Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Oleo Works

Oleo is a type of purified cooking oil used for making biscuits. The chances are, this building was an edible oils factory.

Usually animals intestines were brought from Woodside or Tranmere Lairage and processed into fat, then purified by putting it though a press. This would produce Oleo oil and Stearine was the bi product which was used to make grease proof paper. I know this because I worked in a factory that did this.

Oleo oil was also used as a lubricant for the axles on railway wagons. Some wagons had a box at the end of each axle where a block of fat was placed.

Oleo Oil has now been replaced by vegetable oil by most bakery companies.

There was another factory in Cathcart Street called British American Products which also rifined Oleo. This company moved to new premises in Duke Street/ Cleveland Street in 1967 and the building is now used as Happy Als bus garage.

In the first picture,you can see some white double doors on the first floor.Around 1982/83 I delivered a very large drying table there for screen printing.We had picked it up from a factory in Blackpool took there and craned it up to that floor,I've often wondered if it is still in there as it was not the easiest of things to move,it was a creepy place then and I don't think the printer stayed there very long after,as he had a new business on Argyle st and then other stuff kept him occupied for a couple of years later.

Chris.

When Ducko and I went to explore this place,we found that the floors and rooms where sectioned off into units which had various business`s in.There was a lot of business`s there from the rag trade.Was this table used for printing of material?

This place has/is being used as an engineering works also. Go past it about 10 times a day, needs a further "mooch"!!

.... Could it have been a margarine factory? ....