Lowther/ fox/ Craven/exmouth st... Does anyone have any photos of these streets please, or any of the area comprising exmouth st to park road north during the 60s/70s. I used to live in lowther street & my nan lived on the corner of Fox/craven st until the compulsory purchasing orders of the 70s moved us away.
On the corner of our street was Marriots mortorcycle shop (before it moved to oxton rd) & i remember the building of the fire/ambulance station on exmouth st (as kids we used to stand under the ambulance wash & get soaked). I also have a very early memory of horses being stabled for some reason or another in a yard at the bottom of Craven/conway street, this would be about 1966 id guess on the site where the plant-hire shop is now (behind the queens hotel). Lol. i also have a memory of my mum dragging all us kids up to the bakers arms on exmouth street and demanding that my father come home for his tea.
Any information on this area would be much appreciated.
I do have a couple of pictures, but due to family interest, they are actually only of Marriots motor cycles before they moved to oxton road. There may be something in the background, but the shots were taken of the shop. will try and get them posted when I finally figure out how to get the images on here...( i am getting close, but they still go massively oversize when i post them) Next few days I will have it sussed.
lol & "if only" chriskay ... my mothers version sort of went ...
Expletive, expletive, i've been slaving over a hot stove for hours (she lied) expletive expletive ...i'll beat you to death with your own spirit level if you don't come home now ..expletive ... & your dinners in the dog. Flounce off home.
The building in the background in the pic. of the new fire station is the old Astor cinema, corner of Claughton Rd. & Atherton St.
The Astor was demolished in March 1982, but a small part (in fact 5 small parts) have survived. The five carved 'composers' stones were rescued and put on display outside a builders yard on the Queensferry to Mold Road. They were bought for £700 and shipped to Cork in Ireland.
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Ok.. got the hang of pics now.... these three relate somewhat to this post as well as a couple of others
so firstly Atherton street looking towards charing cross... someone mentioned Roberts and Jobson the sports shop at the cross, on the Left side of the pic is one of the tennis rackets above the shop window.
Then looking the other way..
And Finally Marriots Motor Cycles, I think this is before it moved to Oxton road , though I was sure the street down the side was Sun Street, but as I cant figure where this was/is I am not too sure.
and cheers, top pic of Exmouth street fire station, my dad was a fireman there for many years.
Great pics. The first one though isn't Atherton St., but looking up Exmouth St. Atherton St. is where the car is emerging, heading towards the Cross; You can see the Astor on the right of the pic. That's Atherton St.
I can match up all of the pictures to go in the now and then topic, all except one;
Map as to where it is please?
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Aha.... in another view of the motor cycle shop posted earlier it shows the street sign for the sideroad as Sun Street, so I didnt imagine it... any ideas where this was?
Great pics, thanks so much guys it's bought back so many memories ..
the white shop on the corner by the lights, looking down atherton street was the best toy shop around for spending your weekly chore money at. On the same block was a greengrocers and we kids were often sent to buy "chats" and a turnip. I also remember the astor being a nightclub for a short whilebut this was later during the middle 70s, i cant remember what it was called.
The marriotts one is brill ty. Just to the right of the door was a long counter which we kids were allowed to sit on sometimes & around the corner on lowther st was a double gate through which we used to watch the bikes being mended. Marriotts frontage was On back bentick street and the next shop up was a barbers, we once stole his bubblegum machine took it round the back entry behind the shop and when it broke open all the bubblies rolled down the hill & we were caught red handed Next door to him on the corner of fox street was len the butchers, NExt corner up was the bookies then houses then a sweetie shop ( a quarter of sports mixtures for a tanner.)
The shop to the right of marriotts (carters) was no 2 lowther street & my friend diane smith lived there, they thought they were posh and NEver got biddies, (or so her mother swore).
Thanks for sharing those memories, Razzi. However, I'm now confused. I thought Marriotts fronted onto Exmouth st. I can't find a Back Bentinck St. on the map; did you perhaps mean Back Exmouth St?, that's where No.2 Lowther St. is, but looking at a map (from about 1955) there don't seem to be any frontages to Back Exmouth St., only onto Bright, Fox,& Lowther streets. I've attached the map I'm looking at.
In another of the photo's of Marriots, taken looking up the road, shows the street sign for the road between Marriots and Carters( also visible in the posted pic), as being "Sun Street" looking at the maps, I still cant figure out where exactly this is... Either its the Bentinck Street end or Exmouth Street end of the block. Though I have it in my head that it may have been Exmouth street end.
Well, given that the street between Marriott's & Carter's is Sun St., Here's another map which may help, 'cos it gives the numbering. If it's Exmouth St, which I think it is, Marriott's will be Nos. 64, 66, 68 & maybe 70. Carter's will be 62. If it's Bentinck St., Marriott's will be 57 & 59. The reason I think it's Exmouth St. is that it was a mainly shopping street, whereas Bentinck St. was residential.
Razzi: You used a phrase I haven't heard since leaving school a LONG time ago. "Biddies". There was an unfortunate girl in our class at primary school who was thought to carry various forms of wildlife around in her scalp. She was just always known as Biddies. Kids can be so cruel. I guess that will never change. Who remembers the Nit Nurse ???
After having a family discussion maybe this is of help.
Apparently there was a Marriotts on Exmouth st during the 50s. On Chriskays map it would've occupied either numbers 73-77 or 81-85. It then moved, the shop frontage might of stayed tho as i remember as a kid there being a marriotts the chandlers on Exmouth street in that place 1966ish, maybe it was a case of not being able to change the sign?.
Nobody is admitting to knowing if Marriotts moved from there to sun st, numbers 64-66(which going by the pic it obviously did) but by 1969/70 the regeneration had started in ernest & altough the "odd" numbered side of Sun st to the left of the bisecting line was still there everything else from Craven st/exmouth st down to Conway street had been knocked down (the housing estate exmouth way etc now stands on this area. I believe it was at this time that Marriotts moved from the corner of sun st to Lowther st. Again going from Chriskays house number map everything to the right of the bisecting line had been emptied & ready to be demolished to make way for the new firestation, So Marriotts, not wanting to move out of the area moved up to the corner of Lowther/Bentick st no 92-94. i made a mistake last time , sorry, i left off the number 3 making 32 lowther st, which i have now been told was the number of the flat above carters in which my friend lived (i lived at number36) & marriotts stood on the opposite corner being number 92-94. The frontage was painted red & blue so i've been told, but it was most certainly there, Apparently my cousin (who lived in no 111 craven st) took his bSA bike there to be fixed as it was right down the back entry. We moved under a compulsory purchase order in 1974 & i think that was also the year that Marriotts moved to where they are now in Oxton road.
Hope this helps clarify things a bit, thanks for all the replies. Gosh. This has been interesting.
Well, thanks, Razzi.The mystery deepens. Comparing the first photo of Marriott's with the negative one, (which locates it for certain at the Sun St. corner), they are identical with regard to the location of the various posters/notices stuck on the windows and various other details. This means that at that time, Carter's, in the same pic., was at No.62 Exmouth St. I guess it was at the time of the clearance of the area, (thanks for that info. Razzi), that Carter's moved to Lowther St., because their side of Sun St. was demolished. Marriott's side remained, so their move to Bentinck St. could have been later. Does this make sense? Even more family discussion may be needed, Razzi.
I suspect this isnt going to help clear things up, but I have my suspicions that there were three "shops" all under the same name on Exmouth street..
Walter, had the Yard at what I believe to be 17 Exmouth street , which backed onto the house on Atherton Street, as well as a couple of other shops, one on Borough Road and one on Hinson Street.
Freddy had the motorcycle shop at ( in the time of these pics anyway) 64-66
I also believe David had some business or other located nearby.
I do have a pic somewhere, but that will take some digging to locate.
The pics as far as I am aware are all from the mid 60's.
Yes. They do look like one & the same i admit. Only thing i can remember about Sun st tho was that on the left hand corner on the odd side Sun/craven st end there was a small sweetie/general shop.
To be honest, thinking about it i dont remember it as being CArters. From around 1965, altough the shop itself was still there, the windows had been sort of filmed over & the smiths had moved from the flat upstairs to take it over & what would've once been the shop had become the back living room. shop.
wish i could find a photograph showing the shops on Exmouth street during the later 60s (1969 ish). Have been looking for photos of all of that area for a while now, but they are few and far between.
Still, it has been fun, thanks again for all the help
Ahh, maybe that's the answer.More than one Marriott, would like to see those photos Phil, if you can root them out.
Phew, Thought it best to go right to the top, so i cheekily e-mailed Marriotts on Oxton rd to see if they had any records of where the original shops were .
Me ...
Message: Hi. I know this sounds a strange question, But we are discussing Fred Marriotts former shops on wikiwirral.co.uk & we can't decide wether he had a shop or shops on Sun st/bentick st or Lowther st/Bentick or even Exmouth st during the 1950/60s. I wondered if it would be possible for you to have a look through your records and see if you have any addresses for marriotts motorcycles for these areas, as i could swear when i was a kid, freds shop was on the corner of Bentick/lowther st. Thanks for your time.
They kindly sent me this reply.
Hi Karyn Yes there was a yard on Exmouth street/Gladstone street which was bill marriott(fred's father)which traded in second had goods, then fred bought the old co-op which was on Exmouth street/sun street which he had the motorcycle shop. The shop then moved bentinck street (compulsory purchased) and then to Oxton Road, the former Birkenhead brewery where we still are to this day and is owned by Glyn marriott fred's son. Hope this helps Cheers Gareth
Hope this is of interest, lol & glad to know i'm not going mad afterall.
Sorted..., and have filled in another part of my family history puzzle. I didnt know about the yard at gladstone street....
William ( Bill mentioned above ) was my great grandad, who went it alone, away from the family trade ( Dairy ) to set up the second hand shops, which my Grandad then carried on, at the yard seen in the first and second photo's I posted and a few other places around, while his brother went into the newly emerging world or motorcycle sales.
Hi Karyn Yes there was a yard on Exmouth street/Gladstone street which was bill marriott(fred's father)which traded in second had goods, then fred bought the old co-op which was on Exmouth street/sun street which he had the motorcycle shop. The shop then moved bentinck street (compulsory purchased) and then to Oxton Road, the former Birkenhead brewery where we still are to this day and is owned by Glyn marriott fred's son. Hope this helps Cheers Gareth
Ha! well done; a clever thought. The final bit of info. would be to ask if they know the number in Bentinck St. which would place it exactly. I've enjoyed this little bit of research & hope I may have helped you & Phillhere with your researches.
Specifically to Chris. This should probably go in another thread (borough road), but, I was wondering, you appear to have maps showing the street numbering for Birkenhead, could I be cheeky and ask if you have the same type of map covering Borough Road, as I am trying to figure out where 279 and 421 Borough road were, being odd numbers they are on the library side, but I suspect the buildings are long gone. These were the the two addresses of the family the around the turn of the century.
I will add these to the now and the forum when I have time
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Unsure whether this is the yard at Exmouth / Gladstone street as mentioned earlier, but underneath the main signage, you can make out the words motor cycles and spares...
can't figure what the building in the background is, relative to where this might be....
Can't place it, but I'm sure someone will recognise the white building in the background. We can at least date it as not earlier than August 1967 from the "F" registration mark on the Dormobile.
Wonder if that could be the Raven public house? If so, the marriotts in the photo would stand near to where the irish pub (i forget what its called) is now.
The white building in the background was the Royel Exmouth hotel and the Marriots yard was a great place to root thru when coming home from hemmy school,I lived in Lowther st until it got pulled down,there was a passagway between the Eccy and the yard ran from back Exmouth st into Exmouth st.
so Razzi lived in Lowther st,old Lowther or new Lowther st
I used to live in the block of houses that was surrounded by Atherton st,Claughton rd,and Exmouth st.Our back yard used to face the back of Walter Marriots junk yard The front of the house looked across the bombed site on to Bright st I was six when we moved in there i 1945 i left to go to sea 1960 Does anybody remember the pub the Music Hall it was on the corner of Glaughton rd & Exmouth st it was opposite the Bakers Arms the landlord was called Harry (Swank) Rogers George Hayes Ex Birkoneon
my partner used to play darts in the music hall. was also in the darts team in the bakers frank was the owner cant remember his surname but remember he had a big mussy he also had a posh wife.think her name was betty .
Does anybody remember Atherton hall mission opposite marriots and next to door to Hardings coaches in exmouth street There was also a mission hall in Fox street near the Bentinck st end ,the family who lived opposite the hall were called the Coopers i knew the son ,Kenny some of the other charecters who knocked around Fox st were Ian Robinson ,Tommy &Billy Mearns Martin Murphy ,Jimmy Moore ,Billy Morton &Arthur Garton just to name a few not forgeting Frank on the door at the ASTOR
my partner remembers atherton hall a friend from school lived next door but he can't remember his name .my partner also went out with a girl called ann hayes who had a brother and think they may moved to conway street area
Thanks for the Email my brother had a daughter called Ann Hayes my niece she had 2 brothers ,Roy & David they lived on the corner of Back Exmouth st and Lowther st they did move but i cant remember where as i had left Birkenhead by then Another place i used to frequent was the Craftsman club over Burtons in Grange road it was great for Rock & Roll some times Freddy Star was the compare when i visit my sister in Patterson st i love to walk around Charing Cross
Another place i used to frequent was the Craftsman club over Burtons in Grange road it was great for Rock & Roll some times Freddy Star was the compare
& before it was the club, it was a snooker hall. I used to play there in my teens.
I lived in old Lowther st until they knocked it down,the neighbours went to live everywhere,got some scanned pictures somewhere of the 1953 Coronation,street party in Lowther st not sure who owns the originals,but my big sister provided a picture of old Lowther street when Paul O'Grady was in the programme comedy travels or something.
The craftmans club in Grange rd was run by a big bloke called Jackie Magee He had a brother called Billy who had a club in Victoria st in New Brighton called the Empress club it was over one of the slot machine arcades There used to be a club in the ASTOR cinema the enterance was in Atherton st i went a few times as i only lived around the corner i have loads of memories about Claughton rd Bright st Fox st Exmouth st Oliver st & Charing Cross it was quite an area to be brought up in
my partner was born at home in craven street and lived there till the early 70's said it was a great area to live in all neighbours where aunties and you never shut front door safe to leave out and great to be near town with all the pubs at hand.
anyone have any info on Bentinck St As far as I can tell there were about 5/6 pubs there Had my 1st pint in one of them when just left school can't remember its name
pubs in bentinct st. can remember one it was called the scotch thistle this was on the corner of bentinct and fox street .also recall one which had the nickname the little house
my best friends mum always helped out in thompsons mission . my mate went somewhere with the mission and met kevin keegan and got his autograph she was made up.
Pubs in Bentinct st .My sister said there were 5 pubs in the street. Thistle(fox st) Stag (gladstone st) Beresford (sun st) Bentinct arms (moon st) Standard (conway st) i dont think i had a pint in any of them i used to go the north end or down town Tompsons mission was always good for a free cup of tea on a cold winters night i would not know your mums friend as i went to the mission early fifties as i am 70 so it was a bit before her time i have lots of good memories of the area it was TOPS
Atherton Hall, I can vaguely remember it, it had steps to go into it. The lady who run the Sunday School was a Mrs Burns. She always wore a hat.
I cant remember Marriots. That area was demolished apart from the block of houses on Claughton Road opposite the fire station on triangle. I grew up in one of them. I remember the 2 men who owned the corner shop. Jim and Ben? One of them was an insurance agent and moved up to Thingwall.
i to grew up in that block of houses on the triangle opposite the fire station .the fire station was not there when i lived there it was a shop called Hollands I lived in 263 claughton rd some of the familys i remember were Whites Hopkins Makays Whitleys Osullivans &Jones i used to deliver papers for the corner shop in the 50s Do you know any of theses people
my partner knows the whites one of the boys was his mate at school he's now a farmer think hollands shop was red and cream if i am right never seemed much in there .doyou remember the big sandstone house on claughton road think a family called roberts lived there. anyone remember the echo bar top of exmouth st it sold milkshakes
I do remember the big stone house the women was called Peggy Roberts she was a case i think her husband was called cowboy Its funny you mention the big stone houses, i was on a cruise earlier this year in the Med i met a woman in Athens who lived in the house next to the Roberts it was on the corner of Glaughton rd& Exmouth st her name used to be Bennet, she is married to my sisters husbands cousin my sisters are called Lily &Beryl you may know them in my day the echo bar was called the rondevous i remember your nan and Beryl well its great to dig up good memories
Just wanted to add my pennies worth......I lived on Sun Street until we were forced to move due to the regeneration....I loved it there, we could see right down Hilton Street to Conway Street from our house. The shops on either end were Portburys (Bentinck Street end) and Richmonds (Craven Street end).....both good sweet/grocery shops although Portbury's was alot more old fashioned than Richmonds. Good old days !!
Can anyone remember the shops in Exmouth st in the 50s,on the left going down stan the butchers ,bryants sweets roberts tool shop o-kells clothes shop, candlish green growsers &an opticians on the right was mrs franks comics &books rushworths junk shop a growsers shop ,a milk bar & a bike shop , thats all i can remember even though i delivered papers to them from the corner shop
my partners mum got all her the meat from stan the butcher the milk bar was called the echo bar a lady called jean heart worked there think that was her name kents book shop was on the right hand side rodgers was the bike shop there was also a motor bike shop on the left hand side called beretons or something like
You are correct the pawn shop on the corner of exmouth st & gladstone st was called Baines I have taken many a suit in there for women on the block ,in on monday out on friday so the old fella could out for a pint at the weekend The women did not want to be seen going in the pawn shop they were to proud i got a few pennies each time
the only shop in the area were you could still buy things in singles 2 eggs five rashers of bacon and 4 sausages. My friends the Grettons used to live halfway down Hilton street and we all went to cole st then on to hamilton street schools. I seem to remember when they built the fire station, Atherton Hall moved to a small purpose built building down the siding between the ambulance wash part and the new estate (just behind were the irish pub is now on exmouth street) I only remember this as i was thrown out of sunday school for allegedly smashing a window on it with a football and not owning up... it wasnt me honest..
Does anybody remember Bryants sweet shop in Exmouth st they used to make sweets on the premises They used to load the vans in back Exmouth st if you knew soneone who worked there you were ok for a few frebees it was even better if they left the van unattened with the back doors open ?
My mum, Marie Wilson, was the licensee of 'The Scotch Thistle' in Bentinck Street until it was demolished.I can remember the butchers shop on the opposite side and of course the 'chippy' and 3 sweet shops.I think there was a barbers somewhere.
My mum, Marie Wilson, was the licensee of 'The Scotch Thistle' in Bentinck Street until it was demolished.I can remember the butchers shop on the opposite side and of course the 'chippy' and 3 sweet shops.I think there was a barbers somewhere.
Does anyone know Margy Edge who lived in Craven Street,I think number 72. Margy went to Conway Street School and would be about 56 or 57 years old.
The butcher on Bentick st was named len and every morning us kids used to call in and he would give us all a big slice of brawn to go to school with (for free). lord help us cause i now know what brawn actually is.
Razzi which part of Lowther street did you live in, old Lowther st or New Lowther st,I lived in old Lowther st until it was pulled down,anybody remember the Burnetts lived on the corner of Claughton rd and Exmouth st,I remember the Roberts who lived in Back Exmouth st opp Fox st and the Challoners who lived Back Exmouth st.
one of the sweet shops was called ainsworths .i also think there was a co-op middle bentick street which was taken over by marriots motorbike shop.the barbers was called george and the chippy was called quilts .as a kid we used to go in and get free bags of batter. opposite quilts on gordon street there was a shop called parrys and top of bentick street there was a newsagents/sweet shop know to us as jones john was paperboy there
We lived in what would be new lowther street i think, as we were still there when the firestation and the then ambulance station went up, we were only under compulsory order when they wanted the land for the new estate. As to the roberts family, my maiden name was roberts. we lived at 36 lowther st. nan and grandad and uncle ken roberts lived on the corner of fox st at 111 craven street. george the barber,lol wanted for the crime of turning me into illya kuriakin with my then fetching bowlhead hairdo. i never lived it down being a girl.jones' was taken over and became masons newsagents. i think that was in early 70s
used to go to school (st johns primary 1955/56 and Hemmy 57/58) with a Tony Roberts who I think lived in Back Exmouth st or by that area - any relation
Hi, am new here but I wanted to say that i lived on bentinck st in the 50's. we lived at number 10 , maybe some one here remembers me? my name then was davenport but we lived with the suttons.george sutton worked for manweb.
Anne had two brothers, David (that's me) and Roy. We also have a younger sister named Kathie. After leaving Lowther Street we moved to 205 Conway Street, above the dry cleaners shop opposite "Johnny's" chippy. A few years later we moved to the North End of the town. I am now living in Bidston Avenue and my local watering hole is Our Lady's Parish Centre. I have many fond memories of Birkenhead, especially 60's and 70's, and love to share them with anyone who cares to listen.
Davey did you live in number 2 Lowther st,next to the entry in back Exmouth st which led to Exmouth st,number 4 was the Allcrofts and no6 was the Browns and no8 was O'Dowds,10 was the Darroch's,Dougie snr who had Fort Perch Rock and whose son jr now owns.
I used to live in 'little' Sun St. Does any one remember Miss Heggie's on the corner of Sun St and Bentinck St? It was a general store. What I remember most about it was the advert on the ceiling with massive bull on it. I think it advertised Bovril.
Re Davew 3 Dave saw your message on lowther st i have been trying to make contact with mates from around Bright st but not much luck any ideas George Rochdale any help welcome
Yes, I used to live at number 2 Lowther Steet. Next door at number 4 lived David and Sandra Smalley. Opposite in number 1 lived Mr & Mrs Pontin and their children Glenys and John. A few doors along lived Mr & Mrs Wilkie and their son Raymond. I also remember the Humphreys, the Pugh's and the Sharkey's not forgetting Ned & Hilda Boyd and family. Up until a few year's ago I worked with Ronnie Sands he also used to live in Lowther Street, along with Elaine, June and Charles. At the back of us in Gladstone Street lived Mrs Caldwell whose grandson, Peter, I went to school with.
Sorry George,I haven't seen many people from our area for years,as I spent most of my time flitting about the country when Lowther st got knocked down,I watched Oak and Eldon gardens getting blown up on tv in Saudi Arabia the ones I've seen is Norman Humphries and his wife ,I met him I think in Al-Kobar or Dammam he was working on the oil jetties while I was over there ,I think they have a farm down south now,Ronnie Sands I seen a few times and his sister June,George and Maurice Jones I've seen a few times last time at a steam rally in July,Kenny Sharkie went to my big sisters party at the Arrowe Park hotel,Ron Wheeler who lived with his nan in Bentinck st opp the COOP emigrated to Australia.
Is there no one out there that that used to knock around the area of BRIGHT ST ,FOX ST ,LOWTHER ST & BACK ECCKY in the 1950 to 1960 Does anybody remember Frank the doorman at Astor He would walk up and down the shouting EIGHT PENCE A SHILLING & ONE AND NINE SEATS He stopped me from going in once because i had drain pipe trousers on he said i was a Teddy boy he was a good guy really
Didnt'the Ritz charge 9d for the balcony and 6d for the stalls on a Saturday morning,the Roxy was 6d on a Saturday afternoon,remember the Ritz the Christmas party you had to get a piece of card stamped to show the you had been to Saturday morning matinees for 6 weeks to go to the party.
The Astor did have a balcony ,as you came into the foyer there was a staircase on the left and right hand sides these led up to the balcony ,it was a big picture house Does anyone remember the picture house at the bottom of Claughton rd be fore the Ritz I think it was called the LYREC it was nicknamed the bug house & the flea pit There was another one down near the bottom of Duke st called the RIO that was no better full of fleas
it was the Queens picture house that I think eventually became the Transport Club There's a post somewhere on here on what is was before becoming a picture house (not sure if it was to do with Quakers and a teetotal meeting place) I never saw the car park behind it open(had iron railings round it) but I think Hardings at the top of Oliver Street once a year used set up a kiddies ride train and track there Can anyone confirm this please
For Davey Heyes, my big sister has a picture , you may have seen it on Comedy Routes Paul O'grady it's the other way pointing to Bentinck st,this one was taken at the same time, Davey will recognise .
Nice picture. I was born in the shop on the corner of Bentinck St/Lowther St in 1960.We moved when I was 3 , but I do have some memories One of our neighbours was Ann Williamson and my first best mate was Malcolm Dutton.I remember Len the butcher too- I think he moved up to Derby Road.We lived in Crown St for a few years and I remember the pub on the corner of Exmouth St was the Raven.
Sorry Jen, I will ask my sister to see if she knows anything. the pictures do show number 8 above the van that's where the O'Dowds lived. number 10 was where the Darrochs lived, Dougie Darroch jr who owns Perch Rock fort Gran lived there.
Nice picture. I was born in the shop on the corner of Bentinck St/Lowther St in 1960.We moved when I was 3 , but I do have some memories One of our neighbours was Ann Williamson and my first best mate was Malcolm Dutton.I remember Len the butcher too- I think he moved up to Derby Road.We lived in Crown St for a few years and I remember the pub on the corner of Exmouth St was the Raven.
Mal Dutton is my cousin. I remember the area well as we used to visit the Duttons.. my aunt uncle and cousins Mal and Tim. We enjoyed playing out in the street with go carts in the sixties... it was a friendly community. I also remember all the neighbours gathering at the waste land at the top of Lowther street .I think where the fire station is now... to have a big bonfire and everyone letting off their fireworks together ...was like a big extended family party.
I used to like sitting on that wall when I was a kid... till a policeman came along and not only told us off but asked us for our names and where we lived...( did not sleep for days. after that worrying about my Dad finding out..never did thank God !! .... ) Annie
I used to knock about with a lad called Ian Robinson He had an older brother named Gene they lived in Back Eccky I also remember two brothers who lived in Lowther st,i think they were called SHERIDEN i think one was called Kenny They always seemed to be a close family anyone remember these guys
Do you have any recollection of the Electricity Board place that around your street somewhere, was a great place for getting big magnets from, if you could get over the walls that is
i worked here when it was birkenhead glass this part was the glass shop .it has big cellers underneath and it was a bit creepy at times and full of rats
I always remember my mum telling me that the cellars were used as air raid shelters during the war.One of her favourite stories concerned the rescue of a baby from a bombed house in Moon Street-the rescuer was her cousin Roy Kelly.He was only a boy himself at the time and deservedly became something of a local hero.
Businesses could apply for a grant for air raid shelters, these mostly consisted of extra brick walls being built in cellars to re-enforce them. I think all employees had a liability to protect their staff and so a large number of these were done. I may have some statistics that I will try and dig out.
We don't do charity in Germany, we pay taxes. Charity is a failure of governments' responsibilities - Henning Wehn
I am still trying to get in contact with the lads who knocked around Bright st, Fox st & Back Ecky in the 50 s We spent hours playing football on the bombed site opposite the Astor ,we always had one of the biggest and best bonfires on guy fawkes night, were are you all,surely i cant be the last man standing
Georgy, I volunteer for the marine radio museum at Perch Rock fort, we get visitors from all over the world, visiting the little museums in the fort and the fort, but we get very few locals, when we do they are suprised to see what's going on ,we have had a few people come reminicing about wartime Ecky st and Sun st and Moreton etc, but yet see anyone from Lowther/Fox/Craven st, apart from the 1953 Coronation street party in Lowther st pictures that Dougy has, nowt nothing, but will keep an eye out and let you know.
Still trying to make contact with my old mates Davey but not much luck . I am also trying to contact my school mates as well Same response, i am afraid ,do you think i am the only one left out of all those scallies ? I will keep on trying Come on lads
Nah, you just have to keep trying George,some people don't realise that WikiWirral exists or are just not computer literate or just can't be bothered, keep trying.
i know how you feel george but as daveu says keep trying. ive had some success trying for pictures of my street marion street but cant find a picture of my school,cathcart street.but one day............
thanks bertie,me and my other half are both on that picture.weve had it for years ,just like a picture of the school,playgrounds etc,as i have said one day.........
Love the pic, especially the kids looking into the sports car, that was a rare thing then. I used to live in the other half of Lowther Street between 1959 & when we all compulsory purchased out in the early 70's. I remember some of the shops in Bentinck Street, CooP, became Marriots selling AMF Harley Davidsons, Lens the butchers, Dot the groucer, Ainsworths the sweet shop, Richmonds on the corner of Sun St & Craven Street.
Hi Everyone I have just got caught up in this post. I used to live at 63 Craven Street about 5 doors down from Richmonds and over the road from the other shop Rita's. My mum was in there one day when the Oxydol Father Christmas came in (does anybody remember him) and we got a Turkey for Xmas. I knew Margie Edge very well we dated for a while, my name is Frank (Franie) Shelley. To Karenjon I think I know your partner did he live at the top of Craven Street.
Reading these pages brought back a lot of happy memories of the streets around and off Exmouth Street. I lived in Gladstone Street from the early 50's until the houses were compulsory purchased. We lived at the back of No. 4 Lowther St where the Smalleys lived. I remember some of the families mentioned i.e. Hayes's, Pontin's, Humphrey's etc. I also remember playing at in back eccy at the back of the Lord Exmouth Pub. There was a bombsite at the end of our street opposite the Stag pub where we had fantastic bonnies. Marriots yard was at the end of our street and I remember the handcarts which were parked there. Baines pawn shop was on the opposite corner and I remember in the first house lived the Cartwright family. Does anyone remember me? Still Wirral based look forward to seeing further posts. Does anyone remember Bob Martins shop in Conway street, where we would gather in the evenings and drink Sasperalla and Cream Soda. Does anyone have any pictures of Gladstone street?
Hi Just seen your post ...... I am Ann Hayes ... I love reading about our neighbourhood.... I remember being in your house one day watching Bonanza and your brother was on the couch with a bad cold !!
Hello Ann I remember you and your brother David. I too love to read things about our old neighbourhood. Lol about Bonanza. I read in an earlier post you moved to live on top of Jonnies Chip shop in Conway St. I have memories of on Thursday nights going to Livingstone St baths with all the kids from Lowther and buying chips and a tin of coke from Jonnies on the way home. Do you remember what we used to call the big hill at the end of Lowther that ran through from Fox Street.
Hi I'm a new member and have just noticed photo of Lowther St on pg 7 sent by Davew to Dave Hayes, what memories this brings back. Wondered what year it was as looking at the lads sitting on the wall, it could have been my brothers sitting there. Did Daveyw live next door to the Pugh's. I remember Robbie Pugh. Also did you have a niece and nephew called Sharon and Christopher? They used to come down to the street to visit their nan.
Hi Margie.... When we left Lowther Street we went to live with my Nan in Watson Street, then we moved to Conway Street, above the Dry Cleaners.. ( I now live in Wallasey ).. my brother was barred from Johnny's chippy when he was about fourteen.. only because he ran into the shop shouting Everton !...
Margie i am Anns uncle we lived in Glaughton rd, this is a bit before your era but my best mate was Maurice Cartwright he lived in the first house in Gladstone st,we went to school together at HEMMMY we were mates all through our teens Because conscription was on we both went to sea with different shipping companys in 1960, we saw each other a few times but we lost touch when i moved Yesterday i spoke to Maurice for the first time in about 45 years we are meeting up in next couple of weeks for a pint Do you remember the Cavanaughs that lived opposite the Cartwrights there son Tony jumped ship in Australia i could go on forever about those days Happy Days
Hi George I remember the Cartwirght's very well. If I remember correctly there was Maurice, Alan, Margaret, Ann, David, Carol and Elizabeth, Lizzie and I used to play together we'd sit on the front door step and swop beads!! I remember Maurice going to sea and I'm not sure if Alan did they used to bring their mam nice presents from their travels. I remember looking at some butterflies in a glass ornament which they kept in their parlour. I remember the Cavanagh's who lived next to the Hale's and on the other side Mrs Caldwell. I remember Tony bringing his mum a parrot called 'Rosie' home from one of his sea trips. As he was older than me don't really remember seeing him much. I used to play with his nieces Carol and Patty McCaffrey,(mum Margaret) they used to come down from Maple street off Whetstone Lane every sunday to visit their nan Mrs Cavanagh. Didn't really know many people from Claughton Road a Mrs Wilson who had a son Stephen? Happy days indeed.
Hi patsylodo thinking about Bentinck street, do you remember Ainsworth's and Jardine's sweet shop. Also I remember helping the 'Crisp Man' unload boxes of crisps. There was a shop/storage where boxes of crips were stored this was on the corner of new Gladstone St. I remember a lad named Peter Goodwin who lived down the road from Ainsworths? I remember the Thistle pub? on the corner of Fox street and a chippy at the top of Bentinck St somewhere up by MANWEB on the opposite side.
All the families that you mentioned I remember well... the Smalley's lived next door to us... I was quite shocked to hear that David Smalley passed away couple of years ago...
Hi Ann Sad to hear about David, he and Sandra were very close as kids, I think they were related to the Sands family further down their street. Did Glenys Pontin live opposite you? Going down Lowther on the opposite side to yours I remember a lady called Vera (Lally)? she had one son Raymond. I had a Sat. job and worked with Vera in Johnny's fruit & veg shop in Exmouth St. every Sat. morning my mum would do a cooked breakfast for the two of us and I'd run round home when it was ready and take it back to the shop. Next to the fruit shop was Stan the butchers, his wife used to bring us in a cup of tea and homemade cake in the afternoon (spoilt rotten we were hey)! Next to them was the Humphrey's I only remember Colin. Then Mrs Wiggins, the Pugh's, Bernard Sharkey. Don't know where they went after leaving Lowther?
Hi... Margie yes we lived opposite the Pontins.. they were related to the Boyd's who live at the other end of the street right by the Big Entry... My brother used to drink in most of the pubs around Birkenhead so he often met up with former friends from Lowther street ...
Margie, Alan did go to sea,i think he was an electrician i remember Tony Cavanaugh bringing home the record Rock around the clock long before it was out over here i think he got me my first pair of Wrangler jeans you could not get them here at that time. I met up with Tony in Aussie after he jumped ship there Do you remember a lad called Brian Lovic i think he lived in Gladstone st,he was a boxer i think, my memories are all flooding back Do you remember a family called the Deers my sister Beryl married Ray I wish i could have a pound for all the visits i made to Baines the pawn shop for the women on our road,they were to proud to be seen going in there they used to give me pennies for going
Hi MargieMck, the answer is yes and yes , the picture was taken I think around 1966 before they heaved us out, we went to the Ford and I believe the Pugh's went to the Woodchurch, the Sharky's went to the Ford and lived next door to Sharon and Chris, and Maurice and Georgy Jones are on the Woodchurch, Kenny Sharkie lives in Liverpool and Maurice and George Jones are fit and well as to a year ago.
Hi Margie... Sure I was in same class as Peter Goodwin.. did he live with his Dad ? .... I also went to school with a girl called Julie Amos ..think she Lived in Gladstone Street also..
George I remember a Brian Lovatt he lived opposite us don't know if he was a boxer though. If it's the same person he had a brother Arthur and a sister Christine. They were related to the Challanors. Anyone remember Norman and Sandra Challanor? Don't know the Deers.
Ann Peter did live with his dad. Julie Amos lived in Sun St. Some other people I remember in Sun St are the Cavanagh's Danny and he had a sister Maeve. Also Margaret and Edward McKinnon.
Hi Dave thanks for the info. nice to chat about old times it's funny I can't remember recent events! but have great childhood memories. Playing kick the can and climbing the lampost at the top of lowther also skating down the wide entry or as we called it the Big Hill. Do you remember the mission at the end of Fox St near to the Thistle pub?
Hi Margie... Me and my brother had to go to that mission every Sunday !! from what I can remember it was run by three Old women... One vivid memory I have is of a group of us kids standing in a small room, it was xmas week and we were about to go Carol singing, Mrs. Simpson gave us all a long stick with one of them Chinese Type Lanterns Attached they must have had a small candle inside because she proceeded to light the lanterns, next thing I remember is there being a mad panic because the Lanterns had caught fire ! .....
Were they like Ena,Martha and Minnie!! I can just imagine the panic, can you imagine giving kids today lit candles with all the H&S regs to be followed. Do you remember how busy Exmouth Street used to be. Does anyone remember Mrs Pringle's fish shop and the Off Licence which was run by Mr & Mrs Brandon?
From what I can remember.. one of them always wore a Ginger fur coat thast had a strange musty smell... The shops I remember in Exmouth street .. Cafe, Okells, stan the Butcher (Adult) Book Shop !.. Wool Shop.. Lord Exmouth Pub .. the scrap yard.. Bains' pawn shop.. on other side of Exmouth Street a Cake shop near the top.. a Fish shop run by two sisters ( think they were twins ).. little grocery shop and a sweet shop (opposite the scrap yard)
Davey i have just about given up on trying to contact my mates from Bright St in the 50s i have tried all sorts with no success Surley there not all pushing daiseys up there must be someone out there that knows me, i will keep trying
hello all i'm a newbe to this site- and low and behold a family link- the Cartwright's- my maiden name is Cartwright and i have linked my ansestors to the streets you mention- my great great grandfather was Daniel Cartwright and grandfather was fredric Cartwright- does anybody remember who David Cartwrights father was? its a long shot i know- but worth a try??
Hi I'm a newbee too. It may be helpful to you to read George Hayes's comments 29 Oct. He's meeting with Maurice Cartwright or may have aready met with him. Also see my posting 30th Oct. David is still living in Wirral as far as I know. From what I can remember his dad was Charles (Chuck) and I have some vague recollection that he may have worked at the brickworks in Moreton. Mum was Margaret. They moved to the Ford Estate when we all left Gladstone Street. Hope this helps and good luck.
Margie Maurice Cartwright was my best mate in the 50s we grew up together my sister still sees David now and then thats how i got in touch with Maurice ,we have not met up yet Iam sure ANN could help you as she still keeps in touch with my sister, its worth a try as i do not live in Birkenhead i never see any of my old mates to ask htem were they live now Best of luck i am sure you will find them
great to read, remember few streets most had gone by 1970s thanks memory, nothing on park street, kimnel street or rhyl street behind school any photographs please
I met up with Maurice Cartwright yesterday for the first time in about48 years it was great to see my old mate again, a lot of water has gone under the bridge since we last met I told Maurice people were asking about his family on this page so you may hear from him
Hi I have just been reading all the messages about Lowther/Exmouth Street and found it very interesting. I lived in 29 Gladstone Street( Dave Ellis )and i have fond memories of some of the people and places mentioned in this forum . I went to Cole Street school and then Hemingford Street I would like to hear from any one who remembers me .
Dave i used to live on Glaughton rd and i had mates in Gladstone st ,i do not remember you by name What years did you live there , i to went to Hemmy from 1951 to 1955
Hi George I was born in Gladstone st in 1954 lived there till about 1968 when we moved to the Woodchurch. I went to Hemmy about 1965. But my brother was there about 1955 his name was Arthur i think the people you knew where a bit older than me you would have to give me a few names i may know them. I remember the Cartwrights who lived in the first house by Baines pawn shop one of girls was my age i think her name was Elizabeth ive just seen the two pictures of lowther st/back exmouth st on previous pages i may have been one of the lads on the wall never thought id see that veiw again GREAT TIMES
Hi Dave most of my pals lived in bright st & back eccky and were older than you you had me worried a bit Dave in your post when you say Baines was a (porn shop) i must have been missing out on something when i lived there, i know what you mean i used to take things there for the some women on our street as they did not want to be seen going to the pawn shop they thought it was degraiding they were to proud
Dave i used to like HEMMY it was a good school to go to When i talk to people around my age here i am amazed on how little they know on history and geography,they must have brain washed me there Your brother must have been there when i was there I remember a bloke who lived in Gladstone st, he used to sail on the banana boats and he used to walk with a bit of a list I seem to remember that he was either killed in a fight or he was in a fight were someone was killed i think they hit there head on the gutter
Just as a point to Maurice and Georgy Jones from old Lowther St and health , I met both at Ellesmere Port tat market and both are not well, they tell me Raymond Wilkie lives not to far away from them, Vera Wilkie aka Lalley her son.
Going back to Sun Street, I too went to Cole Street 'till about 1968 then went to Hemmy 'till about 1971 I think !! I remember the Deers living not far from me on Sun Street. Our neighbours both sides were called Owens even though they were not related, the Wilson's lived further along and the Bailey's (Ann & John) lived the other end by Richmond's shop. Does anyone remember the horrible fire in the house at the top of Hilton Street (Sun St end) where the three poor little kids died ??, I think their Mum's name was Sandra.... it was absolutely heartbreaking
Great reading all these names i remember as a kid in Lowther Street, although my nan and gag would turn in their graves with everyone spelling their name wrong..lol ITS PEW .. Jack & Molly Pew LoL..
I Have really enjoyed reading and seeing the photos from yesteryear, i remember playing in the bombdys as a six or seven year old next door to the lord ecky pub, where we stashed our bommy wood, and had pitched battles with other streets to protect our stash. i would love to know when the picture of lowther st was taken, i could well be one of those urchins.
Hi, I hope this photo might bring back some memories. It was taken in the summer of either 67 or 68, for the sunset behind the houses, which were just a shiloete. I've recently re-scanned the image to give detail of the houses. It's not marvelous - after all, they wern't the subject of the picture.
The photo is taken from near the bottom Exmouth St, where it flattens out, looking west to the houses on one side of Bentnick St. It could be Sun St that we see the end of terrace on the left side, but it could be the backs of the shops in Conway St on the right. Another clue is the shadow of a raised roofline behinf the terraces. Sorry to sound vague, but it was a while ago. Modern houses were built there, possibly firemans houses, which were demolished while still quite new, and the ones that are there now were built in their place.
I've written on this before , so please forgive me if I'm repeating myself - but a few more things have come back to me . My mum & dad had the shop at 90 Bentinck St and I was born there in 1960 . Although I was only very young when we moved I do remember some things . There was Len the butcher who moved up to Derby Rd-in Bentinck St itself there was a sweet shop called either Jardine's or Ainsworth's .One of our neighbours was Ann Williams (or Williamson?) and my first best mate was Malcolm Dutton who lived in Lowther St.My sister , Pauline Wilson, was older than me-she was born in 1952 and my mum and dad were Tommy and Edie Wilson . Does anyone remember them ? My dad was a boilermaker and at the time I think he worked at Rutherford's (Neptune Street ?).We moved to Sale in about 1964 , coming back to Birkenhead a year later-my old lady wouldn't settle! We then lived in Crown St until '68 when we moved to the Noctorum .
That picture looks as if it's taken from Hilton st and looking towards the houses in new Sun st, the Deers lived in one of them, and yes I remember the Pews and I remember Cavan Hi Cav , I lived at 13 Lowther and we moved to the Ford and as my mum didn't like it, we moved to Hilton st.
does anyone from Lowther St remember winnie the witch. she lived in the big house on the corner, i think her name was Violet something, she frightened the life out of us....
I don't think that it is (little) Sun St. There doesn't appear to be any shops and on opposite corners of Sun St were a butcher and Miss Heggies. The Deers lived on the odd number side as did the Griffiths. I remember the Duffs and old Mrs Griffiths on the even number side. The style of houses look like Bentink St where the Ashmans (bookies)lived but I cannot see the little hall where my dad used to pay his boilermakers' subs. But I was only a little kid in those days and a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then.
I've taken a better look at the map now. I'm still sure that it was taken from the pavement of Exmouth St, and there is just a little bit showing at the botttom. I think the houses are in the block numbering 42 to 62 Bentnick St, with demolition already taken place between Moon St (coming in from the left) and Rose St. It was the mention of a hall that helped me with this. On the extreme right of the row is the hall, I think. It's got a lampost in front of it, which is lit. At first I thought that it might have been the backs of the shops in Conway St, but it's too far up. This means that we are looking at the end of the entry and the back of the terrace of houses in Sun St, over towards the left of picture, about a quater of the way across. Because it's the back, we can't tell if its shops or houses. But I still can't figure out what the shiloete is just above the roof line of the middle houses in that block. Hope this helps.
Yep, I agree. I forgot about the Sun St entry.and that is the hall behind the lamp post. Bert Ashman lived a little bit further down Benny. You would nip down the entry by the hall and put the bets on at his back door. Dear God! I'm old.
Re davey Hayes ( sunday school ) I remember most Sunday's Miss Simpson throwing you out for being naughty !...... then you would disrupt her Bible lessons by throwing stones on the roof ...
( Annie )
Last edited by anniebluenose; 16th Mar 20123:38pm.
I remember raymond deer. My sister gillian and i, we lived at 36 Lowther st,went on either a school trip or sunday school trip i forget which with him to colwyn bay mountain zoo and while he was trying to collect peacock feathers for his mum from the bottom of an enclosure (through the bars) a meercat ran up and bit him on the finger. I remember falling about laughing when a woman standing next to him asked if it hurt and when he said yes, she smacked him over the back of his head and said it was serves him right. Raymond lived next door to the old dear who had a cat named wilberforce she was forever knocking on doors and asking if anyone had seen her pussy, which caused an awful lot of tittering i can tell you.
idoi lived at 65 craven st my name is robbie johnson she would shout at u if u looked at her i think the police had to get her out of her house so it could b knocked down i was about 9 i went to cole street school and played on the corne of craven st and sun st
I lived in 34 Lowther Street with my parents Sandy and Ann Williamson and my sisters Linda and Jean until I left to join the Army in 1964. The family moved to the Noctorum in 1970. Some of my mates were Kenny Sharkey, Peter Chisholm and John Williams from Fox Street. I remember Winnie the Witch (AKA) Violet, who lived on the corner of Old Lowther Street. Paul O’Grady lives close to me in Kent, I sometimes see him in the local supermarket, but I can’t bring myself to approach him and say “I know your Vera”. Hard times, but good times – taught me how to deal with life
Hi Margie i have been enjoying reading everyone's memories from lowther st. and putting faces to the names. the only kid i remember being my best mate was John McKenna. he and Tommy must have been your brothers . i think Tommy was our Roberts mate, what a small world, i hope all are doing well, remember me to john. i was brought up by Jack & Molly Pew at 15 Lowther,
Hi,I am new to this, I lived in 188 Claughton Road,My name was Beryl Burnett,my brother's name is David.Our house was on the corner of Claughton Road & Exmouth Street opposite was a sweet shop across the road was The Bakers & The Music Hall.I went to Cole Street school,then Conway Street School with Carole Williams & Jean Hughes from new Fox Street,Barbara Kerr from old Fox Street, Brenda Lee from Bright Street,also Dorothy Griffiths from Gladstone Street. Lesley Wiggins from Craven Street, Norah Dolan from Bentinck Street. A couple of years before the houses were pulled down Peggy Roberts moved in next door from Back Exmouth Street. Does any one remember me?
I used to live at 263 glaughton rd i met one of your family on a cruise about 2 years ago in the Mediteranean She was married to a relation of the Deers
ers my sister Beryl Hayes was married to Ray Deer i remember your big house well we lived right opposite i left in 1961 to go to sea, i left Birkenhead for good in 1962 All my pals all lived around there
Hi George,We remember you from the cruise, its my husband David who lived in Sun Street then Craven Street who was a cousin of Ray Deer. Davids brother Ian Rhodes married Barbara Roberts,Peggy Roberts daughter who lived next door to us,its a small world.
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the ones I've seen is Norman Humphries and his wife ,I met him I think in Al-Kobar or Dammam he was working on the oil jetties while I was over there ,I think they have a farm down south now,Ronnie Sands I seen a few times and his sister June,George and Maurice Jones I've seen a few times last time at a steam rally in July,Kenny Sharkie went to my big sisters party at the Arrowe Park hotel,Ron Wheeler who lived with his nan in Bentinck st opp the COOP emigrated to Australia. 
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