I love these houses in Warren Road, Hoylake (just off King’s Gap if you don’t know it). I’ve never been inside one and I know you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, but they seem to be very attractive homes. If anyone knows of their history please do comment below.
This photo was taken during a (presumably cold) walk with my wife back in January.
Yes, it’s a great little terrace! I’ve always loved it but don’t know it’s history save that it was presumably built on a rabbit warren on the Hoylake dunes.
The end house nearest The King’s Gap used to belong to a Miss Rose who was a well known Hoylake character until her death in the late 1970s(?). Edna Rose was I suppose an ‘eccentric’ but also a very talented artist – she sculpted an otter statue for Chester Zoo and bits of sculpture were dotted around her garden.
It’s fair to say that the house was a real mess with the front completely obscured by ivy and the garden untended for many years and populated by dozens of cats and dogs. She used to take the dogs walking on the beach, about 6 at a time on string leads, and of course they all loved her!
She was also an active conservationist and a stalwart of the local WWF branch which used to hold its annual fair in Hoylake’s Central Hall. I always helped out running the stalls and games, it was great fun.
Like Peter Wilson I remember Edna Rose well- a fascinating woman. In one of the houses towards the Queens Road lived a Miss Elsie Ferrier- she was a niece of the late Kathleen ferrier, the famous singer. My mother in law had worked for Elsie Ferrier and when I got married in 1963 we received a wedding gift from Miss Ferrier.
Pretty houses- and its good to see them looking good. I hope the current owners appreciate them.
Always knew that John Brumfitt had some connection to Kathleen Ferrier.
Good to know you check out this website Bob. John’s connection to the Ferrier family was very tenuous as Elsie was an aunt of Kathleen’s.
Sue
Thanks for the feedback.
Jackie Hall also says:
“Years ago Miss Rose lived in the 1st House of that block nearest Kings Gap, with her many dogs and cats. She was a Sculptor and created the Statue in the Seal Pond at Chester Zoo.”
Think I’ll have a search for Miss Rose and see what I can find – I’ve never heard of her.
Hi John,
It will be interesting what you turn up for Miss Rose and I think you will find that two Miss Rose’s lived in Hoylake (related maybe sisters.) Late 40’s early 50’s one lived on Market Street between Queens Road and Cable Road with an entry accessed from Queens Road running behind the house and as a child I would sit on her back wall watching the monkeys!! One lived on the Moreton stretch at what was Phil Oakden’s farm also at that time one had kennels at the bottom of Carr Lane.
Miss Rose lived during the 1930`s in the middle house of the five terraced houses between Cable Rd and St.Lukes Church. She did indeed have 2 monkeys that you could see playing in her windows. The corner house on Cable was a dentist Mr. Westmoreland? and the house next to St.Lukes was Dr.Browns.
Miss.Rose had a kennels in Carr Lane where she kept white Persian cats with fabulous blue eyes, in later years 60`s she ran Greenfield Kennels on Meols stretch, so this may account for all the animals in Warren Rd.
There were in fact three sisters. Stella worked with children and lived in West Kirby.
Edna, as you have said, lived in Warren Road with her animals. We still have a painting of chipmunks she did for our wedding preasent in 1974 also a model of a horse. Vera did in fact own Greenfield kennels after which she moved to moreton also surrounded by animals. I visited her most weeks for many years.All three were very interesting people!
Sue Vine asks:
“Did Edna run a riding school in Carr Lane – or is my memory playing tricks?”
I have a very vague reccolection that she did, Miss Rose also bred Ferrets and could often be seen in the late 40’s early 50’s driving a pony and trap to Hilbre.
My G Grandad had a riding scool in Hoylake
Moved from Scotland in 1901 lived at 47 Cable Road
Where he operated from I would love to find out thought perhaps he may have advertised in alocal paper ??
Have been to Cable Road to have look
Any help or info would be gratefully recieved
01952 415949
I really do enjoy getting all this information from the past (and present of course). Thankyou to all the people who make this website interesting,and for keeping me informed of all the goings on. I am a typical girl with a nosy personality. Keep it up troops!
dear sue yes miss rose did have a riding school down carr lane. I used to ride there and my friend Jackie Bird worked there helping miss Rose with the horses. Good days. Bye for now Helen Carr.
I am lucky enough to live in number 3. The houses where built in 1856 and I am led to believe that I am the 8th occupant from title deeds. The property was originally bought by ho. Edward lyulph Stanley and Hon.charles James Stanley Howard commonly known as viscount Morpeth and the land owner was Fredrick William Carson and they paid £850 (bargin) then leased to Henry Edward John baron Stanley of alderley on a long term life lease. In 1899 mart Carson became the next registered owner at an increased price of £1160 (still a bargain) the full list of occupants eluned ellams, Fredrick John less, Leslie Millward Hughes, John errington baty, Francis Lawson cook, David Reginald white, William Davies Hughes and Joanna and Steve Nicholson. I love my home.
Thanks to Hoylake library, I’ve found this site. I wanted to find out if there was some sort of Edna Rose Appreciation Society because I knew her in my teens (the 60s). She was a lifelong friend of my grandmother, Mrs Annie Nash who lived in Greasby.
I have a still vivid recollection of ‘Aunty Edna’ in a floral summer frock, her plentiful grey hair tied up with string, astride her bicycle en route for the various butchers in Hoylake for bones and meat scraps to feed her houseful of cats and dogs. I also recall that there was an exhibition of her art in the Hoylake library. Only one painting stays in my mind, of her pet chinchillas which later went on to chew through the flex of her kiln, and thus my 18th birthday present, of a baby zebra, was left unglazed. I have it still, together with my 21st birthday present – a saluki (an Arab hunting dog, like a greyhound). These were presents from my grandma and when she died, I received her collection of Edna’s work – only a few pieces, but I love them.
Whilst I don’t propose to die for another decade or more, I did want to return Edna’s work to her home town eventually, and I was trying to find out whether that would be possible. Does anybody in Hoylake have any ideas?
I plan to be in Hoylake 17 and 18 August (and to pop across to Chester Zoo to see her otters that I knew about (and others have mentioned here too). It would be lovely to meet up with anyone who knew Edna and to share a few memories.
One other memory I have is Edna driving my grandmother and me in the governess trap, pulled by Queenie, across the sands to Hilbre Island. After Queenie died (colic, I think, from rotted hay thrown into her field), despite her advanced years Edna promptly went to a fair in Wales and bought a replacement which looked so like a cow it was named Hereford.
If anyone is interested in seeing photos of the animal sculptures that I have, please let me know where to e-mail them too.
Sheila Nash
Kent
Hi Sheila
Thanks for commenting!
You can always email photos to me at news ‘at’ hoylakejunction.com. I’m not sure who would be a suitable custodian of the art work – perhaps a fellow reader will have a good idea?
Kind regards
John
Editor, HoylakeJunction.com
I knew Edna and her sister ,Vera, very well.I had the pet shop in Hoylake until I retired six years ago.
I too have some of her work. One is a painting of a pair of chipmunks she gave us for our wedding present 39 years ago. The other is a model of a pony.
I remember her pony we called him Hero.
It would be nice to see pictures of her work. She was certainly a character
Dear Jan
I’ve photographed 3 pieces that Edna Rose modelled which came to me via my late grandma Mrs Annie Nash (nee Bourne). If you give me your e-mail address I’ll send the photo to you, and then you may know how to post it on this site – I don’t!
You probably know that Edna went on safari to South Africa to observe and draw the animals, then came back and produced some beautiful models: hence the baby zebra. The gazelles belonged to my grandma and I always admired them.
I also inherited a small model of a Pomeraniam sitting on a blue cushion which I gave away a few years ago to proud owners of a fluffy ‘Pom’. The Dachshund and leopard models I’ve sent to the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum in Birkenhead – which is where the models I still have will be going once I’ve popped my clogs.
I’ve just unearthed some letters from Edna to my grandma + my 21st birthday card. They are deliciously arty and amusing in her hasty scrawl + little sketches along the way. If you’d like me to photo copy them and send them to you, please give me your address.
best regards
Sheila Nash
I live at no1 warren rd the previous home of miss rose. Fascinated to read about her which has only increased my love for this property. Rest assured I will be taking my boys to see her sculptors at Chester zoo. Please keep this site going an updated. Regards charlie williams
Sheila Nash replies:
Dear Charlie
Do speak with your neighbours in the big white pebbled dash house on the corner: they’ve lived there for ?30 years apparently, and knew Edna Rose.
Hope you and the boys enjoy Edna’s otter fountain at Chester Zoo.
best regards
Sheila
My grandparents used to live at No 1 Warren Road. Their names were Samuel and Kathleen Foster. Grandfather died in 1945 and I imagine the house was sold soon after that. I remember the house then, it was beautifully kept, very up to date for its time. We went back to see it sometime in the 1990s and it was then in a terrible state and almost derelict. Sounds as though it has now been renovated. Have you any more info on it or photos – would be very interested as am in the process f writing up the family tree and want to include details of any houses my ancestors lived in. Live in the London area and so unlikely to visit in the near future. Gill Gibbins
Hello Gillian
Well you can use google streetview to see what all the houses in Warren Rd look like from the road.
According to the Land Registry details the property was last sold in 2004.
John
I have just found this site and I am most interested in finding out about James (Jack) Ellis Hughes (DOB 06/02/1906. He died in 1963 of misadventure. He was a motor fitter of 21 Queens Road Hoylake. He is my husbands grandfather. We have been trying to find out if anyone knows of him and of any family he had. He separated from my husbands grandmother in or around 1936, leaving 4 children behind whom eventually ended in childrens homes as the grand mother passed away in 1945 in Birkenhead. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
My great grandfather was Robert Aldred who lived at 22 Cable Road,also The Cot in Valentia Road..He was a contractor who built the Victorian houses in Cable Road and others? I should love to find out more.
Valerie Cauldwell
There where two Miss Roses.Edna was the artist ,and her sister Vera had the kennels for a while on the Meols stretch. She lived in Bermudaroad Moreton for a while.Vera later moved to Pasture road Moreton. One time she had a kennels in the Chester area where she bred Rough Collies under the Cloverfield affix. Vera also had one of the first Belgian shepherd groenedael champions in theUk.Ch.Cloverfield Zelig Abel.
Zelik. Not zelig
I was a volunteer kennel maid for Miss (Vera) Rose in the late 60’s, as a teenager in school holidays and weekends. She was a wonderful woman and I kept in touch for a while after she retired from Cloverfield Kennels, moving to sandbrook road in Moreton and then to Bermuda Road. She had many interests, dog showing, and agility, rabbit showing and a bit of a dabble with fancy pigeons. I’m sorry to say I lost touch but she made a deep impression and is part of my childhood memories.
I was just looking up any information I could find on Edna Rose as I have two sculptures of hers, a rough coated collie and a shire horse. They came to my mother via an old friend, Hillie (and Walter) who lived in Upland Road in Upton next door to a couple ‘the Warner’s’ Hillie was a friend of Edna Roses. I love the pieces and I’d love to see pictures of her other works. I plan to visit the museum in Birkenhead that was mentioned. Thank you all, very interesting.