Memories Two

Memories of ..... Del Breingan.
I found your excellent site while I was looking for photo`s of my old haunt Orrell Park. I grew up there from 1949 to 1973 and I absolutely loved the place! Of course it`s changed a lot now. The old railway to the docks has gone and the cuttings are now a complete jungle. My old primary school Rice Lane burned down and they went and built the one in your web-pages which has no character whatsoever. The biggest loss was when they knocked down the clock tower at Hartleys Jam factory on the Long Lane industrial estate! I can remember it as being particularly beautiful (we could see it from our back yard in Devonfield Road) and if you could hear the chimes in the Summer it meant that the weather was going to stay fine!
Your site has brought back a lot of memories for me...I still live in Liverpool (Stoneycroft) but even with all the Capital of Culture nonsense I think that the city has lost the vibrancy that it had back in the 60`s and 70`s
Regards
Del

Maurice Parfitt's Memories of Liverpool.
My first recollections were of Garston, until my father, (retired from the Navy) obtained the position of caretaker of the West Coast Motor Co; in Mulberry St. That was in 1928.

The early 30's saw old buildings demolished to make way for what became new car showrooms, for West Coast Motor Co, and a roller-skating rink upstairs, the 'Ritz'.

I remember someone skating for over a week once, without stopping!.. (these were the days of 'marathons' -Jimmy Wetherall?). Across the road, was the Barnardo's orphanage, with a high wall surrounding. Later on the 'new' women's hospital was built, and opened by Gracie Fields (just up the road in Catharine St.).

In 1933, while playing down Caladonia St. we spotted smoke coming from the eaves of the Philharmonic Hall, and raised the alarm, later watching the destruction, from the window of our house. Saturday's were remembered, for the films at the Hope Hall cinema! at the Mount Pleasant end of Hope St; (we called it the bug-house!). That street wasn't too savoury.

In those days!.... as I remember, Scotland Road was the most notorious, they said the police went down there in two's although I don't recall anything like the riots Liverpool has experienced in more recent times. As far as violence went a clip round the ear from a copper, seemed to work then!!

My father was also at that time, C.P.O. Gunnery Instructor with the R.N.V.R. serving on the H.M.S. Eaglet, in Salthouse dock. Parties for children were often held on board.

The Mersey tunnel was opened around this time, too. I remember we all had a half holiday, and were given a commemoration badge .. crowds walked through the tunnel to celebrate!

An earlier recollection of mine, is seeing the ill-fated airship R-101 flying over Liverpool in 1930, very low in the sky. Of course trips across the Mersey were the obvious thing to do on any holiday! And I seem to remember walking from Secombe to New Brighton, to save the extra twopence on the ferry! .... There used also to be a confectioners in Liverpool called Meesons, where one could buy a quarter of sweets and get another bag free!!..... The trams were good too, on certain days, children could ride anywhere, all day, for a penny 'scholars' ticket!.

I finally left Liverpool in 1939, I was attending Greenwich naval school by then, and during my last term, the family moved back to Plymouth, (our original 'home-town') so I never got to see the Mersey again!, until passing through during the war, while in the R.A.F. The West Coast Motor Co; had been taken over by the Auxiliary Fire Service then.

I was married after the war, to a girl I met in Heywood Lanc's, and later found out she had been born in Avondale Rd; Liverpool, not all that far from where I had lived!!! We left Plymouth after christmas 1959, to migrate to Australia, and celebrate our diamond wedding next year.

Alan Coutts memories of Christian Street in the 1950’s

I was born 1944 in Alfred Place in the Dingle, Lpool 8 but, spent my early youth in the "Pontack Hotel" a pub on Christian Street Liverpool 3, opposite Gerrard Gardens. I attended St Annes C of E School Christian Street from 1949-1956 (Headmaster Leonard Saunders. Head Teach. Miss Atkinson) and went to St Annes Church Richmond, (Vicar at the time Rev. John Humphries) located On St Anne Street near Cazeneu Street almost opposite St Josephs School, by what was then a very small Rose Hill Police Station.

(The church has gone so has the school. Any pics would be really appreciated!)

I had some great times as a young ‘un in the late forties and early fifties. One of my earliest memories was watching the Firework Display for the 1951 Festival of Britain. There was a crowd of us "on the Oller" next to Gerrard Crescent, overlooking Scotty road and watching the display in the air over the Mersey. It was dark (I was 7 years old) and I got separated from the family and managed to get back to the pub and sat on the steps waiting for me mam to come back (When she did I gorra belting ‘cos she had been looking for me for ages!!)

I can well remember the Saturday morning Matinee at the "Gatey" (the Gaity Picture House) in Scotty Road, watching films by that unforgettable group of cowboys, Tom Mix, Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. Films also of the "Back Entry Diddlers" a group of urchins always into mischief. Much like ourselves really There was also the inevitable "serial" every Saturday.

I can recall saggin’ from St Annes school and getting a "Legger" on the Tate & Lyle Lorries going up Bevington Bush, slashin' the sacks with a penknife and nickin’ handfuls of Brown Sugar off them.

Making "Bows and Arrows" out of canes and in the hot summer "tippin" de "arrers" with blobs of melted tar from bubbles in the road an’ dippin it in cold water to harden. We would then shoot them into the air to see who could "Go" the highest or who could go furthest across the "oller". We never ever pointed or fired off an "arrer" at anyone else!!!

In late autumn, a great deal of time was spent after school collecting "bommy wood" from the "owl ouses" & the timber yard in Clairey! (Clare street, back of Christian Street) Goin’ to the "bommy" on "Bommy night" on the "oller" near the pub, by the old Wash-house on Christian Street / Springfield Street. (Springy Street)

Beggin’ "pennies for the Guy" from the people queuing outside the Odeon Cinema on London road. (Me mate, Jimmy Pilnick, dressed up with an old mask an stuck in a pram!)

(Notice that the "Gaity" on Scotty road was a Picture House but the "Odeon" was a Cinema!!!!

Mayday processions come to mind when all the Catholics kids (I was a "proddy-dog"!) used to get really poshed up and march in procession to mass to get "Confirmed". I can recall taking the pee out of a few of my catholic mates when they had their faces scrubbed white and hair slicked down with Vaseline or lard!

It seemed we had a lot of celebrations those days. All the "Flats" in Gerrard Gardens and Gerrard Crescent were adorned with the coloured paper "buntings" that were hung out on special "Holidays". The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II springs to mind when all the buntings and flags went up. We had quite a few flags hanging out the Pub windows. Everywhere you went, even in school, there where decorations, flags, streamers and pennants.Scousers new how to party in those meagre days.

(Rationing was still on) I often recall being sent to the local "Corner shop" on Springfield street & Clare Street with me mams "Ration Book" and a list of shopping (I hated it!!) can anyone recall the owner or the name of the shop?

NOTE!
I believe it was owned by Jimmy Romeo and was therefore called "Romeo's" I only know this from my mother and father now long dead, who were from Springfield St and Clare St respectively.
Regards,
Gerard McDermott

The other shop on Christian St, I remember was just a few yards along from the pub. It was a Chandlers Shop run by Tom McArdle, it always smelled of carbolic soap!!!

I can also remember my elder brother taking me to the "Shaky" The Shakespeare Theatre in Fraser Street, almost opposite Christian Street, across Islington. I recall vaguely going to a few Wednesday evening Matinee’s but can’t remember what was on!

As a matter of interest, my late mother always told me that (referring to the Wellington Monument to the side of St. George's Hall) her grandfather had made the wooden steps inside the monument. Famous, or what?
What a lovely nostalgic hour I've spent, reminiscing about Liverpool. The departures and arrivals at Lime Street station, the hours I spent in the Empire Theatre over the years, and the wonderful mosaic floor in St. George's Hall.

I had another look at the site today and found a picture I overlooked yesterday - that of Kensington Library.
We used to live abroad in Africa but would come home on long leave to stay with my Gran in Adelaide Road, just three roads down from the Church and Library. That library was a wonderful place, probably still is, and my late mother was taken there as a girl, by her father, and told to join. Over the years that followed he dictated which books she was to take out, and in due course she had read all the classics. Years later when I joined, I used to go straight for the romances of the day - my grandad would not have approved! We also went to the church next door every Sunday; I think grandma wanted us out of the house while she did Sunday lunch, and we always came back to the wonderful smell of roast lamb. We often went reluctantly to morning service - the congregation was mostly elderly ladies! But Sunday School at another church nearby was different; there were boys there to giggle over.
Thank you so much.
All best wishes, Hazel.

One Street in Dingle

Along time ago, you served us well
From needle to anchor, you used to sell,
In a variety of shops, with the best of attention
I can’t name them all, but many I’ll mention.
You had places of worship, places to drink
A factory close by where they bottled ink,
Familiar the trade mark, a gracious white swan
Two trams en route, 45 and 21.
The facilities you offered were beyond compare
The only street in the city to boast its own fair,
On the High Flyer, terrific the thrill
The dusty flour men who worked in the mill,
The Domestic Mission, Park Palace, the Florrie,
The cow butter stores on the corner of Warry.
Wringers repaired with new roller and cog,
An animal clinic for sick cat and dog.
Felling off colour with pain in your tummy?
Then Kennedy’s chemist on the corner of Northummy,
Was always well stocked with medical goods
Bad teeth were extracted by Mr Woods.
Woolfenden’s and Denny’s they accepted pledges,
Oven-fresh bread from Johnsons or Blackledges,
Irwins--The Maypole--in competition with Gates,
Spare ribs and cabbage from Postlewaites.
Clarksons for bedding, new bots from Lees,
Or the running shutters--flower beds from Bees.
John Cook the pork butcher with delicious spice ball,
A tanner hop in Jack Quine’s dance hall.
The Hollow, the Big Step, close to Forge Crackm,
The Rat House, The Crows Nest, to knock a pint back.
The Flat Iron, the Brass Bar, the Weathercock,
Clement Troop for second-hand frock.
Bleach, soap and soda to assist with chores,
Gas mantles, paraffin, candles from Laws.
Bobs, for a shampoo, a trim and a shingle,
All these facilities in one street in Dingle,
A street full of memories, they linger still sweet,
Progress has changed the face of Mill Street.

MARIAN
Abberley Road, Liverpool 25.

How much has changed. How much time do you have.
First of all, again let me remind you that I have not been back in 40 years. Everything is still in pause 1960!!!!!
The Pierhead. When I look at photos, it was just the buses and ships down there, nothing else!!
The center of town. Last time I saw it, it was lots of buses and Liverpool News Theatre was going strong, so was the Tatler. (What was across the street from the Liverpool News Theatre, it was a store like Lewis's.
Jacaranda and the Tavern where places that we hid out so our parents could not find us.
Broadway was filled with shops and the Regal was a picture house. So was the Club Moor and the Hippodrome.
Life was quite, not so exciting and we liked it that way.
Across the street from Christ Church when you photographed it was an huge open field. We crossed that from Inner Forum to get to the "five shops" (are they still there) or we went to the strand which was not too far from St.Theresas Church.
The street that I lived on has changed "greatly" we did not have a brick wall with a "column" and the houses all looked alike with green and cream trim around the windows and all doors were green (except just before we left my dad painted it red).
Lots of things have changed that I did not recognize. The east lancs road. I remember walking up high and looking down at the street, it was not level with the road at that time and the hedges where still up where the tramcars used to travel. In fact I can remember the tramcars when I was eight years old.
Eileen, USA.

Hello just wanted to say thanks for the photos and information about Saint Nicholas Church on your web site. I was born in Newcastle-Under-Lyme Staffs but now live in Canada. I found out that one of my forbears John Scott married a Liverpool girl (in the late 18th century) Cordelia Ratchdale. They were married at Saint Nicholas and several other relatives were married or christened there. Now I can't wait to see the church when I am over next. Thanks again Ruth Kereliuk (Formeley Scott)

My granddad was the driver of the first wagon to go through the the old Mersey tunnel, it was a steam wagon, his name was Albert Teare, he was delivering materials for the construction of the tunnel and had gone a long way in so he could not back out and had to the end and come back, that is why he was the first.
GRAHAM