Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Grange Rd. businesses

The mention of Hubbard and Martin's on another thread leads me to ask if anyone can remember the names of the shops on Grange Rd. on the right, between Charing Cross and Vincent St.
The ones I remember were Hubbard and Martin's, bakers, Bibby and Perkins, gents' outfitters and school uniforms with a barbers in the basement. Rushworth and Dreaper's, records and musical instruments, and, on the corner of Vincent St., Boots chemists.
There must have been others: anyone fill in the gaps?

Derwent TV?

The numbers were, 239-257

239/241 Boots
243/247 Bibby & Perkins
249, Maison Dore, later, Hyman Jacobs
251, Jones Ryalls, TV & Radio, Rushworths & Dreaper
253, Hubbard & Martin
257, Midland Bank, George Sturla, Draper.1973

Boots later became Famous Army Stores

Sturla's also had two quite large shops on the Haymarket in Birkenhead, one next to the Wellington pub and the other just across the road next to the Chester Arms pub. They sold clothing and shoes and other stuff such as curtains, bedding, etc

I remember that every August, school clothes would appear in the window for their 'Back to School Event' - a chilling reminder to kids that the six-week holidays wouldn't last for ever!

George Sturla, died 1931,
Probate, £163384 0s 11d

Who remembers Sturla's cheques?

Yes I remember Sturlas chequers Spellbinder, that's how our school uniforms were bought. Most people used them when I was young.

Remember Mrs Reader (Reeder?) who used to call round every Saturday morning for the weekly payment for the cheques?

on the corner of that block as you reached Vincent Street was a church with about 6 to 10 feet of ground at the front with a few grave stones on it.

Ooops Sorry chaps, the church was on the end of the next block down. corner of Horatio Street and Grange Road.

Yes, Jim, corner of Horatio St. It was a primitive Methodist church.

Didn't Sturla do well? that was a huge sum of money he left. It was just a few years before my parents bought our house in Ben Nevis Rd. for £750.

I'm curious as to why the Midland Bank and Sturla's share the same address. The bank was obviously at ground level; was Sturla's on an upper floor?

Midland Bank closed, not sure when, Sturla's moved in and were there in 1973 (Phone Book)

Midland Bank at the top of Grange Road at Charing Cross closed in early 1990's.