The old Hoylake Lifeboat Station has been put up for sale along with the adjacent car park. It is my understanding that the building is owned by Peel Holdings and the car park is owned by Wirral Council. I am attempting to find out the asking price.
Lifeboat volunteers had expressed a view that the building could be used as a local RNLI museum. There have also been speculative enquiries about the possibility of turning the building into a restaurant/wine bar.
What are your ideas/views?
I was surprised to see the ‘For Sale’ board going up, which means it will surely be sold to a developer, who will build yet another block of flats which are not needed at the moment.
The details are so far unavailable on the Estate Agent website re; price etc.
I was lead to believe that it was going to be turned into a RNLI museum/shop, which as it’s a ‘listed building’ would be a much better outcome for all.
A lifeboat has been stationed at Hoylake since 1803 long before the RNLI was formed in 1894.
So it would be a shame to loose this iconic & historic building.
Ian
How is it that Peel Holdings own the site, is it a throw back from M.D.&.H.B. days?
Hi Mike
Yes, Peel Holdings bought Mersey Docks & Harbour.
I was prepared to lead a project to acquire the old station and turn it into a Hoylake Lifeboat Museum, operated by a charitable trust. I restored the last Hilbre Island lifeboat, Chapman, now 109 years old, and also own the lifeboat we had in Hoylake in the 1970′s, the Thomas Corbett. She needs a lot more work.
I asked both the Wirral Globe and Hoylake & West Kirby News if they would like to support a campaign to set up a Lifeboat Museum, they didn’t even bother replying. I put a message on this web-site inviting interest….lots of people think it’s a good idea but they don’t actually do anything. I had no interest in being involved expressed by anyone. People will just complain if the iconic building is eventually pulled down or turned into a carpet warehouse, which is one of the potential fates which await it. We could have a superb museum but I cannot do it on my own. I have the historic boats, the lifeboat models exhibited on Lifeboat Day, an impressive collection of books and magazines on the RNLI going back well over 100 years….a Museum in need of a building!
THERE IS STILL A CHANCE OF PURSUING THE LIFEBOAT MUSEUM PROJECT BUT I NEED VOLUNTEERS PREPARED TO GET INVOLVED. I WOULD WELCOME RESPONSES THROUGH THE HOYLAKE JUNSTION WEBSITE.
John Parr
I have worked on projects to save things for Hoylake for 40 years now and am afraid to say poeople want these things but are not prepared to pay for them. The Boating Lake is the latest prime example.
We held a Public Meeting, persuaded the Council to agree to it being saved and a small group of Residents said they would fundraise for the £18,000.
Since September we have raised £15,000 but need the rest. We have appealed on this site, given out notices etc, but people do not donate very generously they just moan. Our next attempt to extract money is May 1st with a Concert in St Johns Church, Meols and then at the Open Day for the Lake on Sunday May 9th. Hopefully we will then be able to pay off the debt.
I grew up in Hoylake. Left in 1958 to a new life in America. I now live in Texas. I well remember the old lifeboat station and the yacht club nextdoor. The Winter Gardens and the matinees on a Saturday afternoon as a child. So many wonderful memories of my childhood and growing up in a safe harbor. My family home was on the Parade and not far from the “Baths”. How awful to have found out that the “Baths” were demolished. So many great memories there. It is true that one should never go back. I hope that you are successful in saving the lifeboat station. Once its gone its gone. Heritage should be saved and savored.
Unfortunately the building is not listed as alterationd were made to it in the 70′s. Only the towere retains listed status
Interesting to see that the site of a former promenade shelter house and hence a part of the promenade ‘public realm’ is now described as a car park and deemed to be a redundant asset suitable for disposal.
Privatisation by stealth!
The indicative plans drawn up by consultants up for the promenade talk about iconic sculptures etc. Well, this is perhaps the best place for such a statue dedicated top the Hoylake lifeboat crews.
I was the originator of the Lifeboat Museum plan which had, and supposedly still has, the support of Wirral Borough Council though they have linked themselves with Peel Holdings to seek to make money by selling off the triangle of public recreational land on which a shelter house stood for many years. I had an agreement in principle with Mersey Docks and Harbour Company that they would look favourably on my taking the building at a pepper-corn rent for 25 or 30 years so it could be conveted into a Lifeboat Museum and house, amongst other valuable items and models, the 1901 Hilbre Island lifeboat “Chapman” which I saved from destruction. Peel Holdings would not honour the understanding with MDHC, saying “we are not that kind of company.” If I can gather support locally I will look to secure the station as a future museum so please come forward if you would like to help. I also own Hoylake’s 1970′s lifeboat Thomas Corbett and would like to exhibit her along with all the popular lifeboat models the public see on Lifrboat Day and an archive of old and rare books and documents about lifeboats and lifesaving. All these were intended for the museum…but I do need broader help and support. The lovely old 1899 building would be a terrible loss, it is such a popular landmark. John Parr
What a wonderful thing to have saved two of Hoylake’s lifeboats including an original from the Hilbre station!! What a wonderful focus for a museum they would make. Where are they?
As Hoylake is one of England’s oldest stations pre-dating the RNLI, Hoylake would be a fitting place for a ‘Lifeboat Museum of the North’ with room for an additional building on the old shelter site. Lottery, NWDA, RNLI? Who I wonder could help?
LIFEBOAT MUSEUM?
I am the owner and restorer of the 1901 former Hilbre Island lifeboat”Chapman”, the last to be stationed on the island and oldest surviving Liverpool-type lifeboat, the familiar design which once formed the back-bone of the RNLI. I also own our 1970′s lifeboat “Thomas Corbett” which I brought back from Ireland. She needs considerable work but “Chapman” is ready for exhibition.
My dream has always been to establish a Lifeboat Museum in Hoylake. The likely sale of the Victorian station, a popular local landmark, presents an opportunity. If money can be raised by public subscription, the existing building can be saved and hopefully provide a fitting home for a Museum. I am prepared to take a lead and work hard to achieve this but I need to feel confident of local, community support. Perhaps people would like to show their interest through this website? I will make an email address available. Thanks for reading – John Parr, Hoylake
Hi John
I would be intersted to hear what your plans are now for the restored ‘Chapman’, would you have any plans to return it to its home, Hilbre Island?
What’s new with the old Lifeboat station? Any further developments?
Thanks for the recent enquiries. First, the old Hoylake lifeboat station. The tremendous display of community support persuaded the owners of the buildings, Peel Holdings, to sell them for development as a Lifeboat Museum. Without many, many people writing and emailing to the Board of Peel Holdings this would certainly not have happened and the old Victorian station would have been converted for commercial use. We are very grateful that Peel listened and responded to the community. We are also extremely grateful to Tony Crane’s local company Hylgar Properties who have put up the money to buy the buildings which will be leased on a long term, not for profit basis to the charity, “Hoylake Lifeboat Museum”. At present we are in the midst of surveys and are developing plans for the buildings themselves. We intend the Museum to include a shop, toilet facilities and a quality cafeteria. We will shortly be launching a “Friends Group” and have bid for funds through the Coastal Towns Initiative instigated by Wirral Borough Council. We aim to breathe fresh life into Hoylake promenade and be a unique and proud asset for the town. Along with a number of other local groups, we presented our bid to the Area Forum in Hoylake on 14th March. We hope that the public liked what they heard and voted favourably for us. The Council Cabinet will apparently consider the various bids and the Area Forum voting on 14th April. This will again be a Public Meeting I’m told, at Wallasey Town Hall. A successful bid would really enable us to get cracking this year. As for the second point, the 110 year-old “Chapman” lifeboat, we did consider returning her to Hilbre Island but this proved simply impractical. In any event, she was crewed by the Hoylake lifeboatmen and she will be the centre-piece of the Museum. A Victorian lifeboat in a Victorian Lifeboat House! If you would like to be kept updated on developments, please email me at “hoylelifemuseum@aol.com”. Thanks everyone for your continuing interest and support, it makes all the difference. John Parr, Chair of Hoylake Lifeboat Museum
Great work John any support we can give we will. Do you have an email address. We need to speak to someone who can tell about the extensive network of lifeboats and stations maintained by the Liverpool Dock Trustees late MD&HB around Liverpool bay. We also need to borrow a model of an early lifeboat to display in Liverpool Parish church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas during the National Merchant Navy Day service on Sunday 2nd September 2012.
Pat Moran
Good evening Mr Parr,
I would be willing to help with your scheme as much as I can. I contribute on local marine matters to BBC Radio Merseyside on a regular if small basis. If you feel you would like me to mention your efforts and plans perhaps you would get in touch and we can see how I could help and what would be best for you.
Best wishes,
Stuart Wood.