Wavertree Park / The Mystery

I've got this park virtually on my doorstep so in the few years I've lived here I've had a few snaps across the seasons. There was a cracking picture in the Daily Post on their Daily Postcard a few weeks ago, with the park covered in snow and some mist on the ground, with the Anglican cathedral in the background. Here's a selection of mine...

http://www.iainjones.org.uk/psda/wp01.jpg

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http://www.iainjones.org.uk/psda/wp03.JPG

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http://www.iainjones.org.uk/psda/wp07.JPG

http://www.iainjones.org.uk/psda/wp08.jpg

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http://www.iainjones.org.uk/psda/wp10.JPG

Great Photo's iain..
I used to Live in Wavertree Gardens When England won the World Cup...Lol..Straight up..
I've got so many Happy memories of the Mystery..My Dad Learning me to ride a Bike when I was about 8 and Taking the Stabilisers off the Bike and me goin' on me own thinking he had hold of me and lookin' back and seeing me Dad way behind me..Yeahh..I can ride a Bike !!
The Liverpool Show..Seemed so Big back then..I still go and have a little sit off in the Area of Wavertree Gardens now and again and Everywhere I look around the memories come flooding back..
Great Photies Lad and thanks for putting them on.

The Mystery..
http://www.dhwav.btinternet.co.uk/page31.html

What happened to the Liverpool Show? There's still an RAC road sign up the road for the "Liverpool Show Public" carpark which I assume is the Kwik Save/Netto one. I remember it being on a few years ago but haven't seen it since I moved to the park.

Thanks for the link too, I'd just assumed it was always an open space, interesting bit of history there!

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/1...terytt7.th.jpg

Wavertree Gardens, taken from the Mystery in 1936. Did you say you lived there then Gerard?

That Parks only over the Railway Wall outside my house.:PDT_Aliboronz_24:

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Originally Posted by Ged

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/1...terytt7.th.jpg

Wavertree Gardens, taken from the Mystery in 1936. Did you say you lived there then Gerard?

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Now Eh you !!!

I'm off out to get the momo MOT'd down the South End Now...

I might just pop in the Mystery on me way back..mashed potater !

i lived over the road in Arnold grove. great park.

You and Georgie H ey Tony, Jammin' in the parlour?

I Lived opposite George`s house. the tourist all took their pics from outside ours. woke up one morning and opened the blinds to find two faces peering in:eek:

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Originally Posted by Gnomie

I Lived opposite George`s house. the tourist all took their pics from outside ours. woke up one morning and opened the blinds to find two faces peering in:eek:

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Why didn't you punch your arm through the window and grabbed one of their throats like serial killers do when punching through doors?:PDT_Aliboronz_24: :PDT11

Lol Max:PDT_Piratz_26:

As a Blue Coat boy we had to do cross country runs round the Mystery,a absolute nightmare. Everyone would make the mistake of going tearing off down the slope then would be near death by the time we'd run along a flat bit then had to come back up the slope again.

Hi Iain and Gerrard

Wonderful photographs, Iain, many thanks. Gerrard, thanks also for the link to the webpage on "The Mystery" on the Historic Wavertree website -- I wondered where the name "The Mystery" came from and it apparently originated from the anonymous donor who gave the land who was a "mystery." Very interesting.

Chris

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Originally Posted by ChrisGeorge

Hi Iain and Gerrard

Wonderful photographs, Iain, many thanks. Gerrard, thanks also for the link to the webpage on "The Mystery" on the Historic Wavertree website -- I wondered where the name "The Mystery" came from and it apparently originated from the anonymous donor who gave the land who was a "mystery." Very interesting.

Chris

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Hello Chris,
It really is a great Park the Mystery,I never got to go Yesterday but I'll get back there soon for a few snaps.

Thanks Chris, it was a "mystery" to me too why it was called The Mystery...

http://www.dhwav.btinternet.co.uk/page31.html

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Originally Posted by Jona76

http://www.dhwav.btinternet.co.uk/page31.html

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It was confirmed that it was Philip Holt who gave the "Mystery" to Liverpool.
Unfortunately, at the moment, I can't find the source.

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Originally Posted by PhilipG

It was confirmed that it was Philip Holt who gave the "Mystery" to Liverpool.
Unfortunately, at the moment, I can't give the source.

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The only source I know that mentions Philip Holt was in a Tom Slemem book - but which one is anyone's guess!

Kay Parrott (the Head Librarian of the Record Office before she retired) says that it is thought that it was Philip Holt, but I've read somewhere else that it was confirmed that it was Philip Holt, and it certainly wasn't Tom Slemen, because I don't read his books.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PhilipG

Kay Parrott (the Head Librarian of the Record Office before she retired) says that it is thought that it was Philip Holt, but I've read somewhere else that it was confirmed that it was Philip Holt, and it certainly wasn't Tom Slemen, because I don't read his books.

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Hi Philip

In fact I don't see how the name of the donor could be hidden. Wouldn't there have to be a deed with the owner's name on it prior to the land being donated?

Chris

Superb Photos, well done mate

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Originally Posted by ChrisGeorge

Hi Philip

In fact I don't see how the name of the donor could be hidden. Wouldn't there have to be a deed with the owner's name on it prior to the land being donated?

Chris

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More than likely, Chris, but Holt probably made it a condition that he remain anonymous to the general public.

Some great old pics (inc. some of 'The Mystery') are online here.

AP.

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/View...002&p=70296036

I got a modern pic of this In my flickr.:PDT_Piratz_26:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/157/4...9980c032_o.jpg

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Originally Posted by AntiPathos

Some great old pics (inc. some of 'The Mystery') are online here.

AP.

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Great stuff AP :handclap:

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Originally Posted by Max

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/View...002&p=70296036

I got a modern pic of this In my flickr.:PDT_Piratz_26:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/157/4...9980c032_o.jpg

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Superb Pic Max.:handclap:

I was writing a piece on another website when I wanted to discover why it was called the mystery so I know now. This is my first post it is from a collection on Penny Lane

The Mystery Park was called the mystery because nobody new why they called it the Mystery, it was in effect a Mystery. One theory was that it was left to Liverpool by a

Mystery benefactor who was a shipping company owner

However for us the term meant Mystery and we made our own accounts of what the Mystery was about. Tales of murder and bodies and also sightings of lets say the supernatural variety abounded. The park had railings as was closed to the public at night. Sometimes walking through at tea time I would have the anxiety that the park keeper would lock me in for the night, so that meant making a dart for the gates. The fair came about twice a year and that was a big happening. I always remember how smartly dressed everyone was. The boys wore Ben Sherman shirts two tone trousers and Como shoes. Everyone was immaculately dressed. The girls wore short skirts and they all had really attractive legs, and bright colored blouses. Everyone would congregate on the Waltzers or Speedway and the music of Tamala Motown would blare out. I was a young mod so my clothes were the same as the bigger lads only a smaller size. I managed to get a job working on the fair. That made me really important. I would collect the money for the rides. If I liked girls I would pretend I never noticed them sitting in the car and they would get a free ride. I would also spin the car so they would get scared and scream. The fair lasted about two weeks but it was always a big social event.


The Park was a large Park and once a year they hosted the Liverpool show. The Liverpool show was quite a big affair. I could never get my head around all the horticulture stuff, and the Horses, and business tents. It was often quite hot on the day and quite frankly to me quite boring. I remember the local army regiment would have a stand and they would have a mounted machine gun with a magazine belt attached. The size of the bullets would make me shudder to think that they could be fired into a person. The people that attended the show were mostly quite well off in terms of the Liverpool experience, it wasn?t a day out for the poorer class. I never paid as I thought paying was pointless when most of the affair was quite alienating, so we sneaked in through the many ways we knew of. Then the show would go and the Park was ours again. I always sit looking out the window when I arrive in Liverpool on the train as the train skirts the Park and it always appears just after the grey slate roofs of Penny Lane, and I always think no matter what happens in life I am just the kid who grew up around the place, what will be will be success, heartbreak, life, it all comes down to knowing your roots.

thank you for your post!

interesting stuff and I look forward to your future postings.....

kev :PDT11

I was searching for some back ground on the Liverpool Show which brought me to your posting. I don't know what became of the Liverpool Show, but I have a vivid memory of performing at the 1953 Royal Liverpool Show at Wavertree Park in Coronation Year.

I was a raw recruit to the Royal Air Force doing my square bashing at West Kirby and was 'volunteered' into a PT squad who were drilled an trained for five weeks during our 8 week training course at RAF West Kirby. I cannot remember the date but probable about the middle of July. I was the smallest guy in the squad, and whilst OK with the standing exercises had some difficulty with the apparatus, but managed to develop a style of my own to get over them. On the day of the show we all trotted out and did our stuff. When we came to the apparatus work I was 'tail end charley' the others went over immaculately at some speed to much applause, then it was my turn and as I jumped up off the spring board my legs went high in the air and I pitter pattered my way over the 'horse' to great laughter from the crowd and applause, I then realised why I had made the team!!

I became a pen friend of a lass from West Kirby. On completion of RAF service in 1956 I moved to West Kirby eventually in 1957 I was employed by British Railways in the Goods Department at Shore Road Birkenhead, then at Edgerton Dock in the time office where my colleague was a former Driver on the overhead railway up to it’s closure. I had a flat in West Kirby, 1958 we married. Our first daughter was born in our second flat in Hoylake our second and third daughters were born at Birkenhead. My wife was employed at Rushworth
and Dreapers and we had quite a few friends on Merseyside some of whom we are some 55 years later still in touch.

Hi A.G., it's a few years since there was a Liverpool show,the last one was in the 90's,I think? The reason it ended was the cost involved!

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Originally Posted by AlbertWmGosnall

I was searching for some back ground on the Liverpool Show which brought me to your posting. I don't know what became of the Liverpool Show, but I have a vivid memory of performing at the 1953 Royal Liverpool Show at Wavertree Park in Coronation Year.

I was a raw recruit to the Royal Air Force doing my square bashing at West Kirby and was 'volunteered' into a PT squad who were drilled an trained for five weeks during our 8 week training course at RAF West Kirby. I cannot remember the date but probable about the middle of July. I was the smallest guy in the squad, and whilst OK with the standing exercises had some difficulty with the apparatus, but managed to develop a style of my own to get over them. On the day of the show we all trotted out and did our stuff. When we came to the apparatus work I was 'tail end charley' the others went over immaculately at some speed to much applause, then it was my turn and as I jumped up off the spring board my legs went high in the air and I pitter pattered my way over the 'horse' to great laughter from the crowd and applause, I then realised why I had made the team!!

I became a pen friend of a lass from West Kirby. On completion of RAF service in 1956 I moved to West Kirby eventually in 1957 I was employed by British Railways in the Goods Department at Shore Road Birkenhead, then at Edgerton Dock in the time office where my colleague was a former Driver on the overhead railway up to it’s closure. I had a flat in West Kirby, 1958 we married. Our first daughter was born in our second flat in Hoylake our second and third daughters were born at Birkenhead. My wife was employed at Rushworth
and Dreapers and we had quite a few friends on Merseyside some of whom we are some 55 years later still in touch.

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Good post and welcome Albert.:handclap:

I have heard on the BBC news just now that Wavertree is to play host to Nick Clegg and the Lib-Dem battle bus.