Many to Margot Triggs-Page for contributing a hat-trick (well I had to get a football reference in!) of old photographs for today’s Friday Photo. Hoylake of course was once a fishing village and some local families have their histories anchored in sea-fishing or the life boats.
As Margot writes, her family – The Triggs – were a local fishing family
[the photo above shows] my Grandfather, Julian Triggs, taken on the shore somewhere in the vicinity of Government Road and the Sailing Club sometime in the very early 1900′s. Unfortunately, I don’t have the name of the dog, but he seems to like the ride!
The above photo shows a harvest of cockles being brought ashore.
Here we can see the men emptying cockles into a sack.
I think I’m right in saying that the cockle beds are currently closed. All local cockle beds (Meols, West Kirby, Thurstaston) were closed for several years before opening again for controlled, licensed fishing a year or so ago.
I’d love to publish more local fishing photographs if anyone has any?
My dad used to catch shrimps, and when there were no shrimps it had to be cockles, and they were a lot heavier than shrimps, especially if you only had a carrier bike to transport them!
You could see the cockles squirting out water through the sand when you walked over their beds. You raked them up in the last couple of inches of water of the receeding tide, and then riddled the remaining sand off them a little further out. (the men in the photo are standing in shallow water for that reason) Your riddle had to conform to regulations to let baby cockles out.
I used to follow the cocklers about, and I am sure Trigs’s horse was called Dolly Daydream. The cockles were taken to a boiler house over the railway – either Melrose Ave or the one further up. There were piles of empty shells around it, I wonder if they are still there somewhere?
Mr Triggs told me the horses also used to pull the lifeboat, and when the maroon went up, they would kick open the stable doors and race through the streets to the lifeboat shed. The horses were always first there!
Ian….
Nice to hear your memories. I enquired from my father if they ever had a horse called ‘Dolly’ and yes they did, followed by ‘Kitty’, followed by numerous tractors.
You are correct in thinking the cockles were taken to be cooked down at the ‘Cook House’ in Car Lane. I spent many hours down there as a child playing amongst loads of shells. If my memory serves me right the brothers sold the shells to someone who ground them up for various uses.
I do wish I had some lovely Hoylake shrimps for my tea this afternoon!
Best wishes.
Margot
I’d love to see Hoylake as a centre for local fishing once more!! Apologies for being completely ignorant of the subject, but are there many local fisherman left in Hoylake? Can you still get fish, cockles and shrimps off the coastline here? Is there enough to sustain a business? If so, and if there are still local fisherman, what a brilliant thing it would be to see a ‘seafood shack’ on the promenade, or on Market Street! A kiosk selling locally caught seafood – wouldn’t that be special? Near the model boating lake, possibly combined with a proper ice cream kiosk or shop. There’s a great seafood shack in Oban, Scottish Highlands, so could it happen here? It would attract people to Hoylake from all over, as well as providing a place where local people could buy fresh, local seafood for tea. I know we already have a fishmongers on Market St, but why not more? And why not create a tourist attraction, which celebrates our local heritage? Could this happen?
I don’t know if Hoylake still has local fishermen – I’d like to know that too.
Cockling can be lucrative – hence the concerted attempts at regulation/policing when they reopened the cockle beds in West Kirby. Mussel beds can be found along the Dee towards Thurstaston. Shellfish caught locally are processed in Birkenhead (I think) before being shipped to Europe.
I remember the Triggs family from my days in Hoylake in the 50/60′s.
If my memory serves me correctly, they were also part of the Hoylake lifeboat crew.
I have only lived in Moreton for 3 years, i come from Liverpool, however my Grandma’s family are from Hoylake, i am quite intrigued with their history, my Great Grandfather’s family had two fishing fleets in Hoylake, must have been late 1800′s? Their family name was Evans a big Free- mason Family, when i look up the history of Hoylake i can not find anything, the strange thing for me is i absolutely enjoy going fishing with my husband, we take part in all aspects of the sport, i can at least relate to my ancestors through this, must definately be in my blood as they say.
Hello Bernadette
My 3 x great-grandfather William EVANS was a Hoylake fisherman at the time of his marriage in 1799, but had moved to the Magazines area of Liscard by 1808.
Your great-grandfather’s family were most likely descendants of Robert EVANS (born c1828 in Mostyn, Flintshire) who married Jane DAVIES (b1829 Hoose) on 13 March 1850 in West Kirby St Bridget – Jane being a grandaughter of John BIRD (b1771 Wallasey) who was one of those lost in the 1810 Hoylake lifeboat disaster.
Children of Robert & Jane EVANS (all born in Hoose) included :-
1853 Mary Ellen (d1855)
1855 Elizabeth (m William RANDLES 24 December 1876 in Birkenhead St Mary)
1857 Edwin James (m Ann Glover HEAGUE 1 June 1879 in Liverpool St Peter)
1859 George Isaac (m Mary Jane STANLEY 25 December 1879 in Hoylake Holy Trinity)
1861 John Henry (d1869)
1863 Thomas Davies (m Elizabeth MULROY 14 July 1892 in Birkenhead Holy Trinity)
I remember my Grandfather David Armitage born 1876 who was a fisherman in Hoylake – a Master Mariner I believe. His father David Armitage also a fisherman born 1848. Joseph C Jones was my Great-great grandfather also a fisherman from Hoylake. Can anyone give me any information regarding the fishing industry at this time and any insight into the social conditions of families.
I am currently researching my family tree. I was wonder if you had a brother or cousin named David also?
Please contact me at fanfilmfixes@hotmail.co.uk
Many thanks.
Dan Armitage.
Kathleen,
David Armitage born 1876 was my Grandfather, also Joseph C Jones was my great grandfather. I have a book entitled the Wirral Peninsula by Norman Ellison. Chapter 7 gives an account of Joseph Jones and his memories of Hoylake Also mentiones the Sherlocks, the Eccles’s the Birds and quite a bit of information about the fishing in Hoylake. Grandfather David Armitage was a Master Mariner – I thought I had his Certificate – but I guess its in the hands of another memebr of the family. My mother was Frances Armitage, what is your connectrion to the family
Many thanis
Vanessa/Kathleen
If I’m not mistaken, your grandfather David ARMITAGE (b1876 Hoose) was a son of David ARMITAGE (b1848 Hoose) and Mary Elizabeth EVANS (b1849 Hoose) who married on 29 March 1869.
David (b1848) was a son of Joseph ARMITAGE (born c1798 Wallasey) and Betty JONES (b1805 Great Meols) who married on 28 April 1823 in Liverpool St Mark.
Betty (b1805) was a daughter of Thomas JONES (b1779 Great Meols) and Ann BECK (b1781 WES Kendal) who married on 9 November 1801 in Liverpool St Nicholas.
Thomas (b1779) was a son of Peter JONES and Elizabeth HUGHES who married on 21 February 1774 in West Kirby St Bridget.
Peter & Elizabeth JONES are my 4 x great-grandparents.
The above Mary Elizabeth EVANS (b1849 Hoose) was a daughter of William EVANS (b1810 Seacombe) and Mary SHERLOCK (b1819 Great Meols) who married on 17 August 1835 in Liverpool St Nicholas.
Mary (b1819) was a daughter of Joseph SHERLOCK (b1776 Greasby) and Peggy JONES (b1784 Great Meols) who married on 12 August 1800 in Liverpool St Peter.
Joseph (b1776) was a son of Richard SHERLOCK (born c1742) and Elizabeth RICHARDSON (b1736 Parkgate) who married on 27 September 1764 in Neston St Mary & St Helen.
Richard was a son of John SHERLOCK (b1704 Oxton) and Mary, who are my 5 x great-grandparents.
John & Mary’s daughter Mary SHERLOCK (b1746 Raby) married my 4 x grandfather John EVANS (b1741 Puddington) on 29 April 1766 in Upton-in-Overchurch St Mary.
John & Mary EVANS’ son William EVANS (b1775 Liverpool) married Nancy JONES (b1780 Great Meols) on 8 January 1799 in Liverpool St Nicholas.
Nancy (b1780) being another child of the aforementioned Peter JONES and Elizabeth HUGHES – sister to the Thomas JONES who married Ann BECK, to the Peggy JONES who married Joseph SHERLOCK and to the Elizabeth JONES (b1781 Great Meols) who married John ECCLES (b1777 LAN Ainsdale) on 15 March 1801 in West Kirby St Bridget.
I think!
Dear Vanessa,
I’m just trying to find out a bit about my relatives in Hoylake and I think David Armitage might be my Great Grandad. My Grandmother was Florence Armitage (later married Karl Hughes) and I recall her telling me that her Father and Grandparents on both sides (the other being Jones) were Hoylake fishermen. I don’t suppose you could give me any clues please!? I’m particularly interested to know about the boats they owned.
Thanks & Regards,
Glen Armitage Hughes
I Remember Mrs Kyffin who used to cook and peel shrimps. I have forgotten how much they used to be but the were lovely at lunch time. Les Hazelhurst used to bring them to me.
THE TOP PHOTO AS MARGOT SAYS IS OF MY LATE FATHER-IN-LAW JULIAN TRIGGS .THE SECOND PHOTO WITH THE HORSE AND CART PICTURES MY LATE HUSBAND SID AND HIS BROTHER DANNY ,NOT SURE WHO THE THIRD PERSON IS , MAYBE A BIRD .IN THE LOWER PHOTO MY HUSBAND SID TIPPING A RIDDLE FULL OF COCKLES INTO A SACK HELD BY ANOTHER BROTHER CHRISTOPHER.
AND YES THERE IS STILL A TRIGGS IN SHORE FISHING , OUR ELDEST SON AND HIS ELDEST SON .HOPE THIS ANSWERS A FEW QUESTIONS .
Does anybody know anything about my great grandfather, Charles Henry Eccles, who died at sea in April 1913 and is buried in the local churchyard. His wife and daughter lived in Manor Rd, Hoylake at the time Myelderly uncle, who now lives in the States, knows nothing more than this. I’d love to know what happened to him.
Dear Glen, I have been researching the Armitage Tree and have managed to get back to 1521. I can however give you some information about the recent family. Your great grandfather was David Armitage born 1876 and your Great Great Grandfather also David Armitage was born 1848. Both were fishermen. Your Grandmother was my Aunty Flo and your father, Malcolm was my Cousin.
I have been trying find out some information about fishing boats – but its been difficult because I don’t remember any of the names of the boats.
The following passage is from a book “The Wirral Peninsula” by Normal Ellison
“The fishing now is no longer a paying proposition. Local fishermen blame the great increase in the number of seals, but it seems more likely that the real causes are increased pollution and the colossal number of immature fish killed by every haul of the shrimp-trawl. Before the First World War Hoylake was a fishing center with a fine fleet of some fifty deep-sea smacks. They were yawl-rigged vessels about 60 feet in length and some 40 tons in gross register. They carried beam trawls of about 50 feet spread, and steam capstans for hauling the nets and hoisting the sails . The crew consisted of three or four men and a boy: they left on a cruise which might take them anywhere in the eastern area of the Irish Sea between the Isle of Man and Cardigan Bay and last up to three or even six weeks. About 1887 the “Lake”became so badly silted up that the smacks used to sail from the Albert Dock, Liverpool. The coming of the steam trawler with its ice-plant at the turn of the century, rang their death-knell and gradually they disappeared. With them went Hoylake’s importance as a fishing port: really adventurous deep- sea fishing was superseded by trawling for shrimps and flatfish by nobbies seldom further out than the Bar Lightship”
I hope this bit of information is of some use. But if you are interested in the family tree I can send it to you to have a look at.
Vanessa
Hi Vanessa, My reply seems to have disappeared so not sure if you saw it. Of course I know who you are now! It was the surname that threw me. I would be fascinated to see the family tree you have made. Perhaps you could drop me a line so we can chat directly? Glena@hotmail.co.uk. Thanks & Regards, Glen
Hi Vanessa,
I remember you from when I was a kid! You used to visit Marine Rd. I would love to see your work on the Armitage family tree. Would also be interested to learn about the Armitage/Jones connection.
Regards,
Glen
This is a message for Gordon Evans – If he is still around!
On November 23rd you wrote a wonderful condensed history of the Armitage, Bird and Evans families. I am having a lot of trouble find the parents of Joseph Armitage born 1797/8.
There is a Joseph Armitage with parents William Armitage and Ann Bird. He is born in 1795 and dies 6months later in 1795.
Many people presume this Joseph who died in infancy is the father of David (b1849) and grandfather of David (born 1876). But this of course is incorrect.
Do you happen to know the parents of Joseph born 1797/8 who married Betty Jones (b1805).
It would be great if you could throw some light on this Joseph (he is my great-great grandfather) as I cannot go back any further until I am sure of his parents.
Many thanks
Vanessa