Here’s a great photo that I really like that Ian Davies kindly sent me a while ago!
It captures a chap named Ron Capper being carried ashore at Hilbre Island after a yacht named Gentle Anne was towed in by Hoylake RNLI. The chap in the background is Dave McGowin – or something like that, I can’t quite make out the handwriting on the photo. Who is the ‘Dad’ ? Is it Billy Clarke or was he the photographer?
I say “carried ashore” but it doesn’t look like they’re heading to Hilbre Island does it? Dave, in the background is scratching is head so he must have wondered where they were off to !
No date on this photo, but no doubt it’ll be recorded in the “shout” records of Hoylake RNLI. If you know any more of the detail then please leave a comment below.
“That’s a Clarke” was the first thing I thought before I read the text. I remember the Clarkes delivered coal to my Nan in the 1950’s – they had a farm at the Meols end of the Moreton stretch. My grandad used to buy dried pigs blood from them, and it was one of my weekend chores to mix it with water, and a little milk, for feeding the tomatoes.
I think they also ran a string of donkeys on the beach during summer months. How’s your memory on this Syd?
Hi Chris
You’re right! On the back of the photo is the name Billy Clarke.
Ron Capper was a partner in Tottey & Capper Ltd of Meols, they were general contractorsand the Company was a customer of mine. I owned R.E.Everall Ltd at 26 Market Street. I would think the photo was taken early 40’s. I was in Hoylake from 1962-72. Sorry Ron if I’ve made you too old!!
One Clarkes family lived in Rudd St , where the donkeys were stabled .
Ronnie Capper used to live next door to me in Marine Road, Hoylake. He was an enthusiastic collector of many incredible unusual things which during my childhood years included a steam lorry (from Liverpool Docks) Steam Traction Engine, Steam Roller, Stage Coach, (the latter he used to sometimes tow with the traction engine) , various vintage cars, and later on had a fabulous collection of wild birds including a jackdaw, magpie, eagle,and pigeons, all of which he somehow managed to tame.
He sadly died when he was only 49 years old, but left great memories of rides in the steam lorry and of his other amazing collections.
This comment is for Dave Yeaman
Just found this web site and was glad to see your name remember me we went to Kingsmesd together I am now living in Florida in the USA my E-mail is peterpgrpgr0679@verizon.net
Pete
I remember a very large owl or hawk that sat on the garden fence outside his house..! Quite scary but also intriguing for a small boy!
This is regarding the picture of Mr Bill Clarke, he was Head Launcher on the Lifeboat, I think he was rescueing Mr Ronnie Capper, not taking him to Hilbre Island!!
We did have ponies and donkeys on Hoylake beach for many years, and the canoes, rowing boats and paddle boats, on the boating pool at Hoylake. Dad (Bill Clarke) did live in Rudd Street, the Clarkes had the coal merchants and the haulage business. Dad was the younger brother of the Clarke family, Jack the eldest, then Fred then Chris. Grandma Clarke, dads mum, her sister was called Rose and she took trips over to hilbre Island with a horse and trap!! Her son Les still lives in West Kirby!
Hi, I was wondering if you are the Gillian Clarke that used to live in Proctor Road, I lived in Edward Rd and used to come to your house to play and take the ponies on the shore.
hi are you Gillian Clarke who lived at 7 trinity Road,hoylake in 1960?
I need to get in touch please, if you are her
thanks
Hello
I live in Dorset but my mother, Dorothy Davies, nee Jones, lived at 10 Evans Road Hoylake. She was born in
Hoylake in 1915 and we used to visit Granny Jones and Aunty Amy there. I was always taken down to the sands whenever we visited and also went to see old Mrs Clarke with the ponies and of course used to see
Bill Clarke her son, also Fred. They were friends of my mother and we would often go back to their house. Yes I can also remember the boats. My mother often told be about trips they all made over to Hilbre, when they cought fish and cooked them on the fires they made. Granny Jones lived nextdoor to Mr & Mrs Jackson, Grandparents of Glenda.
What a surprise to see this photo and I recognised Bill Clarke straight away. I lived in Willaston from 1944-1950 then moved a short distance to Little Neston. In 1960 we moved to Dorset . My mother passed away in
November, 2006. My father Roland Davies who originated from Birkenhead passed away July 1999.