Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Lansdowne Road Birkenhead

any history buffs out there who can fill in the details relating to my husbands grandfather Harold Parker who died during bombing raid in WW2 in Lansdowne Rd, death certificate states he was living in caravan at time. Why were there caravans on the land? What was Lansdowne road like in 1943?

I've been told by someone who was born and lived in a bus there that there was a gypsy lane somewhere just behind the North Star

Cannot help with the caravan, but can give you the info from Birkenhead's Civilian Roll of Honour.

Harold Parker age 47 of 43 Lansdowne Road, son of the late Herbert and Adelaine Parker Killed 13 March 1941 at 43 Landsdowne Road. Burial at Landican Cemetery.

Another which might be of interest:

Lillie Parker age 42 of Linwood Road killed 12 March 1941 at 21 Hilton Road. Burial at Flaybrick Hill Cemetery.

The 12/13th of March 1941 was to be Birkenhead's worst air raid with 288 killed and 275 seriously injured.

I would be interested in what is on Harold's death certificate as cause of death, I suppose the most obvious is Killed in Air raid but I've never seen one.

the gypsy lane went from the end of bertha street(now pulled down) down to almost opposite lincoln street and the gypsy camp was on the right as you went down.i'm wondering if the parkers were related to the parkers who lived in vulcan street around the same time and later

I remember the family of gypsies i think their surname was "LEE" MY dads family lived in lenister (SP)? street and munster street . my mums lived in Avon street so as a child i often passed gypsy lane and on many occasions went in to talk to the lee family. There was a load of caravans there but i cannot remember how many ppl. They where a lovely family and i often wonder what happened to them xx