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Posted By: Historybook Traction engine in Price street. - 27th Dec 2010 11:38am
I was told that this pic was taken in Price street in Birkenhead, was it taken there ?.

Pic was taken by my Grandfather, he did load's of work in the dock area especialy during the war, wish he had taken more, there must have been so much to photograph !.

[Linked Image]
Posted By: bert1 Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 27th Dec 2010 12:31pm
Brilliant pic,not sure its Price st, if thats a ships bow in the background, where could have it been taken from to get a ship in the pic,
Posted By: Helles Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 27th Dec 2010 3:03pm
You have to remember historybook that he would have been locked up for taking sensitive photo's around the docks during the war. There was also the problem of getting film.

I can't see any of the windows being taped up nor white lines on lamp posts or kerbs so maybe not war time?
Posted By: Historybook Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 27th Dec 2010 3:33pm
OOPS, sorry i missed of the fact the pic it's self was taken quite a few years after the war !.

I do have quite a few pic's taken during the war but most are of family in uniform.

And you are totaly right Helles, the pics my grandparents took during the war used film they had before the start and the pic's that where taken where put safe for development after the war !.
Posted By: kimpri Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 27th Dec 2010 10:38pm
could it be cleavland street and not price street? looks like to me,looking up to duke street
Posted By: marty99fred Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 31st Dec 2010 1:29pm
I think Bert's right and that it is the bow of a ship that's visible in the distance. In which case, looking at the map the only place I can see which would fit is the bottom end of Cathcart Street, looking down towards the East Float from the junction with Cleveland Street. The buildings immediately in front of the ship would be the old Birkenhead Warehouses at the bottom end of the street.
Posted By: Historybook Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 31st Dec 2010 2:26pm
Posting the pic made me think, so i have had a look through the little info i have.

I found the negative for this pic and a note about why the traction engine was where it was !, it would seem to have just towed an old steam roller from a council depot in Birkenhead to Robert Smith's scrap yard !.

I also in hope have had a look at google street view of the area but there is little to help realy !.
Posted By: bert1 Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 31st Dec 2010 2:34pm
Not sure where Robert Smiths scrapyard was exactly, i assume it was by the docks, my little bit of history from Robert Smiths
https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums..._Sub_broken_up_in_Birken.html#Post381209
Posted By: BandyCoot Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 31st Dec 2010 2:50pm
It looks a bit narrow for Price Street or Cleveland Street. Might be Vittoria St or one of them heading towards the docks but even then you couldn't usually see the ships bows because the dock wall was in the way. Those decorative bricks on the fronts of the houses might give someone with a good memory a clue.
Posted By: derekdwc Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 31st Dec 2010 2:59pm
1916 in Wilmers street directory

.SCRAP IRON MERCHANTS.
Collins, D. H. &Sons, 69 Conway street
Smith, R & Sons , Cathcart street

Could the dock wall have been built at a later date

hope this helps
Posted By: BandyCoot Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 31st Dec 2010 3:06pm
The wall on Cathy wasn't as prominent so I think that's where it would be if anywhere, looking down from the corner of the Co-op bakery, which would be behind the camera. Needs someone who can remember the houses down there. It might even be on the corner of Cleveland Street and Cathcart Street.
The bow on the ship looks slightly raked and in 1916 they were straight bows I reckon.
Posted By: derekdwc Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 31st Dec 2010 4:06pm
more Wilmers and part of a 1950s map
Hopefully someone can put up an earlier map

Attached picture cathcart st.jpg
Attached picture cathcart st 2.jpg
Attached picture cathcart map.jpg
Posted By: Helles Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 31st Dec 2010 7:21pm
Originally Posted by BandyCoot
It looks a bit narrow for Price Street or Cleveland Street. Might be Vittoria St or one of them heading towards the docks but even then you couldn't usually see the ships bows because the dock wall was in the way. Those decorative bricks on the fronts of the houses might give someone with a good memory a clue.


There was a dock gateway right opposite one of those streets so you could be seeing that. I reckon it is one of the blue funnel ships at their berth.
Posted By: marty99fred Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 1st Jan 2011 1:42am
Originally Posted by marty99fred
I think Bert's right and that it is the bow of a ship that's visible in the distance. In which case, looking at the map the only place I can see which would fit is the bottom end of Cathcart Street, looking down towards the East Float from the junction with Cleveland Street. The buildings immediately in front of the ship would be the old Birkenhead Warehouses at the bottom end of the street.


This is the closest I can get on Google Maps to the location I'm talking about. As you can see, most of the houses to the left of the steamroller are still there - though it's a pity the decorative band of brickwork/tiling on the front has long since been covered up by paint.


Attached picture Cathcart Street.JPG
Posted By: bert1 Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 1st Jan 2011 6:43am
I'm sure someone else could do this better, but you get the idea.

Attached picture Cathcart_Street.JPG
Posted By: woodley Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 1st Jan 2011 10:34am
You lot are absolutely brilliant. I can't believe the sleuthing and observation you've all put into this. Well done to all of you!!!

sherlock
Posted By: Historybook Re: Traction engine in Price street. - 3rd Jan 2011 5:09pm
Thanks to all who posted on this thread, so the picture is highly likley to have been taken cathcart street not Price street !, but what's a few hundred yards between friends !!.


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