SHOREFIELDS, 1939-42:
Text submitted by Mrs Joyce Wharton, 14th October 2009
"During the war years, I remember the Ack-Ack guns on Shorefields. They were manned by Poles, who lived in the barracks which had been quickly erected next to the guns. The guns were to shoot down enemy bombers flying over the estuary trying to drop bombs on the docks. Barrage balloons were kept in the sky above the field
BROMBOROUGH DOCK, 1940:
On the 8th October 1940, a German Junkers Ju88 bomber aircraft arrived in the skies above Merseyside on a mission to bomb the Rootes aircraft factory at Speke and photograph the results of its attack. The aircraft was loaded with four 250kg bombs. It had flown from Caen in France over Southampton, Droitwich, Ellesmere Port and finally to Speke, arriving in the target area a
ST JOHNS THE EVANGELIST CHURCH, BEBINGTON, 1943:
Photo submitted by Liberator31.co.uk
'St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church' is pictured in 1943 in Bebington Road. The spacious, airy church which was free from pillars, was opened in November 1934 and consecrated August 1943.
GIs IN NEW FERRY, 1944:
Photos and text submitted by Ken Charlton, 01 March 2010
"In 1944, in the build up to D-day, the American army had a camp in Port Sunlight. Local residents were asked if they had spare rooms to take in U.S. N.C.Os. At that time we lived just across the road from Port Sunlight in Winstanley Road. Two U.S. soldiers came to stay with us until shortly before D-day. The sold
31 MERSEYBANK ROAD, 1945:
Text and photo submitted by Mrs Joyce Wharton, 13th October 2009
"I was born in New Ferry and lived at 31 Merseybank Road for many years. All our neighbours helped each other when the war was on.
"There was plenty to do for us children in those days. We loved going down to the shore, making sandcastles on the beach and collecting shells (the beach had both at that time!)
Ron McVey's memories of growing up in New Ferry, 1929-1952
My name is Ron McVey and I live in London, Ontario. I was born at the maternity home at Poulton-cum-Spital. I was illegitimate and I have no idea who my father was. My mother was Winifred McVey.
From 1929 until 1946 I lived at 22 Napier Road, New Ferry and went to Grove Street and to New Chester Road secondary schools. Later, I served my time as a maintenance engineer at Stork Margarine works known to most people then as Planters.
During WW2 my grandmother and I were the only ones that lived at 22 Napier Road. My mother had married and moved to Birmingham, and my uncle Tom married and moved to Bromborough Pool. My uncle Jim was called up to the army, but spent most of his time in a sanitarium for TB patients. I was 11 and a half in October 1940 and I had a half day off school so I took a bus to Eastham Woods to look for conkers in order to soak them in vinegar to help harden them up and hopefully win a game of conkers. There were few decent ones to be found so I returned home. As I was getting off the bus at the toll bar the bus conductor told all the exiting passengers to hurry home as he had heard a plane droning in the clouds all afternoon and he was sure it was German. Sure enough, not long after I got off the bus, the air raid sirens were screaming away. I hurried down New Ferry Road, and I was half way up Napier Road and saw a woman pushing a pram on the opposite side with a small child holding on to it's side. We both heard the rat-tat-tat of gun fire and the woman ran screaming up the street while I looked up and saw a Hurricane fighter plane on the tail of a Junkers 88. The German plane seemed to be just skimming the chimney pots on Merseybank Road, heading south. It may even have crashed into the river. About a minute later I saw the Hurricane do a Victory Roll.
My mother used to take in washing for gypsies and others who had their caravans on the waste land by Wallace Pit, from time to time. I also remember seeing an elephant being walked down New Ferry Road - I think the circus was visiting the area.
My mother worked at several jobs at New Ferry Swimming Baths and was a Walls ice cream salesperson at times.
Going towards the Toll Bar from Napier Road, was a dairy with what I thought was a large yard, then a builders yard known by everyone as Putty Hugh's. I was sent there for nails and putty whenever our windows needed fixing. A little further up before Hope Hall lived a very kind Missionary lady who would play an organ in her front room. If anyone in the neighbourhood got sick she would send them fruit.
My Great Grandfather had a boat yard on the Pool by the ancient Courthouse. My Grandfather, who I cannot remember, died young from eating poisoned shellfish from the Mersey.
After having an argument with my uncle I went to live with an aunt in Brownlow Road for a few weeks; then I lived with Uncle Tom, his wife Cis and daughter Anne at 2 South View Bromborough Pool (long demolished). I lived there for about three years, then was a boarder at a couple of places before I married a Rock Ferry girl and moved to Canada in March 1952 where I have lived ever since.
Ron McVey sent the text opposite to us in 2011. Sadly, he passed away Canada aged 85 in 2013.
BEBINGTON ROAD, 1946:
To the left we can see a row of small shops that were demolished after the 1950s to make way for the building that would later house Ethel Austins and now the New Ferry Discount Store.
On the right we can see that the Victorians had decided to give the previously basic looking Wirral Hotel an architectural make-over with upper storey bay windows. At some stage in the latter
MAC'S CAFE, BEBINGTON ROAD - TRIP TO BLACKPOOL 1946:
The Cafe was a favourite meeting place for the youth of New Ferry and Bebington. It was situated opposite what was then The Liverpool Savings Bank. This photo was supplied by Peter Quinn who added: "I never knew Mac's full name, but that is him below the chap in sailor's uniform."
Can anyone else remember Mac's Cafe?
NEW CHESTER ROAD BRIDGE OVER BROMBOROUGH POOL, 1946:
This fascinating aerial photo was taken from above what is now the Village Hotel looking northwards along New Chester Road. We can see the Bromborough Pool (river) curving around storage tanks. These may have been for fuel during the war, as they do not show up on Ordnance Survey maps either before or after the war.
NEW FERRY SWIMMING BATHS, 1948:
Long hot summers back then brought whole families out to enjoy the massive open-air pool. Imagine such crowds today!
NEW FERRY SWIMMING BATHS, 1948:
A good view of the entrance and changing rooms. Outside the front of the entrance is the roundabout which is still there today.