Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral Now and Then 1947 "plan"

I have seen extracts of this plan in a lot of wirral history books but its nice to see it all in one place.It also has a lot of relevance to topics that we already have running and will prove an excellent point of reference

Jonno

Mark has advised scanning maps at higher res to a max 1meg file and "he will sort it out". OK, I will do that over the next day or so.

I take your point that the book will probably be relevant to a number of threads. Being new to this site I really cannot judge what those threads may be - and since you do not know the total content of the book you cannot really advise me as to whioch bits to scan and post. There is far too much to scan the whole thing (and undoubtedly someone would anyway raise the copyright issue) so the best option is that "someone" who does know comes and views the book and highlights those parts of greatest interest.

Thoughts, volunteers etc

There is one section that interests me at the moment - "bugs me" would be a better expression. There is a reference in the book to Airport services for the future of Birkenhead. The book says that Hooton is too small BUT that a subcommittee should be set up to investigate the potential of developing a proper Wirral Airoport on the old military site at Saughall Massie. Now I KNOW that somewhere I have the report of that subcommittee. I have not seen it for years but can picture it very clearly - loaded with maps, sketches and artists impressions as well as facts and figures (probably speculative). I just can't FIND the **** thing at the moment - and that "bugs" me.

Snod

The following maps were originally printed to accompany introductory texts ( https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=218028#Post218028 ) in the 1947 book "Plan for Birkenhead". Unfortunatley the maps in the book are small and do not scan well even at high resolution. Folllowing are forum sized pictures together with links to larger images.

(and many thanks to Mark for helping a duffer with this post )

Now hopefully I can get back to looking whether there are other interesting bits in the book that will interest you all.

Snod


Geological Sand Stone Underlies Birkenhead Full Size Image Click Me


Historical Birkenhead Contour Plan Full Size Image Click Me


Birkenhead Farming Community 1824 Full Size Image Click Me


Birkenhead Historical Growth 1824-1945 Full Size Image Click Me


Birkenhead the Young Town 1858 Full Size Image Click Me


Historical Birkenhead 1877 Full Size Image Click Me


Birkenhead Historical 1927 Between the two wars Full Size Image Click Me


Birkenhead Historical 1945 On VJ Day Full Size Image Click Me

Snod/Mark; have you tried photographing the maps? It may give a better result than scanning.

Cheers, Chris

We done a hi res scan and it just got more cloudy.
A photograph may have worked but who knows?

Thanks for sharing snod

More pics from the "1947 Plan" book.

I will attach these is sets of about 3. Mark may wish to rearrange things another way. I am still a beginner in these things.

I have not tried to identify the actual locations. Some are obvious of course but since I am from Wallasey rather than Birkenhead I would only be guessing in the case of others. The book text is useless at identifying places ie there is no real link/ reference between text and pictures.

I am sure you folk will be able to identify/ comment as appropriate

Snod

Set 1

Set 2

Snod

Set 3

Snod

And finally - set 4

These two pictures are different because they are artists impressions of PROPOSED buildings - SUGGESTED really. Very imaginative when you consider the book was issued in 1947 and must have taken at least a year to produce/ print

THAT lot should keep you all happy for a while

Snod

More interesting stuff there; ive seen the last two images before, in "A Pictorial History Of Birkenhead" and thought exactly the same thing, it would have been great if they had have been built.

But then, as good as they look, what state they would be in today, if they would even still be standing, is another thing altogether. The 70's and 80's hit the local economy hard and it took most of the industry and buildings with it... it wasnt until the 90's that we saw a resurgence of building, developement, refurbishment and influx of new business.

Great stuff.

I was going to buy this book the other day, but needed the money for the car

Any chance you can PM me the images larger as I can match almost all of these up how they look today

What amazes me about Birkenhead the Young Town 1858 map is how deserted the town is.. No tunnel's no nothing.. It seems as soon as the tunnel was built BAM the town grew fantastic norm thanks for sharing

Wow Fantastic
Joe read this.


Woodside with a Tower Block.
If that had gone ahead i'm sure it wouldn't have lasted
up to today as in 2008.

Joe

No problem with bigger images. I will try to sort that out later this morning after I have seen Soundman, or this evening if I get sidetracked into other jobs by the Mrs.

Snod

Hi, all; the "irregular recent development" pic. is Grange Rd., about 50 yards down from Charing Cross, on the left. The first floor facade is classic Art Deco of the late 1920's/early 1930's - similar in many ways to the Queensway tunnel of the same period. Dewhursts was a butcher, not sure about Benefit, but something says "shoes" to me. Next to that is Timothy White's & Taylors, chemists. This national chain was once almost as large as Boots, which eventually took them over.

Cheers, Chris.