An email from Ann Colclough. Spain - June 2005. I lived in Fairmead Road from when the houses were finished in 1947, and went to Eastway Primary School, and thence to the Technical Grammar School for Girls in New Brighton, no mixed schools in those days! When I was 4, and sent with older and younger brother for a walk one winters afternoon, I fell into the water right by the breakwater photo you show. (See Wallasey Pages) A complete stranger waded into the water as my heavy overcoat was dragging me out with the tide, and saved me. I made the papers, but we never did find out who he was. I joined the Army in 1962, and had never been back to Moreton until 2002, when I took my husband to show him where I grew up. Like you I was very disappointed, but unlike you I didn't know why. The place appeared to be thriving, so I decided it must be me, I'm over 60 now and thought memory was playing tricks on me! The Post Office is where is always was, and the Coach and Horses, but little else. My Mum used to work in the cinema, and then for a while in the chippy next door, so you may well have been served in one place or the other by her! The pictures of Moreton Cross brought a particular memory for me. My eyesight was always very poor, but I hated the National health glasses. If I met a boy at the Tower, chances were I wouldn't recognise him from a distance. I used to arrange to meet him at the Cross, walk down to Danger Lane bus stop, get the bus, go round the roundabout with glasses on, and if he looked ok, I got off at the cross, if he didn't I got off at the next stop and walked home over the field! I am now off to send details of your page to all the friends from Eastway School that I've contacted through Friends Reunited, they'll be as tickled as me I'm sure! You brought back a lot of memories, thank you. Ann. And thank you too Ann for your email.

My thanks to Lil Jackson (nee Thomas) for the following email. Aug 2005: I have lived here all my life, 70yrs. I try to look at Moreton with rose coloured glasses, but I am afraid I am kidding myself. I loved it as a child, so many places to explore, so many things to do. Tap dancing at Miss Jenny’s dancing school at the corner of Bermuda road and Hoylake Road, and then later tap dancing lessons at the parish hall in Hoylake Rd next door to the school, with Mrs Whitelys school of dance, the pictures on a Friday night as long as someone could take us in. Not being the right age, (not done these days) and then going to the chip shop for 3 pennyworth of chips and sometimes a fish cake for 3d. Days out at Leasowe Sandhills, coming home dead tired but happy and looking forward to the next day to go again. Can’t remember if it ever seemed to rain then, I remember standing by the front gate in a new plastic mac waiting for it to rain, it took a few days! Joining the Moreton Youth Club in Upton Road school, so many activities, we joined the Moreton Girls Choir, with the then headmaster conducting, Mr Davies. We travelled all the way to Rock Ferry Baths to sing in a concert!! The RAF Camp (near Greasby), the Floral Pavilion, and not forgetting The Ritz Birkenhead, where we supported Tessie O'Shea twice nightly and 3 times on Saturday. Happy happy days.

And thanks to Clive Hatton for this lovely email dated 22 August 2005:

October 4th 2005: I agree with all of the comments from the other people (Older generation). I am 32 now and have lived here all my life. I remember my summer holidays playing on the fields at the back of Fender Farm. Going to the pond at Upton Park and collecting frog spawn and my mum going nuts saying where are we going to put the spawn. (They lived in a bucket outside the back door). You could buy batter bits from Sids chippy (The Blue Sea on Hoylake Road) for 5p. You could get a bus to New Brighton for 5p as well. Now 5p wont even get you a bag off pick n mix. I have seen standards in Moreton change for the worse not better I am afraid. The pushing of prams, single parents, drugs and arrogant teenagers all spoiling this once great village.  There are only policeman when their has been a break in or a fight in the pub. You cant leave your back door open, you don’t like to be in certain areas of a night because of the local hooligans. I think I am fortunate that I had a good upbringing as the younger generation don’t seem to of. On a happier note my Moreton childhood was brilliant. Days out with my friends along the Birket, going down to the shore, bike riding along the front down to New Brighton (Then realising that you have to ride home), Carrying my mums shopping home for her. (When was the last time you saw that in Moreton). Coming out of the dentist on Upton Road and going to Sayers for a cake after a filling.  I just wish that my next 32 years can hold some of the charm that I experienced when I was younger. But I fear unless Moreton can clean up its act it will only degenerate more. To many charity shops, too many pubs, too many bargain junk shops too many cafes and too many fast food shops. Moreton as changed…..(Sadly). Regards Ian Burrows

From Heather Brown (nee Murray) - December 2005

My name is Heather Brown ( nee Murray). I used to live in Pasture Avenue from the time I was born, 1957- 1971 and then Heathmore Road 71- 77. I went to Eastway Primary School, Moreton Sec. Girls School - Upton Road and then Wallasey Tec. High for Girls. I was married at Christ Church in April 77 and moved away with my husband to Germany and then Essex where I have lived for the past 27 years. I haven't been home since 87 when my father died. If anyone remembers me I would like to hear from them. I have fond memories of home and all the adventures my three brothers and two sisters had - Bidston Hill, Sandhills, Moreton Shore. The fair in the summer. Love to hear from someone. heather.catnap (at) tiscali.co.uk. Change (at) for @ to email heather directly.

March 2006: From Linda Austin. Your reflections of the area are wonderful.  I left in 1968 and have lived in Canada ever since.  I did return to Moreton in 1978.  As we lived next to the Moreton Arms, on my return trip, I sat on the pub wall and watched the people going by. I must have gone to every chippy in the area.  I still miss them and the mushy peas.  You have to go to Vancouver to get the really good fish and chips.  You have a message from Lillian Jackson (nee Thomas).  Would you send her my e-mail address and ask her to contact me?  Her parents and mine were very good friends at the Legion.  That was when the Legion was in the "little tin hut" in Moreton. Keep up the good work. Sadly, her brother has informed me that she died last year (2010), from cancer. RIP Linda.

April 2006: Angela O'Hare is 65 and has lived in Moreton all her life. She was wondering what was the name of the "Flea Pit" on Pasture Road, near the Cross. I thought it was simply the Moreton Picture House but probably wrong. Contact Angela here angela(at)aohare.wanadoo.co.uk - changing the (at) for @ of course.

June 2006: I called into the church on 14th and asked three ladies there about the cross mentioned in the newspaper clipping above, not one of them has any idea and it does not appear in the Church history.

From Kevin. December 2006:  Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed browsing through your web pages. I was born in Moreton (Highfield Hospital to be precise) in 1965 and spent most of my growing years there until my parents moved to Birkenhead in the late 70's. We lived initially in Wastdale Drive on the Lingham Estate then moved to Orchard Road in 1968. My brother & sister still live in Moreton after being born there. My childhood was one which was troubled to most people and I have a feeling our family unfortunately were one of the ones which may have been well known locally for our Dad who was well acquainted with the local pubs were I spent many a night on the doorstep waiting for him while my mother worked the night shift at St Catherine's Hospital in Birkenhead.

My sister Sandra Gooding (nee Tunstall) tragically died after falling 11 floors from Millhey Heights in 1971. However despite all the sadness I have so many other great compensating memories that are basically centred around the great neighbours and people who lived around the neighbourhood. Les Turners was a name I hadn't heard for a while and I remember the cake shop in that arcade where you would get a great 'iced bun'. I remember the distinct smell of 'Cushions' hardware store and remember the laundry\drycleaners on Chadwick Street and visiting the other 'bagwash' on Hoylake Road, where my favourite teddy's eye melted in 1970! I still scarred from that episode! Moreton was a great place to be as a kid and Wallis's fair was a seasonal favourite along with light night games of 'kirbsy' outside our house in Orchard Road. I loved the sports days at Eastway School and have happy memories of competing in the sack race and the egg and spoon race. Mr Rawlinson was the Headmaster and was incredibly understanding of my days away from school.

I've lived in New Zealand for the past 21 years and like you have a memory of sitting on a Crossville bus as a child, bound for Liscard thinking how I'd have a big house on Upton Road with a great wife and a load of kids I could take to fish for stickle backs in the Birkett. Not quite the same here in NZ but I'm very happy anyway and certainly very happy for the childhood days spent in Moreton and the people who helped shape me. And yes I remember many conversations about 'Flash Harry' - I think my Dad was acquainted with him very well!!

An Email from John Parkinson, in March 2007, recalls: I was born on the 10th of August 1947 at 20 Orchard Road Moreton. My father had a bakers and confectioners on Moreton Cross what is now Sayers we had the shop until the early 60's. Bethels Butchers I don't know if it is still there it was a few years ago was there then. I remember my parents saying that all the shops owners there did OK during the war. There was a murder in the late 50's, early 60's, when a man shot the wife of the manager of Bethels. The clock tower could have been lit up when they used to light the windmill on Bidston Hill. My grandfather had a farm down Mary Anne lane called Yew Tree Farm and I went to Moreton C of E, the Headmaster was Mr Appleyard and my first teacher was MIss Eastwood.

An email From Ken Parrington, now in the land of Oz, May 2007:  I was surfing the web nostalgically looking for my my old primary school in Lingham Lane, Moreton when I stumbled across your site.  It was great to read about where I was raised and to be able to show my wife.  I lived in Moreton with my parents until late 1970 when we moved to Australia.  I have lived in Australia ever since, apart from a couple of years in the USA.  My main memories are of life in Inglewood avenue and strolling down to the shop at the corner of Arrow Avenue.  There used to be some woods at the end of Inglewood Avenue that I was never allowed to play in but somehow always ended up there.   I used to regularly visit my auntie who lived near Bidston hill  and I still have memories of how huge the windmill used to seem.  Anyway, thanks for putting up the site it was interesting re-discovering my first home town. By the way I'm still after all these years an avid Everton supporter. Up the blues!! Regards Ken Parrington. See also November 2010 below.

June 2007 Email received this month from Mal in Germany who tells me:

I left Moreton in 1974 to join the army and I have lived in Germany ever since. I do go back every year to visit family and to pickup my mum who comes and stays with us. I agree that Moreton Cross has some what has lost it’s character and more often that not looks filthy. My memories of my childhood are very vivid as I had a fantastic time growing up in Moreton. I was born in Highfield hospital on 2nd March 1957. We lived at 47 Twickenham Drive, Leasowe moving to 34 Ternway, Moreton in I think 1969.

I first attended Birket infants, then Lingham Primary, St. George's and finally Wallasey Tech. I had a good upbringing although money was sparse. I was taught to respect my elders, which I did and was taught the difference between right and wrong. This sadly doesn’t seem to happen anymore as I have been verbally abused on my past two trips there.  

As a  small child living in Twicky we had the swings right behind us and beyond that and the football pitches a sandy area where we would go and dig huge tunnels, not thinking at the time of the danger involved. We sometimes went to the shore at the weekends which was like going on holiday. We never had a car so we walked there which didn’t do us any harm. We would take jam butty’s and if we were lucky a bottle of pop.

Living in Moreton I often went to the shore with my friends and more often than not got one hell of a sun burn. We started to be brave and often camped in our tents next to the Berbo?? camping sight. We had a huge quarry not far away and because I was regarded as sensible the parents of younger children went with us. We went round there jumping and diving into the quarry. I felt it was my duty to return the smaller kids home, looking clean and gave eight of them a bath whilst my mum was out doing the ever increasing shopping. She retuned to see the house full of kids, she was really impressed ....not.

 I have three brothers and one sister and between us we had one bike. This I used for doing my paper round at the Card Shop at Moreton Cross. The paper round on Sundays I did with such enthusiasm....not. The papers weighed a ton and more often than not my bike needed repair so I sometimes ran the round. As I mentioned I loved it as a child growing up there but I am very dismayed when I go back there. Hearing the foul language (we never swore at home) and the rubbish in the streets, is disappointing. Best wishes - Mal. You are so right, and its reflected all over the UK now. Anarchy rules brought on by the backhanded socialism.

June 12th 2007: Paul Tinsley sent me an email: Thanks for a great website and good to see that so many people have taken an interest in it. I AS Kenny was born in 1965 and attended Christ Church School on Hoylake Rd before it was demolished in 1971 whilst there if we stayed for school dinners we had to walk to Barnston Lane. Happy days and it just seemed like everyone knew each other and I hated going to the Cross because my mum stopped and spoke to everyone. I live in Tranmere and have done for twenty two years and visit mum in Moreton each week but I must say the atmosphere has changed as i found out going into one of the pubs for the first time in twenty years. I think that's the same all over. Nice to hear that Ken is doing well he went to Lingham Middle School and I remember him well. Regards Paul T.

June 24 2007: Also from Paul:  Do you have any information about the flying fortress that went down in fields killing all 20 plus US aircrew during the war years i think it was travelling from northern Ireland when it went down near Landican, there is a plaque on the Durley Industrial Estate which was erected about seven or so years ago?

(Note: this is now a page on this site) Liberator.

Kate Wheelwright emailed me (Nov 13th 2006) with the following information regarding the above newspaper cutting on the illuminated Spire: Rev. Charles Edward Wormell was Rector there from 1926 to 1949. Could this have been something to celebrate either the end of WW2 or maybe the Jubilee of King George V? I attended Christ Church from 1952 to 1959 and was a regular bell ringer there from 1955-1959 and the spire was not illuminated during that time nor was there any reference made to it, to my knowledge, so I am thinking it may well have been prior to 1945 (end of the war) when this was done.

July 3rd 2007: Colin Tunstall mailed me from Moreton. I have just spent the last couple of hours looking at your web site and reading about what you had to say about Moreton, It was absolutely fascinating, I was born in 59 Wastdale Drive Moreton in August 1953 and have spent my life here in Moreton, There is so much I remember about Moreton and as I read your web site it all came flooding back, I can remember Mortimer's toy shop where we stood in the window and looked at the toys wishing we had the money to buy them but we didn't because we were short of money in them days in our family, My dad only worked as a driver for the Wirral Borough Council, that was at the back of the shops on Hoylake Road where ATS Tyres now stands, He also had a job of a night as a barman in the Coach and Horses and the Grange to make up the money, Unfortunately for us he then drank most of it after he'd earned it, My mum was a nurse at Leasowe Hospital for many years then went on to work at Mill Lane and VCH ( Victoria Central Hospital )  I have loads of memories of things you haven't mentioned like the two lagoons down at the Shore were we used to make rafts and paddle across the water, The old Moreton tip were we used to go and make dens out of all the old rubbish, there's just so much you could go on for ever; (well I know I could) funny really because when I get into conversation with people about Moreton and the old days I remember that much that my wife always say's to me " How bloody old are you", I think if I ever got into conversation with you I would end up talking the head off you, Anyway Mike I just wanted to say thanks for that site I'm really enjoying it and the links to some of the other stuff too.

July 27th 2007: An Email from Tony Murray. Hi, I really enjoyed reading your website on Moreton. I was brought up in Danger lane and it brought back a lot of memories. There is a story I would like to relate and hope you could offer some advice. I was born in 1957 and attended Sacred Heart School until about 1969 when I left to go to Thomas A Becket. About 1966 – 1968 we had a Summer fair at Sacred Heart School, It was opened by the great footballer  Dixie Dean who played for England, Everton and Tranmere. I would have been about 9 or 10 and there was a newspaper photographer there, I don't know if he was from the Wallasey News or the Birkenhead news, he took some photos of me and a couple of other children in a circle playing" football "with Dixie Dean. I never seen or heard anything about the photos and don't know if they were ever printed, but I would love a copy of one if they exist anywhere. Fancy having a picture of myself kicking a football with the player who still holds the record for the most goals scored in a season. If you have ever come across the photos are have some contacts who might be able to help I would be very grateful. I also remember the "petrified" forest on Moreton Shore. Thank you very much for bringing back some memories. (The newspaper involved has to have been the Daily Post or Liverpool Echo??? - mk)

July 28th 2007: Got an email from Allan Tucker. Just been looking at some old photos and I came across a photo of my school, Moreton Secondary Modern in 1960 so I have attached them. Its actually one of those panorama ones about a mile long so I have split it up. Sorry the files are so big but I wanted to be able to see the faces. I lived in Harvest Lane from about 1950 to 1974 when we emigrated to N.Z. Went to Lingham Lane school and then on to Moreton Secondary Modern. Got an apprenticeship at Cadburys as a fitter. Some of the things on your website could have been written by me, we all used to do the same things and remember the place of our childhood. Do you remember a pond at the back of the brickworks called "Black Harry's" or something very similar, we used to fish there it was very popular with local anglers until they filled it in. I remember the Tennis club too, I played in a band there on Saturday nights in the early sixties, I still have my guitar and it still smells of the place, it was a funny smell :)

I would like to make contact with Kevin Tunstall who email you, I knew his sister that died, very well, as a teenager we hung around together, duffle coat's and drainpipes. Just thought of the "Drive Inn" coffee bar next to the petrol station on Hoylake Road, that was a place for black leather jackets and Mods and Rockers. Mortimer's toy shop, remember that as a kid..... (Contact established - nice one!! - mk).

The youth club....was that the old library? (yes - mk) Do you remember the "Long Hairs" the lads that lived down Pasture Ave and had long hair, used to hang around the Cross and scare the sh..t out of you. Ha Ha the more you think about it the more you can remember. I used to "hang around the Cross" and had long hair!!! - mk

(October 2007: A reply about the plane crash - from Australia. My daughter downloaded your website for me to read because I was born in Birkenhead and lived there until I emigrated to Australia with my fiance (now husband) at the age of nineteen. One of your contributors (Paul, June 24 2007) was asking about a plane crashing near Landigan. I remember my mam telling me when I was young, that at the exact time I was born, a plane carrying Americans crashed in Arrowe Park and everyone on board was killed. I was born at 4pm on Thursday 18th October 1944. I hope this helps Paul. Your website brought back a lot of memories of my childhood ,as my sister used to be a "clippie" on the number 22 bus from Birkenhead to Moreton and I used to catch her bus in Conway Street and do the round trip to Moreton shore and back with her. I felt "very important" because she was my big sister. Keep up the good work. Regards, Pam Corbett, New South Wales.)

My  Liberator Link

August 14th 2007. Andrew Brown emailed me from Australia. I was raised in Moreton having arrived in 1965 and went to Eastway Primary (Mr Rawlinson, who sadly died last year I am told, was headmaster), Moreton Middle (I remember my first school day in long trousers at Moreton Middle) and Wallasey Grammar/Henry Meoles.  I lived in a cul de sac next door to the Atlantic Garage, which was almost as close as you could get to the Cross.  Many happy days were spent in Bethel's sweet shop run by the elder Mrs Bethel (Bethel's the butcher was next door - where I was always called 'Hovis') – also collecting the 'Echo' from Haig's (later Williams' but I always call it Haig's) on the corner of  Hoylake/Chapelhill Roads.  Fish and chips were a specialised matter: Dad preferred the Blue Sea opposite Sacred Heart School but the walk to Anna's was shorter and the chips hotter when you got home – chips with curry sauce, ah sheer nectar!. Many times my mates and I cycled to Biddie Hill where there was a small village shop, and I never properly learned to swim because my Dad thought learning to swim entailed throwing your son in at the deep end of Guinea Gap Baths.

My father is interred at Christ Church (by Mr Rawlinson when he was vicar there), where my brother and sister were both christened.  I also remember the farm opposite Moreton Middle because a school mate, Dave Catton, lived there. (Opposite my house - mk) My treasured possession at home is a Matchbox No 77 Birkenhead Transport Bus destined for 'Moreton Shore', where I remember the tank traps and going cockling with Dad. (The 77 ran from Woodside, via Prenton & Woodchurch to Moreton Shore - mk) I visited Moreton again in July 2006 and walked around the old haunts and while much has changed (sadly not greatly for the better) there was so much that came flooding back and your photos and memories rekindled those happy memories when kids mucking around unsupervised in the district and mums hollering to them to come in for tea, were normal sights and sounds.  Happy days indeed and thank you. Andrew Brown NSW, Australia.

September 2007 and Steve Hallam emailed me from Australia.

 I was born at Highfield Hospital in 1952 and when about 4 moved to the new housing estate at Leasowe. We lived at 237 Twickenham Drive, in the small cul-de-sac opposite the school. I remember the 4 shops where my mum used to take us shopping before the shops were built by Birkett School. I went to Birkett Primary when Mr Hughes was headmaster and we were taught by Mr Boyce and I think Mr Sharpe. I then went to Wallasey Grammar in Liscard but when the new one was built at Leasowe I went there for my final year. I was at the opening ceremony for the new grammar school. I was also in the 23rd Wallasey Scouts which was based at St Chad's Church. The original one not the new one. Dad got his petrol at the Atlantic Garage. By then we had moved to Moreton (1967) and lived in Knutsford Green off Hoylake Road. Our Sundays were always spent at Bidston Hill or Thursaston or Neston. I was a paper boy at Williams paper shop and we all still called it Haighy's.

Fish and chips were always from Anna's and we spent many a cold evening in the hot chippy on the pinball machine. Sometimes if we had been drinking at the Cross we might get curry and chips from the Golden Sunrise. When we ran out of milk there was a little milk machine outside Les Turners where you could get a small carton. (this is the machine where, if you kicked it in the right place, you got a freebie!! - mk). Moreton Youth Club was another place. There was a great leader there at the time. Peter Blackley. I played football at Moreton Football Club and spent many a great night at the social club there. (See my link here Moreton Youth Club - mk).

I seem to remember a supermarket opening up where you collected punch cards instead of food, then took the cards to the till and they ran them through a machine. It must have printed out a list somewhere out back, because after a while someone came out with your basket of shopping.

As we grew up we drank at the Coach or the Plough or Friday nights at the Grange. My sister still lives in Knutsford Green, she works at the Farmers Arms and I also have another sister who lives off Lingham Lane. I left Moreton in 1976 to work in Bath and then emigrated to Australia in 1990 where I am now. Regards Steve Hallam.

November 7th 2007: An email from Roger Clague. When I came across your web-site I could not believe so many of us did the same things, same places, and same ages. I remember during my school days ay MSM we performed a play “ A Midsummer Nights Dream “ I think that was one of our most exciting projects, all helping Mr,Roy with the scenery and Mr, Fordham as director. The Moreton community players came and did our make up and costumes etc. It was one of my most exciting times at school. I worked at Ramsdens newsagents on Moreton Cross delivering papers to Upton Road and Rosslyn Drive area 12 shillings a week aged 13. I left after two years, and got a job delivering milk £1. 2s. 6p. all this money I saved and went on holiday with the school firstly to Rome then to Copenhagen, is there any one out there remembers this. It cost £24 to go to Rome for 10 days, During which time Mr & Mrs Shadrack proved to be very caring people. Coming home from school each night I passed the MSM school for girls in Upton Road, I was always looking for one particular girl her name was Christine Waring who lived on Hoylake Road (near Borrowdale Road). Christine and I were married in 1968 at the Baptist Church on Hoylake Road Moreton, we have been married for 39 years, 3 children, 2grandchildren. After leaving school we left Christ Church youth club and went to the Baptist youth club on Hoylake Road. I spent a lot of time with old school friends, David Able (Hallie) David Collister (Cogsie) Stewart Dudley (Stew) Leonard Stanley (Sticky) Roy Holmes, Gordon Holt, Ron Meadows to name but a few. We went to the New Brighton ballroom on a Thursday night (no alcohol) there we saw the Beatles for the first time.

Jack Woollam. Greetings from New Zealand! 31st March 2008:    Greetings from New Zealand!     I've just recently been made aware of your marvellous website which, after a quick browse, brought  back all sorts of happy memories of my childhood in Moreton. My name is Jack Woollam, born in 1936 and coming up to age 72 in a few days time. When the war broke out in 1939 we were living in Liverpool and the story goes ( I was a bit young to remember!) that in 1940, or 41, during the bombing raids on the Liverpool docks our house in Wavertree was badly damaged. Our extended family was 'evacuated' (the term they used at the time) to comparative safety "across the water" to Moreton. The place we were moved to was Brookland House on Hoylake Road. Brookland House was a very old farmhouse built of sandstone and covered in ivy. It had a road number, which I forget, but was located directly opposite the 'Plough Inn' on the present site of the RC church.

Brookland House, Moreton, on this site now stands Sacred Heart Church.
 Image: Jack Woollam. Jack has kindly sent me the original photographs; the first, Brooklands House, I used above, a new scan

So we couldn't have been much closer to Moreton Cross! The farm was owned by a Mr and Mrs Smith. They had a son named Sydney. They ran a few milking cows which were grazed in fields up Sandbrook  Lane.

This is Jack Woollam, in 1947, in his first year at Oldershaw Grammar School. What is particularly interesting about
this image is that the building behind him was The Plough, so this image was taken in the grounds of Brookland House.
 

There was also a small plot of arable land behind the buildings and some fruit trees which bordered onto Upton Road. I have all sorts of memories of Brookland House believe me! When I became 5 years old in 1941 I went to 'Barnston Lane Junior School'. These were the war years of course so there were lots of things we went without, but I can honestly say when looking back that those 5, or was it 6, years at Barnston Lane were amongst the happiest in my life. The stories told by your contributors about Moreton shore, Leasowe Sandhills, fishing, football, the picture house ("take us in please mister"), the freedom to wander all over the district, and the birdsnesting - taboo these days of course - all ring a bell with me. Bidston Hill to Arrow Park, we walked the lot! There wasn't a stream, a pit (pond), a wood we didn't know, hadn't climbed up fished in or waded through! Oh yes very happy days. Not many young men in those days to keep an eye on us. They were called up into the Forces. My dad went into the navy. After the war we were eventually allocated a council house in Lombard road. My aunty and her family went nearby to Saxon Road. And so began a new period in our lives. I moved on to  Oldershaw Grammer School in Wallasey, learnt  that girls were even better than fishing and birdsnesting(!!) and eventually started work in Liverpool at age 16 in 1952. To get to work I ran down Kingsmead Road, got the train at Leasowe station and got off at James Street in Liverpool. At that time the main road at Leasowe station, Reed's lane I think it is called, ran over the rail tracks. There was a signal box at the junction and whenever a train was due the guy in the box had to manually open the big swing gates by turning a wheel like a ships' wheel to close the road. He then raised a signal to give the approaching train the OK. (Automatic barriers now cover the crossing. - mk)

At that time there was compulsory military training for a period of 2 years which began at age 18, so in 1954 I was 'called up' to do my stint. After release in 1956 I returned to my old job but by then I was keen to see the world and to cut a long story short I came out here to New Zealand beginning of 1958 - exactly 50 years ago! Old Brookland House was demolished to make way for the church which we now see on Hoylake Road. My dad worked at Cadbury's for a period before he retired, my sister was married in Christ Church Moreton, my uncle Charlie helped the landlord at the Plough to pay his rent - I could go on. There are a number of memories of family recorded in the grounds of Christ Church. My mum and dad are remembered there, my aunties Amy Tarbuck and Ella Williams, my uncle Charlie Tarbuck. Moreton has been home to my family for donkeys years - since 1940 in fact. I still have a cousin in Moreton and one in Saughall Massey, even older than I am! Perhaps I should finish with my 'party piece'. In my last year at Barnston Lane School, 1947 I think it would have been, the teacher marked the attendance register in a unique way. Rather than call out each name and wait for a "present sir" response he taught us to sing out our surnames in alphabetical order and he would tick us off in the register. If someone was absent there would be a pause whereupon he would look up, say "Smith not here?" mark him absent and carry on. That repetition of names has made them stick in my memory and here they are, with one or two first names I can recall:

Asbury, Avison, Barry (Steve), Brockbank, Chantler (Billy), Ellis(Tony), Graham, Jackson, Lee, Martin (Ian), Martin (Tony), Owens (Leslie), Pitman (Tony), Quayle, Shelton, Vaughan, Walker, Woollam (yours truly), and Wright. These are all boys of course. The girls had a separate register. Funny how I can remember those names from 60 years ago when half the time now  I can't recall where I put my glasses! Take care. Regards and thanks, Jack. (Feb 09: Jack has sent me some photos. see above)

From Andrew MacGregor - April 2008: My three brothers (Peter, Duncan & Robert) and me (Andrew) moved, with our parents, into 18 Orchard Road in 1949, where we resided for the best part of 10 years prior to relocating to Scotland. Although only in Moreton for a relatively short period, that period covered the formative years and sporned a set of unforgettable memories. Although a lot of water has since passed under the bridge the memories which immediately come to mind include:-  The Church of England School with it's solid coal fires and wonderful staff. My Appleyard at the helm, ably supported by his depute Mr Goodwyn, Miss Eastwood, Miss Parsons, and a buxom Yorkshire woman whose name escapes me. The new Woolies built next the to school. Danny Evans sweet shop near the school (I blame Danny for the present state of my teeth). The Dawson's farm on Pasture Road near the railway station. The MacGregor boys and the Dawson's (Peter, Greg, and the others) forged great friendships and many an adventure was enjoyed in their pastures.

Bells Coaches and Taxis, again in Pasture Road (young John Bell was another member of our gang). Parkinson's Bakery at the Cross ( John & Katherine were our neighbours in Orchard Road). Mr Doughty the dentist who had a surgery (torture chamber) in Orchard Road. (Oh yes, last had teeth out there, the concordes first flight was on tv - mike). The cubs and scouts hall to the south of the town (along with its own outdoor swimming pool I seem to recall). The magnificent cinema adjacent to the Cross. Saturday morning matinees with Mad Johnny acting as the Pied Piper of Moreton. (doubt if he would get away with it now). New Brighton having a magnificent cup run in the 1950's. The Church of England choir striking for higher wages (did that really happen). Just a few memories. Best Regards, Andrew MacGregor.

Barry Perry. April 2008. I was looking at the Bidston site and saw an email from Malcolm Owens who was born at 60a Hoylake Road. I lived at 75 Hoylake Rd ( corner of Hoylake Rd & Hoblyn Rd)1950 - 1961. I would like to contact him.

D Swan. May 2008: I lived on the Wirral in the 80's.I had a very good friend named Christine Price who lived on Berrylands Road Moreton, No 6 I think. I would love to get back in touch if anyone knows of her whereabouts. By the the way Price was her maiden name and I don't know if she ever married.  DSand56336 - at - aol.com. Remove -at- and insert @ for email.

Jayne Casey sent me this email - June 26th 2008. I noticed that you have recently posted some photo's of the little 'shack' type houses on 'Bermuda Road' and you expressed interest in them. My Great Grandfather developed Moreton in the early 1900s and he built all the little houses in the style of architecture he remembered from the Island of his birth BERMUDA, hence the name Bermuda Road.

My Great Grand Father was bought to Liverpool from Bermuda by his Grandmother who was of Native America and African heritage, she was born a slave on the island and at the age of 50 she married a Liverpool sailor and left Bermuda taking her grandson with her. His name was Charles Burden he also named 'Burden Road' - 'Eleanor Road after his wife and Macdonald Road after his favourite cricketer I think. He also built 'Arrow Road' and numerous properties in the surrounding area (still today his style is instantly recognizable).  In view of his background his achievements are quite remarkable.

He was a fervent Socialist with a Utopian vision, he was politically active, a member of the Council and a friend of the Bevans (who opened the first open air TB hospital on Leasowe Road).  He believed in Fellowship i.e. 'the whole of human kind' and he lived in a house called 'Fellowship House' on Pasture Road (behind what later became Fellowship garage). His ambition was to develop Moreton into a holiday town for the people living in the inner city of Liverpool. To this end he drained the land and set up a large camp site called 'Fellowship Fields' around the house and on the fields where the Cadburys factory was later built. The accommodation on Fellowship Fields was made up of old stream train carriages raised on stilts with verandas running round them. (there are fantastic photos of them in the Frank Biddle book on Moreton).

He brought the fun fair to Moreton and he marketed the site/town as a cheap holiday destination to the Irish families that he had seen living in squalid conditions in Liverpool. He was a maverick but he is single-handedly responsible for the massive rise in population that happens in Moreton over this period. The Irish families loved the sea air and outdoor life and due to housing conditions in Liverpool ended up staying on the site permanently, over 2000 Irish were living on the site when it was eventually condemned and cleared.

The story goes that although sanitation was poor and conditions were rough nobody wanted to leave because it had real communal spirit with camp fires, fiddles, drinking and Irish dancing, it was by all accounts an amazing/wild place. A lot of those resident in Moreton in the 40's 50s will have originally come from this Irish community. I was bought up in Moreton but seldom go back although as I am getting older I am more and more fascinated by the place and its forgotten history.. Love and Best Wishes Jayne Casey

Edit: Sept 8th 2008: Jayne: Steve Hallam wishes to contact you; you can reach him on steve -at- boldprint.com.au. Replace -at- with @ for his email.

Edit: January 2016.  Hi. I am interested in Jayne Casey's comments on the Burden family. Could you possibly pass my email address on to Jayne? I fully realise that the comments were made years ago and the address she gave you may no longer work! thanks for a useful site. Simon Partridge. sbpartridge - at - uclan.ac.uk - replacing -at- with @.

Malcolm (July 08) emailed me with these memories: I lived in Moreton until 1978. I attended Moreton Primary School off Barnston Lane. I have seen that the 'war time temporary school'  has been redeveloped, after two fires helped the wooden structure on its way. My family was evacuated during one fire. The headmaster, in my time, was a Mr Macklin; looking back, he was a complete psychopath. The Pink Floyd album The Wall could have been based on him.

I attended Wallasey Grammar School in Leasowe. WGS changed its name to Henry Meoles Comprehensive whilst I was there. So I knew the Leasowe level crossing very well, having to try and time my bike rides to and from school to miss the trains. I remember the building of the road that bypassed Bidston; Bidston Hill and its windmill and Observatory were a favourite haunt as I had relatives in Birkenhead.

July 08: My name is John McCallum and I think your site is very, very good. I was born in 1938 and was brought up in Digg Lane, no. 26. My father was  boilermaker at Cammell Lairds and was a Glasgow man. My mum died in 1945 and he brought me up with a little assistance from neighbours. I went to Tintern Drive private school for about 4 weeks and my dad took me away as it was too soft and I then went to Barnston Lane, this would be 1943. Mr Hibbert was the head and Miss Povall was my favourite teacher. There were 52 of us in the class which today would be unmanageable, but then there was a thing called discipline. I went to the Oldershaw until 1954, and then became an apprentice compositor at Auto Tickets in Birkenhead. Went into the Royal Signals in 1958 after finding out I would be better off financially by interrupting my apprenticeship. Ended up in Fountainbleu and as I was a good table tennis player, Hoylake YMCA, played for the local team in the iles de Paris. What a posting!  

I have very fond memories of my childhood, swimming in the sea after walking through Dodd's field and across the railway, it was exactly one mile from my house. My Dad used to say ''Have you been in the sea?'' I always said no, but he smelt my hair which always smelt of salt or something else and I would get a smack. I married a Birkenhead girl 45 years ago and we lived behind the Arrowe Park Hotel in one of Robert Lloyds houses. By this time I had left the print and was working at Levers in the accounts dept. after realising I had had a reasonable education. Moved to Surrey in 1970 and worked for several Unilever companies before being finally moved to Lancashire where I have retired. I have return to the Wirral and the saying 'never go back' is true. A big disappointment at the changes and I found it difficult.

Aug 2015 - John, can you contact me please, Barbara 'B' would like to contact you ref Barnston Lane. She says that 'I am one of four members of a Barnston Lane Class of 1949 – 1950 who have been instrumental in arranging very successful reunions since 2002.'

July 19th 2008: From Brian Lee. Live in Vienna and by chance came upon your site. Used to live in Douglas Drive, by your old school. Knew Lennie Wright well. Hope he is fine. Yep, remember the cross well, but as it is a family web site I'm sure my memories would be unsuitable. Good times.. This is just to say thanks. Regards. Brian Lee. (Lennie lives at the Upton end of Borrowdale Road still, with wife Angie - mike).

July 26th 2008: Bernard Williams asks: Does anybody have any memorabilia about the Haig Club that once stood at the end of Haig Ave. The reason I am asking is that my house stands on the site of the old club is situated where the entrance used to be, so my old neighbours tell me. I believe some great and now famous acts used to perform there. regards Bernard Williams. You can contact Bernard directly on haig61 - at - aol.com - replace -at- with @.

July 27th 2008: From Michael: I was born in McDonald Rd in 1944 and can remember gypsy`s on the cornfield that is now Lingham Park. I lived in Tern Way from 1951 until 1967. I have a pic of one of the two Coronation Street Parties in Tern Way. I have written a book about my childhood in Moreton but publishing costs have proved too expensive and the other option of a partnership with others does not work as my friend found out to his cost.  I collect School class photographs of Moreton and I am looking out for more. Am I thinking right, did you have something on the Hillbark House in Royden Park?. The reason I ask is that my Wifes Father was boss brickie on its move from Bidston. It was he who did the barley sugar twist chimney`s. There is a funny tale about this build but that is another story. He was Brickie on the Avenues in Moreton, Doreen Francis etc. He also was worked on the Station bridge. If you see an ornate brick fireplace in a Moreton house he did it. His first was for Dr Duncan and then everyone wanted one. Another building he did was the Baptist Church and we have the original pics of the laying of the foundation stone.

July 31st 2008: Will Smith, no not THAT Will Smith, contacted me: I stumbled across your website whilst looking for modern day pictures of Moreton shore. My mother came from a large family in Moreton (Jamesons) and I spent many school holidays in the 60's sent on the train from Surrey to Moreton to stay with my grandparents in Fairmead Road (No 61). Like you I spent many hours fishing in the lakes/ponds you mention with a boy of similar age to me (I was born in 1957) who lived next door (Terry). I believe they eventually made way for the bypass in later years. After my grandparent's death one of my Jameson aunties who was married (Jones) with children slightly younger than me moved into No 61 Fairmead Road and although I lost touch may still live there. Brought back a lot of memories looking at your website! Regards, William.

August 6th 2008: Email from June Kent. I live in New Zealand and went to visit the family with my 15yr old son in 2007 I was sad to see that Lingham junior school had gone none of my family mentioned that I guess they didn’t think it was important.  I have lovely memories of playing lawn bowls at Lingham park a strange pastime for a group of children but we loved it. During the 3 weeks I was there we travelled a great deal and I am sad I didn’t get to catch up with a lot of old friends.  I saw in the paper at the time one of my first best friends Norma Ashcroft's mum passed away whilst I was there and Martin Strowbridges' dad too I just couldn’t cope with visiting them on such sad occasions it didn’t seem appropriate but I am still sorry I didn’t get to see them. I am one of 7 children somebody may remember the Cottrell's?

August 9th 2008, I got this From Texas. I'm a relocated Cheshire Cat, born in Clatterbridge, raised in Pensby.  Emigrated to the states when I was 6. Grew up in New York, then moved to Texas in 1985.  I'm the only one living away from home.  Big sisters stayed in England and raised their families.  I've been back many many times spending Summers as a child running all over the place (*back when it was safe*).   I've had the luxury of taking my children with me over the past 23 years.  They miss it as I do. My father worked at Cammell Lairds and prior to that he worked the gardens on Lord Leverhulmes Estate.   He was a German POW and ended up in Ledsham at a camp.  Met my Mum and the rest is history. I have put your website in my favourites and will check it regularly. Now, I need a good walk across the Dales and Thurstaston Hill, then on to Park Gate for a yummy Hazelnut Ice Cream from Nicholls. Anneliese Baeske Worley Dallas, Texas.

August 13th 2008: Kevin Boyd sent me this: Stumbled over your web page while looking for other things, I was very pleased to see so much of Moreton's history documented, especially the old photos. I moved to Moreton when I was 8 with my 2 sisters and Mum onto Edgehill Road where my Mother still lives, this would be the mid 70’s, and compared to Birkenhead Moreton seemed like a green and pleasant land. 

I attended Lingham Primary briefly (now demolished) and the other part of Lingham Primary near Barnston Lane (also gone), before attending Lingham Middle School, I have many memories of a teacher at Lingham Primary Mr.Mullard(?) who I received the slipper from several times, would like to know more about him I guess he has died by now. I also remember the head teacher Mr. Wright who I never liked much.

 I have many happy memories of mucking round down on the Moreton and Meols beaches. My friends where all from around the Lingham Park area; Lingham Lane, Harvest Lane, Curlew Way, Bermuda Road, Flaxhill and Town Meadow etc. We were no angels but we were not bad kids, we liked to get up a bit of mischief and would often play in the brick works down Carr lane making rafts and sailing on the flooded parts and the other brick works off Tarran Way, now a golf range we also played in the scout field (as we called it) just by the M53, sadly most of the scout field is now under the Upton Bypass road. I am no longer in touch with any of my old friends, I know some have moved away and alas some are no longer with us, drugs mainly to thank for this. But many I am sure have stayed and now, like me, have their own families.

 I have especially fond memories of passing through Moreton on the bus as a very young child on my way to see my Grandparents at Christmas time, the roundabout would be fantastic, decorated with Christmas things, alas I do not think they do this any more, local kids steal the decorations or urinate over them no doubt.  I often do think what a waste has been made of the entire see side front from West Kirby to New Brighton, all those outside pools, piers and other attractions left to root and eventually bulldozed, it is good to see all the attempts at generating interest in wildlife and see side walks, the renovated lighthouse is great. I now live an hours drive from Weston Super Mare now and unfortunately their pier burned down 2 weeks ago, I hope they have the sense to quickly rebuild it.  

 I do not live in Moreton now but get along a couple of times a year for visits, as soon as I pull off the M53 I park up in Chadwick Street and cross over to Sayers for a pasty…..Greggs still ain’t up to job. Sadly all things change and it is merely a perception that places change when really it is us who change. Moreton clearly isn’t the place of my childhood anymore, too many cars and far too many people with a selfish attitude.

Kevin: John Crane (Oct 20th 2008) tells me that he saw Mr Mullard in Sainsbury's, Upton, yesterday (19th) and he still drives the Land Rover.

September 2nd 2008: Ken Bruffell: I have just stumbled on this site, I can only say what fantastic memories it has brought back to both myself and my wife Pam. I don't know if you remember us from the days of the Youth Club those days where brilliant, the dances. I can remember you with your red hair. I used to play football for the youth club. I married Pam Clarke from Fairmead Road back in 1975. We Lived in Moreton then moved up to Greasby. We are now retired and spend most of our time in Spain. Do you remember the little disc room in the club I was in there a lot and if I remember rightly so where you. I think you wanted to be a D.J. in those days. (I was the DJ, up to 9pm, mk). One of the records that everyone seemed to want to be played was Shake (Otis Redding - mk) cant remember who sang it though all the girls used to scream for it.

My first recollection of the Moreton Y.C. was the old pink library when it was still standing. I think the Ambulance station is there now. Does anybody remember it and who went there, does anyone remember Old Stan Johnson with his pipe and his bike who lived along Town Meadow Lane and Mr Fogarty and I think Doreen also started her life with the youth club there. These where very popular people.

I remember the building in the shape of a letter T the table tennis tables where to the left as you walked in and I think we had a little place that sold drinks. The club was always busy except when you mention about Wallis's Fair on the corner down at the shore. That's where we started the what I believe the first Moreton Youth Football Team and Stan Johnson and cant remember Mr. Fogarty's first name and Doreen used to come and watch us. I can remember a few of the players that started the team up perhaps someone can remember them There was myself big Neville Jackson from Leasowe Steve Hollywood also from Leasowe, Ginger Billy and Billy Tierney am not sure whether Martin Meddlicottt played there where others but I apologise for not remembering there names. The team used to meet in the cafe on the corner of Oakenholt Road or over the road in the Big House Bar god that place brings back some memories. Some of the other players we had after we got established who came to join us where Eddie Shoule I think he went to South Africa there was Steve Jones , Robbie Leatherbarrow, Garry Farlam, Billy Lampkin  from the coal, I am struggling to remember them all but if anyone can, it would be brilliant to hear from them or even post a comment on here. 

There was also Neil Saunders he went to America. We started the season quite well winning a few and losing a few, but the main thing was we enjoyed it. Eventually we had a real good team and other teams in the league did not want to play us, we caused some upsets beating the likes of Poulton Villa, Wheatland and Wallasey Boys Club but as it happens all good things come to and end. Well Mike I hope if somebody reads this it will help jog a few more memories, I think I could go on for ages with some of the things we used to get up to. I also remember a lad Dave Smith we played table tennis together and where doubles partners in the Wallasey Festival of Sport and went on to win it for the Youth Club.

September 3rd 2008 From Jennifer Hogben (now Rutherford): I was born in School Close in 1944.  I lived there until I was seven when we moved to one of the prefabs on Pasture Road (opposite Cadbury's).  Even though the move to Pasture Road should have had me change schools and attend Barnston Lane School, my Mum managed to keep me at Eastway.  I LOVED EASTWAY SCHOOL. The teacher who had the biggest impact on me was Mr. Wright.  I would love to know what happened to him over the years.  I walked to Eastway School every day and sometimes, if I was late for school, Mr. Wright would stop and give me a lift on his motorbike.  I have to confess, I was late deliberately whenever possible - just so I would get to ride pillion!! 

Pam Dolphin and Elaine Evans also stayed on as pupils at Eastway, even though their families had moved to Berrylands Road.  Elaine lived at the beginning of Berrylands and Pam lived closer to the end as you turn the bend (heading towards Harvest Lane).  Pam and I eventually went on to the Tech in Coronation Avenue, New Brighton, and Elaine went to the Wallasey High School.  I relive my childhood every day.  There is always something I think of that I did as a child.  I know Moreton has changed but I still long for the good old days when the summers always seemed to be warmer and the nights always seemed to  be lighter.  I remember brushing the front path of the prefab one summer night and it was well past 10 p.m.  And Christmas!!!!!!   Was there ever a more exciting time of year!

September 19th 2008: Andy McEwen emailed me: I've just looked through your website and in a nutshell brilliant I too was dragged up in Moreton some of the time literally but nevertheless have many fond memories too I was born in Liverpool and moved to Moreton when i was four we lived in Briscoe Drive and I went to Barnston Lane School aged 5 in 1966  till it got burned down (cant remember what year) yet I remember going in that day where we were made to stand in the playground and drink our school milk before being sent home we were then sent to sacred heart on a temporary basis before we ended up in the then newly built Sandbrook Lane School. After that I went to Lingham Middle and then Mosslands in Wallasey (formerly known as the tech].

We used to while away our days mainly playing football in places like the scouts field off Upton Road and Morsefield off Raby Drive both of which eventually gave way to small housing estates what a shame because kids these days just don't get to do these things like we used to. I remember in the summer holidays  when they used to cut the long grass in the scouts field and a hay baler used to come and bale it all we  would then make dens out of them and climb the trees in the spinney in the middle of the field and in the woods behind the scouts hut there was an old tree that had been felled by lightning and had many an adventure on that too fuelled by sweets we bought from the Avon in Upton Road  the Card Shop or Dan Evans jnr who used to sell things called kali lumps a sort of square gobstopper. If we managed to save any of our pocket money  (a rare thing) we would buy toys from Mortimer's toyshop and in slightly later years subbuteo teams and accessories from Keighleys. Our teenage years were spent tottering round in platform shoes mainly bought from Timpsons and wearing gaudy 70s clothing and slightly later Friday nights consisted of a few pints in various pubs usually ending up at the apollo were we would go dancing very badly those were the days.

I left the area in 1983 and last visited in 87 i spent 6 years in East Anglia before moving to Jersey where i have spent the last 18 years sadly I lost contact  with everybody for some 20 years but very recently I bought my first computer a pity in some ways as I quite liked being a caveman but the upshot to this is that I discovered Friends Reunited and consequently managed to find my best mate  who I grew up with and I shall be making my first trip back in 20 years later this year and also as a result I discovered your superb website, very informative, great photos and very well researched. Moreton just like most places including here has changed for the worse that sadly is the social climate these days but that will not deter me from having a good time there and I will let you know my findings when I return and once again many thanks for a great website  kind regards  Andy McEwen.

September 24th 2008: Neil Saunders has just emailed me from Indiana. What a wonderful site.  The photographs and narratives all bring memories flooding back.  I was particularly interested in Kenny Bruffel’s “blog”  Kenny and I went to Liverpool to see the Beach Boys, in 1970 or thereabouts.  Add Charlie (Steve) Mason and Oscar Welch to the names Kenny.    I attended Sacred Heart then went to St Thomas Becket.  I left in 1966.  Peter Blakely (a great guy) of the Youth Club entered me into a speech contest that eventually led me to the USA.  Once here, I met a “Yank”, whose name is Brenda, and we just celebrated our 36th anniversary.  We have three boys, all fully grown.  Unfortunately, I’ve not been back to Moreton very often.  The last two times were short visits when each of my parents died.  My brother Graham, who now lives in Devon, visits me often to escape the dreary British weather.  We have lived in Evansville, Indiana for 37 years.  Both my wife and I are teachers. I am in my thirty-third year as a history teacher and hope to retire soon.  I have great memories of the Youth Club, “Big ‘Ouse” and football games with all the lads.  I lived in Knutsford Green for my entire life while in England.  Some of my fondest memories of the area are: New Brighton Baths, eating cakes from the little cake shop “under the arcade” next to Les Turner’s on the way home from school,  going to the “posh” pubs in Neston and Greasby, and fish and chips after a night out.  I’ll visit the site often to check out any new entries.  Best regards to all!! Neil Saunders.  (Not many visit it but MYC has its own page you know? Moreton Youth Centre.  - Mike)

September 27th 2008: An Email from Mark Cain (Down Under!): HI Mike. My name is Mark CAIN and I moved from Moreton in September 1980, 20th to be exact when I was almost 15 years of age. At the time my family and I lived at number 32 Croft Drive Moreton and I attended Lingham Middle School for two years until we left Moreton to live in Melbourne Australia. My brother attended Sacred Heart and my Mother was the "lolly pop" lady there for a time much to both my Brother and my embarrassment at times although we never had to wait to long to cross the road when she was on duty on the way home so that was a very good advantage I guess. My Father worked at Seaforth Container base and so would commute through the tunnel everyday to and from work. I still have family who live in Liverpool, some in West Derby, Cantrill Farm and the rest scattered across England, Wales and even some in Spain now I believe.  

The school Principal at the time was Mr Owen a Welsh gentleman who was a firm but fair school head. I can only recall a couple of my teachers Mr Pearson who I think was the PT (geography teacher) I can still recall the faces of my woodwork teacher who I believe was the Deputy Head, the cookery teacher and my hot French teacher who's name escapes me. Since arriving here in 1980 I have returned to the UK on three occasions and on those visits I travelled to Moreton and visited all the places I spent time in as a child.  I have very fond memories of Moreton and when I came across your fantastic site it brought back all those happy memories of my time at Lingham Middle School, playing on Moreton Foreshore, trips to Brighton Baths and the Funfair, my first hole in one at the golf course as a child and my first "snog" from Dena COWL one of the "it" girls at school at the time, I wonder what she is doing now?

My Uncle worked at Cadburys on the permanent nightshift for about 25 years, my cousin played in a band called Beano which I think were even in the Eurovision Song Contest in the late 70's. I lost touch with all my school friends shortly after leaving Liverpool in 1980 only writing to one girl Julie Harris for a few years before losing contact with her in about 1982. I so many happy memories of my time in Moreton and being one of the privileged to live "over the water" as people would say. My Mother and Father have returned to Liverpool on many more occasions than I and in fact my Mother returned and lived in Liverpool for a period of 18 months about three years ago. A lot has changed in Liverpool from what I understand but so has the rest of the world too and there is very little humanity for one another left on this planet unfortunately. My Uncle John always taught me to be proud of my Liverpool heritage and where I was brought up and even though my birthplace is not the once proud City it used to be I wouldn't change a thing about where I was born and I couldn't be happier to be a scouser.  

6th November 2008: Barry Drinkwater contacted me:  My name is Barry Drinkwater, grew up at 38 Pasture Avenue with my grandparents and mum  Sheila Harper. I was born at that location in 1949. When I was 11 we moved to 20 Digg lane, went up in the world, the place had a driveway and garage, 2 pubs close by you could piss to them on a windy day they were that near,  farmers arms and the big house. I often think about the people I grew up with and recognize names tossed around in your website from people emailing you. For the past 26 years I have lived in Vancouver Canada. Moreton was a great place to grow up in, it taught me a lot of values that helped me in my later years. Anyone who recognizes my name please give me a short email I will respond. patdrink - at - shaw.ca. Replace the -at- with @ to email Barry directly.

Nov 08: Steve Hallam sent me an image of the 1974 Coach & Horses FC - its above.

25th January 2009: My name is John Robertson and I grew up in Moreton from 1969 until 1987 when I left to join the Royal Air Force. My family history is that my grandparents Fred and Gwen Cushing owned the hardware shop on the cross and my mum Marie Cushing, later to be Robertson was at some time in the 50's/60's a bobby on the beat round there. We lived at 24 Knutsford Road and all the stuff that is being posted is great. My dad Harry Robertson died last year and he was locally known as "Jock". He was a staunch supporter of the former cinema that is now the bingo hall. I remember being woken up one night just to see the whole £400 he won in the late 70's. It was a lot of money then. If anyone can remember any of this (excluding my dad's bingo win) I would love to hear from them. I now live in Wallasey and work in Liverpool.

February 2009: An email from S Vaughan.  I was born in Pasture Ave in 1960 so have lots of memories of growing up.Im Michael Vaughan and was good friends with Steve and Philip Salisbury and Peter Corbett who all lived in Orchard Rd. We all went to Eastway Primary and then Moreton Middle School, the old MSM, I believe it changed the year we all went. I remember things like the old brickworks opposite Cadburys and a bit further down was Biddles farm before you got to the Apollo. Remember Les Turners in the cross as it was the only shop that would sell loosies (I used to buy mine there too, or if I delivered four newspapers around the corner, I would get 2 -3 loosies! - mk) and round the corner was Saunders where I got my first paper round,  had to do all the houses down the shore,man it was cold in the winter and a bit further down on the other side was Bethells sweet shop. Also remember the Moreton Mart which was owned by John Orrs parents. We all played footie for Moreton Villa at Arrowe park and used to travel in his uncles old white Volvo estate. Used to go to the BB at the Baptist church years ago.

The photo of the VE Day party couldn’t have been in Pasture Ave as it wasn’t built till about 1958/9 (incorrect, it is - mk) as we got our house where I was born after living in the pre-fabs on the Tarran Way estate. My dad worked on the gas board and then Vauxhalls and we lived next door to Nobby Platt who had a daughter Joan the same age as me. I remember knocking about Ivy Lane, Orchard Rd, Westway, Danger Lane area most of my youth, oh happy days. It looks like its the corner of Danger Lane looking down to where the road goes round to Sunfield Ave where the dreaded Flash Harry lived. Sad to say that I had the dubious honour of him being my father in law until my first wife and I went our separate ways. Sadly he passed away about twelve years or so ago and I’m sure he is sadly missed by all you who had your ears rattled by him, he was definitely of the old school. Speaking of school, does anyone remember Alfie Shadrack at MSM/MMS as I remember he was very fond of a bit of corporal punishment as my backside will testify. Seem to remember a Neil Mackenzie and a Steven Lloyd and a Peter Hopkins all lived near the school. I recall the tank traps and the pill boxes down the shore and going there most days in the holidays with my mum cause it was cheap. I recall Leasowe Rd hospital being something to do with having TB and you went there to recover. Will come back with more memories when the old grey matter loosens up. Best Wishes from Edinburgh where I’ve lived for the last 20 odd years.

February 28th 2009: Now here is a blast from the past, and I do recall the name. Just came across your website and thought it was great it brought back some good memories of me growing up in Moreton. I still have family there, I actually live in the USA now so don’t get to go home much. Reading your bio I think you went to school with my sisters Moreen (or was it Maureen - mk) and Beryl Traynor not sure if you remember them. I went to Sacred Heart and Tommy Bucket in the late sixties and joined the army in 1970 after leaving school. I will have a look round to see if I have any pictures for you. Nice site. Have a good day. All the best, Peter Traynor. Pete was after my 'time' in Moreton Schools, so I possibly "missed him". Oh and yes, I do remember Traynor.

March 6th/7th 2009: My name is Paul Spencer I lived in Moreton till I was 27. I lived on Mallard Way and Curlew Way. For the past 20 years I've been living in Southern California. I don't get home too often, what with Hawaii close by who needs sunny Moreton. I'm writing because I came across your website by accident, and I love it. I'm a big history buff myself and I have many books on Moreton and Wallasey. Seeing all the pictures you have on your website is given me the itch to possibly come for a visit next year and go to all my old haunts. Also from Paul: I’m 47. I left Moreton in 1989 for California. I lived in Curlew Way and Mallard Way, my mum and dad still live on Mallard Way. As a kid I just remember Moreton as a great big playground. Does anybody remember the quarry and the miniature railway they had to transport the clay from the quarry to the kilns. There was a guy I remember who told you when to cross the tracks if you were going to the shore. Also does anybody remember the sewage farm by Tern Way, It's amazing that none of us were killed playing there. Also, on Sundays in the winter time when the train station was closed, we used to go under the fence and grab as many broken biscuits from Cadburys as we could carry and eat them at the train station. Also at the bottom of Pasture Road by the shore there was a little arcade place next to the chip shop, and sometimes the fair (Wallis' Speedway - Mike Wallis ran it) would set up on the foreshore. You could play for hours down the shore, down the quarry, tadpole fishing on the Birkett, or playing footy in Lingham Park. I feel sorry for the kids today, nowhere is left to play and I don’t think they've got the imagination that we had back then. If there is anybody out there who would like to get in touch with me please send me an email. All the best. Paul Spencer. Speno1961 – at – gmail.com replace the –at- with @to email him, no spaces.  This is a new email address (2014)

July 2009: From Bob McNay: what a wonderful site, it brought back such warm memories to me of that time. Thank you so very much. My name is Bob McNay and I was from Moreton, later Toronto, then many other places since,  and I attended the club during this period. I am still in very close contact with many people who you may or may not know from this period, who I'll bet don't even know this wonderful sight exists!. I must tell them about it and ask if they have any photos or information to offer you. I will be back in Moreton very soon.

September 2009: Arthur Capener contacted me from New Zealand where he is an artist. I was at Sacred Heart Then Tommy Beckets: I left school in 61 .....do you remember Shap (Mr Conroy) Cutch (Mr Carroll) Ma Fahy (Miss Fahy)* Mrs Morgan*...etc and in Thomas Beckets  Skinhead (Mr Fenton) Yogi (Mr Dalzel) and of course J.J. Devine - headmaster..... (I used to refer to the head as 'Divvy' - MK) - Arts site- http://www.grosvenorfineart.co.nz  - (*I think Miss Fahy and Mrs  Morgan were at Tommys ?? - mk)

I can recall some of the pupils Rob Nadin, Micky Clarke, Terry Higginson, John Grady, John Bryant, Tony Carrol, Mike Pollack, Helen Cavalier, Pat Flynn, Anne Sheridan, Libby Rice.....John Grady etc etc .......great days.....real shame that the place has to change too much with the times.....change is fine but some of the changes are tragic.....I remember Cadbury's being built and we used to go with those cheap nets on the end of a bamboo stick to try and catch goldfish out of Cadburys 'water feature' in Pasture Road.....when we weren't up Ditton Lane blackberry picking or making pea shooters with a stalk of a plant which looked like celery but had a hollow centre and used to work well with berries off hawthorn as the ammo....also went shooting with Barry Curtis and John Scully and others with 410 shotguns , ( I don't know how we did that, there must have been licence requirements even then) ......and of course there was stickle back fishing in the Birket.......memories come flooding back......

At Reeds Aveue there were the local shops we always got sent to by parents who had forgotten something when they went shopping.....Stannys (Stanifords Post Office and sweets) Tommies ( Tommy Edwards Veggies) across the road the Co-Op were the kids were always fascinated by the money containers flyin across the store on a wire pulley to a central cashiers booth, then came flyin back with the change and a co-op receipt with your divvy number on it....and of course the Butchers next door, floor covered in sawdust.....In the Butchers were the kids would let their parents down when mum said to the butcher "Can I 'ave a few scraps please....it's for the dog you understand" and the kid would shout "Orr great are we gettin a dog?"..... Across the road in Tommy Edward's  veggie shop she would say "wharrav yer got in the way of tomatoes?."....an e' replied....."Nothin....there they are over there". Still a great site Mike......brings back fond memories..... Arthurs Site: http://www.grosvenorfineart.co.nz - lovely artwork

If anyone would like to contact Arthur directly with their memories, or renew an acquaintance, he can be contacted at:   avcap1 - at  - gmail.com - replace the -at- with @ for the email address.

Reply: Miss Fahy died whilst driving home in 1978, brain haemorage

Tracy Martin sent me this, along with some images, September 2009:  I came across the Moreton section of your website recently and thought how much my father, Ian Timpron Martin (1936-2008), would have revelled in your material and the contributions from his fellow Moretonians.  Ian spent all his childhood in Moreton, living with his parents, John and Winifred, and his elder brother, Doug, at 72 Rosslyn Road. His maternal grandparents, William and Daisy Usher lived in nearby Glebelands Road, as did an elderly cousin, William Brown Burdett. They were very much a Moreton family, attending Christ Church twice every Sunday. As a teenager, Ian was a bell-ringer. Weddings and funerals could prove lucrative.  

Ian’s great-grandparents, William Robinson Usher and his wife, Ellen, hailed from Titchmarsh in Northamptonshire, moving to Moreton in the early eighteen-eighties. By the end of the nineteenth-century, Ellen had become sub-postmistress for Moreton and neighbouring townships. I often picture her steaming letters open. William and Ellen’s younger daughter, Johanna Mary, known as “Mo”, married Oliver Finney Pennington, known to all as “Mick”. Together they ran a Moreton bakery. Ian and Doug would often pop in the hope of a cake but never got a crumb! Mo retired to a bungalow in Sandbrook Lane. She died thirty years ago but I should think she is still remembered by older residents of Moreton. Ian attended Barnston Lane Primary School and later Wallasey Grammar School. He had clear memories of “Barney Lane”, where he was a contemporary of your correspondent Jack Woolham and his family in the war years. Ian recalled:

Jack was a well-built boy, whereas I was small and thin. His mother was always concerned about my lack of weight and would sometimes give me a bottle of condensed orange juice to take home. It was part of the ration for Jean, Jack’s younger sister. I think that on most Saturday afternoons Jack and I went to the Picture House to watch Gene Autrey or Johnny MacBrown fighting the Indians or the rustlers. It was very popular with the kids and well worth our 6d entrance fee. Afterwards we would play on the spare ground next to the church where the new parish hall now stands. It was covered in bushes and small trees and great for pretending we were Gene Autrey etc, smacking our behinds as though goading our horses to go faster, pretending to swig medicine from a bottle to recover from deadly gun shot wounds until we were worn out and ready for something else.

How generous people were in those times of utmost hardship!  I hope this information and the attached pictures of people and places will be of interest. Please use anything you wish for your fascinating website. Kindest regards, Tracy Martin.

November 2009: An email from Chris Neil: I stumbled on your site while doing some research and it put a smile on my face; I was born in Leasowe in 1959 in Baffin Close just behind where you lived on Twickenham Drive. I don't remember the shops on Twickenham Drive you refer to but my older brothers do, ( I think they used to rob them blind). I do remember the corporation yard where you had to go if you need stuff for the house and we used to visit the Boyce family who lived in the flats you refer to. My sister Wendy had a good friend Rosemary Boyce who lived there and her father was a keen photographer. Great site and I have e mailed a link to my brother who lives in Kent. He left Wallasey to join the RAF as I did in 1976. I was in Baffin Close a few weeks ago with him and he was horrified to see the "Leasowe" was gone. My eldest brother John Neil used to operate the gates at Leasowe railway station.

I live in Doncaster now but do get to Wallasey reasonably regularly but I must say I always leave with a touch of sadness as to what the place has become. We lived at the sand hills in Leasowe all summer long and often walked up to the Derby Pool where it was quite easy to bunk in through the back fence. Chris Neil.

July 2010: From Mal Rigby: I was born and raised in one off the last farm cottages in Sandbrook Lane in 1962.The annotation on the clock at the cross was dedicated to my aunt for her commitment to the youth club. We moved to W Australia in 1976 but most of the Rigby clan still live there.

August 11th 2010: From David Rushton West Kirby:  Found your great website via Google.  I got into researching family history around October 2009.  I notice a few mentions of Smiths on the site and wondered if any of them have living relatives who are in contact with you or your site. My lineage is:

Mother Mary Elizabeth Smith (now Rushton)
Her father Herbert Smith (worked at RAF West Kirby), married Maud May Davies and lived in West Kirby
His father was Herbert Smith, married Elizabeth Ann Barton.
His father was Joseph Smith (1832 - 1901), my great great grandfather, farmer of Saughall Massie.  His wife was Sarah (Griffiths) and they had 11 children that I know of.  The youngest was Ernest Smith, who I believe is the Ernest Smith pictured holding his own son Joseph in Biddle and Fellowes’ Pictorial History of Moreton volume 1.  The 1901 census and the elder Joseph’s death certificate states he was living with Ernest and Ernest’s family during the last years of his life.  He died in 1901 and according to the will I recently purchased, left everything he had to Ernest, so if any family papers exist I would imagine they came down through Ernest’s line.  I would love to get in touch with anyone who may know more about any of the Smiths including Joseph’s father John, who was also a farmer in Saughall and who married Nancy (maiden name unknown). Many thanks.  David Rushton

September 21st 2010. Vivienne Brundell tells me:  I always visited my granddad Frank Boundy on Neva Avenue as a child. My dad John grew up there from the 1930’s with his brother Frank and mother Marjorie.  He was telling me how he used to walk to the shore, so I thought I’d look up some old photographs and came across your website. It’s great. I’ve told dad about it and I thought it might be worth mentioning that in the Picture House a lady used to come round spraying the place to get rid of the fleas and if you were in the way when the film was on, you’d get sprayed too- hilarious!

November 6th 2010: From Dot Parrington. Hi, I am an old Moretonian. Enjoyed many many happy hours in Inglewood Avenue and the woods and field (Moors Field). The corner shop on the corner of Arrow Ave and Borrowdale Road. Went to Barnston Lane and Upton Road for my schooling. I do have a question - do any of you readers remember the tents where people lived after World War 2. They were just over the railway, on the left as one was heading down to the beach. They were like teepees with wooden floors and how families lived in such tiny spaces I do not know. Things that were are soon forgotten when we don't record them (like the over head railway in Liverpool is another example).

Also thought that you would be interested in this snippet. I have lived in South Australia since 1969. Have 6 kids, one of which lives in Queensland. A few years ago we went up to Queensland on holiday and whilst at our sons home a lady, her husband and 2 daughters came in. They were living their pet bird to be looked after whilst they returned to England for a holiday. I asked the lady where she came from for she seemed to have an accent similar to mine. Her reply was that she came from a small place that I would never have heard of and so I said well try me.   Her reply was Moreton on the Wirral. I then asked her just where and she said Arrow Avenue. So you see the world really is a very small place if we can wander 12,000miles and meet someone from our own back yard.  Your site is fantastic and as I have grandchildren that are interested to see where I came from I shall tell them to go and have a look.  Thanks, Dorothy Evans nee Parrington.

Can Dot Parrington please send me your email address? I used to have it but its lost and Roger Willoughby would like to contact you.

Nov 6th 2010: If anyone knows the whereabouts of Moreton historian Ken Burnley who lives/lived as I recall in Irby (my contact email address is out of date apparently) can you pass on this info;

Is trying to find him.

From Paul Broadfoot Nov 2011: I used to live in Lomond Grove in Moreton in the 40`s and early 50`s  and I am looking for any photo`s aerial or otherwise of that location and i wondered if any of your many viewers could point me in the right - direction. I left Moreton in 1962 and I know it has changed now from what it was but hasn't everywhere, I would be most grateful for any help. You can contact him at paul.broadfoot -at- ntlworld.com - Replace -at- with @ for his email address.

Dec 2011: Bill Boyle recalls: During ww2 when I was a boy if I went down Ditton Lane at the back of Leasowe Hospital which was then a TB hospital I could see the patients lying in their beds on balconies open to the elements apparently the sea air was a cure for TB the patients were on those balconies summer and winter.  One day in the 1940s my mother and father went off for the day somewhere leaving me in charge of my little sister Dorothy and baby brother Sam I took them down the lane opposite Leasowe Hospital past the tiny cottage and up to the promenade.  The tide was in so we sat on one the embankment slipways with our butties and bottle of water I lifted Sam out of his pram and he was happy crawling about until he cut his wrist on broken glass I had to wrap his arm in towels as the blood was spurting out so much.  I put him and Dorothy in the pram and started for home whilst going past Leasowe Hospital two young women who worked there were coming out of the hospital.  They looked at the pram which was full of blood, one of said where are you going I replied home they said quick take him into the hospital and to cut a long story short the doctors kept Sam in for blood tranfusions and he was there for the night .  Only for those young women he would surely have died.

February 2012: Jayne Casey. Heather Butler would like you to contact her at : ladyemma - at - sky.com - thanks

From Sue Horn April 2012: Gosh where do I start, I grew up in Elm Avenue which was technically Upton, but spent most of my leisure time in Moreton. Days spent on Moreton shore when you walked to the bus stop, caught the bus at Borrowdale Road then alighted near the Apollo which in those days I think was a skating rink. The scent of warm chocolate as you walked home past Cadbury. One year there were thousands and thousands of dead jellyfish on the sea barrier, and none of us kids were allowed in the water. Another time my Dad Fred Battersby waded in and pulled out a dead body, grossly swollen and smelling, others saw it and were sick, but my Dad simply said as a fireman in the War he’d had to touch much worse..

I remember the first Tesco opening in Moreton and to this day use two make up brushes I bought over 50 years ago in Woolworths’. As teenagers we spent our days riding horses from Mr Camm’s stables in Beech Avenue, each person walking the round route from there to Saughall Massie and back alongside the horses, sometimes for 6 hours a day; the reward at the end was a canter up the field next to the Dairy or a bareback ride to the field lasting less than five minutes! Mr Camm allowed us to play his old piano, and many a kid learned chopsticks on that. In the evenings we would gather wood and branches and light a big fire on Moor’s field, lots of budding romances started there.

Slightly older I spent time in the pub on the roundabout in the snug, port and lemon was my drink in those days. Saturdays were spent at the Football Club off Upton Road, oh there were some dire acts...put me off comedians for life. These days I live in Devon, funnily enough in a village called Moretonhampstead..  I occasionally visit the Wirral and am taken aback by the sheer volume of traffic and how sad a lot of the shopping areas of Moreton appear. I stay at Leasowe Castle and yes, the memories flood back...

Some places like Caldy remain totally unchanged, and many of the areas I played such as Overchurch and Moor’s field have long had houses on them, but in my head of course I can recall every inch of those fields where  I caught butterflies, pressed wild flowers and fished for sticklebacks. Thank you so much for bringing back such happy memories for me, I stumbled on the site accidentally, and have bookmarked it so I can return. Sue Horn. Devon.

June 2012. From David Vaughan. I am also a Moreton lad, David Vaughan from a Moreton family Sharpe's. Do you remember the cobblers next to Woolworths, well that was my uncle Dave. When that shop closed down he moved to the cross what is now the Time Spot. The off licence next to the Arm Chair pub was my grand fathers (Photo 2 first day Bananas in this country after the war) shop during the war and he was allowed to keep chickens and pigs in the back orchard and sell the eggs through the shop which my grand mother ran while he mended shoes and army boots in the back. My grand father had the contract to repair the boots of all the RAF at Saughall Massey camp.

I myself was born to Margaret Joan Sharpe and Ernest William Vaughan 1953 in a pre-fab 23 Tarran Way the estate opposite Cadburys Moreton end and then we moved to 26 Pasture Ave. I went to Barnston Lane School till I was 11 and then went to MSM for boys till 15 then got out and ran away to sea with Blue Funnel as fast as my legs would go. You name it i've done it. I live in Wiltshire now and have been a civil servant for the past 15 odd years I have 3 sisters Eileen, Joyce, Dorothy & and my brother Mike. ( Photo 3 me and my mum Moreton shore I loved it and still do when I get up there) ( Me & my Mrs of 40 years with one of my daughters )

Lets see how many people we have in common, Sherlock's of Danger Lane, The Williams family Stephen & Eddy later in life to run the Plough Inn at the Cross, the Cambells of Pasture Ave, nearly all red heads, Chrisy Triggs Pasture Ave down by Danger Lane, John Hatton of Maryland Lane his dad use to be the window cleaner around the cross, Joan, John, Larry Hughs also Maryland Lane top left, Alic Landrum and sisters. Anthony Gallimore, Tony Devenrough, Allan Rutter, Alan Highland had an older brother Dennis his dad worked in Cadburys, Norman Saddler, Ursula Bolisga lived on Pasture Road, the Cook family use to run the night club Grandma's and the Grand in New Brighton.