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Does anybody know what the phoenix Club building in Ellesmere Port was built for? it seems rather ornate for a social Club more like a civic hall type place.

Absolutely wild guess but it might have been offices for the steelworks across the road or it could have been a works club for the same. I think the steelworks started in 1908 as Wolverhampton Corrugated Iron Works, then Summers took them over, then HH Robertson (Robertson-thain) was there site then British Steel took them over.

Greenalls brewery had the club in 1978, they used to have a good archive/history department. The ornate club building was definitely there in 1950.

I never thought of that but it's the most logical answer, just can't prove it. My Father in Law lost an arm in an accident in the ironworks during the war, sadly he's deceased otherwise I'd have asked him, but I think you're right, next time I'm in the Port I'll nip in the reference library and enquire. Thanks

Looking at some old maps, it was built between 1929 and 1937, roughly the same time as Cromwell road itself. It corresponded with the factory straight across the road, not the ironworks that were further down the road that were much older. It was marked as "Club" in 1937.

Cromwell Rd is mentioned in the 1914 directory trades section for a building contractor, that's about all.

The only mention for a club in the 1923 Kelly's Directory is,

United Service,
John McNay (Sec)
Cromwell rd.
Ellesmere Port, Bhead.

As far as I know, United Services Clubs were originally Gentlemen's clubs for Army & Navy officers, etc.

The building certainly looks the part.

I've been inside the building a couple of times - all I can tell you is having worked for H.H.Robertson for 25 years it had nothing to do with them (1972-1997 closure) - of course many employees used the club as their local/and other activities fishing club/dominoes etc.

Well done Bert, strange that the club and the road doesn't appear on the 1929 map, but that may just have been a revision issue which often relies on 3rd party information for any changes.