Memories Three

Paul writes....... I found your site while surfing through the BBC UK web page and found myself reliving my childhood back in Kenny and Edge Hill....I and my family left Liverpool for the US in April of 1953. I was 9 1/2 and ready to fight cowboys and indians....little did I know I was to deal with crew cuts and Hamburgers.....We lived off of Kenningston on a steet called Smollett (which is now a small park). I went to Cann & Kennedy School off of Jublee Drive (I think)...My father was a master sail maker for Nichols & sons down on the Dock Road near what is now the Balic Fleet pub (great ale house). I still have family in Garston, Speke and Childwall. We were last in Liverpool in August 2005 for a family reunion. My grandfather on my dads side was a baker at the Adelphi hotel and my grandmother was a shop clark at Lewis' ("don't stand there like one of Lewis") I must of heard a million times from my Uncle Johnnie the post man....Our Newsham family at one time ran the Newsham Street pub on Newsham street just off Scotland road. loved the tones of the Echo paper man...I'm a middle school computer teacher and also the schools newspaper editor in chief...guess what the school paper is called...right, The echo....loved to hear from you and see any photos of amy of the areas I mentioned in this email.... cheers and Up The Reds!!!!

Jeanette writes from the USA ...... I came across your site just by chance. The photo's are wonderful as are the messages.
I was born in 1935 on Beresford Rd. Dingle. Liverpool 8.
I attended St. Cleopas School until we moved to Wallasey, during the war in 1942. Each Sunday I would return to Liverpool to visit my Granny. This would involve riding the bus to Seacombe Ferry, then taking the ferry over to the Pier Head, there I would catch the Overhead R/R, get off at the Herculaneum Dock, walk along Grafton St., and up to my Grannies house on Beresford Rd. Quite a journey for a little kid, but this was the 1940's and the only thing we had to worry about then was whether it would rain or not, and it usually did. After school I worked in Liverpool for an accounting firm, Edw. Denton & Sons. These two fine gentlemen were son's of a former mayor of Liverpool. In 1953 I married and came to the US on the liner, Britannic. I chose this mode of transportation because my uncle Laddie was the chief bedroom steward. He worked on many of the ocean liners which sailed out of Liverpool. My cousin, Noreen McQueen (his daughter) was a stewardess on several of the large ships also. Most of my own family, in one way or another were connected with the docks and the shipping industry, as many Liverpudlians were at that time. How things have changed, but the memories are just as fresh as if it happened yesterday. Something's you never forget.
Thank you for an excellent website.

Chris W. writes about Birkenhead ...... I remember the Spillers fire, I was about 9 or 10 and I remember a bunch of us trying to cast off a painter's raft in the dock to float closer and see the fire better!!! (luckily the police cuaght us and I was taken home to sort it out with my mum (OW)).
I lived in Hoylake Road at the time (next door to Roy's Chip Shop) and I used to go to the Sea Cadets at TS Blackcap which was boat in the dock somewhere, I would be interested to know anything about TS Blackcap and the Sea Cadets of Birkenhead.
Chris London.

Larry writes......... After living in Kent street as a youngster.
I grew up opposite the gas board (the gassie) when we had a "lamp lighter", his job I`m sure you`ll know was to light the lamps as dusk fell, I used to watch all the gas wagons coming back to the unloading bays in Grenville street south in the evening, I swam in Cornwally baths, and played in the graveyard opposite the loading bays.
(the lamplighters name was John) he would walk around the neighborhood, (no doubt on a set route laid down by the gas board,...it just looked as though he chose lamps at random) he had a triangular shaped ladder with "Liverpool City Lighting" (I think) stenciled on the outer uprights, the shape of the ladder was necessary to rest against the cast iron bar at the top of the lamp standard (we used to sling a rope around the same bar and swing around the post). We used to see older boys (and men) "shinny" up the lamp(s) when they needed a light for their fags too.
My Grandfather was a merchant seaman (on Mums side) I still have his papers... my fathers dad was a carter, then worked many years on a "number 10 shovel" at "Tate's" (Tate and Lyle) love lane.

John M. writes.........
Thank you so much John, you have made my day looking at your excellent web-site, and what great memories came pouring back. I am revisiting Liverpool for the first time since my Army days in 1947 where I was attached to the Royal Engineers (Movement Control) stationed at the Cotton Exchange. What changes are in store for me !!

My first billet was at the YMCA situated on a floor of the big hotel (? Midland), then at the Salvation Army 'Monas' Hostel in the small road left of St Georges Hall, where the Royal Court Theatre was situated.

When staying in the YMCA it was advisable to put the bottoms of the bunk-bed legs in your boots, as they may not be there in the morning !!! No slur on the YMCA intended. Later at Wallasey with the daily ferry crossing from Seacombe, and finally a very posh stay at Old Swan, rather a long tram ride from Pier Head.

Off-duty time was spent on Thursday & Friday evenings at Johnny Best's Stadium, near Exchange Station for wrestling and boxing shows. My introduction to rugby league was watching Liverpool Stanley on Saturday afternoons, with dog racing there in the evening. I believe the stadium was in Smithdown Road next to the Liverpool Phoenix athletic track, where Chris Carter the international sprinter trained. Was he a policeman at 'The Bridewell' in Dale Street ? Football at Anfield was a priority over rugby, where I recall such names as Bert Stubbins, Billy Liddel (of the famous 'run'), Balmer, and the goalie Sidlow.

Thoroughly enjoyed journeys on the 'Overhead' from Dingle to Seaforth, which sadly I know has now gone, along with the shipping, and on the odd occasion a Sunday river trip on the Royal Daffodil out to the 'Bar'. These trips were most enjoyable, but quite lively !!

Special memories are of the great Bessie Braddock speaking at some of her meetings. Of 'Jump Sunday' at Aintree prior to the 1948 National, with the fair, various stalls, and colourful tipsters, one of whom was Ras Prince Monolulu. Sheila's Cottage won the race. Also how can I possibly forget the Shakespear Theatre, and it's 'enthusiastic' audience.

I remember well the 'Slipper Baths', and the call out for 'more hot in No.5', along with the pine-needle sachet for 1d. In Lord St. only Coopers (of the ground coffee smell), and Woolworths stood desolate amongst the vast bombed area looking down from the Victoria Memorial. I could only think of the poor souls who had lived there.

Having a drink in a local pub one day I was made an 'Honorary Scouser', and I will always remember the true hospitality of the Liverpool folk. Thank you again for jogging my memory, I am really looking forward to the visit in April.

John M has since sent me an account of his April visit, 'Liverpool Remembered'. Please find it below.

Liverpool remembered

Recently I returned to Liverpool for the first time since the late 40’s, when I was attached to the Royal Engineers (Movement Control) in the Cotton Exchange, Old Hall Street. What changes did I find ?

On leaving Lime Street Station it was great to see St. George’s Hall again, and the Empire Theatre which were the same as I remembered them, also the imposing building now part of the Liverpool University which housed my first billet in the YMCA.

My first surprise was that St. George’s Buildings opposite the station, and the hotel of the same name were no longer there, but replaced with a large shopping centre and a tall white tower. Also gone was the Salvation Army hostel where I stayed behind St. George’s Buildings, it is now the main road leading into Lime Street. It was good to see that the Royal Court Theatre is still there. Oh well, fifty-five years is a long time ago, and progress has to be made!

Dodging the busy traffic I eventually found the Cotton Exchange but something was missing, there was no Exchange Station or Johnny Best’s Stadium. It was there I enjoyed watching wrestling on Thursday nights, and boxing on Fridays. On one occasion listening to the great Bessie Braddock MP.

The entrance we used at the rear of the Cotton Exchange happily remains the same, but now faces pleasant gardens which must have replaced the station. Going into Old Hall Street it was not possible to recognise the frontage as it now has a very modern glass appearance, which I did not find particularly attractive. Opposite the Cotton Exchange there was a Lyons tea shop where downstairs we used to enjoy a cuppa and a bun, it is now a night spot and most unlikely to serve tea! It was time to move on.

Proceeding towards Pier Head yet another shock, no Overhead Railway but now a busy wide road. It used to be great taking the rail trip to Seaforth, seeing the busy docks and shipping for about 1/- old money, an experience missing today.

Arriving at Pier Head and seeing the Three Graces again was the highlight of my return, to me they are the face of Liverpool. Sadly, they do not look down on the green trams and Crosville buses circulating around the gardens as they used to, serving all parts of the City and beyond.

A sleek high speed ferry arrived at the landing stage from the Isle of Man, how different from the little steamers the King Orry, Tynwald, and Monas Queen that used to do the same trip. The Irish ferries also arrived and departed from here, but now apparently, the Irish boat is a large roll-on-off vessel departing from the Birkenhead side.

We crossed over a muddy creek near the Titanic Memorial which I remember was a busy floating road to the Princes Landing Stage, where the troopships and other large vessels arrived and departed. It was a great feeling to be back at Pier Head.

Next day we visited the Albert Dock which was such a busy place in the 40’s and only for those who worked there. The new development is excellent, especially the Maritime and Liverpool Life museums, also the plate of Scouse in the ‘Pump House Inn’ was most enjoyable.

It would not have been a memorable visit without a ferry trip, but where were the large ferries that carried hundreds from the Princes Landing Stage to Woodside and Seacombe every day? Obviously with the new tunnel and the car they were redundant, apart from being very old. It was pleasant taking a round trip on the Royal Daffodil, with the interesting commentary explaining the changed face of the Liverpool Dockside. At Birkenhead the Cammell Laird shipyard and the Ranks flour silos had gone. To finish the day, in the evening we visited the ‘Vines’ and then hobbled up to ‘The Phil’ for a farewell drink.

Walking back to the station for the return home next morning, it was sad to see a number of grand commercial premises empty, for instance the Martins Bank Building and the Forum Cinema in Lime Street. Hopefully they will not be demolished for some modern style building.

So ended a couple of days reliving many happy memories. Thank you Liverpool, JM.

My name is Gillian Nevill, I was born 1st May 1955 in Liverpool, the youngest of a family of ten.
Over the past year I have been tracing the Gould family tree and quite a few photographs of Speke from 1949 - 1950's have come into my possession. Most of the people in these photographs are members of my own family who have since passed away, but there are also some friends.

The photographs are of Alderwood Ave, it shows the flats where we lived still being built.
On one of them you can see the back of the houses where the Harrisons lived (George fame).
Amongst the children in another photograph are members of the Kulke family (Swinging Blue Jeans).
My family moved from 8 Northumberland St. Liverpool to Speke after the war, about 1949, it was completely different environment that my family had seen before. From what I can gather Speke was a bit of a project which never really amounted to much. Many families moved into this estate, a bit like Kirby and Skelsmerdale. My memories of growing up in Speke are of happy days with childhood friends neighbours