This Friday’s old photo features a house/building in Back Sea View (or vicinity) that was once used as Wylie’s Laundry. By the looks that’s a tank of hot steamy water ready for the next boil wash.
It seems that Wylie’s Laundry and the Hoylake Steam Laundry Company (based where Heap & Partners used to be by the train line) operated at the same time – read the comments in this post for more information. And I’ve stumbled upon this web page that mentions the roles of hydro men and hydro women. Even the National Jazz Archive suggests that a Hoylake resident (maybe a Elvey Hartley?) owned the Birkenhead-based Falcon Steam Laundry …seems Hoylake was into laundry in a big way!
I like all the chimney pots in the photo – they seem to me to be the main focus of the image. In the background you can see the old Parish Church bell tower that once stood in Trinity Road.
Today Hoylake still has not just one, but two laundrettes that both presumably receive enough business to keep going? Unless I’m mistaken West Kirby doesn’t have a laundrette does it (Deeside Laundry in Groveside is commercial only)?
Any photos of the old Hoylake Steam Laundry Co?
Love the photo- so nostalgic. I remember Wylies laundry very well.
Ah… those were the days… When Hoylake was a lively little village … where everyone worked so hard… (well nearly everyone !!) We all seemed so happy as youngsters.. content with playing in the streets…whether it be football.tennis or whatever…Not much traffic to bother us…..The occasional trip to the cinema……..We did not know much about the ‘outside’ world… and perhaps we were better for it..??????…
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Hello Sheila, It’s really good to see you on here – yes they were the days and we did live in a bubble, thank God! I’m up in Bradford West Yorkshire and loving it but still feel nostalgic every now and again. Jenny
Hello Jenny… I haven’t looked at this website for a few weeks…so didn’t see your reply…
Hope you are all well….. I am living out in Brisbane Australia…17 years now….Love the sunshine and laid back way of llife… Would love to hear about you if you care to get in touch.
Wylie’s Laundry originally was made up of 2 houses in Sea View owned and run by Jessie and Alan Collins. In the late 1940’s a fire damaged the building and it had to be rebuilt. A number of my relatives worked there namely Ethel Marchbank – Manageress, Edna Williams nee Marchbank -Sorting, Doris (Doll ) Triggs nee Marchbank -Steam Press, Annie (Nick) Marchbank/Moore – Callendar and I also worked there for a short while in 1951 in the Wash House. A man called Arthur who lived at 1 Sea View looked after the boiler
Alan Collins was marrried to Elsie. Jessie was Elsie’s sister whose surname was “James”. My father and Alan used to go to Scotland together fishing and shooting. Alan had a Bristol 401 in those days …probably the only one on the Wirral.