, Lord of the Manor of Poulton. "Salisbury's Cottage" (where Sam Salisbury lived) was one of the last thatched cottages in the village. "Waddington's Cottage" was also thatched at one time, but they thought it would be better to have a tin roof so they covered it with corrugated iron. Sam Salisbury's son, Percy, was very fond of motor-bikes and would be seen riding through the village with his girlfriend, Ada, on the pillion seat. Denis Westcott, the famous Wolverhampton footballer onced lived in the lane. Next to "Salisbury's Cottage" (which was bombed in the last War and was demolished) was "Carlisle Cottage" where Henry Carlisle lived.

The Girl's Schoolhouse was built in 1847. I believe it was originally thatched but was later roofed with slate. When it was no longer needed, it was sold to Penrose James and rented to Mr.Evans, the building contractor. It was taken over by Harry Morgan the blacksmith and he converted it into a smithy. Harry was also a wheelwright. The smith was later taken over by Ted Lythgoe.

In the early part of the century there were a number of market gardeners living in the lane - Will Webster, Bill Rogers, J.Braithwaite, Charlie Webster and Mr.Salisbury, the nurseryman. There was also a plumber (Harold Varty), a sea-going butcher (Jack Hodson), Jack Moore, the cab proprietor and a few other folk'.

My nan was born in No 9 Stonehouse Road in 1915 and lived there until she got married. Does your mum remember the Hammonds? My great grandad Joseph Hammond was too old to fight in the first war and became a fireman from 1914 to 1918 although he was retired. He came here from Wolverhamton with his first wife for the sea air because she had consumption. She died and he married nan's mum. She died and he married again. He had 10 kids in total so the family must have been known well.