July 2008 Archives

A PHOTOGRAPH of a car taken in Crosby Village in the 1960s was definitely an AC Two Litre Coupe, according to one reader.
Phil Blanchard said he has a picture of the same model in a book printed in 1952.
The registration number of the car in the book is PPF 97 - this has led him to believe the car pictured on the Memories page, with the registration number PPK 331, would date earlier than 1956.

Phil said: "I do remember that AC were making cars up until the late 90's because I visited the factory in Weybridge when the company went into receivership."
Anyone with photographs of Crosby from the past or with any more information can send them to Crosby Herald, 43-47 Liverpool Road, Crosby, L23 5SD or by email to newsdesk@crosbyherald.co.uk.

A MAN in Litherland has spoken about his brother's school days in Seaforth before World War II.
Gerard Ormesher, who lives in Field Lane was a pupil at Our Lady Star of the Sea School in the 1930s.
He wrote in after reading Crosby Herald front-page story (July 10) about John Devaney, who was rescued from the rubble of the Catholic Young Men's Society by Steve Heaney, following a bomb attack during the Blitz in 1941.
Gerard's younger brother Seth, who is 84, was in the same class as John at Our Lady Star of the Sea School in Seaforth a few years before the outbreak of World War II.
Seth told him about an incident in the classroom, which occurred on the day of the Grand National in 1938, which in those days was run on a Friday but was more recently changed to a Saturday.
During the lesson Mr Charles Lawler, a well-liked and respected teacher, talked about the race and asked the boys if any had an idea of the winner.
Seth remembered that John, who had ambitions of going into the Navy and later got his wish soon after the war broke out, shouted the name of a horse called Battleship.
Gerard said: "This horse actually won the race ridden by a 16-year-old named Bruce Hobbs.
"I wonder if the teacher took the tip and had a small wager on the nag."
Seth and John had recently talked on the phone and recalled the incident which happened around 70 years ago.

The photograph shows the school football team including Seth, pictured on the far right, with John, who is the tallest and is standing next to Mr Lawler.
Anyone with memories of the school at that time or with any photographs taken before or around World War II can send them to the Crosby Herald.

A WATERLOO man has been remembering his old school days.
It is 45 years since David Seiglow left school but it is a time that has stayed in his memory.
David, 60, who now lives in Ferndale Road, grew up in Waterloo and remembers calling for his friends in the morning and waiting at the railway crossing at St John's Road when the occasional steam train would pass up to Southport.
Some of his friends would also visit the shop to buy a cigarette, which was referred to as a "two-penny loosy" in those days, before going to school.
They would then make their way along the back entries of St John's Road to Crosby Secondary Modern School.
David said: "How different it was then, we had teachers like Harry Roberts, Joan Illingworth and Mr Ross who were totally in control.
"Their whole purpose was to teach us self-respect to work as a team and to respect others.
"As I recall there wasn't a great deal of bullying."

Recently he sat down and tried to remember his old classmates and came up with about 30 names.
He said: "I felt as though they were part of my family.
"Over the years I still see a few of these classmates yet a lot of them seem to have vanished off the face of the earth.
"It is said that the school years are the best years of your life, in a way they were to me."
The photograph submitted is David in his school days, pictured with Pauline Hodgson, who he still sees occasionally and Avonia Thompson who he has not seen for more than 45 years.
He has also submitted a poem entitled The Land of Play, highlighting nicknames that people had for places across Waterloo, Crosby and Blundellsands.
Does anyone else have any memories or pictures of their school days?
Leave a comment on the Memories section of www.crosbyherald.co.uk or write to Memories, Crosby Herald, 43- 47 Liverpool Road, Crosby L23 5SD or email newsdesk@crosbyherald.co.uk

EVIDENCE of the changing face of Crosby Village can be seen in old photographs.
Here is a photograph of the corner of the village, at the top of Liverpool Road, taken in around 1966.

It was submitted by Peter Roome and was taken by his father Frank, also known as Ernie.
Peter said: "At the time it was clearly a place for sitting and watching the world go by.
"It shows my second favourite shop - Newtons the stationers.
"My favourite was Schofield's the toy and sports shop in the now demolished Central Buildings."
If anyone else has any photographs of Crosby Village from years gone by, send them to Crosby Herald, 43-47 Liverpool Road, Crosby, L23 5SD or by email to newsdesk@crosbyherald.co.uk

FURTHER photographs have proved that women's uniforms during World War II fastened in the same direction as mens'.
Photographs appeared on the Memories page on April 17, from a WAAF reunion and showed the uniforms were buttoned like men's jackets.
At an Age Concern Housebound Club meeting the same topic was brought up.
Gwen Foster, a member of the club, was in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II.
She had served in Egypt and was also married in her uniform in Alexandria.

Gwen had always thought it had fastened like a women's jacket and decided to dig out her own snaps from the time to prove it to the club members.
But on closer inspection she realised the women's uniforms were in fact buttoned the wrong way.
The club, which meets at Picton Road on Mondays for lunch, is now asking people for information as to why this was the case.

LIGHT has been cast on a photograph of an orchestra from the early 1950s.
The photograph was pictured in Memories on June 19 and it was believed to be of an orchestra from St Mary's College.
Geoff Cowie, of Liverpool Road, said the person conducting the orchestra was Eugene Genin.
He said Eugene has been a violinist in the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in the very early 1940s and possibly before the war.
Eugene trained at St Mary's, St Edward's and St Anselm's colleges as well as at least five other locations for Liverpool Evening Institutes for many years.
His sister Winifred also played viola in the Philharmonic for many years until she retired and his grandson, Nicholas Byrne, is now a cellist.

Known as "Pop" Genin, he has been described as a "hard task-master" but one who got results and produced some top violinists across Merseyside from the 1940s to the 1960s.
However Geoff does not think photograph was taken in Alexandra Hall.
If anyone has any further information, leave a comment below or write to Memories, Crosby Herald, 43-47 Liverpool Road, Crosby, L23 5SD, or email newsdesk@crosbyherald.co.uk

READERS have responded enthusiastically to solve the mystery about a motor car pictured outside Central Buildings in 1959.
The photograph was featured on the Memories page of the Crosby Herald on June 26 in search for information.
John Lloyd, who lives in Liverpool, wrote in and said the car was an AC two-door saloon, which would have been made by AC Cars Ltd of Thames Dutton in Surrey.

The car would have cost around £1,542 in 1956 and in those days a three bedroom house would not have cost much more.
He said: "Unfortunately I do not know what became of the AC Cars - presumably they were bought out by one of the larger car companies."
Another reader, Lincoln Holmes, of Courtenay Avenue, in Waterloo, believes the car may have been an Armstrong Siddely Sapphire.
He said it would have had a Wilson pre-selector gearbox, meaning the driver would select a gear first and then pressed the clutch pedal when ready to change gear.
Lincoln said: "There was much speculation as to what would happen if one selected reverse while going forward.
"It was rumoured that someone had done so and broken the crankshaft."
In 1968 he was at an auction in Ormskirk where one of these cars came on to the stand and it was sold in immaculate condition for £125.
He added: "I would have loved it but it was too expensive to run at the time.
"As far as I can remember the badge on the top of the bonnet took the form of a reclining Sphinx."

PICTON Cottage is featured in this picture which was submitted to St John’s Local History Group by Gill Prescot.
In 1974 the cottage was converted into new flats and the photograph shows the new tenants.
Pictured is the Rev Stewart Symonds with the tenants, including Bert Humphries, Harriet Humphreys, Daisy Ashton, Madge Conway, Eady Lamey and architect Mr Saunders.
The Bishop of Warrington Michael Henshall is also among the group pictured.

Picton College was built in 1851 for John Podley and he named it after the Duke of Wellington’s general, Sir Thomas Picton, who was killed in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

A PHOTOGRAPH of the congregation of St John’s Church in Waterloo was unearthed at an antiques fair.
Doug Bray, who grew up in Beach Lawn, discovered the photograph and although the seller thought it was Waterloo in London, the local man recognised the church.
He also recognised his father Walter Bray, pictured on the back row, sixth from right, who was born in 1906.
His father Doug Bray was also a choirboy at St John’s in around 1930 and said his finest hour was singing the popular solo Oh ForThe Wings Of A Dove to a packed house at the church.

St John’s Local History Group displayed the picture on its notice board as part of its photo quiz and the Rev Alan Brooks believed is was taken in 1929 when the Rev Marshall was the vicar.
It is believed those pictured had got together for an outing to Southport.
Mrs Brooks from St John’s Local History Group also recognised her uncle John Turner and her Aunt Flo Turner as well as Nora Glen, Lil Jones and May Matthews.
Does anyone recognise their family members in the photograph?