Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral Now and Then Victoria Road New Brighton

Has anyone got any info on how this road/street use to be years ago ?

Cheers Sean

im pretty up to date with victoria road as i used to live there and play there as a child so ask away and i will try to help

my knowledge stretches back about 50yrs if that helps

Well i live aboth the cemist (spelling) and i know its a very old house that we live in so some pics or info on how it use to be would be nice

all i can tell you that before it was a chemist it was a taxi rank and a cafe and before that it was a seaside souvenier place for a while but as far as i can remember it has always been used for some sort of retail.victoria road its self bears no resemblence to what it looked like as child.i remember just down waterloo road from you was a hotel which has now been replaced with houses.my parent were brought up in the newbrighton area so i will glean some info from them in the week and maybe some photos and get back to you

It use to have a milk bar aswell didnt it ?

Would be good if you could get some more info

Cheers !

not sure but i think there may have been more than one milk bar but will deffo get some more info for you this week

Will this be the one ?

http://blog.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/graphics/flickr_milk_bar.jpg

Looks like that is where bargin booze is now ?

yep thats further down the road on the otherside.there used to be an amusement arcade there as well called the american pool hall

where bargin booze is now,from there down to the front used to be shops or arcades ,cafes,but most of them where boarded up when i was a kid .the pub used to be known as the neptune in them days

There is like 5 pubs on this road now lol

railway,neptune/peggys,ship,mother redcaps are the original ones along with the empress ball room which used to be above a n arcade on the opposite side from ,infact it was nxt door to the ship

if you go into the perch pub just opposi you an get chattin to one of the old guys they are usually more than happy to tell you a few stories

railway,peggys,perch rock, the one on the corner use to be barclys and dont know the name of the other one lol

Its a small road with alot going on really

yeah they are all at the top mother redcaps and the ship are close to the bottom of the road past the new houses.the one at barclays is a new addition with in the last couple of years.before it was a bar it was a pottery sudio an b4 that a hair dresses/beauty palour

Part of the film Let Him Have It was filmed there in the early 90s:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_Him_Have_It

It was very run down by the 70s. Loads of boarded up old shops and a lot of litter. It used to have a very good record shop called Reaction though.

Yeah i seen it was abit rought from the link i posted of the milk bar.

reaction records was amazing.we knew a guy who worked there and we used to get all the used advertising posters off him.it used to be where the post office

Bit late I know but thought I would have a go. You have me going now. I have a feeling that the Chemists was originally the post office before it moved to the opposite corner? At the side in Waterloo road there is a cellar place which was Harry Martin's paper store. By papers I mean newspapers and my brother used to deliver papers from there and he supplied the Echo man who sat outside the Railway shouting Last City Echo whatever that meant? His name was Eddie. Think he lost a leg in one of the wars, probably the first one judging by his age.

Shops in Viccy road if memory serves. Banks on three corners of Rowson street. Chesters electrical, Proper tobacconists with barbers shop in the back, Launderette where St Johns hospice charity shop is now, Couple of sweets/stationers shops, Cosmo cafe which was a milk bar, Guests butchers. Tickles Newsagents. Co-Op, Above Co-Op was two floors of restaurants/function rooms. This later became the "disco" night club, sneak in the back job A jewellers with a big clock outside whose name escapes me, Rialto chippy, A ladies fashion shop and a mens fashion shop further down both owned by husband and wife, at least three greengrocers including Gribbins, Skillicorn but can't remember the other one. Maypole and Costigans. Sayers where my auntie worked. Manweb substation which later became the American bingo. Paddy had a place there as well where he prepared his seafood. The back entry stunk on hot summer days with all the old shells in sacks stacked at the back. Wilberforce the chemist. Clarkes chippy. Bohms the pork butcher. Pat's cobblers, Woolworths. Duffy's seafood restaurant. Buttercream shop with the strange machine in the window. Stonalls fish shop. Empress arcade and club upstairs, More chippies, Various other tobacconists/newsagents including Joe Newton's (war hero) Organs stores. Paddy's snack bar and he moved across the road at one stage. Rock shops. Pubs included Railway, Neptune (my watering hole but the tap at the back). The York. The Ship, Criterion and Ferry Hotel (later Chelsea). Public toilets with Victorian signs (Gentlemen please adjust your dress etc) Tourist office plus shelter in the same place. Various smaller cafes like Brice's and the Sheffield that I can remember. Two cinemas of course, Court and Troc.

Probably forgotten some important one's but when you look at that road now, it is hard to imagine just how much was packed into it in the fifties. Happy days!

Oh yes, had a snogging session in the doorway of your house once.

Couple of old photo's of Victoria road.

Adding to Victoria Roads history...

From tea shops, souvenir shops and arcades to urban housing:

This is the bottom end of Victoria Road - taken about 1979. In the top pic you can see the "Golden Goose" arcade in the distance which use to lead on to the Pier. The Pier itself was demolished in 1979.



Taken in the Summer 2008. Not quite in the same spot because of the houses / gardens behind me and the winding road.

The golden Goose was brilliant, used to go every Sunday after going for a drive with the folks, the Atari racing game just to the right of the entrance and the legendary 2 pence machines

I spent my youth in new brighton, always at the fair, i got a job in lawtons cafe, where this old dear taught me to make the best ever mince and onion pie, (which i still do today), there was a chippy on the corner, and a cafe next door, just a bit further up was paddy's cafe, had many a steak and kidney pie and gravy in there, it was always full, bit further up from paddy's was what i called the posh gift shop, things were a bit dear, but good stuff and did no harm to look. a bingo hall opened too, the old dears loved that, i did too, had a thing for the bingo caller, the picture house was on the other side of the road, when that closed it became the first supermarket cheap too. I had the top floor flat in a block which was on the corner where somerfields is now, and from my window watched the tower burn to the ground, it was a sad night. i worked in a club called the pink elephant too, that was fun, maybe someone will remember it.

Hi everyone.

I am attempting to complete my family tree and have just returned from Omeath in Ireland where I met some very nice and helpful people, one in particular is attempting to write a history of Omeath through its people.
My Grandfather, Michael Traynor (Paddy) had cafes in Victoria Street, Cockle stalls, pig farms on the dock Road and I've been told a Chinese restaurant in Birkenhead in the 50,s, 60's and very early 70's.
He lived in Brougham Road, Wallasey, with his wife Bridget Traynor nee Fearon, her sister Annie (Sissy) and their 9 children. Sadly only one of those remain, Vinny and he is extremely unwell.
I am after any information you may have regarding my family, particularly my grandfather, we do know he was a widower when he married my grandmother and that his first wife, who was my nan's friend, passed in childbirth, but we know very little else.
I am also looking for any photos of his cafes, stalls and businesses,I was told that a photo of 'Paddy's Cafe' on Victoria Street was on this site a few years ago. There was also a photo doing the rounds of my Grandfather in his white coat, selling Cockles at Aintree racecourse. Any information or photos you have, however insignificant, would be gratefully received by myself and the people of Omeath.

Thank you in advance

Derek Traynor

Michael J Traynor married Bridget M Fearon, 1935, registered Birkenhead.

In 1929 at (registered) Birkenhead a Michael J Traynor married Margaret A Casey.

Margaret A Traynor died 1932, aged 27, registered, Birkenhead.

There's a death registered, Wallasey, 1962, Michael John Traynor. age, 62.

A child registered, Sept Quarter, 1931, Birkenhead,

Michael F Traynor, mothers maiden name, Casey.

2 possible deaths,


Death Jun Qtr 1969
TRAYNOR Michael John Birth,18De1906 Wallasey
Death Mar Qtr 1972
TRAYNOR Michael Francis Birth, 23Je1931 Wallasey

The correct death of Michael Traynor is 25th June, 1969 and is buried at Frankby Cemetery with his daughter Rosemary and wife Bridget Mary.

Margaret Alice Traynor buried 18th April, 1932, Wallasey Cemetery, Section 4R, Grave, 149A
Address, 39 Gladstone Rd.

Bridget Mary Traynor, died, 18th May, 1982.

I also have sight of Michael John Traynor's probate, will only post if required.

That's my Grandfather and his eldest son, thank you

Thank you, I have my Grandfather's death certificate

Would it be possible to send me the photos of Paddy's, he was my Grandfather

Regards

Derek

Hi,
Im desperately seeking any images of victoria road, new brighton from the late 60 - early 70s.
Especially the empress club if possible.
This was a special place for my father and late mother. Id lovd to find some images for him if possible.
Many thanks in advance,
Michelle.