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Snippets from the Wallasey News Charter supplement

1910

The foundation stone of Harrison memorial church (St Nicholas's) laid on April 26

Claremont road Wesleyan church opened on May 25 and New Brighton Presbyterian church opened on July 7

Wallasey's charter of Incorporation recieved the Royal signature July 19

The election of Wallasey's first Municipal council took place in November when the Liberals were returned with a majority and Mr J T CHESTER was chosen as the first mayor

1911

Wallasey's first Civic ball held at the Tower ballroom on January 13

New Wallasey Grammer school opened on January 14

New tramway route to Wallasey Village opened February 7

Mr R H HALDANE MP secretary for war opened new drill hall in Seacombe on March 18

Foundation stone of Wallasey Masonic Hall Manor road laid on May 9

Baptist church, Seabank road opened on May 20

Coronation day festivities June 22

New Jewish synagogue opened in Falkland road on Sunday September 3

New Earlston free library, the gift of Mr Andrew CARNEGIE the American millionaire, opened on September 30

St Nicholas church opened November 29

1912

Alderman James WRIGHT, well known public man and headmaster of Seacombe Wesleyan School died on January 20. Many old Walleseyans were educated at his school, to whom he was known as "Daddy WRIGHT"

Seacombe Presbyterian church opened September 25

New Brighton parish hall, gift of Mr Frederic NORTH, opened December 5

Quarry Recreation Clock Tower in the memory of Alderman J SMITH, formally handed over to the borough

1913

Transfer of local police transferred to the county of Wallasey at midnight on March 31

Wallasey assumed county borough status on April 1

Victoria Gardens opened by Lord Derby May 3

Old thatched cottage opposite Liscard post office demolished during the summer

New Brighton lifeboats have saved 524 lives from 1803-1913

1914

King George V lays foundation stone of the new town hall on March 25

First portion of Leasowe children's hospital opened on July 21

Civic Mace presented to Alderman Sydney DAWSON on September 10

1915

Lusitania sank on May 7. A number of Wallasey people were members of the crew

Seacombe shops wrecked on May 10 in anti-German demonstrations
During the year the new fire station at Liscard was opened

1916

Destructive fire at Wilkie's fun palace New Brighton on Saturday April 22

Wallasey new town hall opened as military hospital on August 12

Viscount French inspected Wallasey volunteers on September 27

1917

Owing to the scarcity of gravediggers in Wallasey a call was made for volunteers, members of the Wallasey battalion of the Cheshire Volunteers and special police responding

Mother and child murdered at Liscard April 16, husband found guilty of murder and executed

1918

Wallasey branch of the "Comrades of the Great War" formed

1919

Wallasey police refused to join in police strike (August)

1920

New Brighton War memorial unveiled January 18

Motor bus service (single deck on solid tyres) began on April 3. First route was Seacombe ferry - Harrison drive

Wallasey council decides to invite Mr Lloyd George, the prime minister to become an honorary freeman of the borough, September 23: Note The honour was never bestowed as Mr Lloyd George was unable to arrange a convenient time

Oldershaw Secondary schools opened September 3

1921

Lord Derby unveils promenade War memorial

Municipal maternity home Mill lane opened

First Moreton cinema opened

New Brighton football and Athletic club formed. Dr Tom MARTLEW elected chairman

1922

Trocadero cinema opened June 1

World cycling championship at the tower (August)

1923

Big crowds at Harrison drive watched 60 people nearly all of them women - baptised by immersion in the sea

1924

Sir James BARRIE at Wallasey High school speech day (Feb 27) recalled boyhood memories of meeting Thomas Carlysle

Gorsey lane, last and main link of the series of roads connecting Birkenhead to New Brighton publicly opened April 9

Wallasey Grange adjoining municipal golf links opened on April 5

1925

It was reported at the meeting of the council in March that Wallasey had been left out of the Mesey Tunnel scheme

Seacombe new library in Borough road opened May 5

1926

Foundation stone of St Luke's Memorial hall laid January 9
Upton park enquiry February 26

In March stained glass window to golfers at St Nicholas's church raised controversy about Sunday golf

National strike (May)

Council decide to build 3,500 new houses on Leasowe road.

1927

Foundation stone of Marlowe road Congregational church laid January 19

Gandy belt works gutted by fire February 18

1928

Wallasey "adopts" Ammanford, one of many mining communities suffering from mass unemployment in South Wales

Borough boundary extended to Moreton and parts of Bidston on April 1

Oxton road Wesleyan church opened

Opening of Egerton Grove school

Death of Mr James T CHESTER Wallasey's first Mayor
New Brighton pier purchased by the corporation

Poulton road Methodist church opened

1929

Alderman J G STOREY elected Mayor of Wallasey, a position held by his father in 1913

1930

Opening of a newly constructed New Brighton pier re-modernised at a cost of 45,000 pounds

Opening of Barnston lane school Moreton

1931

Wallasey's 200 year old hotel "The Black Horse" demolished

Mr Emrys EVANS took office as town clerk in April

Opening of Oakdale road Municipal wash-house

Mr J ORMEROD became Chief constable (retired 1959)

Lyceum cinema formerly on the grounds of the present Gaumont and originally a Presbyterian church destroyed by fire December 30

1932

Part of Egremont Ferry wrecked by the oil tanker "British Commander" in May

1933

The 95,000 pounds Marine lake opened by Alderman EASTWOOD

Wallasey Grammar school accorded public school status

Seacombe new ferry terminus opened April 10

Gaumont palace opened November 3

On December 1, the last tramcar to run in Wallasey left Seacombe Ferry

1934

The Wallasey ferry "Royal Daffodil II launched at Birkenhead by Mayoress Mrs H J HALL

New Brighton bathing pool opened

Gorsedale school opened

1935

Wallasey's first pedestrian crossing opened

1936

Canon D WHITE Rector of Wallasey retired after 22 years ministry in the borough

1937

Death of Alderman Walter EASTMAN ex-Mayor and freeman of the borough

1938

Victoria central hospital nurse's home opened

Walllasey Village tree library opened

1939

Wallasey schools commenced evacuation on outbreak of war

1940

Manager of Wallasey ferries for 26 years Captain William Henry FRY died at the age of 66, just a year after his retirement

NOTE (see below)* Bombs dropped on Wallasey by enemy raiders

1941

More bombs dropped on Wallasey by enemy raiders

Death of Mr Ernest Edwin KEEL managing director of the Wallasey printers Ltd at the age of 68

1942

Wallasey Home guard defended town against mock invaders

1943

Wallasey High school celebrated its diamond jubilee

1944

Wallasey grants US forces freedom of the town in August

1945

Local victory celebrations, street parties, parades etc

Lieut Ian FRASER of New Brighton, wins VC, accorded civic welcome

1946

Wallasey's VC recieves sword of honour from corporation

Rakers commence league football

Moreton branch library opened in September

Wallasey music festival revived

1947

Wallasey ferries goods service closed March 31

Public asked to vote for Sunday cinema 12,147 said "yes", 6,297 said "no"

First commercial shore based radar station opened at Seacombe Ferry in September

1948

3,000 Ib unexploded bomb found in Vicarage Gardens by workmen

The Chief Constable (Mr J ORMEROD) awarded King's Police Medal

1949

New Brighton Rugby Union club celebrates it's 75th anniversary

Miss Edna McFARLANE (Liverpool) chosen first Miss New Brighton

Wallasey's 1,000 th post war house opened at Moreton Sept 20

Death of Alderman A H EVANS for many years "Father of the Council"

1950

Electoral rolls showed the number of voters in Wallasey to be 72,076, an increase of 10,000 on the previous Autumn register for 1948

Helen Andrea COATES grandaughter of Alderman F Stanley ATKIN laid keel of Wallasey's 256,000 pounds ferry Royal Iris at Dumbarton in January

Mr Arthur Graham HARRISON D.S.C Deputy Town clerk, appointed in March in succession to Mr Emrys EVANS

Joe MERCER local grocer and captain of cup winning Arsenal brought the FA cup to Wallasey in May

A memorial fireplace was installed in Oldenshaw Grammer school in memory of 72 old boys who died in the last world war

New lifeboat Norman Corlett arrives in New Brighton September

1951

Influenza epidemic gripped town in January. Thousands of people being confined to bed. Over 200 residents died in two weeks

Reported at ladies lifeboat guild in March that 1,000 lives had been saved by New Brighton lifeboat since station was opened in 1863

Phoenix cinema Wallasey opens

Civic Memorial to 324 civilians killed in air raids unveiled by Mayor - Alderman G H YOUNG in October

1952

St Aban's R.C. school opened in January

In February Major-General Sir Colin M BARBER, C.B. D.S.O son of a former Wallasey JP was appointed Commander-in-chief of Scottish command

The re-dedication of St Luke's Church restored after blitz and the unveiling of the 500 pound memorial windows, took place in May, and work commenced on Moreton's new 42,000 pounds Methodist church

The death occurred in June of Alderman John G STOREY aged 71, an ex-Mayor and member of the council for more than 33 years

In July the Ministry approved the 111,060 new County Secondary Modern school in Leasowe road

The Mayoress Mrs W O HANNAFORD in November opened the 2000,th council house built since 1945. Mr Ernest MARPLES also opened the first tenant ownership house erected since the war