*click for much larger version
Many thanks to Chris Hankin for this Friday’s photo of a boat washed ashore at Meols that follows on perfectly from last Friday’s image. Thanks to those of you who were able to identify the boat and explain her history.
Pictured above is the boat called Grey Lass (formerly Oldham if I’ve followed the comments correctly and as seen last week) washed up after a storm on the embankment past Meols slipway. It must’ve been some storm for a boat to be pushed up high onto the embankment …the recent storm sturges aren’t anything particularly new!
In fact, this old postcard (date unknown) kindly sent to me by Graham Price captures a stormy old day down on Meols prom:
*click for larger
(I love of the old street lamps by the way; much more attractive than the ones we’ve got today I think.)
When was the last time that a boat was wrecked off Hoylake and Meols? In fact, were any boats badly damaged in the recent storms?
Request: Bit of a long-shot but does anyone have a photo of the Bennetts Lane area when, during a storm, the tide would come down the road and residents tried to keep the water out by putting sand bags at the tops of drives? This flooding was curtailed by the construction of the replacement embankment in the late 1970s, early 1980s.  The original embankment, known as the Wallasey Embankment, was constructed between Meols and Leasowe during the 1840s  (source – large .pdf file from Wirral Council)
Another request: Remember when they used to sell fresh fish at Meols slipway (approx 1978/9 I guess) …anyone got a photo?
UPDATE
Many thanks to John Roughsedge who sends additional photos of Grey Lass and comments:
Two photos of Grey Lass (?) on old embankment East of Bennett’s lane slipway, Meols. (not far from location of new coastguard station – Parade houses in background of stern view)   These are consistent with photo already published in article.  It can only be Winter 1954 at earliest – but before 1960.  Photo’s appear to indicate “streamlined” cabin of RNLI Liverpool class lifeboat which has had a less “aerodynamic” wheelhouse structure added after taken out of service and sold to the fisherman.
From my recollections, High Spring Tides were not far below embankment seaward walkway, which was lower than current access roadway on the rebuilt 1970’s embankment, so waves could have lifted it on – or was this was best salvage attempt?
I first went to Meals and Hotcakes when 6 months old in 1934. We used to stay in a large marquee on what is now the Park View caravan site. Lovely days
Fresh Fish was sold on the Meols Slip Promenade in the 40’s.
My Mum and Dad used to take me as a little one on Sundays to meet the Fishing Fleet coming in and bringing the Fish to the Sliupway and to May Wilbraham’s Cart.
They would then order 3 Plaice and May would put 2 in a newspaper parcel for Mum and 1 in a parcel for me, alive of course. May used to tell the tale that one sunday a crowd gathered on the pavement and I had undone the parcel, sat on the pavement and was tweaking the fish’s tale to make it jump to the amusement of the crowd. I could not live it down!!!!
I lived in Bennett’s Lane and remember very well having the sea water flooding down the road and paddling home almost up to my knees from Guffits Rake across the road to my house in Bennets lane. Fortunately many of the houses were built a little higher so that the water did not flood them.
Can anybody remember what year the tide flooded Bennett’s Lane. I remember a friend being telephoned by her neighbour nearer Meols Parade with the message ‘ The tide is on it’s way!’
She’s a converted ships lifeboat, would have need a very high tide to carry such a heavy boat so high, waves couldn’t have done it alone.
The grey lass I believe was an ex hoylake life boat one of the old hams andwas constructed whith double diagonal planking so when she washed up on the sea wall and crushed in her side it could not be repaired jack bird I believe bought her to replace the Lilian lost at her moorings during a storm John rainford and I could be wrong
She is not a ship’s lifeboat, she is an RNLI LIverpool Class Lifeboat, probably ON.750 “Oldham” , the first of he single-screw motor Liverpools, which was stationed at Hoylake 1931 – 1952 when she was replaced by ON.894 “Oldham I’V”, a twin screw Liverpool class. Was the Grey Lass broken up after this incident, does anyone know?
Yes she was scrapped straight away.
Jack Bird replaced her (with the help of the community) with another ex RNLI lifeboat, which he painted red and called “Storm”. To me she never had the same “character” as the Grey Lass, but she served him well for a number of years.
See above for new photos of Grey Lass