Many thanks to Chris Hankin for this week’s Friday Photo which happens to be a follow-up to the one I published last week. As we’ve seen a few old photos of male football teams and even an English Championship winning basketball team, it’s good to address the balance with some sporty females. Chris comments:
My nan Edith Hankin (nee Smith, kneeling on left) bowled for the Melrose Bowling Club for decades, and became their President for many years – I enclose a few photos with lots of the members – I’m afraid I can name only a very few of them – perhaps others can chip in?
Now I’m not sure if those are Hoylake houses in the background – they look like they could be but I’m struggling to place them. Any guesses?
[UPDATE: Sat 21st]
Chris has just sent me the photo below (click for larger) of a bowling team from the 1940’s, taken on the bowling green that was behind the former YMCA building in Hoyle Road.
Hello Hoylake from Dubai !!
I could be wrong but I’m pretty sure there used to be a bowling green at King’s Gap on the corner of Queens Road and the houses in the background are in that road.
Also the lady first from the left on the back row is the absolute image of someone I went to school with – Carolyn Dale-Jones and possibly that is her grandmother, but again, could be totally wrong.
Am interested to see what others can remember.
Ah yes – now I remember! There was a bowling green facing Queens Road and behind the old Stanley Hotel …which became Flat Foot Sams bar.
I think you’re right.
Seem to think the bowling green may have been in front of the Stanley and adjacent to the pavement of the main road. Was the entrance to the Stanley round the corner on the road (King’s Gap) leading down to the prom. The entrance to the banqueting suite was in Queen’s Road. We had our wedding reception there many, many, years ago !!
I’m hoping that someone can put names to the ladies in the photographs. Having now looked at the second ‘photo, I can see resemblances between one or two them and girls that I went to school with.
The top picture is definitely taken at the Market Street/Queens Road location Making the houses in the background Queens Road. The second picture I would agree is Hoyle Road making the house on the left number 8 Hoyle Road.
Pretty sure that’s our house in the background so that would make this the top of Hoyle Road showing houses 4,6 & 8.
The houses are in Queens Road, now in flats, my Mum-in-law lived in a flat in Number 4
I can only recognize my Great Grandmother Rachel Bird in the White Top kneeling, In the Melrose Club picture. Rachel is 7th from Left in the YMCA Picture I think the lady in the bottom left is a Great Aunt Dorothea Bird
There was also a bowling green at the back of the YMCA on the road down to the beach, my father Reg Stanley worked there in the fifties.
The second picture is of the YMCA bowling club it was a walled green at the back of the building and the club had many members and did well in local competitions. The 3 or 4 town houses in Hoyle Road (behind Elmtree Court) were built on the former bowling green after the whole site was sold. I don’t know when the bowling club folded but in the 60’s it was used by the 5 a side football team for practice and during the annual YMCA Summer Fayre it was used for the outside stalls. I can remember Gerry Marsden and Brian Labone both trying to score goals at one of the stalls after opening the Fayre.
What splendid photos from a bygone era and I agree with Gary`s identification of the Bird family members. In addition I also recognise my Auntie Gwen Bird ( nee Ware) who is in the second photo, front row third from the left. Gwen was the wife of Bob Bird who used to drive Jesse Bird`s furniture removal van and she for many years worked in Billy’s Cafe in Market Street. They lived in Chapel Road for all of their married life.
I have the feeling that the bowling club in Hoyle Road was called the Hilbre Bowling Club
How nice to see my Auntie May Smith of Melrose Bowls getting a mention having won the New Brighton open Comp. She loved the bowling and was also a keen golfer. May & John Smith managed Smith’s Farm down Carr Lane by the Muni. Golf house.Uncle John along with his brothers Alf, Bill & Sam(my Dad) were born there, Alf along with sons Ken & Cyril managed the milk round from a pony & trap with milk being laddled out of churns,one of my earliest recollections is being with them delivering milk this way in the mid 40’s. My Mum was one of the many Welsh girls that came to work in the “big houses” in service, i believe Syd Birds Mother was one of the Welsh contingent. Mum’s first employer was a Major Nicholson on Kings Gap opp. The Green Lodge his house was demolished to make way for flats, perhaps Charles Morris may remember the Major & family. Although never having lived in Hoylake i have a “feel” for the place through family connections and my 4yrs, 1952-56 at the Parade school.
Hello Allan,
you were quite correct in thinking my mother was Welsh. After leaving her hometown of Blaenau Ffestiniog as a fourteen year old she first worked in a private house in Colwyn Bay,then worked at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire (Duke of Devonshire residence) followed by a move to London and then finally finding work in Hoylake in the mid 1930`s where she met and married my father in 1938 . In Hoylake she worked for John Holt of the John Holt Shipping Line, his house was on Meols Drive and named The Priory.
I was at the Parade from 1953 until 1957.
Sounds like you were there at the Parade School with my brother Chris Wallen.
Hi Keith, I remember your brother Chris very well from our time at the Parade, if my memory serves me correctly he was a prefect and also became Head Boy. Is he still around?
Sadly passed away a few years ago, and yes he was Head Boy in his final year. The whole family migrated to Oz in ’63 but all of us had fond memories of W.K. & Hoylake especially Chris and I who always maintained that whilst the “Parade School” wasn’t the greatest school in the land it certainly gave us a good solid basic foundation to take on the world & I for one will be forever grateful to Mr.”Norman” Kendrick and a few others just for teaching me to think for myself.
Cheers & Thanks for all your input around this site, it’s much appreciated.
The lower picture, was most definitely taken at the back of the old YMCA and the houses in the background were in Hoyle Road.
My grandmother Helen Stanley nee Gordon, lived in Hoylake. She is 7th from the left on the back row, next to the lady in the white hat.
I am doing some research on my Family tree and I would dearly love to find any photographs or past information regarding Charles Knight, Edwin Francis Gore, I believe he was the Fishmonger – his wife Susan Seline Gore and any other family members – they lived in 40 Alderley Road and they are buried in Holy Trinity Cemetery. Please if anyone has any knnowledge of any of these family members I would really appreciate it.
Thank you
irene
Hi …I am a member of Melrose and Hoylake central bowls club and have been for over 40 years … we play over the railway lines by the ship Inn ..it is our centenary this year .. I are looking for any photos of the old wooden club house before it was burnt down and a date of the fire ..If anyone is able to help ..Many Thanks Debbie Huntington Green