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Posted By: cathcart proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 2:50pm
i have lived away from birkenhead for a long time.i am coming home to live shortly. i have never stopped coming back to birkenhead,i have noticed over the last few years a tendency for people to say they are from the wirral. everything tends to have wirral on it. probably the worst example is in the new tranmere rovers book,ray stubbs states that the rovers are the wirrals club. nonsense, i was born on prenton park road,birkenhead cheshire not the wirral. lets have the birkenhead news back,be proud of birkenhead park,i saw the play down our street at the little theatre last saturday it brought tears to our eyes,an inspiring play,lets all be proud to be birkonians.
Posted By: Blondie Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 3:09pm
My mum lives right in the middle of Birkenhead, she hates it and I hate it. Everyday she has to face a bunch of pi55 heads drinking skol super by her home. I parked my car there yesterday and had my wingmirror stolen!! - Not smashed off - carefully removed, and stolen.
Years ago, Birkenhead was great, with it's great shops and the fantastic park, but look at now, tatty pound shops and vandalised play areas.
I'm not ashamed I'm from Birkenhead, but I am ashamed of what it has become.
Posted By: bert1 Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 3:16pm
Before this turns into a Lets bash Birkenhead thread, just remember, there's good and bad everywhere, name a place and someone will have a bad tale to tell.
Posted By: cathcart Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 3:22pm
i agree im just saying be proud of our heritage.i remember it was rough at times in the 50s but it was a great place to live.
Posted By: polo_phil Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 4:03pm
I've lived in Birkenhead (centre) for the past 4 years. Before that I lived in a "nice" part of Wallasey and also spent 6 months living in New Brighton.
In my experience in order of less bother/less chavs/ etc
1. Birkenhead
2. New Brighton
3. Wallasey
Posted By: philmch Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 4:32pm
There's nothing wrong with Birkenhead and there's nothing wrong with Wirral either. You're right, Wirral is a borough in the county of Cheshire. It's the dreadful "Merseyside" which we should kick into the gutter. Even Margaret Thatcher had the good sense to abolish Hatton and his little mafia.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 4:40pm
We had a pair of Gorbills, but they died.

Gorbals by chance ?? Sorry! Yes summer, you are right. It has however now had most of the grot 60's flats demolished. The area is on the up. (It couldn't go any other way mind you).
Posted By: bert1 Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 4:54pm
Summer, its the Gorbals in Glasgow, Pinz being terribly posh called them flats, they are in fact known as tenements, and yes he was joking about the gorbills.
Posted By: littlestan Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 5:02pm
Birkenhead has a proud history but has been ruined by the ineptitude of Wirral
Borough Council- both Councillors and Council Officers.They have closed down
the few Heritage attractions we had such as The Pumphouse , Shore St, The Town
Hall and Egerton Bridge. The Priory is open for fewer hours than it has ever been.
It is neglected and undersold by W.B.C. They WILL NOT ALLOW us to open the
TranmereTunnels or Bidston Tunnels whilst those at Stockport are a thriving
Visitor Attraction.They have driven shoppers and businesses out of the town centre
by imposing charges whilst Brom/Upton retail parks offer free parking. They are
ruining our Education Service by closing down B"head schools-both Primary and
Secondary so forcing our kids to go out of town to Bebington and beyond.
Wirral is indeed a lovely Peninsular but W.B.C. is a failed political entity and
nothing can change for Birkenhead until we go back to being part of Cheshire.
Posted By: diggingdeeper Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 5:07pm
There were tenements in the Gorbals area, but high rise tower block flats were built in the 60s which just increased the population density and hence the problems, these were called flats not tenements.

Me - Birkenhead, born and bred, couldn't wait to move back after wandering around other parts of the Wirral. Proud to be a Birkonian!
Posted By: Anonymous Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 5:41pm
Originally Posted by summer01
i got a brain like a teabag


Probably why you keep sucking it wrong!
Posted By: Capt_America Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 7:27pm
Originally Posted by cathcart
i have lived away from birkenhead for a long time.i am coming home to live shortly. i have never stopped coming back to birkenhead,i have noticed over the last few years a tendency for people to say they are from the wirral. everything tends to have wirral on it. probably the worst example is in the new tranmere rovers book,ray stubbs states that the rovers are the wirrals club. nonsense, i was born on prenton park road,birkenhead cheshire not the wirral. lets have the birkenhead news back,be proud of birkenhead park,i saw the play down our street at the little theatre last saturday it brought tears to our eyes,an inspiring play,lets all be proud to be birkonians.


I think we all use Wirral as an alternative to "Merseyside" as no-one (including the Post Office) will let you use Cheshire. Unless you are under 36 you were born in Cheshire, which coincidentally until 1974 had the longest unchanged border of any county in the UK (635 years or something like that) We started sinking as soon as we became Merseyside and Wirral councillors are a frickin joke.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 7:51pm
When writing "home" I always use Cheshire. Sorry, but there never has been a Merkeyside or whatever it's called. The other side of the river is of course is Lancashire. The Wirral was Cheshire for hundreds of years. It still IS Cheshire. Got it !!!

By the same token, I ALWAYS put Westmorland on letters/cards. Ditto Cumberland. Tell me.... did anyone ask YOU, yes YOU, if they could just change the counties ?? Well....?

In reality, it's the postcode that says were mail goes of course. The county doesn't exist in the Post Office's eyes. Bleedin' peasants !!!

Oh Gawd. a few glasses of white wine over dinner and I'm in full rant mode. Sorry. (But I am, as always right !) hic !
Posted By: DavidB Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 8:46pm
Originally Posted by littlestan
Birkenhead has a proud history but has been ruined by the ineptitude of Wirral
Borough Council- both Councillors and Council Officers.


They are useless.

I think Birkenhead is a dump, I can't think of any qualities at all. Nobody seems to care about the place and it's like a breeding ground for dole scrounging chavs.
There are a couple of nice places (Woodside), but you can't help think WBC are devising something to ruin it.
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 9:13pm
Lol laugh
Posted By: jimbob Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 9:52pm
Bert, in the early 50s what are now known as flats where called tenements. Now of course No flats are built as the blocks of living quarters that are built are called APARTMENTS.
Posted By: DavidB Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 10:01pm
They're not apartments, they're "Luxury apartments". wink
Posted By: oscarpops Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 10:22pm
I was brought up in the town centre of birkenhead it was great it was just a big building site was a big adventure playing where you wern't supposed to but we were happy im proud to be from birkenhead just wish you could get rid of the chavs and lowlife
Posted By: Helles Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 10:38pm
Originally Posted by oscarpops
I was brought up in the town centre of birkenhead it was great it was just a big building site was a big adventure playing where you wern't supposed to but we were happy im proud to be from birkenhead just wish you could get rid of the chavs and lowlife


You did, they were all sent to Seacombe when the North end was demolished.
Posted By: chriskay Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 10:48pm
Originally Posted by summer01
merseyside is to do with Birkenhead ?


Yes, it's on one side of the Mersey.
Posted By: oscarpops Re: proud to be a birkonian - 6th Dec 2010 10:53pm
no i lived by central station rodney st still there today the flyover in borough rd was getting built and the grange precinct then lived in the northend for twelve years now i live in bebington
Posted By: bert1 Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Dec 2010 5:55am
Originally Posted by diggingdeeper
There were tenements in the Gorbals area, but high rise tower block flats were built in the 60s which just increased the population density and hence the problems, these were called flats not tenements.


Yes DD, only an Englishman and Glasgow planning dept would call them flats, high rise or not, people in the Gorbals simply seen it as flitting from the old tenements to the new tenements and many more names besides, my wife's uncle, being on the top floor, simply called his a concrete Monroe. As we all know, these high rise monstrosity's never worked anywhere in the UK.
Posted By: bert1 Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Dec 2010 8:37am
sorry above should read Munros, before i get called a nincompoop.
Posted By: SpecialK Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Dec 2010 10:39am
Like Bert1 said, everywhere has it's good & bad areas.

I for one, absolutely love coming over to Birkenhead to visit the family whenever I can. Vast majority of Birks are full of character, humour & optimism. Something that is sadly missing here in Lincolnshire & in many places around the country.

Although I left Birkenhead at a young age I am extremely proud to tell folk where I was born. Which usually opens up a good chat when people say "where the fook is that"?

Be proud.
Posted By: chriskay Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Dec 2010 11:51am
With reference to Glasgow tenements. The original ones, (not the later high rise monstrosities), are now very desirable & expensive. Faced with sandstone, usually 3 or 4 stories high, they had several apartments on each floor & a communal wash-house in the basement. Residents took it in turns to clean the communal areas, like the stairs. There was pride in appearance in those days; I remember as a child in Birkenhead that everyone kept their bit of the pavement clean & the step donkey stoned.

Attached picture Clip7.jpg
Posted By: bert1 Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Dec 2010 11:59am
As well as the step Chris, my mother and many women cleaned the brass door furniture every day also.
Posted By: Maisie Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Dec 2010 2:03pm
Originally Posted by diggingdeeper
Me - Birkenhead, born and bred, couldn't wait to move back after wandering around other parts of the Wirral. Proud to be a Birkonian!


Me too!! I moved to Rock Ferry in May 2009, and I hated it. Kids and young adults hanging round the street, police cars up and down the street every night.
Moved back to Birkenhead 8 weeks ago, and it was the best thing I ever did. Certainly will not be moving again!!!
Posted By: BandyCoot Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Dec 2010 2:19pm
Didn't want to move a way in the first place but had to for a job. Chuffed to bits now I am back and won't hear a wrong word about the place. Feel very comfortable and it's good to be home again. Don't get me wrong, some of the places I've been to are very nice indeed but I don't get the same buzz as I do back here.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Dec 2010 4:23pm
I have started a petition to raise the bridges to keep you Jerkinbeds from entering Wallasey!!! Stay out!!!! snob

grin
Posted By: polo_phil Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Dec 2010 4:50pm
Originally Posted by PaulWirral
I have started a petition to raise the bridges to keep you Jerkinbeds from entering Wallasey!!! Stay out!!!! snob

grin


but what if I want to visit my mum? frown oh wait I can swim grin
Posted By: Helles Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Dec 2010 8:12pm
Originally Posted by polo_phil
Originally Posted by PaulWirral
I have started a petition to raise the bridges to keep you Jerkinbeds from entering Wallasey!!! Stay out!!!! snob

grin


but what if I want to visit my mum? frown oh wait I can swim grin


Wait until we put sharks in the dock. eek
Posted By: kimpri Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Dec 2010 8:46pm
Originally Posted by Helles
Originally Posted by polo_phil
Originally Posted by PaulWirral
I have started a petition to raise the bridges to keep you Jerkinbeds from entering Wallasey!!! Stay out!!!! snob

grin


but what if I want to visit my mum? frown oh wait I can swim grin


Wait until we put sharks in the dock. eek
We eat sharks for breakfast laugh
Posted By: Helles Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Dec 2010 10:22pm
Originally Posted by kimpri1
Originally Posted by Helles
Originally Posted by polo_phil
[quote=PaulWirral]I have started a petition to raise the bridges to keep you Jerkinbeds from entering Wallasey!!! Stay out!!!! snob

grin


but what if I want to visit my mum? frown oh wait I can swim grin


Wait until we put sharks in the dock. eek
We eat sharks for breakfast laugh [/quote]

Makes a change from eating your kids grin
Posted By: kimpri Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Dec 2010 11:52pm
Oh dear, laugh

what a **** ***? think
Posted By: cathcart Re: proud to be a birkonian - 8th Dec 2010 12:28pm
the only reason to go through wallasey is to get to new brighton. grin
Posted By: Bezzymate Re: proud to be a birkonian - 8th Dec 2010 4:32pm
Hey guys,come on both towns have a lot to offer!!!!
Posted By: Helles Re: proud to be a birkonian - 8th Dec 2010 5:38pm
Originally Posted by cathcart
the only reason to go through wallasey is to get to new brighton. grin


Er New Brighton is in Wallasey!
Posted By: cathcart Re: proud to be a birkonian - 8th Dec 2010 7:03pm
bit picky ,think people know what i mean.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: proud to be a birkonian - 8th Dec 2010 7:41pm
Originally Posted by cathcart
bit picky ,think people know what i mean.


We might build a "Berlin" wall to keep you lot out!!! raftl
Posted By: bert1 Re: proud to be a birkonian - 8th Dec 2010 9:40pm
Isn't going to Berlin the long way round to get to Wallasey.
Posted By: dancingpriest Re: proud to be a birkonian - 9th Dec 2010 2:06pm
I love Birkenhead, lived in london, parts of ireland and even germany, but still end up in my hometown, and im not going anywhere now. even our feral youths arent as bad as some parts of the country, if you think we have it bad try living in hackney or derry in northern ireland!
Posted By: polo_phil Re: proud to be a birkonian - 9th Dec 2010 2:09pm
mmm sharks.. yumyum <' ((( ><<
Posted By: Brass Re: proud to be a birkonian - 10th Dec 2010 7:27pm
i used to live in the northend but now live in bebington were it is a lot quite
Posted By: cathcart Re: proud to be a birkonian - 13th Dec 2010 6:12am
just wondering iff anyone has any pictures of marion street and the old cathcart street school,or that area of birkenhead ,thanks for a good thread.
Posted By: georgehayes Re: proud to be a birkonian - 20th Dec 2010 11:28am
i was born and bred in Birkenhead i left there in 1961
i move to work in Manchester and still live in this area
Before you knock Birkenhead you should have a go at living in
another area then you comment on its bad points
Believe me there are a lot of areas worse than BIRKENHEAD
When people here call me a scouser i always bite back and
say i am not i am from Birkenhead and proud of it
Ex Claughton Rd triangle boy
Posted By: cathcart Re: proud to be a birkonian - 20th Dec 2010 4:36pm
i left around the same time and live in manchester. like ive said before ive always gone back regularly. i hope to be back for good shortly. you must have lived near me. i lived on marion street.
Posted By: georgehayes Re: proud to be a birkonian - 21st Dec 2010 11:21am
I see you live in the posh area of Manchester
i used to live at 263 Claughton rd at the top of Exmouth st
i know the name marion st but i cant place where it was
i get down to Birkenhead regular as i have two sisters who still live there in PATTERSON ST & off OXTON RD
Posted By: cathcart Re: proud to be a birkonian - 21st Dec 2010 7:11pm
prestwich posh thats a laugh. marion street was just off conway street next to adelphi street where the vue is now. our school cathcart street is next to watson street and beckwith street. actually the end of marion street is still there. next to argyle street it was split by the railway.
Posted By: bert1 Re: proud to be a birkonian - 21st Dec 2010 10:51pm
Marion St

Attached picture marion st.JPG
Posted By: cathcart Re: proud to be a birkonian - 22nd Dec 2010 6:26am
thanks fore that bertie always forget about the other side of the railway. it was mainly a field in the 50s. actually i bid for the street sign that is on the argyle st. side,its the original one. the council said i could have it. trouble is they wanted about £350,shame really would have loved to have it,might have another go.has anyone else ever tried for an old street sign.
Posted By: bert1 Re: proud to be a birkonian - 22nd Dec 2010 7:31am
Both sides of the railway,

Attached picture marion st.JPG
Posted By: georgehayes Re: proud to be a birkonian - 23rd Dec 2010 11:16am
i know were you mean now
i went to Hemmy so i knew that area me and my mate
used to knock around with some girls that lived in LETA ST
How its all changed around there is it for the better though
My mam used to work in an ice cream works in Market st
we used to go down there and get loads of free lolly ices
i think the place was called FABBRIES or something like that
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: proud to be a birkonian - 23rd Dec 2010 11:45am
Originally Posted by cathcart
the council said i could have it. trouble is they wanted about £350,shame really would have loved to have it,might have another go.has anyone else ever tried for an old street sign.


the cheek omg
they only get scrapped when they put those crappy plastic ones up!

Just take it! You`ve paid for it anyway with all the taxes you pay smack
Posted By: derekdwc Re: proud to be a birkonian - 23rd Dec 2010 11:47am
I wonder which was built first
the railway or Marion street
if the railway (1847 ish) why didn't they call the end part by another name
QUERY why were some streets called Place
eg Oliver Place where I used to live just off Grange Rd
Posted By: bri445 Re: proud to be a birkonian - 23rd Dec 2010 1:12pm
A 'place' is the city/town version of a 'close' in the suburbs.
Posted By: cathcart Re: proud to be a birkonian - 23rd Dec 2010 4:40pm
yes leta street ran onto marion street,cant agree its better now just another load of plastic buildings,no character,or atmosphere.it was a great place to live.would be nice to hear from someone who lived there.
Posted By: Suzzi Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Jan 2011 12:17am
Very proud also to be from Birkenhead, it was tough in the 50's outside toilets, baths in the kitchen but great community spirit.
Posted By: cathcart Re: proud to be a birkonian - 7th Jan 2011 6:06am
brilliantly put suzzi,i agree 100 per cent.front doors left open etc.
Posted By: cathcart Re: proud to be a birkonian - 9th Feb 2011 6:20am
talking about oliver place noticed the other week the sign for conway place am i right in thinking there was a coop there ?
Posted By: masterbun Re: proud to be a birkonian - 9th Feb 2011 5:03pm
Originally Posted by georgehayes

When people here call me a scouser i always bite back and
say i am not i am from Birkenhead and proud of it


Me too although I haven't lived there since 1970.

"Birkenhead ? That's Merseyside isn't it ?" That's another one that'll get me going.
It's only now I realize that its a town to be proud of, all those 'firsts'

How many can you think of ?
Posted By: atw1960 Re: proud to be a birkonian - 10th Feb 2011 4:31pm
I was at work the other day and somehow the subject of 'twin towns' came up.I was asked if Birkenhead was twinned with anywhere and replied that I didn't know about that but I believe that we have a suicide pact with Wallasey.....
Posted By: MissGuided Re: proud to be a birkonian - 10th Feb 2011 5:02pm
Originally Posted by atw1960
I was at work the other day and somehow the subject of 'twin towns' came up.I was asked if Birkenhead was twinned with anywhere and replied that I didn't know about that but I believe that we have a suicide pact with Wallasey.....
raftl
Posted By: MissGuided Re: proud to be a birkonian - 10th Feb 2011 5:05pm
Seriously though omg

Birkenhead is twinned, as a part of Wirral, with:

* France Gennevilliers in France
* France Lorient in France
* Italy Latina in Italy.

Sacré bleu!

Birkenhead also has a Sister City Agreement with:

* United States Midland, Texas United States.

Yeeee-horrrr!
Posted By: 2005wireman Re: proud to be a birkonian - 10th Feb 2011 6:59pm
am 43 years old and I was born and bred in birkenhead for 40yrs before moving to warrington to be with my fiancee.But I always return home when i get the chance.

Proud to Be From Birkenhead
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