Oxton Memories

A Memory of Birkenhead.

I lived in Oxton from the late 50s to the early 80s, and have many fond memories.

Does any body remember Fred the barber in Rose Mount. He was quite a character, and nobody went there unless they wanted a short back and sides, followed with a sizeable dollop of Brylcreme……therefore I can only remember going there once! I seem to remember he charged a shilling.

I also remember Fred the milkman who seemed to deliver milk for years and years. He always seemed to make his deliveries late in the day, because he spent a lot of time gossiping to the locals. He had a rather unusual milk float…….it was more of a motorised trolly which followed behind him…..so he actually walked the whole round, which is probably another reason why he always seemed to be late with his deliveries. He was another character who I remember well.

As far as shops are concerned, Stubbs cake shop was amazing……everything on sale seemed to be so nice. I think they also had a shop in Grange Rd West. Does anybody remember Mrs King’s grocers shop at the top of Birch Rd? The terminus of the 79 bus was right outside, and the driver and conductor could often be seen in there having a brew. Then there was Peever’s sweets and tobacco shop in Rose Mount. Mr Peever seemed to me to be 100 years old, and my Dad used to send me there for a tin of Old Holborn tobacco…..I was probably about 10 years old!! Rowland’s Chemist shop was at the top of Christchurch Rd….it was a proper old fashioned pharmacy (Rowland’s I think), and I seem to remember there were huge old fashioned coloured glass bottles in the window.

I could go on and on, but maybe someone else may have fond memories of Oxton Village at that time.

Steve Williams

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