I thought I'd start this topic to see if anyone else remembers the Wirral how I do, feel free to add your own
Who remembers...
The shops on conway street? -
ClickyWhen Europa Pools, Vue Cinema and Conway Park train station was all a massive gravel car park?
There was an Asda where Wilkinsons in bhead town now is?
I remember the asda and the car park on the roof
No one parked up there as the cars were getting vandalized
But the upramp was boss for coming down with skateboards lol
i remember goin the pics in bhead nr the argos carpark to see star wars and also he-man
who remebers the bingo (rank i think) shows my age and when asda was 2-p for the trolly and tramps like me used to offer to take it back
And the fact there was 2 bus stops the 3 to and the other one to the ford and so on
Also i cant remember what the cin used to be
Fook me, this is showing our ages....
I remember all of those things, plus the Unit 4 Cinema on Seabank Road, the opening of the pyramids (I met and shook the hand of Frank Bruno), I remember New Brighton when it was all rocks and no beach.
Does anyone else remember the Yellow Council vans that used to be everywhere doing maintenance work? I guess its all contracted out now....
anyone remember gettin chased by the MPS haha? - it was a common feature of my earlier youth... then as we got older we didnt run, just hurled abuse at them knowing they couldnt really do anything but a citizens arrest... which never happened
ps: i remember the pyramids openin too lol... dont ask me wot was there before tho
anyone remember gettin chased by the MPS haha? - it was a common feature of my earlier youth... then as we got older we didnt run, just hurled abuse at them knowing they couldnt really do anything but a citizens arrest... which never happened
ps: i remember the pyramids openin too lol... dont ask me wot was there before tho
I think you missed vital details out of that, like Merrydown, 20/20 and white lightening
Theres another one 20/20!! You dont see that much more, maybe is was harmful and its now cheaper to drink paint stripper...
There was an Asda where Wilkinsons in bhead town now is?
yerrrr u could park on asdas roof!!! hehe
i seen E.T there hahahaha
yeah, I remember the old mecca bingo
anyone remember when argyle street was one way only?
anyone remember when argyle street was one way only?
In the scale of things thats a "recent" change for me!!
C'mon, we want "i remember when all this was fields" stuff!!
I remember no upton bypass, no upton sainsburys or maccys, back when it was all fields...
DOES ANY1 REMEMBER WHAT USED TO BE WERE THE COMPLEX IS IN BROMBOROUGH
...fields
I think you missed vital details out of that, like Merrydown, 20/20 and white lightening
Theres another one 20/20!! You dont see that much more, maybe is was harmful and its now cheaper to drink paint stripper...
Clearing out my uncles attic, we came across 3 bottles of this
stuff MD 20/20 (Mad Dog we called it lol) but it was all lumpy
inside, like pure orange juice lol...
What about what was there before Bidston Moss Tescos lol
I remember the yellow council vans lol
They were a nation wide feature lol.
Joe i remember that Bingo, but never called in.
Remember life when all the Tunnel Flyovers were in place?
Remember when you would only get beat up once a weekend down town.
And finally for this hour, rememeber St James Church when
it was a sensible roundabout
I Remember there being loads of ponds there.
Does anyone remember the old Co-Op where Asda is on the Woodchurch?
I am pretty sure you used to park on the roof their aswell
I remember the asda and the car park on the roof
Yeah Tesco was like, erm, fields with Ponds...
Its hard to imagine how much things change, a couple of years ago there where really tight and twist lanes between my house and west kirby - theres now a better road there and its hard to remember what it was like before that and its been less than 2 years
I remember the Asda the lifts in there where terryfying cause someone used to Break the light so it was dark LOL.. I remember the Car Park on the front of the car park by the Asda used to be the Bus Shelters. Where the Argos is used to be a Higgsons Pub (cant remember the name) but it stunk.. Anyone remember how sayers used to look in birkenhead black Ceiling (urghhh) Along the shops on Conway Street used to be an Electrical shop called Magnet the guy who owned the shop fixed loads of old dated electronic equipment... Anyone remember next to the meadows pub the Pine Factory across the road from those shops.. Damn theres loads i remember but id need whole day to list LOL.
I remember all the flyovers and stuff
Also when the market was rebuilt it was temporarily relocated into the then closed Asda. Also remember the cinema, Europa and Conwy Park being built.
And i'm only 21, so not THAT old, lol
anyone remember the ritzy? good riddance... lol
Yer hit man and her visted that.. Poor Macala with all those animals LOL
OK, here's Grandad to try & answer some of the questions.
The cinema near Argos was the Ritz; I know because I was a projectionist there for about a year. The manager's name was Bill Boht. Since tis is an unusual name, I think he was related to Jean Boht (Bread), maybe her father.
One of the things that was where the Pyramids is was St.John's Church. It was just on the Borough Rd. side of Grange Rd., almost opposite where TKMaxx is now. That used to be a big CO-OP department store; furniture & the like. Years before, before my time, it was a music hall called Ohmy's Circus. Grange Rd. had a slight bend to the right here (coming down from Charing Cross). There were short streets of housing between Grange Rd. & Borough Rd. Grange Rd. was the major shopping St. of the town.
Yes, I remember the CO-OP on Woodchurch. I don't think it was a shop, just a huge warehouse, or maybe a factory. There used to be the CO-OP dairy half way up Swan Hill too.
Tesco Bidston? think that's where Bidston steel works was.
Anyone know the Mount Estate? I remember when that was allotments during the war; used to play in the old chicken sheds there after they were abandoned after the war; started some good fires there too.
I've been up for a little visit today; I'm planning a small project which may be ready by tomorrow: watch this space.
Cheers, Chris.
Tesco Bidston? think that's where Bidston steel works was.
Dam Obvious now you said it lol
Long Green Sheds if "I" Remember
The Co-op in Woodchurch Rd (between the railway bridge and Arrowe Park was the Co-op laundry. Massive place with tall chimney.
Had a large neon sign on the main block with U.C.L.A. on it. As kids, it was always short for Uncle Charlie's Loonatic Asylum !!
Quite spoiled things for us when we were told it really stood for "United Cooperative Laundries Association" !! Poo !
I remember no upton bypass, no upton sainsburys or maccys, back when it was all fields...
an the lanes were like a long windin road an not very wide
orbro cashand carry where b&q bidston is now, it subsided and basically fell apart as it was built on marsh land....
asda where wilkinsons is in birkenhead... it used to have a car park on the roof..
'the grand' nightclub in new brighton like an Rj's for teenies... or 'the Chelsea Reach' too was turned into posh apartments a few yrs ago...
The Co-op in Woodchurch Rd (between the railway bridge and Arrowe Park was the Co-op laundry. Massive place with tall chimney.
Had a large neon sign on the main block with U.C.L.A. on it. As kids, it was always short for Uncle Charlie's Loonatic Asylum !!
Quite spoiled things for us when we were told it really stood for "United Cooperative Laundries Association" !! Poo !
Oh, thanks; of course it was, I remember now.
Wasn't the COOP at Woodchurch called Leo's for a while?
- I vaugely remember Arrowe Park hospital opening
- New Brighton open air baths - flipping freezing but packed with people in the summer
- Kwik Save in Prenton burning down and lots of the stock being given away for free when it was refurbed!
- Lairds still building ships - had a school trip to see HMS Cambelltown being launced, then going bust, starting again, going bust etc
- Mersey Ferries being blue
You've really got me started no!
the quasar in birkenhead (i could be wrong but was it not next to the coliseum or it was the coliseum) - where the icebar was then built? gettin mixed up now i think lol - id have to go down there and have a look to get it right
"the quasar in birkenhead"
I think it was part of the old cinema on Conway St
blue ferry's never new that
blue ferry's never new that
Doing a bit a research I must be remembering the Garden Festival livery of Blue, Red and White.
Yes AR_One, I think you are right. The old COOP Laundry site did become Leo's. Quite forgotten that !
I remember Tesco Bidston Moss before they refurbished it, being a shelf stacker there. The file maintenance room and corridor was haunted by someone who "supposedly" died at the old steel works. I new people who wouldn't work in there alone beacuase of it. Its all part of the shop floor now though.
Theres loads of cool things I had forgotten about in this forum. Will try and think of some more. Keep em comin though!?!
Ive only known tescos of how it is now.
I'd like to know a lot more about the old steel works though, so if anyone has any info or can find any on the old steel works, please post it or let me know
i want to see pics of the old asda with the ramp. I was telling the missiz lastnite about it and thought ide check hère. Dont think she belives me that you parked on the roof.
i want to see pics of the old asda with the ramp. I was telling the missiz lastnite about it and thought ide check hère. Dont think she belives me that you parked on the roof.
i remember that, well before the bus stops were their.
I cant find any pics of it on t'interweb
Ive got a picture of the old asda somewhere i'll dig it out
this picture was takin of somebody over the road the post in the middle was already there but you can clearly see the asda in the background..
More importantly, you can see the building in the background behind Asda, which iirc, is still there?
Ah those were the days, tbh I dont know why they dont build buildings with roof car parks nowdays, they make so much sense in this age where there are so many cars and yet so few spaces to park/even create parking spaces.
I remember that Asda well, especially the car park as I used to think it was absolutely fantastic and almost surreal being able to park on a roof lol. Well you do at that age hehe!
Used to go with me mum and grandad at least twice a month. I must have only been a nipper when they knocked it all down mind, anyone know what year it was, im thinking 1993 for some reason?
Ive tidied the image up and resized it so its easier to view, hope you dont mind Lee:
I ragged a trolley all the way to the top and "Tried"
to ride it back down but the surface had stupid
gravelly stones so it was a bone shaker of a ride lol
Ive tidied the image up and resized it so its easier to view, hope you dont mind Lee:
thats fine mate looks better actually
cheers
shame bout that bloody pole though :S
lovely red brick
Dont suppose you av any more of that area do you Lee? Like of the old flyover or the old bus station?
I remember working in ARGOS over Christmas and being given £2 to carry people's parcels to the top - the lift stank of p*ss!
The building in the background is still there I think it's something like children's services for the council.
I ragged a trolley all the way to the top and "Tried"
to ride it back down but the surface had stupid
gravelly stones so it was a bone shaker of a ride lol
tut tut... kids !
But i was a Kid lol....
I think we used to spit over the edges too lol.....
But always tried to miss people lol
WTF
I have only been away for 27 years are you lot trying to tell me the place has changed?
Do any of you remember the tin can factory on Laird st called DKS containers? I worked there it was my first job
the quasar was in what is now furniture world opposite the main entrance to birkenhead park
the quasar was in what is now furniture world opposite the main entrance to birkenhead park
What was the quasar?
I dont know but ive heard of it.
im guessing it was like laser quest, shooting each other with laser guns e.t.c
I don't remember it being a quasar? When was that?
I only knew it as roller world.
I used to live in the street parrallel with Park Road E.
Taling of which, anyone know what they are building at the bottom of Paterson Street (behind what is now furniture world)
LOL, all I remember is that it was the Gaumont cinema.
I remember the British Steel buildings, used to play footy when in junior school down valley road before tescos was built. There used to be a park with climbing frames e.t.c near British Steel behind the avenues. I also heard there was a social club situated in that area somewhere behind the avenues and the British Steel building probably for residents of the avenues and/or workers of Britsh Steel...any more info would be interesting.
British Steel buildings - Bidston Steel Mill?
Clicky
Aye that's the British Steel building I remember. Seemed like really big building to me as a kid.
i was very young visiting family but yes i vaugly remember them it was just over the tracks i would have been about 6 i think, and merseyrail trains were still british rail blue lol, as for the mill tho i just remember big buildings, no details as such, mind u when i was in that area last there was new tescos and park hampers, my family tell me there is all sports stuff and more factories there now. oh there was a dump and incinerato, is that still there???
i remember there was an overhead road from down town, i think it went to the tunnel, similar to the one by central station or has that gone too??, the bus stops where next to this dwn ramp thing but its all a fairly new bus station now, and on about buses they were green and cream and near the front the symbol was a square with a circle in the middle and tracks spiraling out from the circle, please can someone varify this or I am locking myself away in a room far far away!!
the point on st james roundabout made me loo it up on good old google earth, what went wrong there, i see less powersliding potential indeed, no impressed and has the dock next to the penny bridge een filled in or is it my eyes
placidmaster. Don't lock yourself away mate! You are quite right. The buses then were bile green and vomit cream. The symbol (Merseytravel ?) you described was spot on.
The same symbol was used on the Merseyrail trains, stations etc. when the trains were all BR blue. I think it was dropped when they went blue/grey.
Things went downhill fast after they stopped painting the "Corpy" buses blue. They had one of the best maintained fleets in the UK - unlike the smoking mobile heaps of pop-rivets and formica that pollute the roads now!
Things went downhill fast after they stopped painting the "Corpy" buses blue. They had one of the best maintained fleets in the UK - unlike the smoking mobile heaps of pop-rivets and formica that pollute the roads now!
Mike; stop showing your age, you old curmudgeon
the point on st james roundabout made me loo it up on good old google earth, what went wrong there, i see less powersliding potential indeed, no impressed and has the dock next to the penny bridge een filled in or is it my eyes
yeah, its been filled in now.
As for st james roundabout, its a bit better to navigate around it now
You can still see those old logo's (the circle with the four points) on various vents in the brick work at certain stations....usless fact I know..
That logo was Crosville wasnt it
nice one folks and biddy dock filled in, bloody hell, st james looks a travesty of justice now and them crossville buses were red with i think small yellow lettering and (age showing) did the '39' to west kirby and turned off from down town around the laird street area heading up and over ford hill, my memory is a little crapper now, you would not think that in later life i lived on hoylake road for a year and went to park high. when i left the trains had not been modded (the front ends) but were yellow and merseytravel was just getting rid of the old leyland atlantean buses with the notch back, and on the way to school these would be overtaken by snails out for a slow wander. conway park (or whatever its called) station was not built either or was just being started and that europa pool was a new thing i think. i used to bunk school on them scavaways for a pound and go all over, and hide in maccy dees at charing cross.happy days lol
Description: this logo lol
actually here is a giggle, taking you back lol
Description: old atlantean with logo
Description: crossville to heswall via kirby i think they did
Description: shite volvo powered mcw, only added as they went somewhere called clatterbridge which i think is a class place name lol (service 10s i think)
are happy als still going
Happy Als are still going.
Any one remember having to change trains at Rock Ferry when the electic finished there and having to get on a noisy crappy Diesel thing to Hooton, before changing again to get to Chester!
I'd forgotten about crosville....They did our school buses...
damn i remember those Volvo buses.. The seats where orange.. Also as well the noise out of them
Any one remember having to change trains at Rock Ferry when the electic finished there and having to get on a noisy crappy Diesel thing to Hooton, before changing again to get to Chester!
LOL, I remember having to change to a crappy steam hauled at Rock Ferry. Why did you have to change again at Hooton; was it because you'd caught an Ellesmere Port train?
Cheers, Chris.
I remember everyone had to change at Hooton for Ellsmere Port and Chester as that stretch of track wasnt Electricfied yet.. The trains where horrible as they where diesel.. Class 142's which where modled off the single deck Leyland bus which is pictured above as they where built by BREL Leyland for cheap runners.
When i was in the army based in Chester i used to get the bustrain as we used to call it from Hooton and it was constantly breaking down and had zero heating:<
Just to put some dates in, for those who don't know:
Line as far as Hooton, electrified in 1985
Hooton to Chester electrified 1993
Hooton to Ellesmere Port electrified 1994.
The point I was querying earlier was; if you HAD to change to diesel at Rock Ferry,(pre-1985), then you didn't have to change again at Hooton for Chester, unless you were on an Ellesmere Port train. Between 1985 & 1993, you'd only need to change at Hooton.
Cheers, Chris.
bloody hell i have started something here lol!!!!!!
as for the train thing i can remember the far as hooton thing then it was the old DMU (diesel multiple units) the rock ferry bit was b4 my time tho, lol
Description: like this then a pacer(142) took over
wow did not notice but all hail to the cortina and escort lol
Class 142's = "Nodding Donkeys". Great at speed over jointed track if you've just had a big lunch !!
lol tell me about it
the Class 141 was nick named the Bouncy Castle cause it was the worst suspension ever.. There fate was to be shipped to iran no wonder they walk around nodding like donkeys
quality british engineering, pleased i am french at birth
Just to put some dates in, for those who don't know:
Line as far as Hooton, electrified in 1985
Hooton to Chester electrified 1993
Hooton to Ellesmere Port electrified 1994.
The point I was querying earlier was; if you HAD to change to diesel at Rock Ferry,(pre-1985), then you didn't have to change again at Hooton for Chester, unless you were on an Ellesmere Port train. Between 1985 & 1993, you'd only need to change at Hooton.
Cheers, Chris.
We've had this conversation before haven't we Chris?
I was born in 1982 and lived in Bromborough with my parents till I was 20. The rest of my family (Aunts, Uncles, Nan) live in Liverpool. My Mother and I would visit my Nan in Liverpool every weekend by train and I can vaguely remember changing at Rock ferry onto a "new age" electric train. Then it was very exciting when the Electric trains came to "my" train station, but it also took away the "magic" of changing trains.
We've had this conversation before haven't we Chris?
I was born in 1982 and lived in Bromborough with my parents till I was 20. The rest of my family (Aunts, Uncles, Nan) live in Liverpool. My Mother and I would visit my Nan in Liverpool every weekend by train and I can vaguely remember changing at Rock ferry onto a "new age" electric train. Then it was very exciting when the Electric trains came to "my" train station, but it also took away the "magic" of changing trains.
Yes, we have had this conversation before. So, you were only 3 when you stopped having to change trains; amazing how strong our childhood memories are. I too remember the excitement of travel & changing trains. From where I lived, I could take the 28 bus to Rock Ferry to go to Chester, but it was more fun to take the 64 bus to Hamilton Square then change at Rock Ferry. Even more exciting, though, was to go to Woodside & take the train direct to Paddington, which took 7 hours, when anyone with any sense went to Lime Street & got to Euston in 4 hours. I suppose, when young, any form of travel was exciting; now it's just a drag!
Cheers, Chris.
Anyone remember the Santa Special Trains on Merseyrail.
i drove my car from Z.A took 21 days and was one of the best journeys in my life in recent times, as a kid every journey was the best as you say, my family there was all bidston and wallasey way so i never ventured rock ferry way much but remember the old buses and trains but never new about the rock ferry change thing, i only ever knew hooton. i was a kid down there visiting once a year from about 84 and 5 years old ish
i drove my car from Z.A took 21 days and was one of the best journeys in my life in recent times,
Sounds like a great trip. My best trip was delivering a Porsche 911 from Ohio to Los Angeles; 6 days & played poker every night. Made enough to cover petrol & motel costs & then some.
Cheers, Chris.
sweet!!! not a poker man or porche man but its all about the feeling it creats inside
I watched a video at my uncle's years ago (he was
really into trains... not a train spotter, but really loved everything about them, had hundreds (literally) of video's about them) and it showed the Merseyrail network over the year's, it was on 3x 2 hour VHS's and one of them had a section about the changing to electric to Hooton etc and showed people changing train's to continue on their journey as the video must have been pre-1993.
As a child though, I would have only been about 7 when the line was electrified past Hooton, so never got to travel on them from what I can recall and have never really used that line much anyway except for the odd occasion in all my life.
But what was it with all the older train's that came after the age of steam; I mean ffs they all looked like proper cheap shed's as though they should never have been in service, look a right mess haha, at least the train's nowadays, whilst never on time, are quite stylish to a certain degree!!!
I remember the old electric trains before the current stock:
http://yogz.fotopic.net/p12314480.htmlNever saw a red one though!
http://yogz.fotopic.net/p12314496.html
Yes, I seem to remember the red ones; L.M.S. stock.
Yes, I seem to remember the red ones; L.M.S. stock.
Would they have been off the Wrexham line then? As that terminated at Birkenhead North for a while during the 70's?
Yes, I seem to remember the red ones; L.M.S. stock.
Would they have been off the Wrexham line then? As that terminated at Birkenhead North for a while during the 70's?
Don't think the Wrexham line was ever L.M.S. & I didn't know the Wrexham trains came to North. I do know that for a long time, the line to West Kirby was L.M.S., which had taken over the Wirral Railway at the grouping in 1923.
Yes, they went there in the 70's for a short time:
Following closure of Chester Northgate in 1969, the train service was reduced to the Wrexham - Bidston service which exists unchanged today, although for a brief period in the 1970's services were extended to Birkenhead North.
One of the 1938 (Class 503) units was restored to LMS (Crimson Lake) livery for the 1986 Mersey Railway (100ys) celebrations. It was brought out on other special occasions (Santa Specials etc.) as well.
A (Class 502) Liverpool-Southport-Ormskirk unit was also re-painted in maroon and restored to as near its 1939/40 condition as possible. I was a member of the small group who got the unit working and passed out to work "main line" Happy days !!
The 502's & 503's were built like brick "outhouses", had simple traction systems and gave years of (mostly) trouble-free service.
The house is festooned with 503 luggage racks, grab straps, lamps etc. Even the door bell is out of a 503 cab. Sad git !!!!
going to far lol, i vaugly remember they had 9000 doors down the sides and passengers sat in compartments unlike today and everyone was very friendly and old women had them wordsearch books and boiled sweets, god i need therapy lol, oh yeah and they were well ard trains (crap power but well ard)
once upon a time there was a big factory down by lairds that was the BLC, i know this coz i did work experience at S Hall motors peugeot garage just down from Green Lane station, 2 questions, is Sidney Hall still going and also who remembers the BLC factory
ok boys and girls i am struggling here and need help (have done for years) the scavenues as we called them behind Hoylake Road.
they had different names top to bottom something ave!! goodwin ave then mason (mega half demolished i see now) what was the top one called
ok boys and girls i am struggling here and need help (have done for years) the scavenues as we called them behind Hoylake Road.
they had different names top to bottom something ave!! goodwin ave then mason (mega half demolished i see now) what was the top one called
Harding Ave
I remember that now
I remember BLC and the stench that used to come out of there as well.I used to ride a moped to chester for work and you used to hold your breath when passing
was not the niocest of places then lol
Jade come in here and look around this is all the old pics and stuff
harding, thats the booger, cheers, 1 aunt lived there and another in goodwin but then i think she moved to mason, i was very young
and then one moved to the grandeur of the then called ford estate, did beechwood ever catch on?? there was also overchurch and the noccy, these all still called that??
They are all still with us today and but i still call Beechwood the Ford.
so does most people call it the ford still?
think it depends on how old they are because all the signs ,buses etc now refer to beechwood but its still the ford to me
is the windmill pud still on the ford??
As far as I know it is (if anyone knows different please tell)
I drink in the Claughton so dont really go up that way,but a lot of the pubs in the North End have closed there is only really the Bidston and the Blood Tub left
so no one off the ford in here
Claughton drinker myself, only place I really go to catch up with mates unless I'm in town.
Placidmaster gets his lazy ar.e out of bed after staying up to what the eclipse which never happened in this part of the world due to cloud!!! P.S Claughton village is the area by the six form college (or was lol)
still is where bsfc is, i live by there
Hi just found out there is another suitcase full of local pictures at my folks house, e.g festival of Britain party pictures at laird street, trams, all sorts of stuff plus my great great grandfather's transport business which was based in shrewsbury road (horse drawn) I have a scanner in ours but i reckon it will be a mammoth job scanning them all as I dont have proper broadband (using my mobile hooked up to my pc) dunno how i will put them up for everyone to see. I suppose I could put them onto a cd/dvd, I suppose these photos will be valuable to somebody creating a book on wirral history though not entirely clued up on how to get these photographs viewed by the masses as in people who are interested in wirral history, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
excellent find.I would love to have a look some time
Hi just found out there is another suitcase full of local pictures at my folks house, e.g festival of Britain party pictures at laird street, trams, all sorts of stuff plus my great great grandfather's transport business which was based in shrewsbury road (horse drawn) I have a scanner in ours but i reckon it will be a mammoth job scanning them all as I dont have proper broadband (using my mobile hooked up to my pc) dunno how i will put them up for everyone to see. I suppose I could put them onto a cd/dvd, I suppose these photos will be valuable to somebody creating a book on wirral history though not entirely clued up on how to get these photographs viewed by the masses as in people who are interested in wirral history, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I reckon the person you want is Ian Boumphrey:
www.yesterdayswirral.co.ukHe's always on the lookout for such stuff & would probably scan it all for you, for possible use in a book (don't know if he pays) but at least you'd then have it all on CD/DVD. Give him a ring.
Cheers, Chris.
Hi just found out there is another suitcase full of local pictures at my folks house, e.g festival of Britain party pictures at laird street, trams, all sorts of stuff plus my great great grandfather's transport business which was based in shrewsbury road (horse drawn) I have a scanner in ours but i reckon it will be a mammoth job scanning them all as I dont have proper broadband (using my mobile hooked up to my pc) dunno how i will put them up for everyone to see. I suppose I could put them onto a cd/dvd, I suppose these photos will be valuable to somebody creating a book on wirral history though not entirely clued up on how to get these photographs viewed by the masses as in people who are interested in wirral history, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I will drop you a pm.
Dont want to go off topic
grandfather's transport business which was based in shrewsbury road (horse drawn)
Wow - Just sounds weired.
Any idea what year that may have been ?
Cheers chris just e-mailed, so waiting on a reply now, would be good for people to view the photographs instead of just myself.
Well that photograph was one of the collection of a huge amount, I don't know much more to be honest, though the road Oriel road was were I think it was originally based, from what my parents have told me the business was bought by the transport corporation which must have been when the Birkenhead transport corporation was creating there network. Unfortunately I only know snippets of information; if my grandparents were alive I could have gathered more information. If you have any more questions just fire away and I will try and answer.
did you all know that birkenhead was the largest exporter of flour at one time???? i didnt, i always remember on the wallasey side near the mills there was an additives place but i used to call it the lollipop factory as it smells of them lol
I rememeber the Flour Mills, well seening the signage
on the buildings but i think the flour had gone.
are the mills still there tho??
The Wallasey ones are being converted in to luxury apartments.
yuppy town lol
I'm sure we have pics around about.
totally different, i must visit
Old Gorsey Lane is where the building that smelt of lollipops was the Additive centre but even though the building is still there it now belongs too West Cheshire cleaning
nice one jonno. take it you also wiffed that lovely aroma!!
I loved going to my aunties on the Number 10 (410 know) to liscard and that place spelt wonderful.. I can know live that smell all the time when my dad makes Bait for fishing as they use the same stuff as the fish go nuts for it i'll have to get the name of it hehe..
just always made me think of lollipops lol
just on about old streets. do my eyes decieve me or has hibbre street been buldozed
Yup placid hilbre street along with the mini estate off Livingstone street near corportation road there all gone.. One street i remember from there Vardon Street and the others.. There all gone..
Click here to see what i mean
Heres the houses in view on another sat image..
Clicky with the houses there
jonno that was first class i well appreciate that, i had mates there and now its all gone
when a snickers was a marathon
Who remembers "the Triangle" - a big pond at the junction between the electric train line as it curved around from B'head North to Wallasey Village and then straightend and ran past what is now Mosslands School - and the line with steam trains (in my day) taking coal to somewhere (John Summers?)
I have been tring to pinpoint the location on maps / Google Earth to work out what is at the current location.
I knew very stick and twig of the way to get to the triangle.
Me and the bigger lads used to use grappling hooks on a rope to pinch big hunks of coal off the waggons as they went past - I was only a nippa but post war fuel shortages led to all sorts of games like that.
Snodvan
Yep. Remember the "Bidston Triangle" well. They lifted the Bidston-Wallasey leg a few years ago. I think there's just a short headshunt there now. That leg was the section used by the trains to Summers's from Bidston Dock. Iron ore trains pulled by dirty great Class 9F's. It had a third rail, but was only used by the electric trains on odd workings, turning etc. As a child, I would cycle down to the footbridge at Biddy Station and watch the (then) many different trains. It was a busy place then!
Here's a link to the triangle. You can see the headshunt & the line of where the track used to run.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=53.410031,-3.071773&daddr=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=16&sll=53.410274,-3.071752&sspn=0.005922,0.011544&ie=UTF8&t=k&z=16
You can still trace the line of the track round to Bidston dock & what appears to be marshalling yards. If I remember correctly, this line was called Slopes Branch. (Pinzgauer will correct me if I'm wrong).
Cheers, Chris.
Quite right Chris. Slopes Branch. It veered off right just past the north apex of the triangle. The branch split again, left to Liscard and Seacombe Stations, right to Bidston Dock etc.
Given its name after the name of a large residence in Breck Road called "The Slopes".
At first I thought yes, that is the right location.
HOWEVER - there is something wrong. I used to get to the Triangle by starting from north side of the enbankment at the small bridge over the end of School Lane. I am sure I kept only to the north side of the enbankment and that brought me direct to the Triangle. However, the map shows that starting from that point you have to cross the electric railway line. No way did I cross the line. There is a tunnel under the enbankment at a point close to the Mosslands allotments and at times I did go through that tunnel - but only to get onto Bidston Moss.
I am wondering if the location was closer to 53 24 53.23N 3 04 04.22 W
Click Me (Sorry no good at doing links onto maps - yet)
That would be correct for the electric line but would depend on the route for the "other" coal carrying line. I thought that would be where the motorway is now ie leading towards Seacombe
Snod
my dad is into steam trainsan knows bout stuff like that
OK, Snodvan; I see where you mean now (if your co-ordinates are correct). If you look on Google Earth, you can clearly see the line of the old railway; it's immediately to the North of a curved line of trees & South of the Docks Link Rd. The passenger line branched off near here to go to Seacombe, via Liscard & Poulton station. The Kingsway Tunnel Approach uses the old rail cutting here. The goods line (with your coal trains) curved off to the right, heading for Bidston Dock.
I think your reference to the "triangle" misled us into thinking you meant the clear rail triangle just to the East of Bidston station.
Cheers, Chris.
can anyone pinpoint where Liscard and Poulton station was, and leaswoe aswell please.
Thanks
Also remember when Starburst was opel fruits.
can anyone pinpoint where Liscard and Poulton station was, and leaswoe aswell please.
Thanks
Start a New Topic if you wish in the History Request Forum
Google will Grab them
Waddi; if you look on Google Earth (not Google maps)there's an orange marker of the location of Liscard & Poulton, with a photo linked. It's near where Mill Lane crosses the Kingsway Approach Rd.
Leasowe? where it's always been, I think; between Bidston & Moreton.
Cheers, Chris.
as drive up mill lane from the dock road look to the left of the bridge (over the tunnel approach) and you can still see the ramp that went down to the platform.
Chris
I had a good look at Google Earth and then went for a (cold) walk today. I am now sure the site of the Triangle pond is more or less under the walkway bridge they have built from the back of B&Qs over the rail line and onto the Country Park (old tip). Unfortunately the camera batteries wer flat so I will need to take another walk to get some pics
Snod
as drive up mill lane from the dock road look to the left of the bridge (over the tunnel approach) and you can still see the ramp that went down to the platform.
No, actually the ramp led down to the coal siding. The island platform was accessed by a covered overbridge leading off that ramp. cf. "Railway Stations of Wirral" page 49.
Cheers, Chris.
From the Aerodrome Topic i got the links.
Click Me LISCARD & POULTON And Pictures i took the other week
(poulton).
Feel free to start a new topic about the info
close enough for me!
ahh, thats where I believed it was but when I went to look at the area, I saw the surrounding house and thought "none of these are new enough to have been built on the grounds of the old station". I didnt realise that the station was actually in the "tunnel approach", I knew the track was, but not the station.
thanks everyone.
I will save anymore questions for the wallasey village thread.
my dad takes great pleasure in tellin me the history of the railways he was on one of the last trains around the docks in birkenhead and actually restores coaches in his spare time.
thats the old cinema i watched short circuit 2 there!!
Who remembers these public toilets on Argyle Street?
yer mate think i do they not that long ago been bricked up have they
No, not long, only a few years ago
year thought so had a funny feeling after i sent it i had the wrong place
Good find Waddi
Who remembers these public toilets on Argyle Street?
Or these ones On Upton Road - Google Maps
Click Me (no i didn't go looking for the toilets, i happened to have
taken a picture on a long trek home)
Description: Closed Public Toilets Upton Road
Maybe we should start a new topic. "Long Forgotten Bogs"
We could but then who gives a S* lol (Joke).
Looks like George Michaels holiday pics!!
hoseman's comment is the best one-liner I've seen for a while !!! Nice one !
pleasure island - liverpool festival gardens dome?
From what I remember. you entered at an upper level then went down some stairs, to the left was a roller rink, in the center was 10pin bowling, and to the right was The works soft play area and quaser laser gun game.
then outside in the festival gardens site was go-karts and crazy golf.
was there a games arcade and pool tables between the bowling and the works
what do people remember about it?
Why oh Why did it have to close......
I remember it first opening, and then years later it changed to what you said Lee.
I remember the Roller boots where always either fooked, or scallies used to try and roll out of the door to nick them chased by the security
The 10 pin bolwing was 9 pin as a pin was normally missing...
I think you get the jist of what Im trying to say.
It was a really good idea, but the local scallies didnt respect the place and ruined it to the point where repairs / refurbs just wherent cost effective as people would just ruin the place within weeks of it being done
I went past the area about 2 years ago and it was in
such a bad state. I'm not sure if its been flattened by now?
Or re used?
Never went there but heard the stories.
Who remembers these public toilets on Argyle Street?
have u ever been in the roundabout that central hotel is on at the bottom of the hill of argylle st? - be careful if u do as it's plagued with smack needles... think that used to be toilets also
yeah they used to be toilets, but they aren't in use any more
did anyone else "flump"off green lane station,i used to climb the walls but my mates used to jump off "the top" the things u do when young eh???
http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2192That's a good thing about the last couple of years for the Festival Gardens. On a side note: for Liscard & Poulton station there's a Station Road, only no station ever stood on it, it was always on Mill Lane! There's a very slight trace of the station existing now, if you're stood on Mill Lane looking at the site then on the right (or standing on Breck Road looking left) is a very VERY unsafe walkway that the coal was apparently brought up. There's trackway all around the edge of Bidston Moss from what I can see and I'm sure that former marshalling yard leads onto the old Birkenhead Dock Branch. I just about remember seeing a train on there along with one by the docks when Bidston Dock was still open.
Beeching was a fool, imagine the income Wirral could have received if Woodside station still existed and the shorter route for trains to head south instead of running via Runcorn.
remember the old asda roof car park, used to go there on my racer and pedal dead fast, one thing that still exists of old are the bidston railway sidings but you cant see them for grass, visible from link road travelling from penny bridge to b&q (unless your going too fast, not that i would)
There is still some track visable just in front of the Footbridge at Bidston.
the bogs on upton road were over the road from my old school lads allways getin caught smokin in thear by teachers took a few birds in the ones on argile st meney moons a go after the sir jameses night spot aka the jimmys lol
i thin oak and elded gardens was thear got vivid memries of them getin blown up i allso remeber the angel pub were all the bikers went was on that car park
eney one rember vally road playin feilds
Yep used to be used by Tranmere Rovers as there traning ground
also used by me and the Priory School for PE (football) hated football so used to sneak off to a friends around that area as the pe teacher was dumb! lol
and george the groundsman
wow did not notice but all hail to the cortina and escort lol
and the brown maxi taxi (i think) lol
Anyone remember School Place in Birkenhead.
WHERE ARE THE SCAVENUES? WHAT ARE THAY CALLED NOW?
these are both of the football pitches behind tesco in a previous life
DID NOT KNOW THERE WAS ANY ROADS BEHIND THERE?
thats where bidston shed was bud
interesting
the bogs on upton road were over the road from my old school lads allways getin caught smokin in thear by teachers took a few birds in the ones on argile st meney moons a go after the sir jameses night spot aka the jimmys lol
Your feet used to stick to the carpet in Jimmy's - but there wasn't any carpet, it was vomitus they just couldn't be arrised cleaning up lol.
Takin girls in outside toilets ?? Ewww!!! imagine the jerms.. Take em home lad take em home haha..
so no one off the ford in here
used to live on sixth ave .... fairleaf way
the bogs on upton road were over the road from my old school lads allways getin caught smokin in thear by teachers took a few birds in the ones on argile st meney moons a go after the sir jameses night spot aka the jimmys lol
B.I.
...a few names for you to remember
Sam dennally
nogger Morris
skinny malcome
titty tomlinson
citro
frothy turner
must all be dead now ?
ring any bells?
Anybody remember the Flat Lanes, Ocean Flour Mills football ground at the top(I used to play for Ocean football team) manager was a guy named Les ?? Coach was Arthur Sherlock ganger for the Council. You could walk down the Flat Lanes across the Fender(all 3 feet of it)get your pennies Flattened on the railway track. Anybody know where that come and went from?? Then up the Hill to Arrowe Park(of course building Woodchurch got in the way later.) In those days it was a convalesent home. memories are made of this site!!
Dave Miller
Your post rings a few bells! I lived just off Woodchurch Rd. nr. the railway bridge. Used to play all along the Fender. Spent hours trying to dam the Fender. Futile or what ? Remember the Woodchurch Est. being built. Other areas of adventure were the Flat lanes. Walk up Woodchurch Rd. Left at the Swan Hotel. Recall someone finding a cache of homemade bombs or hand grenades on the corner (where the pub carpark is). Turned out it was a dump from the Home Guard. Something to lob at Fritz if they invaded Prenton !
The Flat lanes (note Flat - not Flatt as the council mis-spell it) went on to Noctorum. Green painted benches to sit on and gaze over towards Arrowe Park etc. Just fields then.
Recall being fascinated/horrified by the "Pillbox Murder". Suppose the mid fifties or around that time ? Weren't allowed out to play for quite a while !!
Used to collect the bus tickets (Bell Punch type, before the Setright's) All different colours for each value. Used to cut them in half and make "snakes" by threading string through them. Used to see who could make the longest "snake" in the school playground. As I collect the old corpy tickets now, it seems criminal to have cut hundreds of them up. Idiot ! DOH !!!
Memories - worth a guinea a box ! OK where did THAT come from then ??
Gawd... I'm old !!
Memories - worth a guinea a box ! OK where did THAT come from then ??
Yes sir, please sir: Beecham's Little Liver Pills.
Anybody know where that come and went from??
Dave Miller
If you mean the railway line, Wrexham to Seacombe. Still there, Wrexham to Bidston; an hourly service I think. Of course, it was greatly used to transport iron ore from Bidston dock to Summer's steel works at Shotton.
Well done Kay ! Go to the top of the class. Beecham's Pills it was !!
Let me tell you guys something. You never appreciate the history of where you were born and bred until you leave. I have learnt more about the Wirral's history in the past 6 months than the previous 38 years. I really miss that place now, sob sob. OK anybody remember the "Electricity Machines"?? at Raby Mere. You put in sixpence? hold two metal handles and turn one, Hey Presto electric shock. The more that were on it the better, kids don't know what they are missing today.
Dave Miller
Yes. One fixed brass knob and one you twisted. The more you turned it the more electrickery shot up your arms. Seem to recall that the shocks were supposed to "Revitalise" you. Sure did for a split second! Allegedly cured arthritis, purified the blood....etc. Long before the Trades Descriptions Act. As for all the Health & Safety rubbish !!!???
Presume there was a battery inside that fed a trembler/induction coil. Oodles of volts but only milliamps ?
I thought it was a 1d in the slot rather than 6d. Maybe they upped the price !
OK anybody remember the "Electricity Machines"?? at Raby Mere. You put in sixpence? hold two metal handles and turn one, Hey Presto electric shock. The more that were on it the better, kids don't know what they are missing today.
Dave Miller
Oh, yes, I remember them well! They were only a penny when I remember them. Can't imagine those getting past Health & Safety now. There was also a "What the Butler saw" machine & one where you tested your grip. We sometimes used to hire a motor boat on the mere.
I can vouch that kids today have nothing in comparison, hence why they are hanging around on street corners.
Im not sure if its linked, but in Arcades there are "Electric Shock" machines, laid out like an Electric Chair. You hold onto 2 metal handles, and its meant to feel like your being electrocuted.
I discovered recently, however, that it is simply a vibrating machine, and if you force your hands onto the handles, and push, you can keep hold of them longer than the machine lasts.
No idea if its the same thing, although ana ctual Eectric shock machine sounds more fun
one would imagine those electric shock machines where bad for anybody fitted with a pacemaker?
Sound like fun though
Theres not much these days that kids apprieciate due to the vast range of electronics there are now.
Years ago people had to find something to do due to there being no playstations and the like.
Television for example is a prime example of ruining peoples sociality.
the internet is taking over now, i mean, you dont even need to leave your doorstep now due to the internet! (online shopping etc).
People are lazy these days and not as healthy due to that fact
@ Craig. This was a real electric shock. One of the knobs was fixed, the other you could turn & the further you turned it, the more power you got. I suspect it was powered by a 6 or 12 volt car battery. You used to join hands with your mates & make a chain & the ones on the ends would grab the knobs. It was best to be the one with the turning knob, then you controlled it. I think the one who supplied the penny got to do that.
@ Totopop. No such things as pacemakers in those days, but if there had been, I'm sure you would be right.
You're both right about how things have changed. When I was a kid, most houses would have a radio, but that was about it. I seem to remember there was a surge in the sale of TV sets in 1953, for the coronation of the Queen. I had a Hornby Gauge 'O' clockwork train set, but mostly we were out making our own entertainment.
OK all you brains. What was the name of the pub in I think it was St John St that had the shopping centre(not Pyramids) built all around because the landlord would not sell. Even though he was offered a motza even in those days 60's.
What about Dashleys Pork pies hot from the oven. He was in Oxton Rd.
The night club at the top of Exmouth St down on the left corner of
maybe Menai or Back Menai St. It may have been a cinema in a previous life.
Now I know why the Happy Valley Pub was named so, thanks(was my local)there was a mens shop/haberdashery across the street(what was its name-had my first job there when I was about 11. Delivering rolls of lino on an old delivery bike), This street went up into the area that was bombed during the war and stretched from Oxton Rd down to Borough Rd at the back of the pub. When I left 1970 it was full of flats and a nice shortcut through to Oxton Rd, save walking up Balls Rd east.
What about the Gasworks used to go down with my Mum and scrounge backs of coke/coal, she would have one in the pram and one on her shoulders. She was a cook later at a girls home in Oxton maybe Talbot Rd(think it is a hotel now)the girls were french and had been found in a boat in the English channel or somewhere.
Thats it I'm done for now.
Dave Miller
Is the pub called the garrick snug
It wasn't Talbot Rd 'cause that is not in Oxton. But it was a really big old house, the type you see in that area. I went there once from school and the girls about 18-19yrs old were all really mentally challenged and I rememeber that they treated me very well. Mum said they had been there since the war. This was about mid to late 50's. Thinking back now it was very sad, but they seemed happy enough at least they were fed and clothed.
Dave Miller
Great Johnno now what about the rest of them. I thought I would have been bombarded by now.
Oh well, I suppose you have better things to do.
Dave Miller
Yeah i remember LEO'S on the woodchurch were Asda is,
Went to see "BATMAN" a few times in Birkenhead where "SLICES" nightclub is,
Remember the "DAIRY" by the SWAN my Gdad worked there.
Used to love going to New Brighton to the road that was just all arcades, remember the best chip shop ever on the corner by were you used to get the buses?,
The Waltzers were fab and those planes that took you up then when you pressed the lever to come down they made a dead loud noise!!. I used to love New Brighton.
"ADVENTURE LAND" used to be great had a massive rope bridge over the bumpy slide and a "DEATH SLIDE" just a straight drop, you were the dogs if you went down that ha ha.
The old Ghost Train had been turned into a ball pond, wasnt impressed with that!!.
Shame its not so good now for my children
Remember the old Asda in Bhead with the car park on the roof too!.
God am getting old!!.
I remember all that too bought, but the earliest film I remember going to see was Purple Rain with my 2nd boyfriend. His name was John, he was a goth and lived in Heswall lol. Had the most amazing bedroom - walls were painted black and on one wall he had painted a full graveyard scene, complete with moon and sky. The sky continued onto the ceiling where he had painted the whole of the constellations on it in illuminous paint.
Still blows my mind now!!
Thanks for that lass - made me smile
No probs, aw i miss the old times
Its such a shame New Brighton just isnt like it used to be, we say it was good when we were little, and My nan says it was fab when the pier e.t.c was there, they need to sort it out and make it a place where people want to bring thier families and have a holiday not just a day trip.
i love a good old rant ha ha
Oh how can i forget the BATHS at New Brighton, used to go and then my eyes would burn for a week after ha ha bloody salt water grrrrr.
I quite agree doll, it used to be a great place! I remember the baths very well. A few friend and I went to a music thing there and saw Eddie Grant, Howard Jones, Nick Kershaw, Madness, Kajagoogoo and a few other bands too. I remember jumping in the baths and losing my bikini top - a couple of the lads jumped in and robbed it
very embarrassing! Think it was Duckhead, Lobo and Spainey that were the culprits. Wonder what happened to all them. Hmmmmm.
We used to get a saveaway on a saturday and go down to the fair. We'd get a pass thing that you could go on all the rides as many times as you liked from 6-9pm I think it was. Used to spend most of our time on the waltzers because the lads on it were cute (how shallow were we lol).
I was always the one left holding the bags and keeping an eye out for the bus while my mates were "baggin' off" in the crazy golf
lol i used to get a saveaway too!. Yeah the waltzers were a good pulling place! ha ha. Memories eh!.
Remember Atmosphere and the drome lmao, i remember i was 15 and told my dad that one of my friends was having thier bday party at Atmosphere on a sat night (god i must have thought he was thick). He let me go but came and picked me up at 2am ha ha ha.
Remember them well too. I remember when the drome was the Hamilton Club - that's how old I am
me dad used to work on them in the 70s, thats how he met me mum.
The old Ghost Train had been turned into a ball pond, wasnt impressed with that!!.
he also help build the old Ghost train.
Remember the old Asda in Bhead with the car park on the roof too!.
![[Linked Image]](http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o73/jason12677/thimage107.gif)
i was so close to being born on that roof in a reliant robin
[/quote]
and them stupid plains that went round and round up and f***** down the gravity weel was good do had sum good times at the fair its a shame how its gone and the slide at the side you went down on a old mat it wasent all bad a
A few friend and I went to a music thing there and saw Eddie Grant, Howard Jones, Nick Kershaw, Madness, Kajagoogoo and a few other bands too.
I remember that, it was an ITV programme called 'New Brighton Rocks'. I went to one night and saw Madness and The Flying Picketts miming to their 80's hits.
lol i used to get a saveaway too!. Yeah the waltzers were a good pulling place! ha ha.
i told you if thats where your mum met ur dad ha. Bet he used to spin her "scrreeeam if you wanna go faster!!"
My head used to stick to the back of the waltzer!! my 80's poodle like perm never moved though was solid with Insette hairspray!!.
Remember the electric boats that you used to control with the wheel in the arcade side of the fair!!.
i Remember the electric boats.always had to have a go when i went there
A few friend and I went to a music thing there and saw Eddie Grant, Howard Jones, Nick Kershaw, Madness, Kajagoogoo and a few other bands too.
I remember that, it was an ITV programme called 'New Brighton Rocks'. I went to one night and saw Madness and The Flying Picketts miming to their 80's hits.
remember that too! its was a stage setup over the pool and I remenber frankie goes to hollywood being on and even in a later interview they said how brill the concert was.
Its a pity really as new brighton has/had the potential to be a massive tourist attraction looking back on some of the events that have been held there.
very strange having the stage and all the electrics so close to water
but then the H&S freaks weren't so anal in those days.
The trouble is, the old school don't want regeneration from what's going on here recently. The potential is amazing - just needs someone somewhere to put their foot down.
very strange having the stage and all the electrics so close to water
but then the H&S freaks weren't so anal in those days.
The trouble is, the old school don't want regeneration from what's going on here recently. The potential is amazing - just needs someone somewhere to put their foot down.
like your choice of words "old school"
I was trying to be diplomatic
Did I fail
OK, does anyone remember:
The big greenhouses in Birkenhead Park where they had tropical plants - I remember walking around it as a pre-school child. Mum used to joke that you'd see little old ladies breaking bits off plants for cuttings to take backhome.
Robbs Dept store - I have vague memories of going with my mum to buy school uniform for my older brother and sister. I didn't like it at all - I remember a dark oppressive atmosphere.
The Pyramids being built - seemed to take forever, and when it was and you were allowed in, it just seemed to be full of empty shops as they hadn't managed to get many stores in (probably due to high rent).
The old ferry landing stage at Woodside - not the red-painted one there now. The one before was very frightening to me. My first trip on the ferry was at the age of 4 with my parents. As you walked down the tunnel to the landing stage you couldn't see out. So it was a bit of a mystery to me where we were going.
The Coach & Horses in Moreton, when it was a Beefeater. I went there for a friend's birthday party and it was all set out inside like some kind of Swiss village (that was my visual reference at that age). There were boothes down one wall.
OK, does anyone remember:
The Coach & Horses in Moreton, when it was a Beefeater. I went there for a friend's birthday party and it was all set out inside like some kind of Swiss village (that was my visual reference at that age). There were boothes down one wall.
My uncle ran that when it was a beefeater was much better then i remember it used to feel massive!!.
Any one remember TOY and HOBBY?? and ZODIAC??
Toy Shops??
i remember getting my first pair of skates from TOY and HOBBY with rainbows on the side!!, loved them ha ha.
eek - i was gonna say toy and hobby too!!!
i remember it all being very expensive and only being allowed to walk round it but never bought much - we just couldn't afford it.
i think in the end mum avoided that part of town because of the heart-ache it gave me for barbie accessories
OK, does anyone remember:
The big greenhouses in Birkenhead Park where they had tropical plants - I remember walking around it as a pre-school child. Mum used to joke that you'd see little old ladies breaking bits off plants for cuttings to take backhome.
Robbs Dept store - I have vague memories of going with my mum to buy school uniform for my older brother and sister. I didn't like it at all - I remember a dark oppressive atmosphere.
The Pyramids being built - seemed to take forever, and when it was and you were allowed in, it just seemed to be full of empty shops as they hadn't managed to get many stores in (probably due to high rent).
The old ferry landing stage at Woodside - not the red-painted one there now. The one before was very frightening to me. My first trip on the ferry was at the age of 4 with my parents. As you walked down the tunnel to the landing stage you couldn't see out. So it was a bit of a mystery to me where we were going.
The Coach & Horses in Moreton, when it was a Beefeater. I went there for a friend's birthday party and it was all set out inside like some kind of Swiss village (that was my visual reference at that age). There were boothes down one wall.
OK, of those, I remember the greenhouses in the park; I used to go & photograph the flowers there. I was sorry to see that when I started coming up again, they were gone.
Yes, I remember Robb's & yes, it was a bit gloomy, but it was worth it for a ride in the lift (with an attendant to operate it), to the Oak Room restaurant.
I left the area well before the Pyramids was built, when St.John's church was still there & you could walk all the way down Grange Rd., with a slight bend in the middle, all the way to Argyle St. I remember that the nearer Argyle St. you got, the more down market the shops were; at least, that's how I remember it.
Yes, I certainly remember the ferry & the walk down to the landing stage. I remember that on the ferry, (which were steam then, not Diesel), as you approached Liverpool you could see the trains on the overhead; often used to pass a couple of hours riding it, then perhaps a tram ride to one of the parks.
Robbs about 1960
Description: Robbs
I remember Robbs and going in there because my teacher told me that I had to have a Dolmetsch recorder so my poor mum had to fork out for it.
Also remember the greenhouses yea and the little pond in the middle with fish in...or was that my imagination lol
I remember New Brighton very well, my mate had a very close resemblance to Ray Davies from the Kinks and wasn't that fun on a Saturday night. I used to go to a club there called the Kraal, great club full of atmosphere all cellars. I remember sitting in a cafe there one Saturday night and sitting at the next table was a guy named er Tony I think he was, one of the singers of the song Sorrow "With your long blonde hair and your eyes of blue, all I ever get from you is Sorrow, sorrow". Sorry about that getting nostalgic for a mispent youth. I'll go now and let you whippersnipers get on with it. Wheres Chriskay when you need him. One other thing I was on the ferry where Gerry made Ferry 'Cross the Mersey, I have even got a copy of the DVD ahhh memories, memories.....bye.
I still have all my recorders, still boxed and in pretty good nick too. Probably worth a bit now
i remember the coach and horses...each seating area was like a small shop with a street between each one.
who remembers shoppers world opposite were subway is now,it woz similar to argos if i remember right
who remembers when Woollies was twice the size?
and BHS?
Yeah I remeber those - I also remember Toy and Hobby
Which became What Everyone Wants - is that still there? I rarely go up that end of town. It was such a pikey shop.
yeah and the big toy shop on the corner of Roselyn drive carnt remember wot it woz called ricerfeg or sumin like that i remember it was very exspensive...used to look in the windows every day walkin home from school ...........
Don't remember other toy shop on Roselyn Drive - where is that?
Anyone remember the celeb that open the Pyramids?
I got a signed piccy and handshake from him.....
you're kidding aren't you...?
Did he shake anything else Stuy - how old were you?
....now your crossing over from posts in the "Last person to post" thread
Cant remember how old I was, maybe early teens...
The guy who opened the gaff was Frank Bruno!
Frank 'Biff the Wife' Bruno?
It's took me nearly a week to try and remember the name of the club I was thinking of - Ruperts!! Had the awfully steep set of stairs down to the bar - I fell down all of them one night whilst wearing a "la isla bonita" dress I got from Richard Shops, black material with fuschia pink lace over it, off the shoulder job. I hit the bottom of the stairs and it was more of an "off the top half" dress lol. Doormen took a photo of me at the bottom of the stairs and put it on the "wall of shame".
I still have a massive dint in my leg from that night
i remember it well had many a good nite always great music
Things went downhill fast after they stopped painting the "Corpy" buses blue. They had one of the best maintained fleets in the UK - unlike the smoking mobile heaps of pop-rivets and formica that pollute the roads now!
Mike; stop showing your age, you old curmudgeon
and you could smoke on the top deck!
As a kid, when coming down from the top deck, assuming there was no one behind you and no conductor on the platform, a simple jape was to wizz the destination blind handles round as fast as possible.
When you alighted and the bus drove on its merry way, it was always a laugh to see what the potluck destination and "via" blinds read !
Ah such simple fun !!!
Kid's today ..... don't know what they are missing !!
final bill for the tunnels settled at 48.006 of which 6.510 was the liability of birkenhead corporation official number of bunks erected 1.596 intended total 2.136 .20.000 tons of spoil removed
have they sold the tunnel
final bill for the tunnels settled at 48.006 of which 6.510 was the liability of birkenhead corporation official number of bunks erected 1.596 intended total 2.136 .20.000 tons of spoil removed
A HELP me ?
ye in 1944 but now belongs to Urban Exploration lol
I wasnt sure whether this was the right place to post, im sure i will stand corrected, but while we were in the reference library in Birkenhead today looking for some info on something we found some information in a book about Bidston Hall and the possibility of a tunnel that connected it to Leasowe castle.
err no to far away i think
As a kid, when coming down from the top deck, assuming there was no one behind you and no conductor on the platform, a simple jape was to wizz the destination blind handles round as fast as possible.
When you alighted and the bus drove on its merry way, it was always a laugh to see what the potluck destination and "via" blinds read !
Ah such simple fun !!!
Kid's today ..... don't know what they are missing !!
I know what some of those buses were missing when the crews came back from their tea breaks in Virginia road. I'm admitting nowt but they really shouldn't have left their boxes with all their change in those cubby holes with no locks on them.
40 tanners to the pound. Happy days!
Tut tut....naughty !! (Pot calling the ...... ?)
It's quite frightening reading some of the posts on here. Do you remember such and such. Of course I do it was only a couple of years ago or was it?
All the old bogs I used to use when I was out in my van.(Not in a George Michael sense of course!). I can remember trains going from Seacombe to wherever? I remember going in the cafe at Seacombe station and once going to Chester on a steam train from Woodside.
I remember the bus depot in New Ferry, The little market there where we used to go in the cafe. I can even remember a guy coming around on a bike lighting the gas lamps. Jeez am I really that old?
Pig swill bins being put out for collection. I can vaguely remember RAF West Kirby and certainly RAF lads in New Brighton when they got the odd day off.
New Brighton when it was booming. When it had a proper lifeboat. I was there when they made the film "I thank a fool" in the Tower. I met Paul and George at the back of the Tower while all the silly screaming girls were waiting for them at the front.
I can remember going on trams in Liverpool wiv me mum. One and a scholar she used to say. Me a scholar ha!
Do people remember the Maypole and Costigans? Fantastic places to buy bacon cut on the slicer, sugar loose in blue bags, butter patted to shape and cheese cut from a massive block. Biscuits loose in tins with glass lids on them. "Got any broken biscuits mate?" Health and safety would never allow that now. Not hygenic enough but those shops were scrubbed clean every day. I did it!
I could go on and on but will bore you to death. Sorry!
Apologies NOT required Morseman! A great post which rang lots of bells. I remember the last (steam) train from Seacombe. The diesels started the next day - and people protested! Yes, the smelly pig swill bins with a wierdo lid locking catch.
In Prenton if the wind was in the right direction, you could hear the bursts of machine gun fire at RAF West Kirkby when practising on the range.
Our Co-op in Woodchurch Road had the bulk sugar put into the blue bags (sort of heavy cartridge paper ?) Ditto with the butter as you said.
You paid your money to the assistant. They wrote out your "divi" ticket with the amount of the purchase and your share number. My Mum's was 82755 ? The loot and ticket was put into a metal pot that was screwed onto an overhead trolley. A handle was pulled and the trolley wizzed down a thin wire to a cash desk (always manned by an old bat with specs and a bun) who put the change back in the pot and thwanged in back again. Boy, THAT was high tech stuff !! The Lamson Paragon System I think it was called. (Useless information No. 3289B).
Spent a lot of my school days on the trams. Broke my heart when they finished in September 1957. I had to wait over 30yrs to acheive my ambition to become a tram driver for a living !!
Memories of Pier Head to Kirkby Ind. Estate for a 1d child RETURN! (No.19 via Gilmoss)
Uh oh. Here comes nurse with my warm milk and the commode !!
Well, Morseman/Pinzgauer, looks as if we need a new section, probably called The Old Gits or possibly Alzheimer's Division. I remember my mother's divi No., 2928 & my grandma's, 11035 & certainly queueing at the co-op butcher's during the war for some small scrap of an unidentified part of an animal & passing the time by scraping the sawdust into a heap with my shoe.
Oh boy, Pinz; there's going to be some fat chewed in a couple of days (provided you're not snowed in by then).
Cheers, Chris.
I love listening to you guys
Its wierd.. Reading stuff about the Co-Op's and shops etc.. Know adays food has a Date on it but back in the day it didnt if it was green and smelly then you knew it was off. But what does shake the boat is the fact that Mineral water filtered through mountains and rocks to make that beautful clear water has a Sell By Date.... Bring back the good old days.. The 21st century sucks..
Well, Morseman/Pinzgauer, looks as if we need a new section, probably called The Old Gits or possibly Altzheimer's Division. I remember my mother's divi No., 2928 & my grandma's, 11035 & certainly queueing at the co-op butcher's during the war for some small scrap of an unidentified part of an animal & passing the time by scraping the sawdust into a heap with my shoe.
Oh boy, Pinz; there's going to be some fat chewed in a couple of days (provided you're not snowed in by then).
Cheers, Chris.
54501 It was drummed into the kids by their mothers
I used to scrub the floor in the Maypole. Mop it clean and then put fresh sawdust down every night. Not only that but clean the front of the shop to the gutter. Could do with them doing that now!
Wonder if anyone remembers Starbucks bakery in Victoria road New Brighton. Most would know it as the Golden Teapot? Best pies ever for a shilling. We called them cow pies because they were massive and looked a bit like desperate Dan's, sans horns
Nice one Chris. Call it the grumpy old men and women if you want?
But what does shake the boat is the fact that Mineral water filtered through mountains and rocks to make that beautful clear water has a Sell By Date
Great thought, Lee
I love listening to you guys
Glad we can provide some amusement. Seriously, I think it's our duty to provide an insight into the past for you youngsters & we're glad to do it. Always willing to try to answer any questions, although we usually just ramble on...
Cheers, Chris.
I just wish I'd listened more to my Mum & Dad when they were relating life way back when. Quality times. Sad thing is, I didn't ask enough questions or maybe didn't listen to the answers carefully enough. Ho.hum.
Chris. No problems with snow for your journey north tomorrow - it doesn't stick to permafrost ! Was out with some mates last night. Managed to snare a Haggis (yes, I know it's off season). We will eat well. I've lined up a half of shandy for us to share as well. Hell... let's PARTY !!
I've lined up a half of shandy for us to share as well. Hell... let's PARTY !!
I'm having a bit of trouble getting all the booze into the rather small boot of the Volvo 480, but if I leave out that CD I was going to bring for you, I might just manage. Oh, and will I have to pay import duty when I cross the border?
Cheers, Chris.
Import Duty. You should be OK on a Monday. The guards are still usually hung over from the weekend. They'll just wave you through. Any trouble, roll up one trouser leg, give the funny handshake and you'll be fine !!
Just a thought. Best NOT to mention you are seeing me. Something to do with an unfortunate incident with the Customs when they found that copper cylinder with all the curly pipework over a peat fire on the hill. They just wouldn't accept I was only making alchohol for paint thinners for family and friends! SWINES !
I just wish I'd listened more to my Mum & Dad when they were relating life way back when. Quality times. Sad thing is, I didn't ask enough questions or maybe didn't listen to the answers carefully enough. Ho.hum.
Chris. No problems with snow for your journey north tomorrow - it doesn't stick to permafrost ! Was out with some mates last night. Managed to snare a Haggis (yes, I know it's off season). We will eat well. I've lined up a half of shandy for us to share as well. Hell... let's PARTY !!
Haggis should be hung for about a week before cooking. Enhances the flavour. Go easy with that shandy as well, especially if you are using half lemonade and half malt. Even more care should be taken if using the
paint stripper. Don't forget passports and visas.
Should bring back a few memories for some.
I used to work in the COOP on Wood Church Rd I was second man on the bacon slicer. I do not rememeber much about the CO-OP and I don't think my mum had a divi. We had all the shops we needed on Borough Rd opposite Christ Church Claughton.
What if anything does the "C H" on the shop cover stand for?
See picture above "Bus"
Not sure myself. Remember the buses and chippy but not the name. Anyone?
I could bore you to tears with the life history of that bus, but the CH emblem isn't energising anything in the old swede ! Sorry.
Can i just ask....what bus?
Can i just ask....what bus?
As for CH?
Chav House??
errr.. it's sort of er.. a yellow coloured thingy and er..mmm it's got a wheel shaped do-dah in each corner and every now and again it goes "ding-ding". It's a bit difficult to spot at first glance, but it's sort of right of centre in the pic.
There's a good offer on at Specsavers this month !!
Ducks behind sofa !!!
Can i just ask....what bus?
Put your glasses on Doris!
![[Linked Image]](http://isaacsonsisters.com/images_articles/isaacson_gertrude_1989.jpg)
errr.. it's sort of er.. a yellow coloured thingy and er..mmm it's got a wheel shaped do-dah in each corner and every now and again it goes "ding-ding". It's a bit difficult to spot at first glance, but it's sort of right of centre in the pic.
There's a good offer on at Specsavers this month !!
Ducks behind sofa !!!
Can i just ask....what bus?
The number 14 Wallasey bus. New Brighton Virginia road via Victoria road, Rowson Street, Strouds corner, Rake Lane, Liscard Village, Liscard Road etc etc etc............ to Seacombe Ferry.
Now is it CH or HC? How does one tell? I might pop in the library and look at the directories to see what is at that address during the 50's and 60's and report back if I find anything.
I am guessing that the 'building' in the background is the Pier so the road is Victoria Road with maybe Virginia Road to the left of the tree.
The only info I have for CH is "The Commercial Hotel" that was on Victoria Road...but the building doesn't quite look like a hotel!
I will have to check up on maps and other references...
http://www.historicaldirectories.orgJust found this but its 1800s directories
I am guessing that the 'building' in the background is the Pier so the road is Victoria Road with maybe Virginia Road to the left of the tree.
The only info I have for CH is "The Commercial Hotel" that was on Victoria Road...but the building doesn't quite look like a hotel!
I will have to check up on maps and other references...
It
is the corner of Victoria road and Virginia road Paul. You are wrong about the Commercial though. That is in Grosvenor road. The building in the picture was always either a restaurant or chippy from when I was a kid. As a chippy it had an open side in Virginia road for eating out and on the Victoria side for eating in.
That directory site is really good MissGuided and I havent seen it before. Saved it to favourites for a good look later.
What if anything does the "C H" on the shop cover stand for?
See picture above "Bus"
Had a look at the directories for the 50's and 60's. Best one I can come up with was Horton's Catering Company. They seemed to have had a lot of shops in the vicinity although I don't remember the name and I thought I was a big know it all about New Brighton in those days.
Anyone remember the old Cablin Club (the bin) by the market. Tuesday and Wednesday paide £1 to get in and drink as much as you could between 9and 10-30pm. Youse to stick to the carpet. Thought the place was clean till i stayed one night when the house lights went up. Used to go to the old Hamilton Club wwhich became the Dearstalker. I used to live in Henry St by the market. as a kid used to wash all the cars that came to the market. Went to Hemmy school just by the old Asda. I can remember used to be flats there.Row of shops over the road selling four a penny sweets. Anyone remeber Bob Martins Blood TonicShop by the park? Great days, no worries, no money, but didn'r give a toss.
big al robbo---- dad of 'robbo the man'
were you born in the 1800s?
Robbo - Remember when the floor of the Cabin Club fell through into the car showroom beneath - luckily it happened when the club was empty.
Friend of mine took pictures of the old market burning down from the top of that building, eventually got kicked out by firebrigade - hoped to sell the pictures to newspapers etc - unfortunately the developers messed the film up.
Club eventually moved to Noctorum, only went there twice.
only went there once and will always remember the saturday night fever "john travolta" dance floor .
did this floor get taken to the new cabin on the noctorum?
I remember that in Oxton. Rugby club or something was it? The floor was lighted squares that flashed to the music I think. I was usually drunk so maybe all the floors did that?
Me and my wife had been to the market on the day it burnt down. She threw a cigarette end on the floor and I said you will cause a fire and we laughed. It was a cobbled floor though so I don't think we can blame her, can we?
i went to hemmingford street school. we used to buy day old cakes 2 for a penny on the way home at the bakery on conway street & if you were lucky & got there first, they'd be nice strawberry tarts & not the iced bun leftover crap.
Also johnnys chippy is still on conway street to this day. Saturday night was chips & a fish cake tea night and i remember going to johnnys chippy as far back as 1970, i wonder if this is a "chip shop" record for the area?.
Also johnnys chippy is still on conway street to this day. Saturday night was chips & a fish cake tea night and i remember going to johnnys chippy as far back as 1970, i wonder if this is a "chip shop" record for the area?.
Hmmm. if its lasted this long the food must be good, think i may give them a try
What a great thread!
I remember the Co-op divi number 92803; Timothy Whites next to the Co-op in Grange Road; Boots up by Charing Cross - it was all dark wood in there and a wooden staircase to get to the 2nd floor; the butcher in Grange Road West with the metal overhead cash boxes described earlier; a sports shop in Grange Road West (Roberts and Jobson?) with a toy train in the window and you could put an old penny in the slot OUTside the shop and watch the train go round; the red light flashing on Charing Cross roundabout - I was told it only flashed when someone was killed in a road accident, was that true:; bobbies with their big white gloves directing traffic down by the ferry; my grandmother arriving on a steam train at Woodside Station. . . .
ok.. time to chip in...
bidston tescos.. in my day that was Valley road playing fields, which B.I used for football "games lessons" which was always a wednesday afternoon and always seemed to be freezing... I am sure there were about 3 full size pitches and bidston steel was to the right as you came down through the little estate of houses... If you were unlucky you got sent to Ingleborough road in Tranmere, and there you would have the pleasure of being beaten up attempting to play rugby...( this place used to have the school coat of arms above the gates, havent been that way for years so not sure whats there now.
The Maypole.... there was one in Upton where the gym is now by the main ford road bus stop. and it was either previously or just after, A Lennons...
Co-op at Woodchurch... remember it being Leos. and it also holds a special memory as whenever we went to visit relatives ( down south) we would drive back and it would take what seemed like forever, but when you saw the big chimney with the Co-op sign on all four sides from the motorway, you knew you were nearly home.
The cabin club in noctorum, knew it well as my sister DJ'd there for a few years. ( what a dump ), but was out of the way enough that you could get up to allsorts without ever being bothered...
@ Ducko....
a few more teachers of note from B.I ( wish I had a photo of the old place )
Ron Jones - Chemistry
Snotty Thomas - geography
Wilko and Mrs Wilko - games and allegedly geography
Mr Jones ( aka the Devil) the art teacher
Citro I assume was Mr Citrine - history ( he was so easy to get off track, but was way cool as he would just end up telling old stories)
and finally.... in respect of Nogger Morris, yes he used to drag kids round by the hair, or ears and had that manky old shoe thing he used to belt us with...which even had its own name....
The Pike.
dont think you would get away with that sort of thing these days
Yes, the tall red (flourescent tubed) lamp on top of the lampost at the Charing Cross roundabout was indeed switched on to indicate that someone had been killed on the roads in the Borough.
Even when it was in operation, I don't think many folk knew what it was flashing for.
Welcome to the site.
Where abouts in Scotland are you Jeeps ??
Welcome, Jeeps; hope you enjoy the site. I suspect from your memories that you are of a "certain age". I'm sure I remember Roberts & Jobson, but not the toy train. Wasn't it opposite Mc.Kenzies, an electrical/photographic shop? That's where I bought my first camera in about 1954.
Cheers, Chris.
ok.. time to chip in...
bidston tescos.. in my day that was Valley road playing fields, which B.I used for football "games lessons" which was always a wednesday afternoon and always seemed to be freezing... I am sure there were about 3 full size pitches and bidston steel was to the right as you came down through the little estate of houses...
Any more info/pictures of
Bidston Steel??
Welcome to the site.
Where abouts in Scotland are you Jeeps ??
Right up by John O'Groats. Thanks for the welcome.
Welcome, Jeeps; hope you enjoy the site. I suspect from your memories that you are of a "certain age". I'm sure I remember Roberts & Jobson, but not the toy train. Wasn't it opposite Mc.Kenzies, an electrical/photographic shop? That's where I bought my first camera in about 1954.
Cheers, Chris.
Thanks for the welcome. Yes, there was a camera shop, whose name escapes me but it was close to the Little Theatre I think? I'm wondering now if Roberts and Jobson were the other sports shop just off Charing Cross (close to where Christpher Boyton Hairdressers are if they are still there?)and the one with the train was not them.
As for being of a certain age, I was not born in 1954!! lol
From the 1950/1960s....
Roberts & Jobson was a sports shop between Charing Cross and Back Menai Street - I knew Mr Roberts - really nice bloke.
I seem to remember the train being on Grange Road West before the little theatre.
James McKenzie Ltd 25-29 Grange Road West
Birkenhead Brewery 73 Oxton Road
Manweb 7/9 Grange Road West
Robb Bros Ltd Charing Cross
Rostances 13-21 Oxton Rd, 62-68 Watson St, 55-57 New Chester Rd
Birkenhead & District Co-0perative Society Rd - Grange Road, Swan Hill, Moss Lane etc.
District Butchers - Oxton Road, 10 Market Place South etc.
Owen Owen - Grange Rd
Rediffusion - 21 Grange Road West, Elm St and 18 Seaview Rd
Roberts & Co (Birkenhead) Ltd 107/109 Argyle Street
R Byrne 53 Grange Rd West
Express Cleaners - Edinburgh House 597-599 Borough Rd etc.
W Watson & Co - Hamilton St
Kirbys Ltd - Woodchurch Rd
R E Wright & Co Ltd 790-794 Borough Rd, Upton Motor Works Arrowe Park Rd
Geofre Ltd 61/65 Hamilton St
R O Willams & Co Park Station Garage Duke St
D H Collins & Son Ltd 69-73 Conway St
Liverpool Savings Bank 3 Wilbraham St, 742 Borough Rd
I have some history on many of the above and/or pictures, adverts etc. Just shout if there are any you are interested in. I also have info on some builders, insurance companies, banks and heavier industries from early 1960s. Too much to scan completely.
A fine list there. So that's where Roberts & Jobson was; I knew I remembered the name & now I can place it.
Yes, speelings (sic) do seem to change spontaneously.
Cheers, Chris.
Roberts and Jobson had a dirty great tennis racquet logo thingy on the wall.
Before Leo's etc on the Woodchurch it was the UCLA which stands for United Co-operative Laundries (something?). My brother in law of the time used to drive for them and took me out to Wales many a time. He used to deliver to various army camps and RAF Valley.
I've never heard of the flashing light in Birkenhead though.
United Co-operative Laundries Associaton. OR Uncle Charlie's Lunatic Asylum as we called it. Used to have UCLA in big neon letters near the chimney base. Air raid siren on the roof too ! The tests "All Clear" always seemed to be on a Thursday at 1100hrs. Used to frighten the living cr*p out of me when I was a toddler !
United Co-operative Laundries Associaton. OR Uncle Charlie's Lunatic Asylum as we called it. Used to have UCLA in big neon letters near the chimney base. Air raid siren on the roof too ! The tests "All Clear" always seemed to be on a Thursday at 1100hrs. Used to frighten the living cr*p out of me when I was a toddler !
I was going to add that later about Uncle Charlies Lunatic Asylum but events have taken over. I remember the siren as well now you mention it.
In my early days, going out to Arrowe park and the surrounding area was like a day out in the country. Took a couple of buses at least including a trip on a Crosville which we considered luxury. How times change!
was this up by Arrowe park then chaps
a few more teachers of note from B.I ( wish I had a photo of the old place )
Birkenhead Institute, Whetstone Lane.
![[Linked Image]](https://www.images.wikiwirral.co.uk/forum/11352.jpg)
I'm sure I remember Roberts & Jobson, but not the toy train. Wasn't it opposite Mc.Kenzies, an electrical/photographic shop? That's where I bought my first camera in about 1954.
James McKenzie electrical goods was in Grange Road West, they had a Photographic shop opposite and slightly further up Grange Road West, this closed (probably in the 60s) and moved into the electrical shop. They also had a workshop in Oxton Road (where the Casino is now)
The train was in the window of 'The Model Shop' which was in Oxton Road, and at some point (again I think probably the 60s but could have been 70s) it moved but only further down Oxton Road to where 'Kit Shop' is now (the train moved with it). For many years you could still see the penny slot at the old shop.
Roberts and Jobson had a giant tennis racquet over the shop and where in the 'Bank of Liverpool' building at Charring Cross.
Jase - the coop laundry is where Woodchurch/ArrowePark ASDA is now - the laundry wells that Pinzgauer mentioned somewhere else were rediscovered when they built ASDA.
Uptoncx - thanks for train location you are quite right, just couldn't picture it.
I think the post I put in a while ago (can't find it now) about the wells, was relating to those below the Co-op Dairy on Swan Hill. A friend of mine was a fitter there and serviced the pumps.
Never realised that there were wells under UCLA, but logic would say that being a BIG laundry, they would have their own separate, secure supply, therefore wells !!
The water table shouldn't be far below the surface there. It's got to be just about the lowest point thereabouts for miles. The wells wouldn't have had to be too deep.
James McKenzie electrical goods was in Grange Road West, they had a Photographic shop opposite and slightly further up Grange Road West, this closed (probably in the 60s) and moved into the electrical shop. They also had a workshop in Oxton Road (where the Casino is now)
When I bought my camera, (a secondhand Leica IIIb), McKenzies was on the South side of Grange Rd. West, between Clayton St. & Barton St. This was in 1953/54. I'm pretty sure the camera section was in the shop which was mostly electrical goods. Does this tie up with your info?
Cheers, Chris.
Right Pinz, you have put doubts in my mind now, both sites were coop. I remember article in the newspaper (wirral globe or wirral news group) saying how big these wells were (they sounded huge), I can't find the article in either of their archives (I don't understand why both papers have gone to the trouble of putting up archves without decent search tools!).
Asda woodchurch (or Asda Arrowe Park as they call it) was opened in November 1999. Perhaps somebody with a sharper memory than mine can help me out here.
dd. If you can find the article(s) in the local rags, I would love to read of anything to do with the wells - wherever they are . ha.ha !!
After UCLA said cheerio to the site, didn't it become a Leo's Superstore ?? Maybe getting confused (again). No comments please Chris !!!!
After UCLA said cheerio to the site, didn't it become a Leo's Superstore ?? Maybe getting confused (again). No comments please Chris !!!!
There were actually two works on the site (if my memory serves me correctly) half the site was the UCLA, and the other half was the Belmont Clothing Factory (also owned by B&DCS). It did become a Leo's Superstore (which was a trading name of the Co-op) before the site was cleared and the new Asda built.
When I bought my camera, (a secondhand Leica IIIb), McKenzies was on the South side of Grange Rd. West, between Clayton St. & Barton St. This was in 1953/54. I'm pretty sure the camera section was in the shop which was mostly electrical goods. Does this tie up with your info?
This is where the main McKenzie's (the electrical bit) was, it was about three shops knocked together. I remember their camera shop from about 1961, this was on the North Side of Grange Road West, closer to Grange Mount than the main shop. It was a double fronted shop with central double doors. Possibly they opened this second shop between your visit in 1953/54 and when I knew it from 1961? Incidentally, McKenzie's also had shops in Hoylake, New Ferry and Ellesmere Port.
You are right about the Leos and then Co-Op. The clothing place before that, wasnt it an industrial laundry?? I remember it as a kid and always being told that! It had a large chimney at the front end!
Or was it just the parents way of saying shut up?
Jase - the coop laundry is where Woodchurch/ArrowePark ASDA is now - the laundry wells that Pinzgauer mentioned somewhere else were rediscovered when they built ASDA.
Uptoncx - thanks for train location you are quite right, just couldn't picture it.
ye i no now. i lived next to it when pioneer foodstore (co-op)was there. never new this very interesting guys thanks for Sharing
UCLA AND the Belmont Clothing factory..... I'd quite forgotten all about that.
You are quite right uptoncx. Two Co-op undertakings on the same site. Thanks for that.
The train was in the window of 'The Model Shop' which was in Oxton Road, and at some point (again I think probably the 60s but could have been 70s) it moved but only further down Oxton Road to where 'Kit Shop' is now (the train moved with it). For many years you could still see the penny slot at the old shop.
Roberts and Jobson had a giant tennis racquet over the shop and where in the 'Bank of Liverpool' building at Charring Cross.
Thank you; The Model Shop sounds familiar now. I can't remember much about Oxton Road although I used to walk up and down it frequently. I can visualise Roberts and Jobson now with the tennis racquet.
What was the name of the cafe directly opposite Hamilton Square Station? I think it was green - either painted or tiled. Was it Cardosi's? Ma used to take me there for green cream soda and a packet of salt and shake crips, when the salt was in the little twists of paper.
Ithink the cafe was OLIVERIES
The cafe was Olivieri's, the family are still involved in catering and have a bit about it's history on their website
click This picture is off their website:
Interesting, the history of the Olivieri's. They mention there the Fabri's, although I seem to remember it being spelled Fabbri, but that could just be the brain rot setting in (pace Pinz). They had a shop in Grange Rd., almost on the corner of St.John St., on the side where the church was. & another in Argyle St. I used to buy ice cream there. There were a lot of Italian families in Britain in the ice cream business; we have one in Shrewsbury called Sidoli's. Most of these Italian families were interned during the war, mostly on the Isle of Man.
Thank you peeps.
Olivieris, of course. What a lot of staff in that photo. We have Italian ice cream families up here too.
Your mention of Argyle Street, chriskay, brought me a sudden flash of a newsagent, not a shop that customers could walk in but almost like a counter across a doorway. I think it was close to Marion Street or Market Street?
What about moved bodies? When they built the ship repairers near the priory bodies had to be disinterred and reburied at Landican. St Albans school in Liscard was the same and I think it happened where Wilkinson's is in Birkenhead?
There were also bodies at the back of St Georges hall in Liverpool and they might still be there for all I know?
Years ago I worked with an old guy who was once asked to make cheap coffins to move the Priory bodies. He made a lot of money out of it. I suppose they would only be bones anyway?
I wouldn't put it past WBC digging up Rake lane and building houses on it. Poltergeist anyone? No not even they could be that stupid, could they?
the churchyard you are talking about where Wilkinsons is, was St Andrews. They reburied any at Landican.
Do you remember the big sets of flats on that triangle before 'Asda' was built. They where knocked down early 70's.
this is when prince michael opend the new footy pitch were the senter is now
good old days
good old days
"the quasar in birkenhead"
I think it was part of the old cinema on Conway St
it was because i worked for the builders merchant who supplied their materials.
hey does anyone remember the old air raid shelters in the fields next to levers causeway,spent a lot of time in there as a kid,smashed my knees in when a fell off one day ,we used dare eachother to jump from roof to roof and i missed one day
"the quasar in birkenhead"
I think it was part of the old cinema on Conway St
it was because i worked for the builders merchant who supplied their materials.
hey does anyone remember the old air raid shelters in the fields next to levers causeway,spent a lot of time in there as a kid,smashed my knees in when a fell off one day ,we used dare eachother to jump from roof to roof and i missed one day
Where they in the fields leading up to Storeton Woods? Did they have some concrete ramps and rooms with steel doors?? Was there an old house with a sort of courtyard? Because I certainly remember when I used to play in Storeton Woods going to some sort of complex with concrete ramps and mybe air raid shelters and an real old house not far away.
If it's this, it was the abandoned radar station. I used to play there myself. A lot of the equipment had been left inside. There was a tall mast too, like an electricity pylon. I don't remember the old house though. Although there's not a trace of it now, the access gate is still used to get into the field.
Thanks for that Chris, it about clears up that little mystery in my mind. Now the only other thing is the old house. Oh well....
thats the right one chris but i only remember the two lower buildings on your map,so maybe the single building was knocked down earlier than the other two,dont remember ever seeing any sorts of equipment in there either,the gap between the two where the track went was the gap we used to jump.i spent a really nice day at the old childrens hospital on woodchurch road with smashed knee caps after i missed one day.had a full leg splint on for two months and could only sit on the toilet with my legs up in the air.lol
I probably knew this place before you all; late 1940's. There was loads of stuff in there at that time. Here's an aerial photo taken by the RAF in May 1948. The scale is about 5800:1
Chris I don`t know where you get all your pics from bud but your resources are excellent mate.
Chris I don`t know where you get all your pics from bud but your resources are excellent mate.
It's more a matter of having time to find stuff & knowing where to look. Because I'm retired, I've got the time; if I weren't 50 miles away, I'd be in the archives every day!
A Friend of mine who sadly passed away earlier last year was in the Home Guard and his duty station was guard detail at that radio comunication station at the top of the mile road
I remember seeing them through the trees years back,wondering what they were. I recall similar structures off Woodchurch Rd in a field, near where the railway pases over the road and junction 3 roundabout. Was there anything military there?
I've checked the Defence of Britain Project on Google Earth and there's nothing there. Hmmm
if you where looking in the field on the Birkenhead side of the railway line then what you could see was the old manweb power supply station which has been replaced by the one down Prenton Dell on the old brickworks site
If you were looking at the fields on your right after going under the brige coming from Birkenhead there used to be the clubhouse for the Birkenhead Institute Old Boys Rugby teams
Later when they were demolished 2 metal containers were put there to be used by Glenavon youth teams as dressing rooms
I,m not if they were eventually removed because plans were
said to build a railway station there
Yes Derek, I think that must be what I remember. It says pavilions on 1938 map. Thanks.
![[Linked Image]](http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff155/suzybelle1975/pavs.jpg)
I thought that Birkenhead Institute rugby was played from Ingleborough Rd.
That picture shows where the 'Old Instonians' rugby union team used to have their clubhouse. My old man used to play for them and as a child I was dragged there on many occasions.
That's right Shambo, i had a couple of games there myself and the other field where the sub station was, the other side of the railway lines was called the Sally Rec.( not sure if that's spelt right.)
Here are some pictures of the Woodchurch/Prenton Old Instonians ground from early 1970s and 1997, note the M53 still being built in the 1970s picture.
Description: Old Instonians Ground 1970s
Description: Old Instonians Club 1970s
Description: Old Instonians Ground 1997
Description: Old Instonians Club 1997
Here is the site today - derekdwc mentioned the two containers, the stand/dugout by the pitch has gone (base still there), the funny grey/black thing between the two trees on the left are like big vanes on pipe crossing the river to stop kids like me from shimmying across
Description: Old Instonians 2008
Where the pipe is, is that the River Birket flowing underneath
Often wandered where it started and finished.
My father in law ( old Moreton man) told me once that The Birket was dug out by german prisoners of war
I don't know which war 1st or 2nd
the birket flows under beaufort road and gagshill
maybe its the river Fender
Any one name the different rivers on Wirral and where they start and finish
Possible maps?
The River Fender is right Derek. I use to go to the Fender primary school on the Woodchurch.
The Birket flows from near West kirby to Birkenhead and the Fender flows from near Prenton to Birket ( see map )
Does anyone remember the booth at the Pier Head in Liverpool where you could make your own record? Or Woodside Train Station? A tanner for a cup of tea and you could spend hours just sitting - there was nothing like British Rail Tea, a bit like the old hospital tea
Me and my mate made 2 records there
He sang an Elvis song (he's a big fan) all to the best of order
I tried to sing Island in the sun by Harry Belafonte to his constant blub blubbing and laughing in the background
I think that was when the booth disappeared a few months later
I'd love to still have those records
Never sang in front of anybody again accept at my brothers wedding after they'd left me in kitchen with all the whiskey
I tried to sing Island in the sun by Harry Belafonte to his constant blub blubbing and laughing in the background
I think that was when the booth disappeared a few months later
Are you accepting responsiblity of the downfall of this booth Derek.lol.
Bidston Steel was where Tescos Bidston is now. I remember one evening (about 1984, when I was 14), hanging around in Wallacre Park in Mosslands Drive, Wallasey and me and my mates heard his enormous bang, looked over toward the steel plant and saw a huge mushroom shaped cloud. We sh*t ourselves and then obviously nothing happened to substantiate our thoughts of nuclear war. Turns out there was water in one of the giant crucibles and the molten steam evaporated it instantly causing the bang and cloud.
Thanks for the memories Davey.
If you have any more info or pictures of the steel mill, please post them in the
Biston Steel Mill topic within the History Information Request forum
Welcome to the forums too.
i remember johnnys chip shop when it first opened, also olivieries before it became the cycle exchange anyone remember edie ruggs a sortr of second hand shop in the same block of shops as well as sampsons greengrocers???
The old Co-op was originally a laundry complete with a brick built chimney.
Olivieri's
That is a great photo. I used to go there as a treat with my mum and have green cream soda and salt and shake crisps when the salt bag was the little blue twist of paper.
I wouldn't have had a clue that was the same place now though. I've not been there for about 20 years; how far does the pavement extend now? I seem to remember it was just a normal width and I think it was lined with bus stops like an overflow from Woodside?
That is a great photo. I used to go there as a treat with my mum and have green cream soda and salt and shake crisps when the salt bag was the little blue twist of paper.
I wouldn't have had a clue that was the same place now though. I've not been there for about 20 years; how far does the pavement extend now? I seem to remember it was just a normal width and I think it was lined with bus stops like an overflow from Woodside?
The path comes out alot more now, i dont know why coz there is nothing there. But the other side of the path is a one way street and bus stops there.
Thanks Mr. Ice Man.
it was not an overflow from woodside. It was the first stop for the busses after they left the terminus at woodside. you got off the train at Hamlinton Square station and walked out of the station to the bus stops. there where a long line of bus stops stretching from along the pavement in that section of Bridge street you can see in the photo and also round the corner in Haminton street oposite the entrance to the station.
think about it, the stops at the woodside terminus where for the passengers who got off the ferry boat and woodside station. the stops i have just talked about where for the passengers who got of the train at hamington square station Long quese in my younger days. no such thing as a car for 99% of us.
Oh yes Jimbob, that has all come flooding back now.
who remembers milton road in seacombe wallasey,stables at the bottom of the road,miss braithwaites shop,the coffin makers,the pipe cleaners at the bottom of shakespeare road,the washhouse in oakdale road,where women travelled from all over to do their washing,also,there were private baths there for the people who didnt have bathrooms.
Bidston Steel was where Tescos Bidston is now. I remember one evening (about 1984, when I was 14), hanging around in Wallacre Park in Mosslands Drive, Wallasey and me and my mates heard his enormous bang, looked over toward the steel plant and saw a huge mushroom shaped cloud. We sh*t ourselves and then obviously nothing happened to substantiate our thoughts of nuclear war. Turns out there was water in one of the giant crucibles and the molten steam evaporated it instantly causing the bang and cloud.
Haha, I remember being quite young at that time and having the fear about nuclear war. Bet that didn't help!
ok.. time to chip in...
bidston tescos.. in my day that was Valley road playing fields, which B.I used for football "games lessons" which was always a wednesday afternoon and always seemed to be freezing... I am sure there were about 3 full size pitches and bidston steel was to the right as you came down through the little estate of houses... If you were unlucky you got sent to Ingleborough road in Tranmere, and there you would have the pleasure of being beaten up attempting to play rugby...( this place used to have the school coat of arms above the gates, havent been that way for years so not sure whats there now.
What years did you go to B.I?
I was there from 1970-75. I remember Jock Mowatt maths teacher who had a cricket bat instead of a cane, getting Mr.Pike three times in one lesson, Froggy Allen for English, taffy Evans for French, Dinky Dollard for chemistry,
The Maypole.... there was one in Upton where the gym is now by the main ford road bus stop. and it was either previously or just after, A Lennons...
Co-op at Woodchurch... remember it being Leos. and it also holds a special memory as whenever we went to visit relatives ( down south) we would drive back and it would take what seemed like forever, but when you saw the big chimney with the Co-op sign on all four sides from the motorway, you knew you were nearly home.
The cabin club in noctorum, knew it well as my sister DJ'd there for a few years. ( what a dump ), but was out of the way enough that you could get up to allsorts without ever being bothered...
@ Ducko....
a few more teachers of note from B.I ( wish I had a photo of the old place )
Ron Jones - Chemistry
Snotty Thomas - geography
Wilko and Mrs Wilko - games and allegedly geography
Mr Jones ( aka the Devil) the art teacher
Citro I assume was Mr Citrine - history ( he was so easy to get off track, but was way cool as he would just end up telling old stories)
and finally.... in respect of Nogger Morris, yes he used to drag kids round by the hair, or ears and had that manky old shoe thing he used to belt us with...which even had its own name....
The Pike.
dont think you would get away with that sort of thing these days
Anybody remember in birkenhead market, the freshly made doughnuts. You could watch them being made. Think it was 6 for 50p, back in the 80s this was.
Smelt delicious and too hot to eat!
The stall now sells papers and fags, fruit shop new door. On the other side, the smelly fish shops
Anybody remember in birkenhead market, the freshly made doughnuts. You could watch them being made. Think it was 6 for 50p, back in the 80s this was.
Smelt delicious and too hot to eat!
The best place for those was New Brighton just by the indoor fair, they had one inside the fair and a door leading in off the front. One day while working in Heswall and finishing early, me and the lad who works for me decided to go to New Brighton and get some Doughnuts, like a firms outing. As soon as we walked through the door the Fat fryer blew up covering the girl in hot fat, we covered her in wet tea towels and called for the ambulance and of course had a few doughnuts that were already made while we waited for the ambulance to come. Ever since then they have been known as Exploders.
B.I.
...a few names for you to remember
Sam dennally
nogger Morris
skinny malcome
titty tomlinson
citro
frothy turner
must all be dead now ?
ring any bells?
[/quote]
I remember those names well. Especially Mr. Pike, got that three times in one lesson!
What about Jock Mowatt (Maths) and his well used taped up cricket bat.
Ted Edgar and his cane Tickling Toby.
Other teachers I remember were;
Ben Lyons
Dinky Dollard
Froggy Allan
KP Jones
Taffy Evans
What years were you there?
I went from 70-75 and was in Atkin
Schools BI
Click me
The best place for those was New Brighton just by the indoor fair, they had one inside the fair and a door leading in off the front. One day while working in Heswall and finishing early, me and the lad who works for me decided to go to New Brighton and get some Doughnuts, like a firms outing. As soon as we walked through the door the Fat fryer blew up covering the girl in hot fat, we covered her in wet tea towels and called for the ambulance and of course had a few doughnuts that were already made while we waited for the ambulance to come. Ever since then they have been known as Exploders.
I remember that Donut Shop too.
They were the only place that i knew that sold them,
but being a tight git i did think they were expensive.
But that shop and the smell of Donuts would fill the air
of the indoor fair all the time, you just had to visit the shop.
B.I.
...a few names for you to remember
Sam dennally
nogger Morris
skinny malcome
titty tomlinson
citro
frothy turner
must all be dead now ?
ring any bells?
I remember those names well. Especially Mr. Pike, got that three times in one lesson!
What about Jock Mowatt (Maths) and his well used taped up cricket bat.
Ted Edgar and his cane Tickling Toby.
Other teachers I remember were;
Ben Lyons
Dinky Dollard
Froggy Allan
KP Jones
Taffy Evans
What years were you there?
I went from 70-75 and was in Atkin [/quote]
I remember Nogger Morris with "the pike" which was an old plimsole.nogger came from Park high if I remember rightly and Mr Citrine who was the first aider,anything wrong he would give you a Rennie or equivalant.Even for a bust leg.Mr Edger who was nicknamed the elephant for his memory.
81-86.
Head-Mr Sutton.M.D.
B.I.
...a few names for you to remember
Sam dennally
nogger Morris
skinny malcome
titty tomlinson
citro
frothy turner
must all be dead now ?
ring any bells?
I remember those names well. Especially Mr. Pike, got that three times in one lesson!
What about Jock Mowatt (Maths) and his well used taped up cricket bat.
Ted Edgar and his cane Tickling Toby.
Other teachers I remember were;
Ben Lyons
Dinky Dollard
Froggy Allan
KP Jones
Taffy Evans
What years were you there?
I went from 70-75 and was in Atkin
I remember Nogger Morris with "the pike" which was an old plimsole.nogger came from Park high if I remember rightly and
Mr Citrine who was the first aider,anything wrong he would give you a Rennie or equivalant.Even for a bust leg.Mr Edger who was nicknamed the elephant for his memory.
81-86.
Head-Mr Sutton.M.D. [/quote]
That would have been handy after he punched me all around his classroom, all because I was doing my homework in lesson. (Mind you it was maths
)
LMAO,sorry he was`nt an MD.That was his initials.Mike Sutton.Forgot to say I also remember Taffy Evans (French).
He had a breakdown in school when I was there.I know his son very well he is also a teacher in Liverppol.He told me his dad spoke something like 5-6 different languages.Possibly more.
Was KP Jones an art teacher?
I was also in Atkin.Purple streak in the tie.
My bro went to BI - hated every minute
Yes,I did myself Miss G.So much so that I left 4-5 mths earlier than my official date.lol.
My bro went to the Whetsone Lane one. Probably between 1958-64, something like that.
@ Dava2479....
I was there I guess 1981-88,
started in year 2 (aged 11) and was in Miss Chyzaks form...2d
she was a bit weird to say the least.
who was your form teacher...
I was there until 1962 Whetstone Lane in WestminsterHouse blue stripe on tie
When I left school I played football for the Old Instonians in the Old Boys League in Liverpool mainly
Coronation Park home pitches and Club above BSM in Argyle Street
Anybody there when my friend (no names) broke into the basement turned on the bunsen burner gas taps in lab and started a fire
He was caught when the police went round checking shoes against a footprint they found on a piece of cardboard under the window
that he got in
Mr Thompson for French
Mr 'Danny' Webb Headmaster
Mr 'Lenny' Malcolm Physics
You can still get an Old Boys tie now altho not the one I originally allblack with several gold knights heads on
Ive herd things saying that the original tunnels connected to the lady redcap hotel in New Brighton
There used to be a smugglers path that connected Bidston too Wallasey but there is no way these tunnels go too mother redcaps im afraid.
There used to be a smugglers path that connected Bidston too Wallasey but there is no way these tunnels go too mother redcaps im afraid.
That was a differant set of tunnels that is rumoured to connect to Mother Redcaps.
As a child I went on a tour of part of them, they start in a garden of one of the big houses oeverlooking the front in New Brighton but they had collapsed further into the hill so it's not clear whether they actually reached the cottage.
There can be nothing underground connecting Bidson and Wallasey as Wallasey and Bidson are basically a lumps of sandstone. Any tunnels between Bidson and Wallasey would be below the water table.
yes it is pretty boggy across the Moss
At one time the docks where linked through Bidston Moss and Leasowe making Wallasey an Island
true so there couldn't really be a tunnel because of the extent of wallasey pool
My point exactly
At one time the docks where linked through Bidston Moss and Leasowe making Wallasey an Island
I think you may find that was a proposal that was never carried out, however, in years gone by before any docks it is possible to trace a continuos water run from leasowe to birkenhead, so yes Wallasey was an island and probably was for a short time after the docks were built.
"I think you may find that was a proposal that was never carried out, however, in years gone by before any docks it is possible to trace a continuos water run from leasowe to birkenhead, so yes Wallasey was an island and probably was for a short time after the docks were built."
and in the dim and distant past Wallesy wasn't totally an island but the whole area of Bidston Moss and around the J1 retail park was marshland right up to the dunes that the golf courses at New Brighton and Leasowe are on so it was effectively an island.
I read about that mad plan (18th centuary I think) to extend the docks all the from bidston through to the inlet that is now filled-in to make Hoylake and string a sea wall out to Hilbre from Red Rocks and where the marine lake is now to make a huge dock system to rival London with a deep water entrance open all the time. Imagine how differant the Wirral would be if that had happened......
Havent seen this mentioned on here before so I thought I would let people know,
I Just happened to see a dvd last night called "of time and the city"
Only took a peek because it was supposed to have some old footage of Liverpool in it.
The blurb for the DVD says
"Terence Davies returns to his native Liverpool and to his film making roots to capture a sense of the City today and its influences on him growing up in the late 40's and early 50's."
Actually there is lots of achive footage, some from the Wirral...
There is Colour film of New Brighton fair, Tower and all
and the Lido..
lots of other gems and the quality is really good.
you can check out a few stills on the website
http://www.oftimeandthecity.com/have to say the commentary is not to my taste, so I ended up turning the sound down and putting some music on, but as I say some footage which will definately be of interest to some on here.
@ Dava2479....
I was there I guess 1981-88,
started in year 2 (aged 11) and was in Miss Chyzaks form...2d
she was a bit weird to say the least.
who was your form teacher...
Sorry guys,I know this topic is a bit further back,only just had the chance to reply to Phils post.
My form tutor was Mr.Clifford,for the first 2 yrs then I was placed under the guidance of Wynn Hughes and Brendan McCarthy (VE).LOL.
Hi, I just joined this list today and love it. I am going back to earlier messages, sorry. I remember the allotments at the Mount Estate because we moved there in 1950/51 and they were at the corner (?) of Mendip and Storeton Road at that time.
I remeber going to the pictures at the Gaumont on Borough Road (?).
I remember going to the Majestic and the Tower Ballroom (early 60`s)to see Gerry, Billy J Kramer etc.
I remember the coffee house in the outside corner of the Woodside Ferry terminal.
Boy is this all bringing back memories.
Derby
And you gave all that up for Canada, Welcome anyway.
Yes, welcome. The Gaumont was on Park Rd. East, it was the Plaza on Borough Rd; I was a projectionist there in about 1953. I remember too when the whole of Mount Estate was allotments. The estate was built very soon after the war, about 1947-48.
Enjoy your stay here, there's loads of interesting stuff & maybe you can fill in a few gaps.
Cheers, Chris.
The roads for the mount estate where laid by x german prisoners of war. A lot of people may not know that prisoners of war where still in this country for many years once the war was over.They where legaly employed on road works throughout the country before been sent back to germany.
Under the Geneva convention Prisoners of war could do any work apart from any deemed as work helping the war effort of the country of their capture.
@ Dava2479....
I was there I guess 1981-88,
started in year 2 (aged 11) and was in Miss Chyzaks form...2d
she was a bit weird to say the least.
who was your form teacher...
i hear from 'im indoors' that the lads were divided re. Miss chysaz- some who quite liked her-ahem-and others who fort she was a spotty bitch
@ Dava2479....
I was there I guess 1981-88,
started in year 2 (aged 11) and was in Miss Chyzaks form...2d
she was a bit weird to say the least.
who was your form teacher...
i hear from 'im indoors' that the lads were divided re. Miss chysaz- some who quite liked her-ahem-and others who fort she was a spotty bitch
who remembers 'bullet'?
You know how sometimes you can be so wide of the mark its not true, well I thought the Geneva Convention was formulated after WW2 (the 1949 date), I didn't realise that it dated back to 1863. mmmmmm I hated history at school, its starting to show
You know how sometimes you can be so wide of the mark its not true, well I thought the Geneva Convention was formulated after WW2 (the 1949 date), I didn't realise that it dated back to 1863. mmmmmm I hated history at school, its starting to show
The 1949 date was Nato which i think a lot of people get mixed up with. A good example of POWs doing war work are the Churchill Barriers on Orkney, the way they had to be turned in to roads.
Indeed 1949 was NATO, but it was also a key date for the Geneva Convention
First Geneva Convention "for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field" (first adopted in 1864, last revision in 1949).
Second Geneva Convention "for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea" (first adopted in 1906).
Third Geneva Convention "relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War" (first adopted in 1929, last revision in 1949).
Fourth Geneva Convention "relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War" (first adopted in 1949, based on parts of the 1907 Hague Convention IV).
I remember the pics on conway street,the asda yellow council vans and pretty much what ya's have all mentioned.Does anyone remember the so called kids play area that was close to thorsway and the railway pub in tranmere/rockferry and the big 'ice mountain' slide that was there??
Who remembers any of these?
wow the kikkat,s look mad lol
I remember the pics on conway street,the asda yellow council vans and pretty much what ya's have all mentioned.Does anyone remember the so called kids play area that was close to thorsway and the railway pub in tranmere/rockferry and the big 'ice mountain' slide that was there??
Yeah I remember that and I also remember the round gravel they had there, It made perfect catapult ammo
I used to go there regularly to fill a bag or 2
All them chocolate bars look mad to me! The Kitkat looks the most normal & the mars, Look at the crunchie, aero and smarties!!
you mean they've changed?....god is nothing sacrosanct?
Where's the Payne's Poppets?! Mmmmmmmm.....
Paynes poppets-farmfoods 25p ! Peanut toffee and raisins!!
Anybody want to come on a outing this afternoon - I have two local WW2 sites in mind - neither of which seem to have photographs anywhere on the internet. I can do driving. PM me!
I thought I'd start this topic to see if anyone else remembers the Wirral how I do, feel free to add your own
Who remembers...
The shops on conway street? -
ClickyWhen Europa Pools, Vue Cinema and Conway Park train station was all a massive gravel car park?
There was an Asda where Wilkinsons in bhead town now is?
Finally, a decent picture of ASDA in bhead!
![[Linked Image]](https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/download/Number/21910/filename/asda.jpg)
thats hardly a decent pic joe - its the slope off the car park on the roof!
By decent, I mean, better than this one:
![[Linked Image]](https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/download/Number/4185/filename/asdado8.jpg)
Someone else was asking for pictures of the flyover a while ago - so it is spot on for that. Cheers Joe
Someone else was asking for pictures of the flyover a while ago - so it is spot on for that. Cheers Joe
Cheers goes to Derek from
this post
OK, here's Grandad to try & answer some of the questions.
The cinema near Argos was the Ritz; I know because I was a projectionist there for about a year. The manager's name was Bill Boht. Since tis is an unusual name, I think he was related to Jean Boht (Bread), maybe her father.
Hi sorry to reply to a post from two years ago ;-) Just found this site from researching the Wirral.
My Mum remembers Bill Boht well. Dapper man, German born, was interned on the Isle of Man during the war. Managed a lot of Birkenhead nightspots and was married to Jean Boht of 'Bread' fame - her maiden name was Dance. For some reason they split and Bill apparently fell on hard times while Jean went on to fame and fortune...
Good info Si - thanks for that!
Yes, my thanks too, Si. I didn't know Bill Boht was German; I think he must have come to England at an early age, as I don't remember him having any trace of an accent.
Hope you find the site interesting enough to stick around & contribute.
Cheers, Chris.
Cheers guys!
I won't be much help on research as the family left Birkenhead when I was 10 back in 66, but me Mum is a Birkenhead authority, particularly the war years.
She lived on Briardale Road, Barnston Street, Park Road North and Noctorum over the years. Worked at Pikes Jewellers, Lees and Littlewoods and relatives worked at Lairds, Liverpool Cotton Exchange, Rushworths and Lever Brothers.
My maternal Granddad was knocked down and killed at Woodside Ferry back in 1940, so she stopped at home to look after my Grandma rather than join the Land Army as both her brothers were in the Forces.
She's got some great stories of the war years. A few G & T's and out come the stories! Here's one of my faves:
Anyone heard of the 'Bunny Run'?
Before the war, Bidston Hill was the 'Bunny Run' - where all the girls and fellers would stroll on a Sunday afternoon sizing each other up and making dates etc. During the war, Grange Road became the 'Bunny Run' with Servicemen from all over the world and all the local girls parading up and down.
Despite the hardships and the tragedies of the war years, she had the time of her life... ;-)
My Dad's side of the family lived on Park Road North, right opposite Birkenhead Park Rugby Club. The family ran all sorts of shops and businesses including a shop near Park Station and the Myrtle Pub at one point. Big Irish family, went to Our Lady's Church.
He used to tell some chilling stories about the Sectarian divide in Birkenhead and Liverpool - there was terrible violence in the 1920's and 1930's on the Orange Lodge and Catholic Marches. And there definitely was a Liverpool FC Catholic/ Everton FC Protestant leaning...
My Mum is from the 'other side' - family is from Blaenau Ffestiniog and she became a nine day wonder when she converted to Catholicism in the early 50's when she and my Dad had been together a few years.
If you have any questions on Birkenhead 1930-1960, I'll do my best to get you an answer!
Great stuff, Si. Don't think you won't have anything to contribute because you left so long ago. I left in 1956 & still manage some small contributions. The point is, most of the folk on here, with a few notable exceptions, weren't even born when you left, so your memories will be new to them. Keep feeding Mum the G&T's.
Cheers, Chris.
I left Birkenhead back in 1965 but my father's side of the family (Kavanagh)were from School Place (long since demolished)but I have a friend whose mother is also full of information re Birkenhead and especially Our Lady's church and school - she is very involved with the CWL.
Yes I remember the Co-op on Woodchurch Road - quite an impressive building with lots of lawn in front of it - on the way down Swan Hill. We used to walk down the lanes behind there and feed the ducks in the little pond (that was up near where the Sainsbury's is now. All fields behind there - plus the Arno - don;t know if that is still there?
I lived in Ennerdale Rd off Woodchurch Rd until '77. Well remember the Co-op. Forgotten about the lawn in the front - surrounded by low green railings if I recall. LH side was the Butchery Dept. RH side General Grocery. Both served by the Lamson Paragon overhead wire cash delivery system. Fascinating to watch ! Swan Hill (Co-op) Dairy now sadly gone.
The duck pond is now there in name only "Duck Pond Lane" alongside a supermarket car park ! Used to play in the lanes behind. Also the Flat Lanes (off Holm Lane). Mostly under bricks, mortar and tarmac now. It's called progress !!! The Arno is still more or less as it was. I only get back to B'head a couple of times a year from Scotland, but on every visit things have changed - and not for the better either !
I think you made the right move going to Canada. If I had my time over again... blah blah blah - droan droan...
Know exactly how you feel!
I left Bebington in mid '60s and am scared to think of what I would experience now, returning to Merseyside.
On the other hand, I'm SO SURPRISED to find how much greenery has replaced the suburbia I knew in the '40s-'50s. Why are some people so wound up about what they have now? It is infinitely better than what we had left after WW2!
The times we live in, I surpose!
Bri
Why are some people so wound up about what they have now? It is infinitely better than what we had left after WW2!
Possibly because the council are intent on destroying everything? or at least what's left after the local hooligans burn and/or destroy!
It is only us older generation who remember as children living in small terraced houses with no bathrooms or inside toilet, no electric, no fridge, no washing machine and rationing of food. So since then progress has meant a better standerd of live for a lot of ordiary WORKING class people and yes to get this it has meant a lot of green fields have disapeared. the figth we have now is against the council and the hooligans who want to turn birkenhead into a bomb sight
Now I am not sure how many of you guys are young enough or were poor enough to remember the following scenario.
I used to go out with a girl from Oak Gardens. On a saturday night we would all(Mums and Dads included)go to the local pub. All the mums and dads would be in there best clothes(as you did in the 60's). Then come Monday morning all the mums would be outside the pawn shop, I think it was in Cathcart St, pawning the good clothes. Then come Friday afternoon they would be back again to get them out. I always thought it was a pretty sad thing to happen.
Yep - a lot of people lived like that - were always keen to get their hands on anything gold because the pawnbroker would definately accept it. The losses of continually putting items into and out of pawn is unbelievable. Eventually when their luck is down, they don't have the money to redeem the pawned item, this is bound to happen sooner or later. Yes I find it sad as well.
Anybody remember the British Legion club in Bebington? I think it was at the end of Kings Rd where it joins Town lane. I checked Google, but there are too many new houses and lost me bearings. Must be old age?? Anyway I used to play in a band up there with a guy called Arthur Sherlock(great voice). We were called Arthur and the Ragamuffins(well, it was the 60's).
the British Legion in Bebington is still open, your right about its location in that its a few yard further along from the top of Town lane. Its at the bottom of Village Road on the opposit corner from the Acorn pub. there has been a lot of trouble in the club with the ... bag yobs picking on the old members, this was during last year.
I can remember one relative who went to put his suit on for a night out and it was too late, it was pawned in the pawn shop on Watson Street so that his missus could go to Bingo. Times were hard, groceries on tick until the bill couldn't be settle so you then was told to go to another shop and run the bill up there. They were all settled eventually, just not on time. Go and see Mrs X and ask her if I can borrow half a dollar till payday? Interest was always exacted of course but we wouldn't have survived without these usurers.
I thought I'd start this topic to see if anyone else remembers the Wirral how I do, feel free to add your own
Who remembers...
The shops on conway street? -
ClickyWhen Europa Pools, Vue Cinema and Conway Park train station was all a massive gravel car park?
There was an Asda where Wilkinsons in bhead town now is?
Finally, a decent picture of ASDA in bhead!
Although thats the other end better picture than the picture i posted the sign pole was in the way but at least you could see some of it. Great picture joe
If you look over the road you see where exactly the picture was took just by the Sign for the Flyover
great
and thanks derek
OK, here's Grandad to try & answer some of the questions.
The cinema near Argos was the Ritz; I know because I was a projectionist there for about a year. The manager's name was Bill Boht. Since tis is an unusual name, I think he was related to Jean Boht (Bread), maybe her father.
Hi sorry to reply to a post from two years ago ;-) Just found this site from researching the Wirral.
My Mum remembers Bill Boht well. Dapper man, German born, was interned on the Isle of Man during the war. Managed a lot of Birkenhead nightspots and was married to Jean Boht of 'Bread' fame - her maiden name was Dance. For some reason they split and Bill apparently fell on hard times while Jean went on to fame and fortune...
She was Head Girl at my school
As was Hyacinth Bouquet apparently. The Legion in Bebington is where I learnt Judo as a kid. Used to be given 50p so I could get a glass of coke when we had a break.
What if anything does the "C H" on the shop cover stand for?
See picture above "Bus"
in reply to the query on page 19 of this thread as to the meaning of the CH letters on the canopy over a shopfront, i deal in antique jewellery and guess this is a jewellery shop as the CH is the logo for charles horner jewellery which had its heyday in the art nouveau art deco era but continued making jewellery up to the 1950/60s, this shop may have been a outlet for charles horner wares amongst other brands , if you check out silver charles horner items of jewellery the logo is EXACTLY the same
I remember the Ritz when they had an organ which used to come up out of it's pit during the interval. Also remember seeing Joseph Loock(e) the Irish tenor doing a cameo performance before he disppeared back to Ireland under a cloud of something I never found what! My Dad used to tell me of the night the Ritz was hit by a bomb when he was a bobby during WW2. The bomb came through the screen and he was amongst the unenviable lot who had to clear the remains out of the place.
Didnt the ritz used to do some sort of adult show? of anight of course i might be wrong tho
Remeber my mum telling me about the Ritz getting bombed,we used to go on a Saturday morning for the kids films,we great time watching the cowboy films ,you had to go every week and get a tick on a piece of card if you wanted to go to the Christmas show come party,I remember Bill Boht being there,he always had a dead sharp silvery suit on or a Dinner Jacket.
Our Saturdays were mainly at the other end of the scale, The Rio at the top of Price Street, over Duke Street and past the library, bit of a flea pit. We used to bunk in if we could, or we'd club together to get one in and they would sneak the fire door open, behind the curtain and we would creep in once the lights were out. Heck of a clout on the ear if you got caught though. Run home down the hill with your raincoat on one top button round your neck and you was Zorro. Mad but great.
See lots more cinema memories on the Wirral History/Cinemas topic.
Bri
Didnt the ritz used to do some sort of adult show? of anight of course i might be wrong tho
I think that might might have been the Classic opposite - I remember going to see a double bill of Alien and The Fog - which was not on in the daytime......
The warehouse type buildings on the land backing onto Eccleshall Road in New Ferry. Near the big hill.
Always wondered what all that lot used to be.
Before ASDA there was a Co-op store,and before the store there was the Co-op laundry UCLA, which stood for many years.
on the same site as that co-op laundry was the Belmont cloths factory {they made overalls,}
There was also a club there, can't remember if it was the Belmonts or the laundry. I think it was one room affair with bar and stage.
Inside the Co-op Belmont Clothing Factory
Pleasuredrome and Rupert's are have a second reunion
The reunion will be held at @75 on Argyle Street, Birkenhead.
Read more here
http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/4...eunion___are_you_old_enough_to_remember_
Inside the Co-op Belmont Clothing Factory
Reminds me of 'A sewing machine, a sewing machine, a goil's best friend', from Annie, Get Your Gun'?
It use to be the co-op dairy, if my memort is correct
Wasn't the dairy near the top of Swan Hill?
The diary was near the top of Swan Hill. LH side going up. Was a car showroom last time I saw it.
Can anybody remember all the different names the Woodchurch Coop had
LEOS
CWS?
Pioneer?
Anyone remember the 'Rocker's Bridge' ? It was on Woodchurch Road just up from the Asda as you go into Birkenhead .
I think you mean the Commodores bridge, named that, after someone had painted their name on the side.
the morons who daubed that name on the side of the railway bridge where VANDLES
Imagine gettin "pike" for not being able to recite "I love
you love they love" correctly.
Truly inspiring teaching skills.
does anyone have any pictures of the old co-op please?
I remember when Townfield Lane used to be a dirt track called Flat Lane. It was one of the roughest roads I'd ever seen. As you walked down the lane there was countryside on both sides. I remember on the left hand side as you walked down, it looked like a forest on a hill it was so open. I think the trees where the backs of peoples gardens on the top of the hill. On the right hand side it was all one big building site. Loads of people working to build the houses that are there now. Down at the end where the school is it was just a big open field with a small pond. I was up there a lot with my mates on our bikes in the summer. Does anyone else remember that?
I remember when Townfield Lane used to be a dirt track called Flat Lane. It was one of the roughest roads I'd ever seen. As you walked down the lane there was countryside on both sides. I remember on the left hand side as you walked down, it looked like a forest on a hill it was so open. I think the trees where the backs of peoples gardens on the top of the hill. On the right hand side it was all one big building site. Loads of people working to build the houses that are there now. Down at the end where the school is it was just a big open field with a small pond. I was up there a lot with my mates on our bikes in the summer. Does anyone else remember that?
Welcome to wiki.
Yes, I think quite a few of us remember that. In my case, back to before there was even any thought of building there, and before Woodchurch estate was built. In those days you could walk down there & as far as Arrowe Park without seeing a house.
Chris, us to go blackberry picking along the flat lanes 1946 to 1949 with my dad. It was a god walk up from lower tranmere and then back again with the old dry milk tins full of blackberries, and in a sack so as to carry the tins home.
Talking of Townfield Lane, is it true only one property has the postal address, Townfield Lane, This supposedly came about by the person who sold the land had a bungalow built and wanted it to be the only one with the Townfield address.
Chris, us to go blackberry picking along the flat lanes 1946 to 1949 with my dad. It was a god walk up from lower tranmere and then back again with the old dry milk tins full of blackberries, and in a sack so as to carry the tins home.
Yes, long walk, Jim. Good memories of those days. I remember the dried milk tins too.
Used to get our blackberries from Levers Causeway and Roman Road.
Here's a few memories of the early Noctorum estate . We moved up there from Crown Street in early 68-I think we were one of the first families to move in . We lived in Neville Close right opposite the site offices and I used to play on the diggers and other vehicles - paradise for a nipper!Further up what was Newstead Way , there was a field with a pond and the remains of a fence .We used to crawl under a hedge and play on St Anselm's playing field until chased away by the groundsman . Coming from 'downtown' this was almost semi-rural - at that time the Nocky didn't have a bus service - that arrived in '71 I think .I went to Manor County school on the Ford until Hillside opened for business in '69 . That was an experience-a lot of 'posh' kids from Beryl Road and the surrounding areas went there too - They probably didn't know what hit them (I remember a few doctor's kids went there !). We spent hours in the Mops - you couldn't get into Bidston Court at the time - at least not legitimately.For ages there was only one shop on the estate (Harry Bird's)in Newport Close - otherwise it was a walk up Noctorum Avenue. Upton Station still had a ticket office and my mum wouldn't let me walk to Upton library because there was no pavement on that side of the road . The farm on the site of where the Stiles was built was still there - but not for long .
There used to be an annual gymkhana near where Ridgway School is now (the old grandstand stood for years)-anyone remember that?
Anyway , I think that's enough for now - hope I've stirred a few memories.
As an ex-St.Anselm's sports day sufferer, I'd like to know exactly where the playing field was. I vaguely remember it was well ploughed up just post-war, 1945, and may have been an army or gun site. We did a cross-country run from there, apart from the rugby but I don't remember any 'facilities'! Any memories from that era would be appreciated.
Brian
Isle of Wight
I remember being taken to the Gymkhana. The corpy buses had "TO THE SHOW" on the blind (got one of the blinds in the loft). The main thing I remember was the parade of floats around the ring and the Ladies and Gents mobile bogs. Two pre-war Leyland buses, painted vomit cream and towed to the showground. I can smell them now. Pewk !!! I remember the stand too. Green corrugated iron job with plank seating.
Who Remembers..........
I think it was called "Kennys".
It was a small factory that manufacured model sailing boats (out of wood - not palstic).
If my memory is correct, it was quite close to the old peanut factory (sun valley I think).
Pics would be great...
Put 'Star Yacht Company' in Google and you'll get the full story.
I had the 'Meteorite' many years ago! Wondering what happened to it, as usual!
Bri
Put 'Star Yacht Company' in Google and you'll get the full story.
I had the 'Meteorite' many years ago! Wondering what happened to it, as usual!
Bri
That's right, "Star Yacht Company".........
STAR PRODUCTIONS,
MARION STREET,
BIRKENHEAD,
MERSEYSIDE, L41 6LT.
Thanks for that Bri. Going to have a look now.
There's at least 6 in various conditions on ebay. Great for a 'kid's' present!
There's a photo in one of the 'Yesterday's Wirral' books, I think, of the staff outside the factory.
bri
There's a photo in one of the 'Yesterday's Wirral' books, I think, of the staff outside the factory.
bri
Cheers Bri.
I dont suppose you know which book had the photo?
Thanks again.
uptoncx...That's the one!
Many thanks uptoncx.
Absolutely great photo.
yes the coop on the woodchurch was leos i remember going to see the honey monster in 74 anyone remember toy and hobby in birkenhead it was weere mcds and bm are now
I used to go with a jam jar and a fishing net and fish for tadpoles. I also used to pick the michaelmas daisies. I remember the houses being built off holm lane that would be 1968/69. Happy days and why did it always seem to be sunny?!!! Anyone remember the old couple who used to travel round on a horse and cart and stable the horse at the top of holm lane. The wife is still around I saw her the other day waiting for a bus at the bottom of singleton avenue!
Who remembers??? or worked for, old haulage companies , my father worked for one called finney bros: a few others spring to mind like
white wings ... think a woman owned it
H.M.B.S
smethurst
Mc ivors
theres probably more
would love some info on what happened to them or even some pics
HMBS Was that Blue Funnel (Alfred Holts) own trucks? They ferried ship parts for repair to Odyssey works from ports all over Britain. I can't remember if they delivered freight. I cadged a lift back from Hull in 1980 along with 2 maiin engine cylinder heads and 4 auxy fuel valves.
There was an Asda where Wilkinsons in bhead town now is?
yerrrr u could park on asdas roof!!! hehe
I remember Asda in Birkenhead well, I used to go there of a Saturday morning with my parents! Agh...... fond memories. And now they are talking of building a new Asda.
i want to see pics of the old asda with the ramp. I was telling the missiz lastnite about it and thought ide check hère. Dont think she belives me that you parked on the roof.
I was looking for the old pictures of Birkenhead Asda, If you find any Wheels, can you let me know?
Does anyone have any pictures to post of the old churches on or around Price street Birkenhead? Quite a few were pulled down in early 70's.
Any of you golden oldies out there remember the Central ballroom at the top of Oxton Road in the 50's.
Also Alex Green's bike shop nearby.
i want to see pics of the old asda with the ramp. I was telling the missiz lastnite about it and thought ide check hère. Dont think she belives me that you parked on the roof.
I was looking for the old pictures of Birkenhead Asda, If you find any Wheels, can you let me know?
there are a couple on here. Think its this thread, few pages back.
I remember the ballroom (over the shops ?) at the top of Oxton Road. Never actually went boppin' there though. Wasn't there a place that sold wood, hardboard etc. below ? Used to get bits for my bike at Alex Green's. A while ago now !
Think in the 50s may have been called Princess Ballroom
anyone remember fishermans wharf night club in seacombe
Any of you golden oldies out there remember the Central ballroom at the top of Oxton Road in the 50's.
Also Alex Green's bike shop nearby.
I went here in the early 80's when it was called oxton dance centre were there were disco nights with glitter balls.
anyone remember fishermans wharf night club in seacombe
remember the fun watching the bitch fights + kick offs every weekend from the bedroom window
And one time a ' distressed' woman come knocking at ours. didnt let her in but offered to ring the police. (Out of the window). Next thing, she runs off -along with two fellas who were hiding at side of the house!!?
The Wharf was classy when it first opened. I took my mum and dad there for a meal.
Anyone have photos of Port Sunlight swimming baths? They were on the garden centre site but I don't know when they were demolished.
Pictures of Port Sunlight Baths 1914 and 1971
Thanks for that. I knew they weren't a figment of my imagination.
Think they where pulled down during the mid to late 60s, certainly not much if any earlier than that
they where still there in 1971-1972
I served my time at McIvors from'76-80.I think they finally closed about five years ago (might be wrong on the time).The building is there but it's something else now . The whole area ha changed beyond recognition .
Anyone have photos of Port Sunlight swimming baths? They were on the garden centre site but I don't know when they were demolished.
My school used to do its swimming lessons there in the mid 70s. Wondered where they'd gone but didn't make the connection with the garden centre til reading this.
I'm so old, I didn't even know there was a complex in Bromborough. Where is it?
I'm serious! Where is the complex in Bromborough? I'm pre 1960 Bromborough so only know what was there then.
I'm serious! Where is the complex in Bromborough? I'm pre 1960 Bromborough so only know what was there then. Both sets of grandparents lived in Rock Lane West, Rock Ferry. One set owned a house called "Revelstoke" and used to rent rooms out. The other set lived directly opposite in a terrace house "no.20".
I'm serious! Where is the complex in Bromborough? I'm pre 1960 Bromborough so only know what was there then. Both sets of grandparents lived in Rock Lane West, Rock Ferry. One set owned a house called "Revelstoke" and used to rent rooms out. The other set lived directly opposite in a terrace house "no.20".
Sorry, what's the Bromborough reference about? The latest item in this thread is talking about Port Sunlight.
I'm serious! Where is the complex in Bromborough? I'm pre 1960 Bromborough so only know what was there then. Both sets of grandparents lived in Rock Lane West, Rock Ferry. One set owned a house called "Revelstoke" and used to rent rooms out. The other set lived directly opposite in a terrace house "no.20".
Sorry, what's the Bromborough reference about? The latest item in this thread is talking about Port Sunlight.
I was wondering that as well so went hunting. On page one there's a question about what was there before the complex in Brom.
Things went downhill fast after they stopped painting the "Corpy" buses blue. They had one of the best maintained fleets in the UK - unlike the smoking mobile heaps of pop-rivets and formica that pollute the roads now!
Mike; stop showing your age, you old curmudgeon
and you could smoke on the top deck!
Those were the days
I remember the old Co-Op where Asda is now. I am sure it was once called Leos. Have i got this right?
I remember the old Co-Op where Asda is now. I am sure it was once called Leos. Have i got this right?
Yes .... see
HERE
I remember the old Co-Op where Asda is now. I am sure it was once called Leos. Have i got this right?
Yes and before that it was UCLA or United Cooperative Laundries. In other words the Coop laundry.
Yes and before that it was UCLA or United Cooperative Laundries. In other words the Coop laundry.
Or Uncle Charlie's Lunatic Asylum
pic of coop chimney
![Attached picture co_op2[1].jpg](/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/download/Number/33073/filename/co_op2[1].jpg "co_op2[1].jpg")
Wasnt it a laundry at one time, remember it as a kid
It was. I used to work in the place when it was Pioneer for the lavish wage of £2.06 an hour. The building was quite old and the roof was largely made from glass. I didn't think there would be any question from Asda about demolishing it.
Piooner was a ghost town and it's suprising to me each time I visit Asda how busy the place is.
Evening all, just joined this site and as 64 y/old now living in the West Midlands but growing up in Birkenhead I remember the town as it was in the 50's 60's and early 70's.
Noticed some posts that mentioned the Co-Op.
Dad worked at the small co-op on Conway Street down the road from the General Hospital. The Co-op laundry on the outskirts of town.
The co-op wharehouse was not far from the dock and the old Birkenhead Brewery. Does anyone remember the co-op holding a exhibition in large marques on the Rovers car park?
All the fairs and circuses used to be there with parades up Borough Road.
There where cinemas everywhere, Plaza, Savoy, Ritz, Super, Regent.
There was a goldfish pond in the foyer of the Plaza. They were all very busy but of course very few televisions.
Often come back to the town but oh how it has changed.
I remember Grange Road as it was and can remember many of the shops. Will write again on the subject.
Welcome to the machine past resident.
Welcome, past_resident. I was a projectionist at both the Plaza & the Ritz. I left Birkenhead in 1956 & live not too far from you & like you I go back quite often. I hope you find plenty here to interest you.
hi everyone, i am wondering if anyone can tell me any history on the woods in eastham, now i mean the woods opposite thornleigh ave behind the little chef.when we were kids we used 2 play in the quary , was that a bomb site" plus there was iron spiked fences round the woods. and opposite number 78 thornleigh ave,there was 2 big sandstone pillers that had gate bars on, i went down there with my m8 not so long ago. and we found one piller just a bit of it.what was there years ago.been bafflin me for years.i have just spoke to a friend who said ther was a mill their.
wonder iff you new my granddad he worked at the plaza he saw people to their seats . sometimes he would stand at the front door his name was bert hill lived on marion street.
used to play around there to as a kid 1960s the pits if i remember were clay pits left over from the brick factory at hooton they filled up with water and we used to sail model boats on there the motorway splits the site up because in those days you could walk from eastham to hooton across a massive field hope this helps.
I can remember the joke shop on the corner of Exmouth street, called Jokers palace and the Sayers shop along the road and a newsagents where you get stuff on tick but you had to be known to the owner
Chriskay wrote;
I was a projectionist at both the Plaza & the Ritz
Were you at the Ritz when Bill and Jean Boht were there?
Jean Boht the actress, Bread?
I was there when Bill Boht was manager, although I don't remember Jean (yes, Bread).
Check the Cinemas thread here from Post 317142 and the Pathe News clip at Post 358701.
Here's a bit more on local cinemas history for you locals:
i used to stand outside the essoldo selling the echo in the mid 50s. the matinees saturday morning were magic all the silver paper flying down when the organ came up priceless. what was the organists name it was uncle somebody.
Frank Gordon, resident from 1951 to 1957, approx. Died 1995.
Here's a pic, but not at the Ritz console.
Does anyone have any pictures of the foyer of the Ritz, with the staircase and the ticket booths and kiosk. My memory is a bit vague, but I seem to remember thick red carpeting and loads of mirrors. Also, it seemed to me as a little'un that you had a fair old walk to the actual auditorium, and I seem to remember walking past display cases. Is this right, or is my memory jumbled up?
Does anyone have any pictures of the foyer of the Ritz, with the staircase and the ticket booths and kiosk.
Try
HERE
Does anyone have any pictures of the foyer of the Ritz, with the staircase and the ticket booths and kiosk.
Try
HERE Great - many thanks for that.
Seeing all those pictures of the old cinemas - especially the interiors - makes me think how grateful we should be to all those people who had the the presence of mind to make pictorial records of thes beautiful buildings in their hayday. At the time, they couldn't possibly have known how relatively short-lived these buildings would be. It's just a pity that these photos weren't in colour.
Also, it makes me despair how short-sighted the powers-that-be were to let these treasures be demolished or gutted so easily.
Just randomly clicked on this page and loved reading your memories. Did the 'old gits' page get off the ground?
don't remember a picture house where argos is but there was one in between the ice bar and sherlocks and another where weatherspoons is argyle street
Who remembers Lennons supermarket opening in Seaview Road in the early sixties?
What was the free gift to the first hundred customers?
a) A gold watch?
b) A very small glass of diluted lemon cordial?
c) An iPHONE/
answer is B. I was there with my sister Brenda and I and I got one in a paper cup.
When Lowcost Supermarket opened in Victoria Road New Brighton in the late 60's they gave the first hundred customers a frozen chicken. Crowds turned up!
That the 1 thats the shoemarket?
Remember lennons in moreton, next to the big house. And was it a tesco in liscard, where home and bargain is now. I remember the giraffe kiddie ride. I must have been young....i got my reigns caught.
Yeah that was tesco. They shouldnt have made it cherry tree centre,they dug them up.
Remember lennons in moreton, next to the big house. And was it a tesco in liscard, where home and bargain is now. I remember the giraffe kiddie ride. I must have been young....i got my reigns caught.
I remember Gerry the Giraffe! 2p a ride!
I am sure Bill Boht also ran a coffee bar / cafe in Grange Road West just up from Morton's book shop. It was a favorite gathering place after school, he always made sure you bought at least a coffee and didn't just take up space.
I am sure Bill Boht also ran a coffee bar / cafe in Grange Road West just up from Morton's book shop. It was a favorite gathering place after school, he always made sure you bought at least a coffee and didn't just take up space.
I don't remember the coffee bar, but Morton's was in Oxton Rd., not Grange Rd. West.
Was that the UCLA ( might have got that wrong) which was some co op laundry service. Then that went and they built Leos. Then asda. Is that right?
Was that the UCLA ( might have got that wrong) which was some co op laundry service. Then that went and they built Leos. Then asda. Is that right?
There were originally two works on the site, half the site was the UCLA (United Co-operative Laundries Association), and the other half was the Belmont Clothing Factory (also owned by the co-op). Leo's Superstore (which was a trading name of the Co-op) occupied the building after the laundry closed. It was briefly renamed Pioneer (another trading name of the co-op) before the site was cleared and the new Asda built.
![[Linked Image]](https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/download/Number/27476/filename/Belmont.jpg)
Inside the Belmont Clothing Factory (from about 5 pages back in this thread)
Leo's was a new building too after they demolished the UCLA.
Leo's was a new building too after they demolished the UCLA.
Leo's opened in the original, but much refurbished, UCLA building. The first, and I think only, time I went to it was the day it opened. It may have been re-built in later life.
Forgotten about leos used to go there during my dinner in the early 90s as i worked on the durley.
Remember it having a carpark on the roof i think.
...anyone remember the fancy glass mosaic on the outside walls of the Liscard Co-op? Colourful glass bubbles, if I remember correctly. Always impressed me as a kid. Kinda Chrismassy. Funny the things that stick in your mind...
Had completely forgotten that - but yes!
When was the Co-op demolished? It was definitely still there 1975 (remember parents buying first electric kettle from there that autumn!)but for how much longer?
...probably not long after that. Am I right in remembering it was roughly where Macdonald's is now? If so, how long has Macdonald's been there??
Yes it took in the MacDonald's site and the Iceland site. The basement was DIY/electric goods/China and glass. Ground floor was food hall, fist floor was carpets and soft furnishing. Think the second was furniture. Top floor was carpets and soft furnisnings. It replaced an earlier co op grocery store which was roughly where Macs is and was knocked down about 1959.
...sounds about right! Thanks for that.
I always remember how narrow the pavements were in front of the shops then, when trafic went directly through the town centre. The cars always seemed incredibly close if you were being walked at your mother's side.
Do you also remember the large, upstairs, toy shop which once existed above the Wilko's/British Gas site? Think it was called 'Youngsters'.
...and talking about youngsters, who remembers the kid's page in the Wirral News? 'The League of Chums' wasn't it? Were you ever a Chum; did you ever win a prize in one of their compo's, or collect enough runner's up certificates to claim that elusive two pound?!!
I wrote many letters to the Wallasey News, the "Chums" were run by "aunty" Barbara Stredder who had Dame Edna glasses. Here's a pic of the Co-op just after it opened, the glass bubble thing was down by Boots if I remember right, used to facinate me too. Or was it round the other corner? I can't remember.
I seem to remember the mosaic being on the wall near Boots, but there may also have been a smaller one on the other corner. There was another odd mosaic on the tiled wall outside Sayers too. Might even still be there, even though I remember it from the 60's/70's. It looked like a wedding party of some discription, with a bride and bridesmaids. Don't know what those 60's town planners were on, but it must have been good! Maybe there was a different shop there before Sayers...?
Hi am new to wirral wiki feeling realy old i lived in mason ave remeber the steel mill being built. I used to play on the rafts before the mill was built feeling realy old now lol
The Chums was run by Aunty Gladys. I won a competition in 1957 with a short story. She lived in Bidston in either School or Lennox Lane. She also used to collect silver paper for guide dogs, I think, which we would take to her house. Living in the avenues gave us easy access to where she lived.
The Chums was run by Aunty Gladys. I won a competition in 1957 with a short story. She lived in Bidston in either School or Lennox Lane. She also used to collect silver paper for guide dogs, I think, which we would take to her house. Living in the avenues gave us easy access to where she lived.
Aunty Gladys was the Birkenhead News, not Wallasey & yes, she lived in School Lane Bidston.
Probably a mistake to give silver paper to guide dogs; would make them ill.
Nice one, chriskay!
Can't remember Aunty Gladys though, as Barbara Stredder was probably more my era. Maybe she took over from Gladys at a later date.
I do remember getting sent runners up certificates for a few of the competitions, and that if you collected six you could redeem them for a princely £2. Not bad, if you only ever normally got just one or two bob pocket money.
..just a thought, but if you did give silver paper to guide dogs would their doggie-do's come out the other end all nicely gift wrapped? Talk about being well house trained!!
I wrote many letters to the Wallasey News, the "Chums" were run by "aunty" Barbara Stredder who had Dame Edna glasses.
Could she be the founder/singer of The Vernons Girls and The Ladybirds, famous for her specs?
She was billed as Maggie Stredder but maybe didn't like the idea of being called Aunty Maggie!
Could she be the founder/singer of The Vernons Girls and The Ladybirds, famous for her specs?
She was billed as Maggie Stredder but maybe didn't like the idea of being called Aunty Maggie![/quote]
An interesting possibility!! I hope someone out there knows.
Seems to me that there used to be a lot of 'Aunties' back in those days. Like 'Aunty' Dorothy and 'Uncle' Norm on Joytime in Vale Park.
For a short period of time i worked with John Stredder who was Maggies father, he was a shipwright in Lairds, never ever heard him talk about her other than a singer. I do remember however John nearly losing all his fingers clearing a lawn mower entanglement.
Who Remembers..........
I think it was called "Kennys".
It was a small factory that manufacured model sailing boats (out of wood - not palstic).
If my memory is correct, it was quite close to the old peanut factory (sun valley I think).
Pics would be great...
Think it might have been Dennys (spelt Denyes) which was next to the star yacht factory.
My cousin reminded me that that they used to have an advert in the window (in the far off days of full-employment) saying 'young girls wanted' .....!
Think it might have been Dennys (spelt Denyes) which was next to the star yacht factory.
This has already been discussed
here. Star Productions, which made Star Yachts, was Denye's, not next to it. There is a picture of it, with John Denye and his staff,
here.
Does anybody remeber the phoenix picture house in wallasey village. I remeber seeing E.T there when i was in my teens.
sarah
![[Linked Image]](https://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs733.ash1/162707_10150114475132279_563682278_7932934_5849717_n.jpg)
Used to go every Friday from when I was a small kid. Later used to go out with one of the usherettes who used to give me her Comps (complimentary tickets)
Even saw Jackie & Bridie the folk singers on stage there.
Had a good friend there who lived opposite the Phoenix. His name is Chris Gibbons....circa 1970. He later joined the RN.
...used to know an elderly couple who moved into one of the properties built on the site of the Phoenix Cinema. They swore blind that the ghost of Roy Rogers regularly flitted across their bedroom walls at night!
That would trigger a few stories.
lmao bert.....
maybe some truth in the projection and replay theory with hauntings but cant see roy rogers films being that tragic lol
Leo's was a new building too after they demolished the UCLA.
Leo's opened in the original, but much refurbished, UCLA building. The first, and I think only, time I went to it was the day it opened. It may have been re-built in later life.
I think they just rebuilt parts of the building, as the block at the top was still there when it was Pioneer as it had the rainbow style logo I think.
Pioneer always seemed so much bigger then ASDA today, I remember going in a few years before it closed and think it had like a Pizza stand, a Garden area with like those white plastic chairs etc.
I also remember going into ASDA in Birkenhead with me mum when pringles first came out
We would go into town and then do the shopping at ASDA which I'm sure I will be doing again come this winter. I also remember the old Argos which was on the other side to where it is now, then you had the tiny superdrug next to Woolies and BHS where Primark and Virgin was.
I don't know why but the old Living store seemed to be so much bigger then what is there now, they had a household floor at the bottom then a floor with a clarks on then a cafe at the top with a mini Disney type store and the Co-Op bank, but all seems tiny what is there now, maybe they have a lot of stockroom space.
Also don't know how true this is but I remember Sainsburys in Upton being built and there was a story going around that prenton was going to close, I was also told the Prenton store was the first Sainsburys in the whole of the area when opened and people would travel a fair way to shop there.
Pioneer was much bigger than ASDA but it didn't have anywhere as near as much car parking as ASDA has. It did have that mini-multi-storey car park at the back, which they kept on altering at each refurbishment.
Coop buildings and ASDA buildings, Woodchurch
That would trigger a few stories.
Neigh.
Used to go every Friday from when I was a small kid. Later used to go out with one of the usherettes who used to give me her Comps (complimentary tickets)
Even saw Jackie & Bridie the folk singers on stage there.
I have a privately made tape (and offtake CD) of a very early (say 1960) Spinners evening which also featured Jackie & Bridie.
One feature of the Phoenix in the early days was the room at the back which was separated from the main area by a large window. The idea was that it would be used by mums with babies/ very young kids who may otherwise have disturbed the other people present. Eventually the window was removed and the area became a favourite place for lads/ girfriends
Snod
Used to go every Friday from when I was a small kid. Later used to go out with one of the usherettes who used to give me her Comps (complimentary tickets)
Even saw Jackie & Bridie the folk singers on stage there.
I have a privately made tape (and offtake CD) of a very early (say 1960) Spinners evening which also featured Jackie & Bridie.
One feature of the Phoenix in the early days was the room at the back which was separated from the main area by a large window. The idea was that it would be used by mums with babies/ very young kids who may otherwise have disturbed the other people present. Eventually the window was removed and the area became a favourite place for lads/ girfriends
Snod
The joke at the time was that they were conducting swimming lessons at the Phoenix --- for the breast strokers on the back row!
Talking of Townfield Lane, is it true only one property has the postal address, Townfield Lane, This supposedly came about by the person who sold the land had a bungalow built and wanted it to be the only one with the Townfield address.
Not quite true. My father owned 3 Bidston Road (entrance in Townfield Lane) When the devlopement started the council compulsory purchesed about 8 to 10 feet off of the property to widen the lane. The wall which you see now had to be rebuilt as you see it now.
The bungalow was built on bottom half of the property and became 1 Townfield Lane. It was designed for my father by an architect called Sheridan and won a Daily Mail bungalow design award in about 1976.
After it was completed no3 was demolished and Townfield Court built. Until this time 3 Bidston was the only house in the lane.
Nos 1 & 3 Bidston Rd were an asymetrical pair of houses built in the 1920's as diplomatic residences for the then Chineese government.
No 1 is now Homebank 80 ? flats ugh.
i remember School Place lived there from 1943 till 1960
hi sorry only just found your post i lived in School Place from 1943 1962 ilived in number 19 in number 23 lived billy kavanagh 1 daughter kathleen his brother lived in number 29 had 5 children maureen pat tommy john and joan what was your name
i remember School Place lived there from 1943 till 1960
Sorry, can't see what this refers to. Using a quote might help.
any one remember the fair the use to go on gags hill bottom ove corpy road and beaufort road
Anyone remember the Sandpiper club in Conway Street that existed in the 70s? It had many name changes through the years. It was the second floor of what is now the Cool Room or the Beach. I haven't been back in there since the 70s.
i remember the sandpiper very well its were i met my hubby of thirty five years so very fond memories for me, befor that it was the california club, can remember that very well too.
The very first time I went they were playing Sugar-Sugar by the Archies. Every time I hear it I always think of the Sandpiper. I actually met my wife in the Saddle Prenton, also on my first visit there. Still together after 20 years this year & our 15th wed anniversary. That's right about the Sandpiper, people always refered to it as the Calli.
how about Bob Martins in conway street think it was an American type soda bar for kids think it was around late 50s early 60s.
I had my first Saturday job in Liscard Co-op, in the cosmetics department. One of the girls who worked with me kept squirting herself with Brut ~phew~ and the Bronnley lemon soap they sold tended to make me sneeze. The cafe upstairs sold hot eccles cakes, whch I remember fondly! Unlike the lockers, from which I kept getting static electricity stings - nylon overall. Ugh.
Also remember Lennons on Seaview Road; it used to be a cinema and that was where I saw my first film - Bambi. When Bambi's mother was shot, I was NOT a happy bunny...
apart from fields&ponds (tigers+bears oh! my!) site of tescos there (my grandpappy mentioned) was the old compton tin tip?....oh yeah +also 'Georgies field' aka Tramere training field. behind there was the old steel works-surrounding area fields+moss swamps!! as ye olde wikiwise ones are aware of bypass once was a mere dirt road....also.... does anybody remember the lil shop halfway down craven st?
I thought I'd start this topic to see if anyone else remembers the Wirral how I do, feel free to add your own
Who remembers...
The shops on conway street? -
ClickyYeah I remember there used to be like a DIY store or something like that.
When Europa Pools, Vue Cinema and Conway Park train station was all a massive gravel car park?
Yeah remember that too!!
There was an Asda where Wilkinsons in bhead town now is?
Used to do the weekly shop there with my Mum at the Asda, and funnily enough before it was Asda it was St. Andrew's Square, were my Dad grew up!!
before asda and the co-op it was leos on the woodchurch with a rooftop car park. molong
Who remembers Wah Sen, the Chinese restaurant opposite Rock Ferry Station? It used to be the Kiwi Cafe before that.
reading all this has brought back a lot of memories back for me here are SOME i can remember.... sayers on conway street there was also a second hand furniture shop on corner exmouth street,angel pub,the argyle. bingo hall,. I remember Valley road playing fields and swimming in the boating lake (i split my knee open in there) comming from Tees street I remember Murphy's Pub on the corner, the bottle shop by St James church and the garage the quick save the shops on stanley street by the lights, i think a newsagents and a fruit shop...Another memory just came to me, the turntable club and the disco on a Thursday night, the uniform shop on hoylake road my mum got our s on tick there and a northender would remember Les the milkman...there are so many more will add to this later on..
What about the shaftsbury boys club in Thomas st the room they called the rough house ,by god it was rough.
The song we all used to sing (we are the members of the S.B.C)
That was in the 50s .I think the the original building is still
standing Happy days
In the 50s there used to be a park bobby in Birkenhead Park
called SGT Woodcock ,he always had a go at you if he caught you
fishing or climbing trees
All the kids used hide behind the trees and shout (TIMBER D--K)
You had to make sure he could not reconise you
He caught me once and reported me to my headmaster in Hemmy
Mr McINTYRE i got a good wacking so i tried to make life harder
even more in the park
Remember Woodcock, carried a 3 ft truncheon and you're right, the kids used to give him a hard time. Wish he was there now though, all the shoit that goes on in the park now wouldn't have gone on under his watch. The so called wardens go around in groups and don't seem to do much. Sunday there was one fishing in Top Park with his mates, must be a perk of the job. Car parked by the footpath with his little "Water Bailiff" sign in the window, load of crap. If there's no fishing on a Sunday it should be the same all round.
Plastic pop bottles and cartons floating around on the pond, it's a shame.
i used to go in the park in the 50s and it was great.i go in now and find it excellent,theres alot of people use it now its been cleaned up.the cafe is superb.its easy to criticise.
Last time i went into the park with my sisters they told me
how much money had been spent on the park in the last few years
For the life of me i could not see what it had been spent on
It did not look much different from when i left in 1962 if
anything worse
I spent a lot of hours in the park as a kid it was a great place,
it was a safe place to grow up in as a kid (HAPPY DAYS)
iff you would have seen it about15 years ago you would know what theyve done.it was a dump.
You are so right there George... my mum and Dad (your brother ) never had any problems allowing me going to the park without them !! .........
I bet theres not many parks in the country as big as the two
parks .I remember reading somewere that it was the first public park in the UK . I do know that Central Park in New York is
a replica of it
I have had the pleasure of walking through Central Park its a
bit more scary than ours, next time i am down home i am going
to have a walk through for old times sake
I have just spent ages going through all the pages on this suject
and they are great they bring back so many great memories
i cant find any mention of the top twenty cafe in Brough rd
opposite the Kingsland dance hall in the 50s
All the lads and girls (JUDIES) from the technical college up the
road used to go toafter school let out
Any one remember it
I have just spent ages going through all the pages on this suject
and they are great they bring back so many great memories
i cant find any mention of the top twenty cafe in Brough rd
opposite the Kingsland dance hall in the 50s
All the lads and girls (JUDIES) from the technical college up the
road used to go toafter school let out
Any one remember it
I used to go there for lunch from from day release at the Tech College in about 1959. Top record on juke box was Little Eva, Do the Locomotion!
It wasn't actually the first public park in the U.K.; Hyde Park in London was opened to the public by Charles 1st. in 1637. There were others created by private individuals & later opened to the public, but it was the first park in the world to be funded with public money. Although Central Park in New York isn't a replica, a visit to our park by Frederick Law Olmsted inspired him to create Central Park & he copied several of the features of Birkenhead Park.
Fook me, this is showing our ages....
I remember all of those things, plus the Unit 4 Cinema on Seabank Road, the opening of the pyramids (I met and shook the hand of Frank Bruno), I remember New Brighton when it was all rocks and no beach.
Does anyone else remember the Yellow Council vans that used to be everywhere doing maintenance work? I guess its all contracted out now....
I REMEMBER THE OPENING OF THE PYRAMIDS MY UNCLES WHERE BOTH ON THE FRONT PAGE OF TH GLOBE AT THE TIME AS THEY WHERE THE FIRST SECURITY GUARDS AND THE ASDA WITH THE ROOFTOP CAR PARK ALTHOUGH I WAS VERY YOUNG THEN ABOUT 7 OR 8 I THINK LOL
I bet theres not many parks in the country as big as the two
parks .I remember reading somewere that it was the first public park in the UK . I do know that Central Park in New York is
a replica of it
I have had the pleasure of walking through Central Park its a
bit more scary than ours, next time i am down home i am going
to have a walk through for old times sake
BIRKENHEAD PARK WAS THE FIRST PUBLIC PARK IN THE WHOLE WORLD
First publically funded park. ie paid for by Birkenhead Council or whatever it was back then
i used to go in the park in the 50s and it was great.i go in now and find it excellent,theres alot of people use it now its been cleaned up.the cafe is superb.its easy to criticise.
Not criticising the park matey, criticising the abuse of it, there is a not so subtle difference. One of the reasons I moved back to where I am is to get around the park and enjoy it but it makes it hard when there are misfits who litter it and make it look like the Bidston Tip, you'll probably remember that too. Was from Cleveland Street myself originally by the way.
@davemills; please turn your caps lock off.
sorry bandy shouldnt have put it like that you obviously love our town as i do,and you are entitled to your opinion,i lived in marion street,not too far from you.
I used to go to the Tech College in 1959 as well i was on day release also ,The princeible was a guy with the same name as Evertons manger (Moyes)been called to his room a few times
The records i remember at the cafe were the Everleys & Buddy
Holly
One of my pals was called Charlie Eson he was on Tranmeres books
but did not reach great fame great guy fullof fun
I used to go there for lunch from from day release at the Tech College in about 1959. Top record on juke box was Little Eva, Do the Locomotion!
Little Eva's
Do The Locomotion wasn't released until 1962.
I used to go there for lunch from from day release at the Tech College in about 1959. Top record on juke box was Little Eva, Do the Locomotion!
Little Eva's
Do The Locomotion wasn't released until 1962.
Must have been a really long course...
I went to the Tech as well in 1959/60 as part of my apprenticeship. The Principal then was Charles Victor Vinton Fenton. Known as "Vince". Attention to detail and good manners was his forte. Very much "Old School". You didn't mess around when Vince was on the prowl !
Maybe Vince had just started in '59. Don't recall Moyes at all.
Happy days nevertheless.
I was there 1961-1966. I remember Vince Fenton - you're right, he was a stickler.
I used to go there for lunch from from day release at the Tech College in about 1959. Top record on juke box was Little Eva, Do the Locomotion!
Little Eva's
Do The Locomotion wasn't released until 1962.
Must have been another song then!
I also remember the name Vince Fenton he may have come after Moyes .I left the college i think in Sept 1959 to join the
merchant navy .I was an army dodger ,i went to the tech for quite a few years
They used to have an end of term dance at the Kingsland,
We used to go and get bevied in the pub just further down the
road i think it was a Threlfalls house
Got chucked out of the dance for scrapping once ,me and
my mate Mick Garry
C.V.Vinten Fenton was certainly Principal from 1951 to 1957, according to my 'Reports'. No. I'm not going to show them!
Bri
You are correct i have just checked some of my reports & certificates & Vince Fentons name is on them
I can only think then that Moyes was head of a department
I was taking engineering at the time, anybody got any ideas
I dont think i am loosing my marbles yet?
Yes Mr Moyes was head of a department, think he was originaly a draughtsman in ship construction. I do know he lived in parkhill road and his wife was a school governer at Prenton Secondary which was renamed Devonshire park {the original name been temple road school}
I was doing Radio & TV Servicing & I only remember one instructor that used to get the same train as I did from Wallasey Grove Road, but don't remember his name.
ps: i remember the pyramids openin too lol... dont ask me wot was there before tho
Before the Pyramids were built there was a church called St.Johns, the road came down from Grange Road and went round either side of the church and was called Huskisson Street.
I Remember there being loads of ponds there.
Does anyone remember the old Co-Op where Asda is on the Woodchurch?
I am pretty sure you used to park on the roof their aswell
But before that it was the Co-Operative Laundry, when the co-op opened there as a store the fixings could still be seen in the floor from the machines
who remebers the bingo (rank i think) shows my age and when asda was 2-p for the trolly and tramps like me used to offer to take it back
And the fact there was 2 bus stops the 3 to and the other one to the ford and so on
Also i cant remember what the cin used to be
the cinema was called the Ritz
I remember Tesco Bidston Moss before they refurbished it, being a shelf stacker there. The file maintenance room and corridor was haunted by someone who "supposedly" died at the old steel works. I new people who wouldn't work in there alone beacuase of it. Its all part of the shop floor now though.
Theres loads of cool things I had forgotten about in this forum. Will try and think of some more. Keep em comin though!?!
My wife worked at Tesco Bidston Moss from the day it opened till she died in 2001. Was trying to remember the managers name , but he was a naughty boy having "an affair" with one of the ofice staff and got posted to a store in Wales
More importantly, you can see the building in the background behind Asda, which iirc, is still there?
The building in the background was Hemingford Street School.
WTF
I have only been away for 27 years are you lot trying to tell me the place has changed?
Do any of you remember the tin can factory on Laird st called DKS containers? I worked there it was my first job
And before that it was called Victory Kidder, my uncle was an engineer there
Before the Pyramids were built there was a church called St.Johns, the road came down from Grange Road and went round either side of the church and was called Huskisson Street.
here some pics from the Grange topic in history
The vicar was Mr Howarth
and he used to wear big boots, he used to clonk past our house which was the caretakers house of the Welsh Chapel in The Woodlands, everyone called him a commie (communist)....no idea why.
hellwire; we haven't got a clue what you're talking about in your last few posts. Helpful if you quote the post you're referring to?
When i was a kid in about 1950 me and my mates used to go fishing at a place in PRENTON it was a field with 3 ponds in
It used to be called the three sisters, i think it was off a place called the mile end road
We spent many hours catching Jackies, Sticklebacks & newts,
anybody remember the place
No fares for buses then, we walked there & back from Charring
Cross it seemed miles away in them days
We used to walk there from Rock Ferry.
The three sisters ponds were situated opposite the old Woodchurch high school,From the Woodchurch you would walk along carr bridge road until you came to the cinder path then you would towards the railway line which was still steam powered then cross the railway bridge walk a couple of hundred yards you were then at the ponds.The Nocturum did for the ponds :-(
....Nick.
I remember the old CO-OP it was later turned into a "leos" superstore, and yes I think you could park on the roof.
What about the THERMOPLE PATHS it was just past BIDSTON HILL
as you go towards Ford hill There used to be a path on the
left hand side that took you there
I dont know how it got its name or if it had a Roman connection
Had many a good time playing there
Any one remember the place
Had a discussion last night, over a pint of course, and the subject came up about the place opposite the Park Entrance, now a furniture shop.
I can remember the snooker hall on the first floor and there was a garage underneath it (a Ford dealership if I remember correctly). Anyway, I couldn't think of the name of the garage. A name of "Sherlock and A N Other" was put forward but I don't remember that as being the names. Anybody got a clue what it was called?
Dont know the name of the garage but i can remember the
name Georgie Sherlock he was an old mate of me dads
I can remember him dealing in cars i also remember
another guy who was mentioned Ian Robinson
Bert just had a look at that page, its great i can remember it
so well,its a pity i could not remember how to spell ,it thats HEMMY schooling for you
About 30 years ago when i was working on ships in Manchester
docks we done some work on a ship of the same name, never mind spell it the Manchester guy i was with could not pronounce it
so i dont feel to bad
Cheers George
Parry & Sherlock I think.
Went in there once just for a nose and one of the salesmen was Barry West - guy I knew well as a kid eons ago
Snod
The place was called Parry & Sherlocks-had a job done on my car there once.
Parry & Sherlock I think.
Went in there once just for a nose and one of the salesmen was Barry West - guy I knew well as a kid eons ago
Snod
Barry West, another old St. Georges boy!
I thought the Ford garage opposite the park entrance was Geo. Heron or Herons. Remember buying a "de-coke" set (remember them ?) from there for my Dad's Cortina ! I've a funny feeling it was a cinema many years before that. Upstairs (Spares Dept) had a very fancy fluted ceiling at one end. The sort of thing you saw over a stage or screen. Maybe ties in with Bandy's snooker hall (?)
Is this on the corner of Park Rd. North & Vittoria St., diagonally opposite the Queens Hotel?
Yep that's the one Chris and Pinz has come up with the name I remember, "Herons". Maybe Parry and Sherlocks ran the Herons franchise or did Parry and Sherlocks come after Herons? Only asking because I don't actually remember the Parry and Sherlocks bit.
I remember the name Heron's now. The reason I asked the question is that on the 1911 O.S. map, that was the Laird School of Art, which is now on the next block, if memory serves. Wonder if that accounts for the ornate ceiling which Pinz remembers?
1950s advert:
Description: Herron advert
Any info on Cannon Hill in the top Birkenhead Park
i can remember playing football there i recall it had quite a
slope on the pitch , somewere along the line there used to be a Cannon there thats how it got its name There used to be some flats over the road from it I knocked around with some lads from there,i recall either cellars or tunnels under the flats that were a bit scary
any info lads you all seem to have a great memory of werei lived
Played there myself - preferred kicking downhill.
Heard the cannon was one that had been captured during Crimean War?
also that the Roundheads fired upon the Priory from there.
The owners Parry & Sherlock moved to that building from a small garage in Duke Street which is now a motorcycle repair business. The small building [still there] is practically on the corner of Duke Street and Price Street. Not far from the speed camera lights there. I had a very short time there as an apprentice motor mechanic, being trained by a Hungarian mechanic called Hugo. They had a pit to get under the cars. It is next door to R&M cycles and may even be a part of their business.
Any info on Cannon Hill in the top Birkenhead Park
i can remember playing football there i recall it had quite a
slope on the pitch , somewere along the line there used to be a Cannon there thats how it got its name There used to be some flats over the road from it I knocked around with some lads from there,i recall either cellars or tunnels under the flats that were a bit scary
any info lads you all seem to have a great memory of werei lived
A friend of mine has actually got the crest from this cannon. It was a ball of rust when found in Birkenhead park, but it looks the part now!
yeh me and my Dad parked up on the top of Asda carpark, did our shopping, came back and our car had gone LOL.... I'm a bit late replying to this thread but nevermind,
remember Sayers in Conway Street, my Dad would come home with trays of "day old" cakes from there... he'd get them for next to nothing coz they couldn't sell them!
Does anybody remember the small newspaper hut on the corner of Church St/Liscard rd, opposite the park entrance or did I dream that?
Does anybody remember the small newspaper hut on the corner of Church St/Liscard rd, opposite the park entrance or did I dream that?
I remember it well!
I remember the newspaper kiosk - think it closed sometime in the early eighties . Just to the left of the kiosk was a shelter said to have been made from an old tram .
When I was about six I got seperated from older friends who had taken me to the Gala in Central Park. I can remember ending up at this kiosk sheltering from the rain.The person in the kiosk told me to wait there and hopefully the friends would find me. A man came along and said that he would take me home,which he did all the way to my house by the ferry,thank goodness.
Sorry bit irrelevent,but that is my memory of the kiosk.
Thanks guys, I vaguely remember a nice old woman ran it, must have been very cramped bless her.
Wow, you were lucky Bezzy, stranger danger and all that. Mind you I don't think there are more bad people around now, just people are less trusting and scared to help.
About 2 years ago I was driving along Liscard rd with my kids on a Sunday morning when a little girl about 3 ran out in front of me towards the park in wellies and pajamas. I stopped, rang the police and held her hand while we waited for the police, I was too scared to sit her in my car or cuddle her for fear of being accused of kidnap or worse! (the police rang me an hour later, she was home safe after escaping while her grandma's back was turned).
Sorry to waffle lol......
Does anybody remember the small newspaper hut on the corner of Church St/Liscard rd, opposite the park entrance or did I dream that?
The guy who ran it was Mr Mack, but a lady owned before him, I don't recall her name.
If you remember this you might remember Killens' Dance School at the top of Church St.
Thanks guys, I vaguely remember a nice old woman ran it, must have been very cramped bless her.
Wow, you were lucky Bezzy, stranger danger and all that. Mind you I don't think there are more bad people around now, just people are less trusting and scared to help.
About 2 years ago I was driving along Liscard rd with my kids on a Sunday morning when a little girl about 3 ran out in front of me towards the park in wellies and pajamas. I stopped, rang the police and held her hand while we waited for the police, I was too scared to sit her in my car or cuddle her for fear of being accused of kidnap or worse! (the police rang me an hour later, she was home safe after escaping while her grandma's back was turned).
Sorry to waffle lol......
Your not waffeling at all.As I remember it,he carried me home on his shoulders.What a nice memory that men can do this without suspicion!
I remember the Kiosk was run by a guy called Maurice who used to deliver the echo to newsagents he ran it till it closed I can remember him delivering the echo to Joe Newtons shop in Victoria Road New Brighton where I used to deliver papers in the 70's.
Yes I remember the co-op and there was a car park on the roof. I believe the building was orignally a laundry.
Yes I remember the co-op and there was a car park on the roof. I believe the building was orignally a laundry.
lmao my mum was learning to drive back in june 1977 in a Reliant Robin
on that roof learning how to park, when she went into Labour with me. my pop had to race mum to the hospital. (well tryed to in a three wheeler)
so i was not only nearly born on that roof but also close to being born in one of, if not the worst car ever built lol
That would have looked good on the Birth Certificate !! (NOT)
i worked at sun valley peanuts in the 60s is it still there have you any pics
anyone remember the factory british american products producers of cooked meats and fats i was there in 1970 not far from beauforts factory was it conway street not far from the north star i think
i remember it as a coop store quite big for its day i went there arond the 7os seen the honey monster there was it one of the first big supermarket shops around the area?
i remember the market when it was on the cobbles close to hamilton square thats going back to the sixties era in was inside and out thats when you used to get bargains at market
yes you did you are right
i was manager there for a while but much later, in the 80's
Who remembers Lennons supermarket opening in Seaview Road in the early sixties?
What was the free gift to the first hundred customers?
a) A gold watch?
b) A very small glass of diluted lemon cordial?
c) An iPHONE/
answer is B. I was there with my sister Brenda and I and I got one in a paper cup.
When Lowcost Supermarket opened in Victoria Road New Brighton in the late 60's they gave the first hundred customers a frozen chicken. Crowds turned up!
anybody remember 'luxury loaf' bakery in bidston ?
my ald man worked there in 60's
sunnyside; your posts are really difficult to read because of the lack of punctuation. An occasional capital letter would be good too.
Yeah,I remember that co op. Before it became that it used to be called 'The Belmont' it was a clothing factory. My sister used to work there.
Anyone old enough to remember the bonfires we used to have at the top of Grosvenor rd before the houses were built on it? I'm talking 1950; Junction of Magazine Lane I think( it led to the footie ground and the Tower car park.
Anyone old enough to remember the bonfires we used to have at the top of Grosvenor rd before the houses were built on it? I'm talking 1950; Junction of Magazine Lane I think( it led to the footie ground and the Tower car park.
Would that be junction of Grosvenor and Molyneux Drive? Grosvenor doesn't junction with Magazine lane.
I was thinking that too! Must have been a mix-up of road names!
Anyone old enough to remember the bonfires we used to have at the top of Grosvenor rd before the houses were built on it? I'm talking 1950; Junction of Magazine Lane I think( it led to the footie ground and the Tower car park.
Would that be junction of Grosvenor and Molyneux Drive? Grosvenor doesn't junction with Magazine lane.
Does anyone remember Dinny's on the corner of Poulton/Drayton Rd, Wallasey?
Does anyone remember Dinny's on the corner of Poulton/Drayton Rd, Wallasey?
Name rings a very dim bell , was it a chandlers or hardware store ?
As we slowly glide towards the New Year I remember the mournful sound of the ships hooters blowing across the river. Many ships and many hooters which always brought a lump to my throat and a tear to the eye. Now there is likely to be little more than a couple Mersey Ferry boats,doing their best but sounding more like a dying f..t!
Happy New Year I love you Mersey Ferries
Keithleys toy shop in Heswall
Dins record shop in Heswall (later Soundz Good)- best place for Space Invaders and Astroids in the back room (early 80`s!)
Lennons
Original Tesco`s (later MacKays and now...?)in Hewsall
Foxes Hardware store - proper old fashioned hardware store with wood cobbled floor etc..and the smell!! (near butchers next to crossroads, Iceland in Heswall)
Topping`s electrical (down near the block along where the Sandon pub is/was)
After a long discussion at work, talking about all the old places around King Street, Egremont, , we are left with one that it seems only I can recall.We all sighed over Millers and the provvie cheques, the piping hot soup at GG baths, Mrs Allens newsagents, The kardoohma joke shop, Cheshire Distributers, but no-one but me seesm to recall a nightclub opposite the Gaumont at the top of King Street. It had black curved windows and was once a shop. It wasnt a club for long.
Just to hear someone else remembered it would help!
Was the taxi office above?
Woolworths in Victoria Road; Irwins (loose biscuits and tea); The handbag shop; The wool shop; The Empress Rooms; The Power Boat and Ski Club; so much all gone.
I am unsure about the taxi office. It was on the corner of King Street/Seabank Road, the part that runs to St Lucia Rd (goes around the back of the chippie etc.)But it was on the next block towards the Royale. I was about13/14 at the time so we are looking at 1970/71.
Can't remember it being a toy shop Bezzy , I asked my mum & she remembers it as an electrical shop selling radios & spares , valves etc . This was mid '60's when we lived in Park Avenue .
About 1960, the taxi company was Arrow Taxis & was above the old furniture shop. I don't remember any nightclub. I used to run a government surplus type radio shop on the corner of King St & St. Lucia Rd. (Now boarded up)We later moved across the road & had the right hand shop of what is now Seashells Day Nursery.
yeah morris is my dad and my nan ran it for many years and yes he did deliver the echos he still remembers joe newtons shop when you went up the side path by the kiosk there was a brick pillar that it stood against said to be the origional gatepost to killens
reference post#547600 herons was in the park entrance in the 50/60`s my uncle was the foreman there along with the main garage based in rake lane
Parry & sherlock moved there early 80`s there original bodyshop was in cleveland street we used to get our fllet cars and van body work done there
and yeah i remember morris delivering papers to us when i worked at normans newsagents in mill lane corner station rd
Eldon Street to Conway Place There was a Church, Mr Ashworths Sweet Shop, a Chip Shop a Coop I think it was branch 69 on Conway street you had Lords Dairy shop Peters Cafe The old Blood Tub selling Sasparella Drinks etc The Crown Pub Two big houses owned by the Lunam family, (who owns the furniture shop at the park entrance. Just a start.
majestic club/cubic club conway street any one remember these
Yes Rosie, which makes you a certain vintage.
hahaha me elder sister went there
Who remembers the Blue Nile cafe in Argyl Street next door to the chemist that was on the corner of Argyl and Price Street
Who remembers the Blue Nile cafe in Argyl Street next door to the chemist that was on the corner of Argyl and Price Street
I do! The same people had the Kayoyo in Wallasey Village & I think the La Moderne in Rake Lane Wallasey.
yes lived above the chemist till 1967
Molyneaux Drive it must have been, memory fading, but I described the position pretty well.
Hi, You mentioned Neville Close, we lived in number 20,on one side were the Kelly's, the other the Layfields, we moved there in early 1968,I moved in out in October to get married,my parents stayed there till 84. We lived in Claughton Road, opposite our house was a newsagent,the music Hall on one corner,the Bakers on the other.It was a big change no shops locally, and a long walk to the bus,and no pubs.
My younger sister and I used to go the Plaza Cinema on Borough Road on Sat.mornings (back in the '50's) for the 'Auntie Gladys' Club - used to sing along the 'bouncing ball'. I think there was also an organ there that came up out of the pit. Just along the road was the Kingsland Ballroom. Across the street was a cafe whose name escapes me now - they had a big jukebox I think and the tedddy boys used to stand outside there in their 'beetle crusher' shoes.
Wasn't that cafe called the Top Twenty ? They had of those Italian type frothy coffee machines. Loads of steam, burps, farts etc. Scalding hot stuff in a Pyrex cup & saucer.
I thought the ted's wore brothel creepers ? Oh dear, maybe I moved in different social circles ?
i remember the old coop, i bought my first tumble dryer there must be over 30yrs ago, it was quite a big store for its day.
anyone remember the old market in birkenhead,would love to see pics of it,when did it move?
Wasn't that cafe called the Top Twenty ? They had of those Italian type frothy coffee machines. Loads of steam, burps, farts etc. Scalding hot stuff in a Pyrex cup & saucer.
Are you describing the coffee or a personal condition?
My younger sister and I used to go the Plaza Cinema on Borough Road on Sat.mornings (back in the '50's) for the 'Auntie Gladys' Club - used to sing along the 'bouncing ball'. I think there was also an organ there that came up out of the pit. Just along the road was the Kingsland Ballroom. Across the street was a cafe whose name escapes me now - they had a big jukebox I think and the tedddy boys used to stand outside there in their 'beetle crusher' shoes.
Are you talking about me again, inch thick soles and tops bulled up that much it would make a squaddie turn green
just fields, i used to walk across them to get to work at stork margarine (van den burghs)
just fields, i used to walk across them to get to work at stork margarine (van den burghs)
If you're going to reply to a 5 1/2 year old query on page 1 of a 24 page thread it would be really helpful if you quoted the original.
aahh, yes i see what you mean, didn't realise it was so old just seen the thread and replied, sorry !!!
just fields, i used to walk across them to get to work at stork margarine (van den burghs)
If you're going to reply to a 5 1/2 year old query on page 1 of a 24 page thread it would be really helpful if you quoted the original.
aahh, yes i see what you mean, didn't realise it was so old just seen the thread and replied, sorry !!!
LOL, I had to search through all the pages,(I started at the end), to discover what you were referring to! Fortunately I knew what Chiccy's avatar looked like so I didn't have to read everything. Don't worry, you're not the only one who does it.
majestic club/cubic club conway street any one yt
hese
i remember both of these places, and dosen't it make you feel old.
The majestic was a great dance hall,they used to have some good bands on there too.
all the lads used to gather up on the balcony,looking at the girls,lol.
its a shame there are not many dance halls left with live music,
OK anybody remember the "Electricity Machines"?? at Raby Mere. You put in sixpence? hold two metal handles and turn one, Hey Presto electric shock. The more that were on it the better, kids don't know what they are missing today.
Dave Miller
Oh, yes, I remember them well! They were only a penny when I remember them. Can't imagine those getting past Health & Safety now. There was also a "What the Butler saw" machine & one where you tested your grip. We sometimes used to hire a motor boat on the mere.
i remember them all, do you remember the swinging boats? and the ice-cream stall,i am going back to late sixties.
i remember them all, do you remember the swinging boats? and the ice-cream stall,i am going back to late sixties.
No, I'm thinking late 40's, early 50's. Don't remember swing boats and I'm sure I would because I used to love them.
I remember the swing boats in the 40's, 50's and the row boats on the mere. Couldn't afford to go on them. We all used to go on a charabanc from Vine Street, take our own butties and I think you could get hot water to make a pot of tea. To us a day out was a day out even if there were no other fring benefits we still used to love it.
I remember the swing boats in the 40's, 50's and the row boats on the mere. Couldn't afford to go on them. We all used to go on a charabanc from Vine Street, take our own butties and I think you could get hot water to make a pot of tea. To us a day out was a day out even if there were no other fring benefits we still used to love it.
happy days eh
Yes it was the junction of Grosvenor Road and Molyneux Drive. We used to hold our bonfires at the bottom of Duke Street and had some great battles with the Tollemache and the Pickering, oh the delights of a peaceful and friendly childhood lol.
First week I passed my driving test September 1989 I drove to Birkenhead and went up on to roof of Asda and nearly went over the edge
There used to be one of the wells in the staff canteen of the Co-op (now Asda). It used to flood over in the winter. Proberbly situated to the back of the Asda car park, close to the building. Cheers
I remember Hardings coaches used to have a garage round the back of our house in Fairfax Rd and we used to climb in the back of the old double deckers at night, the old ones which were open at the back with a chrome pole on the edge to climb on.
Also the Argyle pub in the precinct I used to love going to.
And does anyone remember the Britannia opposite Green lane train station. Loved it there, the best pub at the time. Used to sell SKOL on tap.
Anyone remember the Kiddies Kabin on Church Rd??
Me and my other half used to drink in the argyle had some laughs in there
Who remembers??? or worked for, old haulage companies , my father worked for one called finney bros: a few others spring to mind like
white wings ... think a woman owned it
H.M.B.S
smethurst
Mc ivors
theres probably more
would love some info on what happened to them or even some pics
My mate's nan used to own finney bros, later Whalley road services WRS.
remember the gypsy lane and the gypsy camp at the back of the north star pub in laird st and the old derelict prefabs next to them ? you used to see the gypsies up and down laird st selling pegs in the 50s early 60s. also remember all the tram lines all along beaufort rd down cleveland st ,up stanley rd by illchester sq around the church and up laird st to the bus depot which i believe was one of the first tram depots !
my dad drove a wagon for collinsons steel company , they were situated on conway st on the same ide and by willkinsons car park is in the 50s .
I can remember Bob Martin's in Conway Street (mid-to-late 60s) just a bit further up from Bentley's pawn shop (heading towards the Town Hall). It was like a pub for kids (and I guess it was our answer to an American Soda Shop). Not sure if the guy who ran the place was actually named Bob Martin. He sold different flavoured fruit drinks straight from the barrel and in gill glasses... Blood Tonic being my favourite. There was also a joke shop nearby, which was another favourite place of mine.
I can remember Bob Martin's in Conway Street (mid-to-late 60s) just a bit further up from Bentley's pawn shop (heading towards the Town Hall). It was like a pub for kids (and I guess it was our answer to an American Soda Shop). Not sure if the guy who ran the place was actually named Bob Martin. He sold different flavoured fruit drinks straight from the barrel and in gill glasses... Blood Tonic being my favourite. There was also a joke shop nearby, which was another favourite place of mine.
more on Bob Martin's here,
click here
Cheers for the link. I wish someone had some photos of Bob Martin's shop, I can't seem to find any anywhere.
remember it!!!I had my wedding reception there
bob martins was on the corner of hilton st and conway st opposite the cycle exchange, i lived a few doors away
Parry and Sherlock was the name of the garage. It was Joe Sherlock and Dave Parry.
I rember the old steel works,the Manchester Arms, the Brown Jug, the Combamere pub the old Printers and Mr Dixon and Mr Davies shop all around the St Andrews Church and Flats around Conway Street and Claughton Road, as I moved over from Conway Place to St Andrews Square my name is Michael Haydn.
shops on conway st i remember a electronic shop and aquarists shop also the angel pub that stood in the middle of that gravel car park also remember asda with its rooftop car park
Electronic shop owned by white haired Frank, great fellow. I used to spend a fortune in there.
Two electronic shops in Conway st, one was opposite W.H.Trace tv engineers and the other one was further down, Bert Aults, that went up in flames and Bert moved to shop by the park gates, virtually lived in both of them.
I recall buying from one of those shops what was advertised as the 'world's smallest radio'. It was a self-assembly kit, about the size of a matchbox...put it together, looked very 'Man From Uncle' sadly it was not working
Could it have been the Sinclair MicroMatic?
I think they did these ready made and diy kits, in the mid to late 60's.
nb From previous post, could the other shop on Conway St have been Jack Brownings? (Remember the smell of fiberglass resin and parafin heaters?)
And - Bert Ault moved to a basement in Bridge St, behind the Woodside Hotel, for a number of years before he retired on health grounds.
Description: Sinclaire Micro Radio
Description: Inside the Sinclair Micro
Norton, wow!!!!!!!!!!! that's the feller! thanks for the images, what a flashback they produced
You sent away for the Sinclair radio, you bought it via an advert in Practical Wireless, they did work, as I built one, but I got more fun out of a radio built from a razor blade a safety pin and a bit of pencil and a big coil, wire was from the bottom of the newly started tip at Storeton Quarry and a good aerial and earth, book for building it was from Birkenhead Children's Library, where you could get books on making fireworks and any other then innocent pastimes, anybody remember the Sinclair MK14 computer 1k of memory, Z80, all programmed in hex, drove me mad.
I can remember building cats whisker radios in the 50s, hiding them in my desk in school and listening to the Ashes cricket matches with a tiny earphone, used to buy the bits to make them from Ivy Street, probably Bert Aults. I remember the Children's Library at Birkenhead, when it was in the basement, entered from the end where the Bust of King George Fifth was, still don't know why they removed the Bust and the seats, probably vandalised all the time.
I remember when the Childrens Library was used as a mortuary.
the bust was stolen, then after a few years the plinth was taken down.
ref post no 624239 18/11/11 and also an earlier post about the same subject ( read it and can't find it again). The Asda supermarket on Woodchurch road was originally, going from the M53 end, a small Co-op general store/grocery shop with a hall above it used for functions , one of which was a youth club run by Harry Winters,(who I think was a teacher at Woody Sec) about 1955/7, (my Mother was the Caretaker for a number of years, we lived just to the right hand side of the store.) next door to that was the UCLA Laundry, whose main job appeared to be laundering Army (forces) blankets, there were thousands of them going in and out every day,
We used to play inside and build dens out of these blankets, they were in rolls of approx 20 or 30 and then stacked about 10 or 12 feet high, we used to get told "Don't go in there you'll get fleas", we never did catch fleas, I think the business declined after the end of National Service, next door again was the Belmont Factory, never went in there, apart from playing on the roof, very strong drain pipes at the back, where was HSE then. I think it became Leo's next, using the Cop-op building and the laundry and you could park on the roof and look through our bedroom window, until they screened it off, I think when the Belmont closed the whole building became Pioneer supermarket. I still remember our divi number,(44037) it was drummed into you as a small child, if you went to the co-op and never came back with the Divi receipt, there was nothing down for you, Happy Days
Just seen this thread thought I might jump in...I too spent a lot of time and money in Brownings and Aults..he used to call his glasses his headlamps!! As a kid I lived in Wirral Street off Claughton Road (now a car park of course) I went to St Werburghs school and then St Anselms and Rock Ferry High...ended up as a TV engineer, then telecoms, then computers..now semi retired and back on the Wirral after living in Spain for 10 years...nice to be back!
I remember there were 4 bridges to cross on the way from Birkenhead to Wallasey. We used to walk across them most days in the summer. They do not include Duke St bridge as some people seem to think when the 4 bridges are mentioned.
I also remember the original market with a massive indoor part as well as the outside market. A famous market seller was Eli who sold bedding and towels. He attracted BIG crowds
Dot
I remember there were 4 bridges to cross on the way from Birkenhead to Wallasey. We used to walk across them most days in the summer. They do not include Duke St bridge as some people seem to think when the 4 bridges are mentioned.
I also remember the original market with a massive indoor part as well as the outside market. A famous market seller was Eli who sold bedding and towels. He attracted BIG crowds
Dot
i also remember the bridges and the market, do you have any pics Dotdl ?
Eli, seems to have been a popular guy. assuming it's the same Eli as mentioned here. Google; 'Eli Birkenhead' and see what pops up.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/27/a2040427.shtml The market was a busy place, especially on Saturdays, with characters like Eli who sold crockery and displayed plates and saucers by letting them slide down his arm. His patter attracted a large audience.
"Ladies (chink chink) not 5 bob,(chink chink) not even 3 bob,(chink chink) this 24 piece dinner set (chink chink)2 bob and that's daylight robbery"
No photos unfortunately but they will have them at the Records office on Canning St near Woodside
No photos unfortunately but they will have them at the Records office on Canning St near Woodside
Picture off pinterest saying Eli's Birkenhead
![[Linked Image]](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/af/b4/49/afb449bfeeae4608b8617632795fb3c5.jpg)
From what I vaguely recall he used to be on a raised platform and prospective customers would all be in front of him at ground level.After he'd done his spiel about a particular item those wanting to buy would put their hand up shouting
" e r Eli" and he'd have staff bring the goods to you and get the cash
Saturday nights after dark in the open market, with the hiss of the Tilley lamps was always fun. I remember one seller of crockery (not Eli), who, when it was getting late, would start throwing plates and cups onto the cobbles to break, yelling "well, if nobody wants them, I'm not taking them back to Bolton". People couldn't bear to see it broken and so started to buy.
When Eli did his banter he used to bang plates together so hard that I was amazed they didn't break, but they never did.
Anyone remember these trains running up Beaufort rd over Duke st right along the docks in the eighties
I did not see it happen that much so it was great when they tootled along blowing its horn.
Here are a couple crossing Duke st
![[Linked Image]](https://c5.staticflickr.com/7/6178/6264670964_c0672834ce_b.jpg)
03162 Duke St, Birkenhead 10/11/83 by
MagLad, on Flickr
![[Linked Image]](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/6c/8e/48/6c8e4879baa23dc9a43cf4a5ab97131e.jpg)
Used to hold up the No.10 bus to New Brighton.
Oh, and none of your diesel rubbish; proper steam locos.
The picture of the stall looks more like Fletchers than Eli's. The family that used to run it lived in Exmouth St then later on the Woodchurch estate.
Used to hold up the No.10 bus to New Brighton.
Oh, and none of your diesel rubbish; proper steam locos.
Hahaha, I am not old enough to remember all that steam stuff
Also in the days when the docks where in full swing the trains on that line where controlled at that junction by a police man in the box in the middle of the road.It was the only crossing point that was manned 24 hours a day.
I was wandering why there was no level crossing gates
Here is Wallasey Bridge rd crossing
![[Linked Image]](http://www.derbysulzers.com/03073crossinglast89.jpg)
Sometimes the driver would let kids jump into the cab as it was moving
Very dangerous when you think about it now
I think those gates in pic are still there as you go round the roundabout top of Beaufort road
You are right derek
Still there
My previous post opener was replying to jimbob saying Duke st crossing was manned 24 hours a day
Should have seperated the sentence
Does anyone remember the archway to Holborn Square on the Queen Street and Old Chester Road Junction in Tranmere? It used to lead through into some old cottages that nestled in the shadow of the sandstone walls of the quarry. What a dreary dingy, dark, dismal place that was.
They knocked the lot down and for a while it became Charlie Lane's scrap yard.
Know where you mean ..near the Chinese take away but not my patch as a kid.
I don't remember Charlie Lane but I remember his son. I think he went Bebo High. Hime and his mates used to come around Temple Rd and causing trouble. Then later I went to a dance at a hall on Woodchurch Rd with Charles (as we called him). We thought there was going to be a fight so we reached down for the chair legs but they were all screwed to the floor. Those where the days early 60's wasn't just about the Beatles, it was about growing up and finding your way.
I remember the father Charlie Lane, had a few engines off him over the years, I also remember the Dances in the Scout Hut off Home Farm Rd on the Woodchurch,in the late 50s early 60s, better hadn't say too much about them, it wasn't really dancing it was more like a free for all, Oh Happy Days.
before tescos was the steel mill before that was the fibre glass factory
My dad worked in fibre glass. By the boating lake I think??
Anyone enjoy the open log/coal fires on a cold day at Bidston or Upton Stations..
Anyone enjoy the open log/coal fires on a cold day at Bidston or Upton Stations..
I remember it at Bidston and also occasionally at Tranmere Rovers.
Yes Bidston,I use to change train there for Deeside to go ice skating.
Yes Bidston,I use to change train there for Deeside to go ice skating.
Did you ever go to Silver Blades in Kensington, Liverpool? Incredibly it was safer there than Deeside.
Yes Bidston,I use to change train there for Deeside to go ice skating.
Yep and on the way back you could dry out your wet pants and knickers !! Preferably still wearing them. Steaming away.
Tranmere Rovers DD ?
Used to live close by, they used to have the metal bin fires there on cold days, similar to the ones the roadworks people used to have outside their metal huts.
Mentioning the council workmen's huts, these disappeared and were replaced with plastic tents.
Fish!!! Yes I still had them intact thankyou!!! I would have only been about 12/13.
Now, .....add 6 years on that and then the underware trouble began!!
yes DD the workmens brazier helped along with chunks of tar.
Lolipop...I lived a sheltered life
BRAZIER - I was racking my brains for that and failed miserably.
I remember them huts. I was an apprentice for the council back in the sixties, but you only got one if you did not have a handcart. Because they had to be delivered by truck and only the top tradesmen got them and the ganger of course.
The hut on the previous page was posh ! This is how I remember them,( the cocky watchmen) and they were always really old men. Probably councils saving cash !
I used to worry about those old chaps, it seemed sad but I was only young, so probably not easy to grasp from your warm cosy bed at nights.
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Good one fish. The billy cans, white chipped enamel .
What happened to Max Boyce, is he dead ?
Max is still going.. Had all his albums at one time..perfect tonic to when you felt down... We are just not the same as the welsh..
Max is still going.. Had all his albums at one time..perfect tonic to when you felt down... We are just not the same as the welsh..
You must have a strange sense of humour to find him entertaining fish
.
Max Boyce not Max Bygraves !!. Was a rugby player so understand his humour
In the stands with his giant leek, "I woz there", my favourite tale of his was when Wales were playing France and he ordered L'escargot and chips (Snails). Yuk.
Does anyone remember or know of any photographs of a church/ place of worship towards the bottom of Carlton Road in Birkenhead. It was bombed in the war? I can remember playing on the bomb site in the 60s before the new houses were built.
Does anyone remember or know of any photographs of a church/ place of worship towards the bottom of Carlton Road in Birkenhead. It was bombed in the war? I can remember playing on the bomb site in the 60s before the new houses were built.
It was, St Michael's Institute, St Michael and all Angels Church.
Thanks for that. I can now try and find some photos at the record office
Would anyone know where Hartland Street Tranmere was ? It was around in 1911
Would anyone know where Hartland Street Tranmere was ? It was around in 1911
Do you mean, Harland Rd off Church Road, Higher Tranmere 1911?
Now it's off Derby Rd, Church Rd end blocked off.
Harland Road near St Catherines Hospital, Tranmere is there a family you are looking for in 1911 census
That will be it. Thanks again. Just doing a bit of research on the house where I was born following the BBC programme A House Through Time. It's fascinating trying to find out about those who went before
The family I'm interested in are the Porteous Family. I think they lived in Harland Rd before moving to Carlton Rd in 1926. The father ( Thomas) was a joiner and they had 6 daughters. The mother and one daughter died in same year 1917. I just wondered what their story was and what became of them
The family I'm interested in are the Porteous Family. I think they lived in Harland Rd before moving to Carlton Rd in 1926. The father ( Thomas) was a joiner and they had 6 daughters. The mother and one daughter died in same year 1917. I just wondered what their story was and what became of them
Thomas Porteous married Mary Jane Brick, 1881, Atcham.
The 6 daughters you know about, they also had a son, Thomas Percival Porteous, 1883-1918, he was a mariner and gained his 2nd mates certificate in 1915, address 27 Harland Rd.
Thomas Porteous was recorded in the 1911 directory and the family on the 1911 census at Harland Rd.
The road itself was mentioned in the papers as early as 1874.
Burials,
Mary Jane Porteous, 63, Feb 28, 1917, Bebington cemetery, Private Grave, wife of Joiner, 27 Harland Rd, Tranmere.
Thomas Percival Porteous, 35, Nov 8, 1918, Bebington Cemetery, Joiner, 27 Harland Rd.
Thomas Percival was an apprentice joiner, 1901 census, he must have went away to sea some time after.
Burial,
Helen Constance Porteous, 26, Spinster, June 2, 1917, Bebington Cemetery, 27 Harland Rd, Private Grave.
It used to be Bidston Steel where Tesco is now
Interesting name Porteous, dates back to Roman times I think it means gatekeeper.
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