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Bedford Park Athletic Grounds bert1 13th Apr 2025 7:34am Also known as the Rock Ferry Athletic grounds, situated behind the Bedford Hotel, Bedford Rd, owned by Mr Luke Lee. It appears sports that took place on the grounds were Athletics, Cycle races and there's a newspaper snippet reporting the score between Rock Ferry and Blackburn Rovers res football teams. There also appears to be a dark side to the grounds which may have cost its demise, Rabbit coursing with dogs and Pigeon shooting. Looking in to more and contributions welcome.

https://www.oldmapsonline.org/en/Li...6.4189/53.372909/-3.010135&year=1898

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Old War Memorial Egroment Tranquil 9th Apr 2025 11:54am Does anyone know if there was ever another war memorial along the front, with a cannon and 2 soldiers? around 1951.

Thanks

Mark

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Dangers of Laudanum bert1 6th Apr 2025 9:33am The newspapers billed it as Considerable excitement in Birkenhead over a murdered baby. The more I looked into it the more it shows a bias and the injustice of the legal system at that time and also putting profit before health.

The story has to begin with the marriage of James Drinkwater, widower and Cabinet Maker in Market St Birkenhead and Jane Scott, spinster, who married in Liverpool, 1846.
Their first born was Mary, 1847, Birkenhead. Around April, 1847, James Drinkwater had to hire a Wet Nurse. A Wet Nurse is a woman who had recently given birth and was capable of breast feeding another child not of her own. It's likely Jane had difficulties feeding Mary for a time.

James Drinkwater hired the services of Grace Deays, a young Scottish girl who had an illegitimate baby, Margaret, born, 31st March, 1847. For whatever reason Graces employment in the Drinkwater household was coming to an end. Grace Deays applied to the workhouse for admittance and was refused, she then applied to the parish for relief and money was raised to send her back to Scotland. The night before she was due to travel across to Liverpool and on to Scotland, James Drinkwater allowed her to stay the night in his kitchen at his address at Mortimer Terrace.

During Grace's last day in Birkenhead baby Margaret was in some distress and crying uncontrollably and Grace was worried this would upset the Drinkwater household and was in fear of being thrown out of the household and having no where to stay that evening. Grace had heard that some women gave their babies Laudanum which helped quieten them. She went to the local Druggist and Chemist Thomas Symes Warry of Hamilton St and bought 120 drops of Laudanum.

In the early hours of the following morning Mr Drinkwater found baby Margaret in a very distressed condition, clenched fisted, limp and rolling eyes. He immediately sent for Mr Edger, surgeon, who suspected the baby had been given some sort of narcotic, the baby died and Police Inspector McNeill was sent for. Inspector McNeill found an empty bottle with Poison written on it in the fire. Questioning Grace Deays, Grace owned up to giving baby Margaret the laudanum but only to quieten her down not to harm her in anyway. She was arrested by Inspector McNeill.

At the inquest a statement by Druggist and Chemist, Thomas Symes Warry stated he sold the Laudanum to Grace Deays and told her of the dangers and had given her full instructions how to use it.
The inquest jury found Grace Deays guilty of the Wilful Murder of Margaret Deays.

A later trial at Chester, the prosecution was represented by Mr Townsend and Mr Yardley, Grace Deays was UNDEFENDED. In an opening statement by Mr Townsend to the jury was if the jury didn't find the defendant guilty of murder then they must find her guilty of Manslaughter on the grounds of neglect.
The Judge intervened and would have none of it, he instructed the jury only to consider whether the laudanum was given to harm baby Margaret and end her life, if not and it was given and no harm was meant, they must find her not guilty.
Grace Deays was Acquitted

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Jets flying overhead granny 27th Mar 2025 10:44am Just witnessed a mass of jets flying overhead. Coming from the direction of the Irish Sea... maybe SHannon Airport where US use it for military purposes.

There were about 15-20 tracer trails overhead, and when I moved to the front of the house, there were at least another 10. All coming across from the same point and then fanning out towards Europe and Northern Europe.

Did anyone else witness this. About 30-45 minutes ago. So high up I couldn;t even hear them.

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Tam O'Shanter. 1841 census granny 25th Mar 2025 5:16pm According to Wirral.Gov.. Tam O'Shanter's

https://democracy.wirral.gov.uk/Data/Virtual%20Committee%20(Wirral%20Intranet%20Information%20Items)/20071101/Agenda/Tam%20O%27Shanter%20Farm%20Management%20Plan%2022%2011%2006_25471.pdf

In ‘Auld Lang Syne’, by Harry B Neilson, printed in 1935, mention is made that
the date 1837 can be seen on a stone garden wall of the cottage. It is stated
that Richard Lea cut the date on the wall and carved the Tam O’Shanter stone
and also the weather vane with its animal heads, lion, dog etc. It is said he
made them in his spare time to decorate his cottage.
Part of the cottage, seen in the foreground of the photo below, is roofed with
thick, stone flags, which in past times was a common method of covering
buildings in Bidston, where stone was plentiful.
The list of farms which were on the Bidston Hill heath land in the year 1840
includes the Tam O’Shanter farm, and tells us that the size of the farm was 6 acres.

So, out of interest I looked for Richard Lea on Family Search..

Looked for 1841 census.

Richard Lea,(aged 10yrs) Residence Old Chester Road, Event place Bidston , Cheshire.

Continuing down the list, there are 16 more names at Residence Old Chester Road, Event place Bidston.

Could I be right in thinking that they were all farm workers who came from the 'workhouse' ? BUT, I can't find him in the 1851 census.

I really don;t nw what I;m trying to say, but looks as if there is little proof that he actually lived there.

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Italian bedroom cashandcarry 24th Mar 2025 7:53pm Timeless Elegance and Comfort:

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History Lesson bert1 23rd Mar 2025 6:41am A nice little history lesson,

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New Brighton Stock Car Racing 1971 KevinFinity 22nd Mar 2025 3:33pm Images from my late uncle's slide collection. These colour photos are some of the best ive seen of the racing here and too good not to post up. Took in 1971 by my uncle from the stands.

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Wirral Festival of sport racing 1971 KevinFinity 22nd Mar 2025 3:27pm I inherited some photos from my late uncle recently and will share some here. These were titled 'Wirral Festival of sport 1971' and show some motorcycle racing round the dips in New brighton. Scanned from slides.

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Are our local councillors all insane? Excoriator 20th Mar 2025 9:32am It seems that the 'regeneration' of New Ferry involves it's one asset as a local shopping centre - adequate free parking - being sacrificed for more housing.

The Woodhead street car park, which is well used, is to be surrounded with cramped houses leaving a patch of grass the size of a postage stamp in the centre. This is labelled 'Community Meadow' in the plans. Evidently there is a wit amongst them. There is no parking there whatsoever. Anyone wanting to visit any of the shops there will be forced to use the local streets, those near the centre seem to be primarily used by local garages as their private car park.

Far from regenerating New Ferry, it will spell its death knell - at least as a shopping centre.

Their one aim seems to be to increase the housing density of the eastern side of the peninsula to unbearable levels, rather than to upset the residents of the western side with any new housing where there is far more room for it.

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