Shopping In Liscard Road

Going Up To Liscard

To most people from Wallasey this means going to shop in Liscard Road or Liscard Village, those being the main shopping areas of Wallasey. When the modern shopping malls or precincts with their all undercover facilities became popular, it was not surprising that Liscard Road was chosen as the area for the Cherry Tree Centre, opened in 1991 by TV and local celebrity Cilla Black.

This was built on land behind the shops at the top of the road, which had been cleared some years before by the demolition of the residential area of Conway Street (a little of which is still there today), Greenfield Street, Rossett Place and Tower Street (now the high-rise flats of 'Liscard House'.)

The car park was formerly part of the grounds of Marymount Convent. Other changes in this area of Liscard had been made with the introduction of the one-way traffic system in February 1970, and the closure of that part of Liscard Road to vehicles.

This list of shops and businesses, compiled from Kelly's Directories for 1921, 1941 and 1964, were all situated on the right hand side of the road (going up towards Liscard Village) of Liscard Road, Wallasey, commencing just before the junction with Westminster Road. It was here that the original main Post Office of Wallasey was situated, until the present main office was built, after 1913 (though in turn it is now the parcel depot). Next door was the well-known Panter-Bricks Shoe Shop, demolished when the one-way system was constructed. The bank building, still there, was next, then the most famous pawn shop in Wallasey - 'Charles Fry'.

Continuing upwards was Downes & Roberts, Cake Shop, which later on became one of the first TV shops (DER) in the 1960s Next was the 'Bata' shoe shop (in the 1940's) then Owen & Lammie ironmongers (who also had a shop on Market Street, Hoylake, run by the Naisbitt family). Followed by Dewhurst butchers and then Macfisheries. At the site of the present McDonalds was Liscard Crescent, at the corner of which was the large building belonging to the Birkenhead Co-Op which use to be Liscard Motor Depot And Garage. The old original building was replaced by a post-war concrete affair, since demolished to make room for the present buildings. At the back of this area was a row of cottages known as Pear Tree Grove.

Carrying on, we come to James Coombes Boot Repairers, then the English Leather Shoe Shop, up to the entry leading to Field Cottages situated between Liscard Road and Liscard Crescent. (The sign is still there on the passage-way, but the cottages were demolished long ago).

Next was Lavins Fishmongers and Boots as at present since the 1930's onto Johnsons Cleaners and the Finalayson's Opticians - later Coombes shoe repair shop had moved up from lower down the road. We arrive at Woolworths which was opened in 1930 on the site of Harrop's Coal Yard. When the store opened all the prices were either 3d or 6d, hence its original name of '3d/6d' Bazaar'.

The side passage through to Liscard Crescent is still there, and above that was the Marypole (Buttermakers) which came in the early 1920s through to the 1960s, next to Kenny Campbell's Sports Shop (who was a goal keeper for Liverpool and New Brighton F.C and passed away in 1971). This area has been taken over by Barclays Bank, which extended down from Liscard Village.

The central area of Liscard, bounded by Liscard Road, St. Albans Road, Wallasey Road and Mill Lane were scheduled for redevelopment during the late 1960s which was to provide a modern shopping area for the Borough. The redevelopment necessitated the relocation of Marymount Convent from the corner of St.Albans Road and Mill Lane to a new site which once stood between Victoria Central Hospital and Woodstock Road. Work began on the new town centre in May 1968 and all the dwellings were cleared to make way for the modern shops and a car park. The scheme also saw the building of Liscard House and Dominick House, the latter being built in 1970.

In the 1930's, on the right hand side of Liscard Road and starting from Wallasey Road, was Gowers drapery shop and next door was a stationers run by Harry Howes. Harold Williams opened a fine gents outfitters at No. 309 in the early thirties. Bill Paterson had a boot shop followed by Joe Bennett's grocery, which use to belong to Thompson and Sons. St. Mary's Schools were opposite Boots the Chemists. It opened as a Mission house in 1870, St. Hilary's Church looking after the Mission until approximately the following year, when the Revd. A. Maitland was made the first vicar. It became St. Mary's Girls' School with Miss E. Elkin as Headmistress and Miss M. Lovell was in charge of the infants. Marks and Spencers acquired the building and opened a store on the site of the old school in 1935. They were bombed out in 1941 and opened for a time in Wallasey Road. The 1946 Kelly Directory bears witness that Marks and Spencers had not yet returned to Liscard Road. After the site was rebuilt they returned and traded there until they closed the branch in 1990. The local Spiritualists had used part of the school in previous years. At a later date the Adele Fashion Shop opened in Mrs. Sirothin's old shop. They modernised the premises and sold the latest fashions.

On the corner of Greenfield Street was a furniture shop called the Manor Furnishing Company and next to that was a confectioners run by Mrs. Mary Seesfelt. Richard Mason the ironmonger was next at No. 285. This was where Hepworth's Mens Outfitters eventually opened. Edwards' grocery stores were at the corner of Rossett Place. This is where Easiphit the shoe shop opened. On the other corner was Lloyds the drapers' shop and at No.279 we had the Co-op shoe shop, a shop that became Pegram's when the Co-op moved to their new store on the opposite side of the road. Bushell's the butchers were next and were there for many years. Next came Mr. Welton's chemist shop. This shop later became Addyman's leather shop, which had moved there from Liscard Village. He eventually sold the business to Shuttleworths. The ladies fashion shop was at No. 273.

Queen's Hall once stood on the block buildings by Leopold Steet (later changed to Tower Street). There was a concert hall above with large windows and arched at the top and shops beneath, on the ground level. One of these was May Goodwyn's Laundry. Later the building was taken over by Wilson and Wilson's the auctioneers. The business was established by A.H and H.T Wilson. It was later run by Mr. A.H Wilson and his two sons, Jack and Duncan. The business had been established in 1900. Bill Armstrong was the landlord of the Tower Hotel in the 1930s.

As time went on we had Sayers Cake Shop at No.299 and Milton's the paint shop at No. 293. Timpsons' shoe shop (later moving to the other side of the road), Playfair (shoe shop), John Manners, the outfitters, and Costigan the grocers. Boots the Chemists, in the 1920's, was on the corner of Mill Lane before moving to their present site in the 1930's. Moody's wine store was at No. 295 though in the 1946 Kelly Directory the building is not listed due to being vacant because of bomb damage.

In the thirties we had Smith's Stores at 285 and then there was Mrs. Sirothin's ladies wear. Next was Horn's ladies outfitters and the Misses Annie and Alice Ogg had the hardware shop which was eventually taken over by Martin's the cleaners. Trapewell Brothers were the butchers (later Taylor's) and then we had Samuel Henderson the grocer who specialised in stocking various brands of tea at No. 249, which was later taken over by Costigans.

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