Bengal female cat has been missing from Saxon Road Hoylake since about 3.30pm on Tuesday 2 April 2013. She was wearing a brown camouflage collar but may have lost it. She is very timid if approached.

Please get in touch if you’ve seen the cat and I’ll inform the owner.

Alan Smith wonders how many former Hoyle Road staff you can recognise in the above photo? Alan says that the photo was taken in 1953 at the playing fields in Melrose Avenue.

A couple of readers have contacted me about their concerns over dog mess in Hoylake. One reader emailed:

I am emailing regarding the disgusting amount of dog mess which can be found not only on the beach but also on the roads in Hoylake, in particular, Charles Road and Market Street. It is unfair and something should be done to catch these people and fine them for their inconsiderate behaviour towards others. To my knowledge, there are no notice warnings telling people to clear up the mess. It is a shame as many people are doing their best to make Hoylake a clean and beautiful place to live. In many parts of the country, dogs are not allowed on the beach between May and October. Maybe, Wirral Borough Council should implement this rule here. It is a shame as there are many law-abiding down owners who one sees regularly clearing up after their pets. However, it is always a small minority who spoil it for everybody else.

Personally I don’t believe that this is a problem unique to Hoylake – I regularly run through West Kirby and there were a few “land mines” to avoid on the prom this week. A search in Google suggests the problem is nationwide.

Are irresponsible dog owners giving other owners and their dogs a bad name? Have your say in the comments below.

Unless you knew Hoylake well or had reason to go there, you’d never know that Hoylake Cemetery existed. Down Trinity Road and on the site of the former Hoylake Parish Church, the cemetery offers a glimpse into Hoylake’s rich past. Even if you’ve no reason to, you should visit it and read some of the gravestones …it’s something I intend to do this year.

I’d seen a couple of photos of the cemetery and as I was walking home late on Friday afternoon I took a diversion up Trinity Road. It was too dark really and the few snaps I took failed to show anything …but I like the one above of the gates. These are the gates that were restored about three years ago and the comments in this original post talk about a secret tunnel!

The other photos of the taken on Friday are from Matt Biagetti (of Hoylake Village Life, via facebook):

and from Jane Oliver:

Jan Foster (Hoylake & Meols In Bloom) has been researching the history of an imposing house on North Parade that goes by the name of Grebnul.

It transpires that Grebnul and the adjoining semi were built on behalf of the Liverpool brewing magnate Robert Cain for his daughters. I’ve featured Robert Cain before as he had at least one other house built in Hoylake on Meols Drive …read this interesting article to find out more. Why is the house called Grebnul? Apparently the name is Lunberg spelt backwards. As reported (pdf) in the London Gazette in June, 1915 a Mary Elizabeth Lunberg of Grebnul, Hoylake, changed her by deed poll to Mary Elizabeth Langdon.

Here’s an old image that I received from Jim O’Neil recently, showing the land to the front of Grebnul, the former shelter that was next to the original lifeboat station (shame that’s still not there for sheltering from stormy weather while looking out to sea) and in the distance what looks like a building that must have been right at the corner of Kings Gap and the prom? Anyway, if you have any more information about Grebnul and especially any old photos, feel free to leave a comment or get in touch.

I’d seen something out on Hoyle Bank today (Saturday 27th Oct) and wondered what it was; a photo taken by Vaughan Williams obviously shows that it’s a boat.

Anyone know why it’s there?

Former Hoyle Road School pupil Howard Dean would like to hear from other pupils who attended the old school.

Howard writes: “are there any former pupils of Hoyle road from the 1951 to 55 era, especially from the T1 and T2 classes who would like to contact similar pupils, now in their 70′s?”

You can email Howard directly at howard.dean@sky.com

Ricky Cooper, who has been undertaking some research into bygone Hoylake wonders how Marmion Road got its name?

He writes:

Sir Walter Scott wrote the poem “Marmion” about the Battle of Flodden Field (written 1807 ?)

1. Was Marmion Road named after this poem?
2. By coincidence Ellen Cooper lived in Marmion Road,Hoylake (1881 Census)
3. By coincidence again, next year is the 500th anniversary of the battle 09/09/1513.

Although the English won the battle – the Cheshire Archers under Stanley took many casualties signalling the end of their of their dominance in the European fields of warfare. All I need now is a link to a Wirral Archer!

Does anyone know why Marmion Road is so-called?

Donald Nicholson from Fort Myers, Florida kindly sent me the above photo of a freighter called the SS Nestos.

This isn’t the same SS Nestos that is locally known as The Greek, the boat or more accurately, what’s left of it, lies in the sand off Hoylake. In this post from a couple of years ago, we discussed the wreck of the SS Nestos and another, unidentified wreck that Vaughan Williams photographed. Donald says of the other SS Nestos:

“The SS NESTOS I was interested in is pictured in the attached picture. The photo was taken as the ship entered Rotterdam harbour in 1951. The photo was taken by A. den Haan fotograaf, Rotterdam, NL. My friend Theo Palis sailed on her at this time. I understand that she was originally the SS Mary Lyon 09095.43 1943 WSA, ( Cosmopolitan Shpg.Co, NY.) and was a Liberty ship during WWII, and later was purchased by Greek companyTheofano Maritime Co. She sunk in Hudson Strait at 63.39N 77020W.”

Many thanks to Dave Kay for alerting me to Meols being featured on a BBC documentary in a discussion about the Romans. It’s fascinating to see a coin found in Meols being discussed – view the programme in BBC iPlayer right here (UK only).

[EDIT]: oops, forgot to mention, fast forward to just after 24mins.