Heath Road c1960, Bebington
Heath Road c1960, Bebington Ref: B660048
Memories of Heath Road c1960, Bebington
A New York Child Travels to Bebington
Imagine my surprise, when I Googled Bebington from my apartment in New York City and up came a photograph of a row of houses opposite The Wirral Grammar School on Heath Road in Bebington, and one of them was my grandfather's! It is the left side of the first semi-detached house going from right to left in this picture. As a child I used to go to Bebington every other year with my mother, who was what we call in America a British war bride. We generally traveled across the Atlantic on a Cunard liner called The Brittanic. The last time I was there was 1965 when my best friend from high school and I flew over for the summer. The curtains on the windows in this picture were the curtains that were there during that visit. I attended the Rock Ferry Convent School one year, but after that I went to Brackenwood since it was practically in my grandfather's backyard.
Bebington & local memories
Read and share memories of Bebington and Merseyside inspired by Frith photos.
My Grandma Catherine Taylor is Buried Here
Memories
I remember this wall and steps, I was only 4-5 years old at the time. This wall is of No 47 The Village in Bebington, next door to the Rose and Crown opposite the bottom of Heath Road where there is now a roundabout. It was a very big house and had a massive garden, but was demolished some 25 years later and I remember some of the names of people who used to live and visit. I went to the old St Andrews School which was just off Heath Road. My mother and I were only lodgers there because of evacuation during the war.
My Grandad
I was told by my mum, still here at 88 this week, that my grandad on my dad's side also lived in the old hall with his sister who ran a soup kitchen. His name was Herbert Walter Dawson, the same as my dad. They were both in the police. My dad, after the war, being in the Chesers in Egypt, went into Lever's then into the police. He reached the rank of Sergeant. My other grandad's farther was an interpreter to John Laird.
Grandparents Home
My mum was born in this thatched cottage in 1946, my nan Margaret Jane Quinn born 1925 lived here with her family beforehand. It was originally two cottages and my nan's mother and father lived next door, they were James Campbell and Mary Campbell. My nan told me many a great story of her home and also of the locals in the village during wartimes. My nan died in 2010 at the grand age of 93, she was probably one of the oldest residents still local.
Dandilion & Burdock Ice Lollies!
My grandparents Mr Harry Thomas Gander & Mrs Louisa Jane Gander, retired as missionaries in India in 1954, having been in India from 1906 in the Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu and came to live in one of the little one bed bungalows in Bethany Crescent, number 9 I think? I remember as a child visiting them with my parents, we travelled all the way from Littlehampton, West Sussex. We went by train and had to cross London to Euston Station; we caught a steam train from there and sat in the first carriage behind the engine with our back to the engine. I fondly remember Bebington - the picture of the village is how I remember it - the shop with blinds pulled out on the left of picture was an old store, sweets and cheap toys included. They sold Dandilion & Burdock ice lollies! We went to church at Bethesda Chapel and took the bus to Rock Ferry, Birkenhead and then went over the Mersey Ferry to Liverpool.... Read more
Higher Bebington Road
I grew up in Higher Bebington Road, my mum lived there from 1957 up until she died in 2008. I have seen so many changes. When we were kids we would pond-dip in the ponds on the fields at the back of the Oval now football pitches, I used to feed the horses in the field at the top of the road now Brackenwood infants school. I went to St Andrew's school when it was in Greenville, there are now houses there. Because we lived in the older part of Higher Bebington Road, few cars would come down, so we would play rounders, cricket, football and tennis for hours on the road, not getting disturbed.
Bebington Hall
My family lived here at Bebington Hall until it was demolished in 1966-67. The Hall was a large place situated where "Civic Way" is today. It was set in 3-4 acres of grounds. The picture you can see is showing the servants' wing, to the back left hand side of the hall. My great-g-grandparents' surname was Ellison. I would be interested to see more pictures on the Hall, and some showing it being demolished. Sadly it should never have been demolished, and had a fine history. Revd Jamie MacLeod
I Lived in This Road!
My parents moved to Higher Bebington Road in 1960. We lived almost at the bottom of the row of houses shown on the left hand side of the photo. I too played in the park and jumped through the gap in the hedge! When we moved in there were no houses on the opposite side of the road, they were built in the early sixties. The girls school was built about 1970 which really changed the character of the road. I remember playing in the fields and on the pitch and putt golf course which was situated behind the houses. Long gone, now just a field. My sister used to take me to pick the wild flowers that once grew in the meadowland between the golf course and the Oval sports ground. Surprisingly if you stand in the same spot today, that this photo was taken, things don't look too different. I remember when the old fashioned street lights were replaced with the tall concrete sodium type. No contest... Read more
Tracing Family Tree
Hi I am looking for any family on my father's sideof the family, my dad's name was Alan Waring, he had brothers Gillie and Walter/Wally Waring and a sister called Dulcie, I think they lived in Bebington for a while before moving to Eastham. My father's mother's name was Dorothy Stocker, if anyone could help I would appreciate it, many thanks.
The Roundabout
On the left hand side behind the wall you can just see the top of the roundabout that we used to play on, along with the swings. The wall marked the boundary of Higher Bebington Park. There was a gap in the hedge next to the telegraph pole where you could jump down from the wall which we used as a short cut out of the park.
