Local resident Derek Longman hopes that you might like to support a ‘Friends of Grange Hill’ group to improve and maintain the Memorial Garden around the Memorial on Grange Hill in West Kirby (picture). You can read the history of the Memorial over at wikipedia. Derek writes:
Hi my name is Derek Longman and I have been a local resident since birth and I have regularly attended Remembrance Sunday Services at the War Memorial on Grange Hill, West Kirby. Indeed Grange hill was my playground as a youngster.
Over the years I have noted the deterioration of the Memorial Garden mainly through a lack of maintenance.
Recently I contacted an officer from Wirral Borough Council who has recently taken ownership for maintaining the memorials throughout the borough. On Thursday 14th August I met with him, an officer dealing with footpaths and a Ranger from Royden Park. We had a very positive meeting and all agreed that much work needs doing to restore the garden to a fit state for the purpose it was first laid out.
The officer for footpaths was concerned at the lack of a suitable passage for those who are less agile and has agreed to liaise with other colleagues on the local authority to see what can be done to improve the pathway from Grange Old Rd to the memorial.
All 3 were surprised how big the memorial garden was and that the shrubs, (some of which are not native to the country) had become overgrown and there was a desperate need for these to be pruned and be regularly maintained in the future.
The Ranger also felt that the gorse on the surrounding hillside needed attention particularly near to the monument area.However, this can only be done after the summer is over and ideally during winter periods.
As we are approaching the centenary of the start of the war to end all wars I felt its was time I stopped moaning about the lack of effort to deal with this issue and have secured a few volunteers to rectify the situation but more would be very welcome. We will need to act work under the guidance of the LA officers and Rangers. Volunteer labour may not be the only assistance required?
I hope to arrange a public meeting at Hoylake Community Centre in the near future and will publicise this nearer the time.
If you’d like to help please email: dlongman28@hotmail.com
This post also appears over at WestKirby.org
Delighted to hear about this; as an ‘exile’, I visited a few years ago for old times’ sake and thought the gardens were looking very neglected.
Can I suggest that the opportunity also be taken to promote the use of the memorial’s proper name as the ‘Hoylake & West Kirby War Memorial’ as the ‘Hoylake’ bit seems all too often to get missed off!
I am 100% behind you in your quest to restore and maintain the war memorial area on Grange Hill. I am an exiled Greasby man whose ancestors lived in West Kirby and Hoylake. About 10 of my relations are recorded on the memorial from both wars. I am actually researching the biographies of everybody recorded on the WWI section and hope to write a book in time for the centenary. I would like to help you as much as possible. Additionally, if anyone has any records, stories or other materials about any of the people recorded on the memorial I would be fascinated to hear about them. Thank you and best wishes from Stephen.