Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Birkenhead North/Laird Street Fire Station?

Cool it was a fire station back in its day.. Fantastic hehe..

I've seen cinefilm of the old fire station on Laird street, my mother had one of those cameras and filmed outside my grandparents house from the upstairs window in laird street nearly opposite the firestation, that was about 1972.

Definitely was a fire station. The surrounding houses were fire station houses and there was a big yard at the back with a drill tower. I lived in one of the houses and dad was a fireman in the station. It became the turntable youth club 'cos of the name of the big fire engine, a turntable ladder.
Back in the 50's the local authority ran both the fire brigade and the ambulance so that one day they might man the fire engine, the next day they might man the ambulance......and so its true, I remember people pitching up for first aid. It closed when the new station opened on the then woodchurch estate

The Exmouth St fire station was opened in March 1973. The Woodchurch Fire station in Arrowe Park rd was opened in May 1962.

why is it a lot of the members seem to think that the 1950s or there about was in the dark ages. Yes as you have now found out that was a fire station by St James Church, and if you go and look at the similar building at Liscard you may realize that there was also a fire station there as well. As far as been hurt and needing first aid, you only went to a hospital if you where almost dead, not like these days running to A&e with a wet nose. you where taken to the nearest chemists shop or doctors surgery to be sorted out.

There certainly was a fire station at Laird Street, I lived there from birth to 1950 when my Dad was pensioned off as he was badly gassed at a fire. We lived at number 6 and then in number 8 which had the drill tower right in front of it. I have modern day photos of it but none from when it was a fire station. I have photos of Dad and the men, a few of fire engines but none of the station itself. Would love to hear from anyone who can give me some information on where to find material/photos of it.
Derby

Hi Skipperuk,

When did you live at the fire station. My family lived there in the 1940`s and we moved about 1951. Do you have any photos of the firemen, I do if you are interested. Maybe I should put them on this site.

Derby

yes please

This was still a fire station in 1967 we used to pass it twice a week on our way to the tunnel to go to and from Glossop in Derbyshire

If anyone can convert vhs to digital format I could put on here about 10 to 15 seconds of film from the top of 358 laird street from the early 70's. It shows the old fire station, as I think my mum was filming my dad parking his car outside a proprty on laird street.

Here is a very short clip I've taken out of a 17 min film from the early to mid 70's, hopefully it works. It is not much but every little bit counts.



[youtube]zFqULf7nqIA[/youtube]

In the 1960s I used to live in Upper Brassey Street, just round the corner. This place was then, a youth club called the Turntable. The chap who used to run the centre lived in the adjoining house to the left of the entrance. He was a very tall 6foot3, slim chap and if my memory serves me right he was called Mr Gould. I actually watched England win the World Cup inside that building in 1966, when I was 15. I do believe that the building WAS a fire station but that was before I moved close by.

I remember the turney in the early 80s best disco ever

Indeed it was the best ever. Canary Yellow polo neck jumper bottle green birmingham bags and a nice pair of green and red wedgies and off to the turnie. This was the mid seventies so i'd guess it was a youthclub for a long long while. Shame it's gone, the kids of the area have nothing now

Wasn't the turntable in a building on the corner where tapestry gardens is now? Or did they have more than one building?