*click for (slightly) larger version
Many thanks to Paul Doleman for a rare photograph of Hoylake taken from the air.
Paul suggests the photo must have been taken prior to 1937 because that’s when the roundabout at Kings Gap was constructed.
The old Stanley Hotel is clearly visible in the centre of the shot with the bowling green behind. That bowling green (or part of it) was still there when the Stanley had become Flat Foot Sams. I seem to remember that there was a car park there at some point too.
Other landmarks include the original Kings Gap Hotel (bottom left), Hoylake Outdoor Pool, Grove Park and the now-demolished Hoylake Parish Church in Trinity Road. You can see what I think is a jetty at the end of Meols Parade Gardens (centre top), presumably that was from Sandhey slipway? The eagle-eyed among will I’m sure spot many changes that have gone on over the decades.
What a wonderful photograph. I lived bottom end of Alderley road so thats where my eye was drawn- could see the old coastguard cottages clearly but the Winter Gardens must be just out of shot. It is amazingly clear and many landmarks easily spotted. Huge changes in 70+ years.
The Church opposite the crescent (bottom right) clearly shows a spire, was this the Church bombed during the second world war (hence no spire anymore)?
For some reason I intuitively wanted to view this as if I was looking in the opposite direction and had to perform mental gymnastics. Not sure why. Maybe it’s because I live at the Meols end. Anybody else get that? I mean it’s obvious with the sea being at the top. Great picture.
Hi i don´t think that´s the church because i don´t recall hoylake being bombed in the war, i think one fell on meols though,
Yes Richard , the ventilator ”spire” was hit by a ‘ fire bomb ‘ in WW II , burnt out , and not replaced .
The baths look only half-built , would that with the date ?
If the baths ARE half-built, then it’s 1931
I was always told that a stick of bombs fell on Meols . ” New ” post war houses , like 85 Meols Parade , allegedly marking where the bombs fell .
Yes meols was hit during ww11, howver, anything alluding to bombs falling on hoylake is total fabrication, it was only meols that suffered any damage,
Incendiary Bombing and Fire Hoylake Congregational (as was now Hoylake Chapel)
According to the National Archives for Cheshire see:-
http://archive.cheshire.gov.uk/dserve/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=show.tcl&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqSearch=(AltRefNo='ECC%209‘)&dsqPos=0
The church was hit by incendiary bombs in 1940 and badly damaged by fire. It was closed until it was repaired in 1950.
Sorry the link isn’t right, try:-
http://archive.cheshire.gov.uk/dserve/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=show.tcl&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqSearch=(AltRefNo='ECC%209‘)&dsqPos=0
Sorry again – ( Link needs moderating )
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=017-ecc9&cid=0
As a young boy in the 1940`s I clearly remember the church at the roundabout not having a roof on it,it looked as though it had been on fire.
With regards to bombs falling in Meols I can confirm that a bomb or bombs fell in Lyndhurst Road on the 2nd/3rd of May 1941,my father was killed there at that time.
Sorry, Dawn, Hoylake WAS bombed – not only does one of the bombs still exist (and I looked after it for some 20+ years), it was me that donated all the relevant archives in the above link to Cheshire R.O. in the first place!! No info on Meols bombings
Jim
My Father as a Policeman, Bill Reeves, risked his life to go into the church when the bomb dropped and the church went on fire, to rescue someone who was supposedly sleeping rough in the Church. There was no-one there. He was then off work for some weeks with lung problems after inhaling smoke.
Yes I know the church, matter of fact Elton John’s parents used to live close to there, I used to pass the church as I was a member of the ACT air cadets in Carr Lane, I find it interesting to look into history of places, amazing facts and peoples insights.
best regards Mike
At the top of the picture, central, but also covering one fifth to the right, you can see a large white blob. Are these sand dunes? If so, are these still here in their entirety. I’m inclined to think that houses have been built on some of it, towards Market Street. Can anyone confirm, and if so, any idea of when these were constructed?
Also, I am intrigued by the depth of the channel by the baths, could we use this as a clue to the year. The contours of the channel appear pretty steep, suggesting that the foundations of the baths have been in place for a while allowing the sea to make it’s established path around it (looks like a spring tide).
This would make a great day out, cross-referencing buildings to the image. We could also try old ordnance survey maps!
I think I’m enjoying this too much!
Hi Richard,
yes they were sand dunes,they were a great place for us kids to play in before they were replaced by a recreation area named Queens Park, in the early fifties if my memory serves me correctly.
Im not aware of any damage done to meols during the war, certainly hoylake suffered , my parents were evacuated to wales for a stint during the war years and they could see Liverpool all lit up in flames at times.
In Meols bomb damage occurred in Centurion Drive,Guffitts Rake, Lyndhurst Road and to a house on the main road located between Greenwood Road and Dovepoint Road.
I believe neighbors of my Great Aunt May were killed by one of those bombs. When I was young she lived in Guffitt’s Rake although not sure if she was in the same house during the war.
The house in meols on the main road (birkenhead road) that was bombed was number 155. I lived there for about 6 years from 2000, I remember the landlord telling me about it when I moved in. Just the corner of the house down stairs was damaged,no one was injured or killed, you could see a line in the brick work where it was rebuilt.
To Carol Haslam [March 8, 2012]
Hi Carol,
I was evacuated to Nantwich with my cousin, Barbara.
She married Tom Haslam, Bebington and they now live in New Zealand.
Any link ?
Ricky Cooper.
Hi Syd
I’m just wondering if you knew any of my relatives in Hoylake – your surname is very familiar to me! My grandparents were Edith and Tom Murdock (Groveland Avenue) and Winifred and Wilson (Waverley Road). They previously lived in Hoyle Road I think. My parents were Albert Murdock (with brother Ken) and Barbara Foster with sister Jean and brother John who very sadly was killed in the war.
Many thanks
Helen Dean
Great photograph. The woods can be seen in Government Road, they were pulled down in 1961. The Coastguard Cottages would be on the left of the woods, can not be seen on photo.
So were the remainder of the woods left behind the ‘old lady’s’ home on Government Road? I remember those old biddies shouting at us for playing football on the grass and for playing in the boatyard
There was a house at the top of Government Road that was in two flats, Bill Parr and his family lived in the bottom flat and a mother and daughter lived in the upstairs flat. The woods were down from that house, then the Coastguard Cottages, then the boatyard at the bottom of the road, so i don’t think ” those old biddies” could have shouted at you from that far away.
No, not those old biddies, the ones in the flats that replaced the woods
It’s funny, thirty years on and I’d be doing the shouting, the young don’t fear!
I grew up and lived in Hoylake but left about 60 years ago. My Great Grandparens lived at 11 Bank road. Has this now been changed to Governement Road? I can’t locate Bank Road on Google. Can anyone help.
Bank Road is now Trinity Road I rather think.
Strand Road used to be called Bank Road (I am 100% sure of this as an old map of Hoylake, posted on Hoylake Junction shows this), number 11 is where the Hart family live in the 70′s & 80′s
Oh was it Strand …right, thanks!
Thanks for letting me know about Bank Road now being Strand Road – I can look it up on Google maps now and see if I can recognise No 11 where my G.Grandfather Joseph C Jones lived.
Hoylake Junction is a great way of keeping in touch with whats going on.
Finding the Hoylake Friday Photos and the comments to them yesterday I just wrote mine concerning the former cafe in 28 Government Road. I was alerted by your remark about the Jones family at 11 Strand Road.Is there a connection with my 1966-67 penfriend ,Jennifer Jones, who lived in that house with her mother? Her last letter came from Lady Margaret Hall, a teacher training college at Ormskirk, in 1968 – and I found it unopened among my grandmother`s documents in 2000 ( it had been re-adressed and forgotten). All I tried to find Jennifer was hopeless as the name is such a frequent one, and it was probably changed by marriage. Will you be able to give help?
Capt J C Jones and his wife lived at 11 Bank Road (or Strand Road as it is now) in about 1880 until my G Grandfather died in 1947. The house was then sold, and I’m afraid I don’t know of its history since then. So I’m sorry not to be of any help. Perhaps someone else on this forum can help?
Hello Vanessa.
I hope I am not too late with this reply to you seeking help! I am trying to research my family history on my father’s side. The adress on birth and death certificates in 4 Bank Road (or Row), Hoylake. I realise now from reading this thread that the name was changed – no wonder my hisband and I could not find Bank Road when we looked in 2010 on a visit to the UK! My dad was Thomas Rennie, his father was John Rennie and his mother Marie Louise Rennie. Do you, by any chance, know anything of this family at all that might help me with my research? I would be grateful for anything! My dad died in 1999 and, of course, like so many of his generation did not talk about his life growing up or during the war – so I’m scrabbling around for any information about his early life. I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, Susan Jenkins (nee Rennie).
Gunnar, did you have a son called Stephen, I went to school with him and remembered your shop well, I’ve actually moved back to Hoylake, no. 4 Seaview, which I believe may have been an old customs house, so any info on the house would be great. Was yours the only shop down Government road, actually was there another in Strand Road
I am the Jennifer Jones who lived at 11 Strand Road with my mother. The house originally belonged to my Great Grandfather, Joseph Charles Jones. My Grandfather was Robert Jones and my father was also called Joseph Charles Jones, but was known as Charlie. All were Hoylake fishermen with different generations living in Wales and Hoylake. Many members of my family lived in Hoylake at the time. I remember you well Gunnar and was sorry that we lost touch. I enjoyed working in the cafe for your family on Saturdays and Sundays whilst I was at school. I went to college and became a teacher and we moved away in the early seventies. I have traced my family tree both in Hoylake and in Wales and I recognise many names mentioned here. Some of them are my relatives.
My Dad is Bill Parr, my late Mum was Eileen and yes, we lived in the groundfloor flat of the old Coastguard House at the top of Government Road from 1950 to 1961. Hoylake UDC bought the whole area when the Coastguards moved to Formby and redeveloped it in the 1960′s. My Dad still has the old rent book – we paid the Council 12/6d per week. 2 ladies lived in the upper flat – Mrs Chapple and her daughter Joan who worked at the Post Office. My brother Mike and I started out life there…..what a place to grow up with that wonderful wood! The rope swing was the main attraction I remember. There was always an owl in the wood which hooted at night and frightened me when I was trying to get to sleep. There is a marvellous photo of the Head Coastguard and his family on the Hoylake Photographic website and also a watercolour of the Coastguard House on the Lifeboat Museum website http://www.hoylakelifeboatmuseum.com. The house dated from about 1850 and our parents put a brave face on it when we were rehoused….we were very sad to leave the old house but very lucky at the same time to have lived there. JOHN PARR.
hi Lynn,
I was in Hoylake recently- it looked great. So much has gone on in the ten years since I was last there. hope you’re OK. I’ll be in Ireland in June- where do you live now. And where is Dena. I caught up with a few old faces including Rob Lydiate who i met up with for a drink in The Ship. Had a quick visit to Anglesey to say hallo to Betty- Norman Skeggs’s widow.
I love this website but haven’t seen you on there for a while.
Sue
Hi Sue, would love to catch up, maybe you could email me, lynnregan30@yahoo.com. Which part of Ireland are you going to?
We loved playing in that wood, I remember we had a long length of rope tied to a big tree we used as a swing. Great memories
That was our woods Rob, we only let you in if we liked you!!!! Joey Davis, Vinny Marmion, Pauline Marmion, I could swing higher on that rope than any of you.
I remember those days well (I think) did Dena Stanley live in Coastguard Cottages, I sometimes wonder where all those friends are now, so love this site. I now live in Tunisia but have some photos of old Hoylake around our house. I often come ‘home’ to see my Mum who still lives in Carr Lane and will be in Hoylake for a week from next Saturday 17th March, it would be good to meet for a drink and chat over old times.
I remember Dena Stanley when she and her family moved into Alderley Road- she had a sister- Linda I think she was called and her parents were Reg and Winnie. They shared the house in Alderely with granny and an auntie. I went to Dena’s wedding think it must have been mid sixties. But remember we lived in Meols then the wedding was at St Hildeburghs. My husband was working and I went to the church with Norman Skeggs- who also lived in Alderley and was a friend of the Stanley family.
Strange how these photos and the posts bring forth the memories!!!
Linda and Dena Stanley, their Mum and Dad Reg and Winnie, Winnie’s lovely old Mum Mrs Salmon and Winnie’s sister all lived in the old Customs House at the top of Government Road before later moving to Aldeley Road. Winnie was an excellent seamstress and dressmaker. I played with Linda and Dena as a child and my brother and I also went to Dena’s wedding at St Hildeburgh’s. I was Head Choirboy of the Parish Church and I sang a solo at the wedding…..Ave Maria as I recall.I remember a fantasic feast at the Stanley’s house in Alderley Road after the wedding.
Robbie, I remember you going out with Dena in the sixties, I must tell her you will be in Hoylake next week
John, you sang Ave Maria beautifuly at Dena’s wedding, I am glad you remember the food so well, I did the catering for it. Sue I remember you and John getting married and then moving to Zambia, and I remember you coming back again, I think you had two daughters.
Would be great to meet up, where do you normally have a drink?
Lynn replies:
I have lived in Ireland for the last thirty six years Robbie. I will try and get hold of Dena, maybe she and Ron could meet up with you and chat about old times, Sorry I can’t be there.
Thanks Lynn that would be good, I don’t remember a Regan from then, is that your married name, if so what was it before?
Sorry Rob, did I not say, ha ha. i have been called Lynn for a long time now but it is just a shortened version of Linda and my maiden name was Stanley, had you guessing did’nt I.
How did you end up in Tunisia.
So it’s you Linda, how fantastic after so long. I will never forget those fresh peaches with fresh cream in them at Dena’s wedding…..my brother Mike and I ate quite a few! Hope you are enjoying life in Ireland….like Rob, I would love to meet up and see Dena. My number is 07931 377702 if you could pass it on. I normally have a drink in the Plasterers or the Ship Inn. Best wishes John
Would be great if this could happen we arrive in Hoylake late on Friday 16th March (tomorrow) my UK mobile number will be : 07586 676594
Look forward to meeting you
Rob
Took early retirement and wanted somewhere sunny and quiet so moved to an island 12 miles of the coast. My wife Greta is Irish with family in both the North and the South, love Ireland but weather is too unpredictable and the last time we were there in December it was freezing.
Now I know how you kept in touch with Dena for 36 years
Rob, which part of Ireland is your wife from?
She has family in Castlereagh, Belfast and also a small village in the South, Ballymore Eustace near The Curragh , we have had some great times there. She is going to Ireland for a few days while I stay in Hoylake to see my Mum.
Rob, enjoy your time in Hoylake, sorry I can’t be there. John, I should be over in the summer, hope to catch up with you then.
Lynn (or Linda as I know you) Where are you in Ireland??? My brother Pete is in Connemara. I’ll be in Dublin soon to catch up with a niece. I often think about Hoylake and Alderley road. All such a long time ago and life is so very different now. Are you on Facebook? I’ve just put a couple of photos on there today- I use my maiden name of Vine a lot now- but never forget John. We ( my daughters and I miss him) but life with him wasn’t easy. Where is Dena now? Are your Mum and Dad still alive??????
Sue Vine Brumfitt
What a wonderful photo of Hoylake. My mother was born at 24 Grove Road in 1896, then moved to 12 Church Road which I believe was later called Trinity Road. The family then moved to 33 Alderley Road. She attended The Parade Higher Elementary School in 1910 (opened in 1909) for “advanced” schooling and attended Holy Trinity for 3 services every Sunday. I have had a few trips to Hoylake and am very interested in genealogy, especially the old fishing families. I live in Alberta, Canada.
Hi The church spire was hit by an incendiary bomb which lodged in the spire on December 20th 1940 three days after I was born. Does anyone remember the piece of land in Charles Road behind the row of shops that were opposite the old Fire Station as children we used to call them the stables and we used to play there for hours. you can see it on the old photo from the air. Helen Carr
Hi Helen,
I well remember the Stables. We also used to call it Smith’s yard, and as you rightly say, it was a very local place to play for hours. There was a time when all the gas cookers had to be replaced, this was before the advent of North Sea gas, and all the old cast iron cookers were stored in a corner of the yard. We built tunnels in the piles of them, and if they had collapsed, we would not have stood a chance. Another time we built a bonfire using the trees from where they were being cut down around the bowling green at the side of the Stanley Hotel. We had so much wood, the bonfire was taller than the houses, and the fire brigade came along and made us take half of it down. I must have been 15 or 16 at the time, so it would have been 1956 or 7. Many of the parents of the little ones wanted to light the fire as soon as it was dark, so they could get them to bed early, and there was a bit of a standoff when we refused, as some of the lads who had built it were not home from work, but reason prevailed and we all had a great night. Speaking of the Fire Brigade, do you remember Sandra Edwards Dad Sid, an auxiliary fireman, racing up Charles Road in his slippers to answer a call when the alarm went off ? Happy days.
Hi Mike,
Yes i do remember Sandra’s dad running down the road. I also remember one bonfire week a gang of lads coming to the stables from Carr Lane over the railway lines and setting fire to our bonfire, Mike did you have two sisters, Jennifer and Barbara if so they used to play with my two sisters Carol and Barbara. Did Jennifer marry Ken Dean? We lived at 15 Cable Road South and Mum’s family the Brosters lived at 5 Cable Road South. Do you remember my uncle John Broster who lived at 5 Cable Road also Neville Lancaster and his sister The Harrops Jimmy, Garth, and Geoffrey I think. We lived next door to the Pringle family I don’t know if their eldest brother John was around your age. Then across the road to us Philip and Ernest Sandles. I can’t think of any one else at this moment can you. Bye the way my name was Jones so we were Helen, Carol and Barbara Jones.
Lovely to have heard from you.
Take care,
Helen.
This is like all our yesterdays Helen. I do have 2 sisters, Jennifer and Barbara, as well as a brother, Victor. Jenny did marry Ken Dean, who sadly died a few years ago. I don’t remember John Broster, and Neville Lancaster was a few years older than me. I remember the Harrop brothers and their Dad Percy who was a butcher. He kept pigs in a sty in the yard at the back of the shop. He also bought the shop next door and opened it up as a milk bar and called it the “Moo Cow”. I recall Margery and Gillian Pringle, who I think lived next door to you, and Tony Parry from a few doors further down. Ernest and Phil Sandles were great pals and they later moved to 9 Grosvenor Road. The others I remember were Beverley, Brough and Alison Jones,Viv Richards, Malcolm and Janice Tole, David Mercer, John Morgan, Ronnie Astle, Malcolm Stenhouse, Ronnie and Barbara (Dinky) Jones. I obviously remember you and your sisters too as well as your Mum who was known to us as Aunty Nelly. The last time I saw your Mum she sold me some sweets in the shop on the corner of Cable Road and Market Street.
I am now firmly on my way down memory lane.
Take care,
Mike.
Hi Mike,
We bought many an ice-cream from the “moo cow”. Margery and Gillian did live next door to us, Margery died 1997 a year before mum or ” Aunty Nelly” as you say. Ernest and my sister Barbara always played to-gether. I remember once they were both playing in Mr Sandles garage at the bottom of the garden with a box of matches they got from somewere and nearly burnt the garage down. Mum had the little sweetshop she bought from Maisie, till she had to sell up when Dad was very poorly with cancer. Janice Tole lived in the family house until quite recently, not sure where she is now. The Stenhouses lived over Timpsons shoe shop. Mr Stenhouse was the Manager there. John Morgan I think was the local professional golf pro, his parents had Storey’s Toy Shop in Market street he died a few years back now, also David Mercer, his mum well in her 90s now, comes to our monthly church lunches at St, Lukes in Market St. she looks great. Do you remember Dorothy Butcher and her brother who lived over the Norvic shoe shop on the corner of Cable Road and Marker St. To end on a sad note our Carol died very suddenly last year at the end of July, just coming up to 65.
Take Care Mike,
Helen.
Hi Helen,
I was so sad to hear of Carol’s death. 64 seems to be no age at all. Norah Mercer always made me happy. She is a lovely lady. Please say hello to her for me next time you see her. I remember going into your Mum’s old sweetshop on one of our visits to Hoylake, when it was a charity shop for the Cottage Hospital, and it was Mrs Mercer behind the counter, but that’s a few years ago now.
I don’t remember Dorothy Butcher or her brother. I do remember Lesley Quilliam from by the station, who was always Sandra Edwards’ great friend. I don’t know what happened to either of them but I recall hearing, ages ago that Sandra was engaged to Pat Briers.
I take it that you are still in the Hoylake area, with your connection to St. Luke’s. I now live near Poole in Dorset, and follow this site quite avidly when I get the chance, and it gives me so much pleasure to be in touch with folks I knew, so thank you for being in touch.
Best wishes,
Mike.
I have another “hoylake from the air” photo that my dad purchased – I think the local paper offered them for sale….its of Hoyle Road, Deneshey road and the bowling greens, as far up to the railway line. we moved to Hoyle road after we moved from over Dads
shop “Wilmotts” grocers.
Hi Mike,
It is lovely to see all those names again, they all bring back memories. Barbara wanted me to remind you that she remembers her and Carol and other children, she can’t remember the names, all went to your house to watch your telivision set as you were the firs family to get one. She can’t quite remember what the programme was, maybe you can recal it. We see that you are living in a lovely part of the Country, up here never changes much. One thing though you can go on Google maps and have a look around the old streets.
Take care,
Bye for now,
Helen.