Shopping In Liscard Village
The 'Queen's Arms Hotel' is the hotel on the corner of Liscard Village and Queens Street and was the original meeting place for the newly formed Commissioners of Wallasey in June, 1845. (Further reading please read Wallasey Local Government)
Joe McCabe was once the landlord in the 1930s, previous landlords being Jack Fewtrell and George Lloyd. There used to be a stable attached to the old public house. Crosville buses use to leave from the Queen's Arms. Buses here also left for Llandudno and Heswall/Parkgate. Edward Mackie, the monumental mason, started up his business next to these premises. Alf Ince once had his smithy opposite Egerton Grove and he had a large horse-shoe above the board bearing his name. Alf used to live at No.14 Valkyrie Road. The post office was built in 1913 on the site of 'Trafford House' and the smithy's building. Prior to 'Trafford House' being built the site was originally occupied by 'Liscard Hall Farm'. When the Post Office was built Alfred Ince moved to 28 Fairview Avenue
On the corner of Manor Road in the 1930s was Griffith's the chemist. At one time there use to be speaking tube by the side door where visitors could speak to the chemist if something was needed during the night. The Central Fire Station was on the opposite side of the road. The superintendant at the time was William Nicholson. The police were also here at one time. There was also once a weighing machine. A company who painted show bills and other forms of advertising matter had the next premises next door was Jim Barnaby, the motor mechanic .Walter Eastwood was the butcher on the corner of the entry. This business was taken over by Thomas Bell, who was a noted butcher in Liscard. It is hard to believe nowadays that back in the 1930s sheep would be slaughtered at the rear of the premises. The village abattoir was once situated close to where Barnwell Avenue is.
Next to the butcher was Monteith's, the grocers, later taken over by Thomas Jones. Fred Clairmont had the small greengrocers at No.22. Sam Spence, the ex-New Brighton footballer took over the shop when he retired from the game. Enoch Roles was the saddler in the next little shop. Alf Poole had what was the Bon-Bon sweetshop and there was a ladies outfitters on the corner of Liscard Crescent. James Byron started as a carrier, then went in for selling and repairing bicycles. Above the windows of his shop he had enameled metal figures of men on bicycles. Also in this block of buildings was Mrs Dillion. She was a wardrobe dealer. The business could have been started by Frank Dillon. The draper's was owned by Mrs. Woodman and then there was Rivett's, the bootmaker. After Rivett's left, George Young, who was also a Wallasey Councillor and Mayor of the town between 1951 and 1952, opened a very successful pork butchers. Miss Loucisa also had a cake shop along here at one time. Maeginn and Curtis then became the confectioners and everybody who smoked cigarettes or a pipe know Marriot's the tobacconists, who had taken over Bailey's old shop. There were insurance offices above and William Brothers were the grocers . The Bank of Liverpool and Martin's were on the corner of Liscard Village and Liscard Road (modern day Liscard Way). They had opened the branch on 22nd August 1908. George Mason, the grocers, took over the grocery business at No. 6-8 and the Home and Colonial Stores opened where the drapers used to be.
On the right-hand side of the village from the Rake Lane end was 'Egerton Cottage'. It had a thatched roof and was demolished in 1913 and 'Hebron Hall' was built on the site. There was also Egerton Grove Cottages and Popular Terrace. The Christian Scientists used to meet at No. 63 in the 1930s. Egerton Grove School was erected in 1928
Dean Terrace was built in 1782 and was three-storeys high. Only the end of the terrace still exists; that being 'The Royal Oak', which was once in the care of Mary Gibson. Jim Creevey had the public house in the late 1920s.The little shops were occupied by Tom Brown, the confectioner, Jack Cooil, the saddler and next to him, the chandler, Mrs Menkie; the shop later became known as the 'Dinky Wool Shop', where the two Jones sisters were in business.
Other businesses were Irving and Hall, the decorators. In 1915 there use to be Pritchard and Davies on the same site. Robert Rawlinson opened a wine stores in the old Jack Gray's ironmongers.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s there were a great number of horses within the town and so consequently this meant animal fodder was in great demand. Fred Cheshire sold hay and straw and his business was taken over by Alf Beynon. At one time Alf was a Coal Merchant. Another member of the family was at No.23 - John Benyon, the florist and nurseryman. At No. 17 Bob Dugdale had a milk-house in Miss Curtis' old shop. Bill Albones was the cobbler. Next to the garage was Joshua Milss and Sons, the painters. They were also plumbers and did a lot of work all over Liscard and other parts of the town. Mrs Eva Nichol was a 'wardrobe dealer' and William Gibbon lived at 'Inglefield' with Stephen Gibbons at No. 1. There used to be a butcher named Jack Fellows along here at No. 11, and Tom Peers had a greengrocers.
Gibsons' stables were at the end of the road and was established in 1860. Today the site is now derelict though at one time was the Capitol Cinema. Gibsons' had a large yard, stables and carriage buildings. They hired out horses for the Fire Brigade. They were carriage proprietors and they were often hired for weddings and funerals. They were soon to move with the times and went over to motor vehicles. Mr Gibson moved down the road to No.25 and had a fine, large garage. Mr Harold Gibson was at No.23. In front of their forecourt were large iron gates which were kept closed and only opened to allow the cars to go in and out. As the years went by, the firm became part of the John W. Griffith and Son, the leading wedding and funeral directors in the town. The buildings were later demolished to make way for rebuilding.
One of the most popular shops in Liscard Village was 'Ellison Brothers' at No.15. They then took over Nos.13 to 17. The business was started by Harry and his brother in King Street, long before the First World War. The local plumbers persuaded him to stock their needs and soon Ellison's were to sell cast-iron toilet cisterns bearing their name on the sides. They moved to Liscard in the early 1930s and soon became the leading shop for wallpaper and paints, selling a large selection of colours in all sorts finishes and brands. They opened new premises in Oxton Road and Conway Street, as well as keeping the one in King Street (although they had moved to new premises) and Heswall. Eventually the business was taken over by a Yorkshire company who called their shops 'Decca Mecca' and a few years later they in turn were taken over by 'Fads' and the old building was demolished to make for a modern D.I.Y store. Today Tesco Metro occupies the site.
Liscard Village : 1898 |
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No. | Name | No. | Name |
1 | Stephen Gibsons Carriage Proprietor |
2 | Robert James Harton Newsagent |
9 | Thomas Evans Fruiterer & Greengrocer |
4 | Enoch Roles Sadler & Harness Maker |
11 | John Fellowes Butcher |
6 & 8 | Fred Hughes Pork Butcher |
13 | Mrs Annabella Mills | 10 | Mary Worthington Confectioner |
13 & 15 | Joshua Mills & Sons Painters & Plumbers |
12 | Mrs Frances Teare Tobacconist |
17 | Mrs Rose E. Brenton Confectioner |
14 | William Rivett Boot & Shoemaker |
23 | John Benyon Florist & Nurseryman |
16 | Margaret E Brown Milliner |
25 | Alfred Benyon Coal Merchant |
18 | "Ivy Cottage" Robert H. Reddy |
27 | Frederick Cheshire Provision Dealer |
20 | Mrs Sarah Hughes Confectioner |
35 | John M Gray Ironmonger and Gasfitter |
20 | Mrs Kate Wynne Certified Midwife |
39 | Royal Oak Mary Napoleon Gibson |
22 | Sarah Lightbound Dressmaker |
41 | Thomas Little Fruiterer |
24 | Frank Gibson Grocer & Tea Dealer |
43 | William Hughes Confectioner |
26 | Walter Eastwood Butcher |
45 | Thomas C Huxley Provision Dealer |
Urban District Council weighing machine Enoch H. Spragg Keeper |
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"Thorn Villa" Mrs Ellen Williams |
Manor Road |
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53 | Thomas Dutton Contractor |
28 | James Byron Carter |
Prospect Buildings |
32 | John Green Physician & Surgeon |
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1 | John Keegan Gardener |
Frank Graveson Grocer |
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2 | Mrs Mary Parry | Smithy Lane |
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3 | Richard Henderson | 1 | Thomas Davies Boot & Shoemaker |
4 | Walter Anthony | 2 | Richard Davies Car driver |
5 | Thomas Williams | 3 | James McDonald Brickmaker |
Egerton Grove |
Alfred Inch Blacksmith |
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Eileen Leonard | 52 | Edward F.Mackie Monumental Mason |
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Robert Buckley | Queen's Arms Pub George Lloyd |
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1 | Edwin Rawcliffe Artist |
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2 | Thomas Borlace Clerk in Post Office |
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3 | Mrs Caroline Salthouse | ||
4 | John Robinson Custom House Clerk |
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5 | William Robert Spence Book Keeper |
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6 | Samuel Richards Gardener |
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7 | Henry E. Madders Book Keeper |
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Egerton Grove |
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any house numbers in grey are private dwellings
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