Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Old Painting

Following up on Marty's comments, I've had a quick look in my copy of 'The Rise & Progress' and found a bit more info on the history of the house.

First recorded on the 1841 Tithe Map as Liscard Hotel, by 1857 it had become known as the New Brighton Hotel, and after that The Stanley Arms. It was subsequently opened as a school by Dr Poggi and flourished as such
up until 1964. After the fire of 1864, the part of the building that was left was used as a baker's shop and flour warehouse.

According to Noel Smith's book 'Almost An Island', the Baker's shop and warehouse part of the building was eventually demolished in 1899. So, bearing in mind that construction of the Tower began in 1897 and took three years to complete, the picture probably dates from 1898 or 1899, particularly as the view of the Tower in the painting is seen in the final stages of completion.

Well that one the tower is definitely half built. Note half built not half knocked down because painted in 1899 and wasn't demolished until 1921.

Lovely things to have.

Considering the amount of work which must have gone into building the ballroom and buildings at the base of the Tower, I'm guessing it was closer to completion than we would imagine!

The second of granny's pictures obviously shows an earlier phase of construction than the first though.

Sorry, that should read 1864, although Marty's source for a date of 1862 might be more accurate or reliable than 'The Rise & Progress' book.

I'm really at a loss. At one point after reading a book(can't remember which one) I thought as someone else posted it could have been Kirkland Cottage, and then changed my mind. It looks as if 'The Eternal One' (Geekus) is on the right track, so it's in all of your capable hands and I will agree with whatever you decide.
We must also remember that although they were a wedding present of that year, they may have been painted earlier than 1899.

Nice pics they are, I love them and they sit in a cupboard! A couple are quite large.

Next time you're down in that area of the prom take a look at the seaward wall of the Magazine (behind the War Memorial near Vale Park). It still looks the same today.

I'm pretty sure the building in your picture was located at the bottom of Magazine Lane. Look at the picture Marty put up and you'll see that the building to the left of the main house has the same front as the one in your painting. I don't know if it was originally a stables, as Marty suggests, but it looks to have been seperate to the rest of the house, which probably explains why it survived the fire. The dates in 'The Rise & Progress' book are a little bit different to those given by Marty, but his could be the more accurate.

Anyway, great pictures gran. Thanks for sharing them with us.

Thanks Geekus and Marty, it's really appreciated and all the help from each one of you.
Always nice to have a puzzle, but even nicer to solve it. I will take your advice and have a trip in the next few weeks.

Yes, in the light of day it's possible to see the very same building as the one Marty mentioned. Was squinting last night with these terrible bulbs we have to use now. It seems we have to use twice as many bulbs to get half the light. Gas light was better I'm sure!

Fantastic, and thanks Marty.

The Hotel on the shore at the Magazines was a little older than Woods & Brown suggest; it is clearly marked on Jonathan Bennison's map of Liverpool which was published in September 1835, with the owner indicated as I. (or J.) Davies. The building was advertised to let as the Royal Hotel, Liscard, in early 1839 (though the description "new" clearly needs to be taken with a pinch of salt!). When Dr Poggi took over the premises it was described as either the Royal Hotel or the New Brighton Hotel, so I have no idea whether it was ever called the Stanley Arms.

A detailed account of the fire appeared in the Liverpool Mercury on Wednesday, 29th October 1862, so it certainly didn't burn down in 1864. When the remains of the property were put up for auction in 1863 they were described as a "Cottage and Stable, and the remaining walls of the Dwelling House...lately occupied by the Rev. Dominick Poggi", but I haven't found any evidence of what the cottage was used for after it was sold.

Your second painting is certainly a little easier to place! The terrace at left is Marine Terrace, situated between Hertford Drive and Holland Road. This photo shows the same section of the foreshore in about 1898, looking in the opposite direction from the beach in front of Magazine Brow.

So interesting Marty, and how lucky they all were. Maybe gas lights are not the answer! Can't imagine how long it took the firebrigade to get there from Birkenhead. Did they pull their engines then?
This picture is of a very similar view as yours. Not much happening in Liverpool, by the looks of it.
Will the little path on the extreme right lead to the boat house? The building on the very end of the right hand side looks as if it has a barn type door at the front. Could that be the boathouse?

Excellent photo Marty, thanks for putting it up for us to see.

At least we now know that the info in 'The Rise & Progress' isn't always accurate. Noel Smith must have used the dates supplied by 'The Rise & Progress' for his own book 'Almost An Island' as he makes the same mistake in saying that the fire happened in 1864.

That's a pretty close match to the photo, but about 50 yards or so further along the beach towards Egremont (you can just make out the Ferry Pier in the distance. I think the path at the right is simply the bottom end of Holland Road coming down to the foreshore; all of this changed shortly afterwards, of course, when the Prom was built. The green patch at extreme right is presumably the same grassed area that can be seen in front of the closest houses in my photo.

They must have been standing in the same place. Wierd isn't it? Well, thanks again Marty, you've been really helpful.

Must remember too that paintings are not always 100% accurate depictions. An artist will sometimes alter the view if he thinks it will look better, artistic license if you will. The clues are always there though. Good thread.