Old Wallasey seen through the eyes of two distinguished historians

Almost 85 years ago saw the publication of a book which, to many Wallasey folk, has been a constant fireside companion and a valuable source of reference to a corner of the Wirral Peninsula rich in history and full of fascination.

The Rise and Progress of Wallasey (known to many as 'Woods & Brown', after its authors, E. Cuthbert Woods and P.C. Brown) was published in 1929 as 'an attempt to concentrate and focus the most important and least known facts into a readable form' - somewhat dry words for a volume brimful of superb reading and fine photos of Wallasey and its past. Just 500 copies were printed back in 1929, and such was its reception that it soon sold out, making it a collector's item today. It was not in print again until 1960, when a revised edition was published. This too was snapped up by an eager public; helped, of course, by the occasion of Wallasey's Jubilee celebrations that year. The latest edition was published in 1974 'to mark the passing of Wallasey as a Country Borough, on its incorporation into the Wirral Metropolitan District' (not, perhaps, an occasion worthy of celebration, many would say on reflection!). This edition was simply a reprint of the 1960 edition, with an extra chapter tacked on the end to take account of recent changes.

So, what was so special about The Rise and Progress of Wallasey? A glance at the Contents page gives some idea: The Ferries, Roads and Footpaths; Leasowe Castle; Mother Redcap's; Wrecking; Racing and, of course, the usual accounts of parochial and church history. Let us dip into the well-thumbed pages of the 1929 edition and see what gems Woods and Brown offered their readers.

Images of prehistoric man in Wallasey were conjured up early in the book by mention of the finding in 1864 if the human skeleton at Leasowe. Described by Sir Edward Cust of Leasowe Castle as 'The Prehistoric Man of Cheshire', Sir Charles Leyell later said 'The cranium was well formed but there was some peculiarities in it which indicated an original race or savage tribe.'

It is a long way from the days of prehistoric man to the following description of Wallasey Village as it was in the 18th century:

Many Wallaseyans remember the old green buses; and the legend of the origin of their colour appears in the 1929 book: 'The colour chosen for the electric cars is said to have arisen in the following manner. When the contact for the cars was accepted, the question was asked, what colour the cars should be painted. It was decided to leave it to the Manager, (a Major R R Greene), and the reply was 'O! see Greene'. And 'sea green' they are to this day!'

Bird's House	Old Pool Inn & Pinfold, 1919

The history and development of Wallasey's ferries occupies a long chapter, richly adorned with line drawings of some of the boats.

'The ferry boats used appear at first to have been single-master, little larger than the lifeboats now carried on the stern of their successors. Later two-masted boats, or grabs, were used. Landing too was a simple matter, passengers wading or doubtless some being carried ashore through the shallows. A primitive gangway is described as consisting of a plank supported on two large wheels. It is interesting to note that the price if a saddle horse in this part of the world was then materially affected by its ability to jump out of a ferry boat cleanly and land its rider safely on terra firma'!

One of the most fascinating sections is devoted to the origins and early descriptions of Wallasey's old footpaths and by-laws. Here are insights into ancient Wallasey: Guinea Gap, named after the finding of William III guineas and a sword in the sand; Cinder Lane, 'a beautiful walk in the days before the conversion of the Pool into docks, when the green fields sloped down to the water on either side of the Pool along the banks of which the path ran, crossing the several creeks by small wooden bridges. 'Many of the roads were derived from old field-names: 'At the west corner (of Stringhey Road) where it is joined by Marsden Road, was the village well with its pump which was the rendezvous where the young men of the parish who went to sea used to tell stories of their adventures and travels.'

Seacombe Foreshaw, 1817	The Perch Rock

Mills, inns, cottages, pinfold's, farms, halls, diaries - all are mentioned and described in detail, and a whole chapter is devoted to Leasowe Castle and the notorious Mother Redcap's.

'It was at Wallasey that the first Gentlemen Racecourse in the kingdom was established.' Thus begun the chapter on racing at Wallasey; and the final chapter is devoted to the Journal of John Hough, churchwarden at Wallasey in the 1700s. This is a superb record of Wallasey life at that time, and deserves an article on its own right.

Sadly E.C Woods and P.c. Brown are both dead; however, their painstaking survey of Wallasey and its past has given endless pleasure to thousands of Wirral folk for nearly 85 years. A copy of the book is available at Earlston Library for loaning.