December 2007 Archives
Calendar puts colour into Crosby history
Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on December 13, 2007 9:58 AM
A FORMER Crosby resident has put together another calendar featuring historic scenes of the town.
Following the positive response from his calendar last year, Alex Lowe, born in the area in 1943, has produced another showing old snaps of Great Crosby and Waterloo.
Not only that, Alex, known in the area for his VW garage on College Road as well as his 12-year motor racing career in which he won two British titles, has also made a series of Christmas cards using more images of days gone by in Crosby and the surrounding areas.
The 63-year-old moved to Wales in 1981, but after being forced to sell his holiday venture when trade hit a low, Alex began working with computers.
He built up a business teaching himself how to lovingly restore old photographs.
Alex’s first calendar, featuring Victorian pictures of Llanwrtyd Wells where he now lives, became a runaway success with 300 copies sold in just two months.
His Crosby calendar last year was also sought after and brought back fond memories for Alex who used to live on Sunnyside Road.
After putting together his first Crosby calendar, Alex said: “The idea basically came from my sister Rose who lives in Crosby.
“Rose said somebody was doing books with old pictures of Crosby and I said jokingly is anyone doing a calendar.
“She said not that I know of so I knocked one up and sent out a copy.
“I was born and bred in Crosby but the only old pictures I had were of very poor quality so a long process of repairing and colouring began.
“Because of the popularity of last year’s calendar, I have had local residents ringing me to ask if I am doing one for next year.”
However, Alex stressed that it is not a profit-making business.
He added: “As I am retired and live in a very remote part of Wales, this gives me something to do and other people a great deal of pleasure.
“I have been doing Christmas cards, calendars, postcards and small local history books for over three years now and thought it might be a good idea to see if Crosby would like some of their own Christmas cards as well.
“All the pictures were originally black and white and are hand coloured.”
Scenes pictured on the Christmas cards include: the fire brigade outside Alexandra Hall; the Brooke Hotel and the Old Mill, Moor Lane, all circa 1900.
Images on the calendar include: South Road, Waterloo; the erosion of the Serpentine, from 1930 and the Crosby to Bootle Express in early 1900.
For prices or to order Alex’s calendar or cards, contact him on 01591 610 334.
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Winter Gardens Theatre
Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on December 6, 2007 9:16 AM
FOLLOWING on from our cinema series, Memories has been handed a programme from the Winter Gardens from the time when it became a theatre.
Built in the 1870s, the building, on Church Road, Waterloo, was first used as a gym and later a billiard hall before it became the district’s first cinema in December 1909.
Following a second makeover, with capacity increasing to 650, it reopened as the Winter Gardens Theatre in September 1922 until June 1931.
The programme, made available to Memories by former auctioneer and Crosby resident Billy McMahon, advertises shows at the theatre in 1929 and 1930.
These include The Lash, direct from the Royalty Theatre, London, described as a play in three acts by Cyril Campion.
Also advertised is Interference, by Ronald Pertwee and Harold Dearden, and Taming of the Shrew.
Various local businesses have also advertised inside the programme.
Supplementing this is an advert for Dope, again by Cyril Campion, and shown in September 1929.
It’s said to be a thrilling and sensational play direct from Duke of York’s Theatre, London, starring Harry Raymond playing the part of Gerrard and Rosalind Marie as Dolores.
Do you have any memorabilia from former cinemas or theatres in the area you would like to share?
Post your memories here.
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Parents enjoyed holiday camp fun
Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on December 6, 2007 9:15 AM
THIS picture of residents in Caradoc Road, Seaforth was published in Memories some months ago.
Richard Connolly, whose parents are on the picture, spotted the photo in the Memories section of the Crosby Herald website where he posted some extra details.
The picture was handed in by Seaforth resident Reggie Scriven who received it from a friend and former Crosby resident who emigrated to Australia.
Richard says the picture shows a trip to Middleton Towers Holiday camp, near Morecambe, and would date it between 1953 and 1956.
He believes the man in the top right hand corner wearing a uniform is the driver.
Richard added: “My parents Frank and Flora Connolly are sitting in fifth and sixth places on the second row.
“At the time of the photograph we lived at 35 Caradoc Road.
“I have a postcard/photograph of them wearing the same clothes sitting at a table with a group of people.
“The postcard/photograph is labelled ‘Middleton Towers holiday picture’ in the bottom right hand corner.
“Printed on the back of it is ‘Greetings from Middleton Towers’ and ‘Cruising on Land, Middleton Towers Holiday Camp near Morcambe’.
“Neither my brother nor I can remember my parents going on the trip, but I can remember being told by them that it was the first time they had left us with babysitters.
“I have, therefore, estimated the date of the trip between 1953 and 1955.”
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This page contains an archive of all entries posted to Crosby Memories in the December 2007. They are listed from oldest to newest.
November 2007 is the previous archive.January 2008 is the next archive.
Many more can be found on the home page or by looking through the archives.
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