Over the water: 1950s

Now, I'm not an expert on the Birkenhead area so would appreciate some comments on the following pictures...

http://www.bwpics.co.uk/yoliverpool/greenwood14.jpg

The bus is the no.12 to Seacombe passing Buchanan's Flour Mills.

http://www.bwpics.co.uk/yoliverpool/greenwood15.jpg

A steam lorry belonging to 'Jos. W Long, Hay & Corn Merchants, Birkenhead and Wallasey"

http://www.bwpics.co.uk/yoliverpool/greenwood16.jpg

South Tranmere 1954

http://www.bwpics.co.uk/yoliverpool/greenwood17.jpg

http://www.bwpics.co.uk/yoliverpool/greenwood18.jpg

Rock Ferry tollhouse 1954

http://www.bwpics.co.uk/yoliverpool/greenwood19.jpg

New Chester Road 1954

I'm no expert on "Over the water" either so can't help I'm afraid, but I do appreciate seeing these photo's, superb :handclap: Thanks, Martin

That 3rd one looks like the cathedral and it's little less elaborate bro (the mill)

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Originally Posted by Ged

That 3rd one looks like the cathedral and it's little less elaborate bro (the mill)

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It wasn't actually a mill, it was a huge silo at Brunswick Dock built in the mid 1930s demolished late 80s. It dominated the south end docks and area around it.

They are very nice, indeed.
It's great that we've got the photographer showing us his 50-odd y/o photos.

i like the one of south tranmere

Where exactly was Buchanan's Flour Mills? Wallasey?

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Originally Posted by Waterways

Where exactly was Buchanan's Flour Mills? Wallasey?

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Buchanans Flour Mill was on the Dock Rd.
Most of the building has gone now.
What remains you can see by the 'Historic Warships' museum.

Anyone correct me if I am wrong cos its been a long time since I was down that way.

Phredd

Ah, no! As a mere babe in arms in 1954, I didn't take these photographs. Sorry, should have been clearer. My stuff starts in the early 70s. I acquired these negatives, along with lots more, along the way in junk shops, auctions, house clearances, as gifts etc. I printed all of them though. They used to be easy to find at one time but treasures like this are becoming very thin on the ground- at least at prices I can afford. Does that mean images of our lost past are becoming more appreciated now? Be nice to think so.

:PDT_Aliboronz_24:The picture of the new Chester road, I think is by Camelairds, facing is the pub called the Castle, they used to have all the drinks, already pulled for the rush from Lairds in the dinner hour.

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Originally Posted by phredd

Buchanans Flour Mill was on the Dock Rd.
Most of the building has gone now. ...

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Yes, that's how I remember Dock Road between Poulton and Seacombe. Crossed by railway tracks in that area that lead to (substantially) disused goods stations on the North side.

Flour milling sprang up along Mersey ports (first Ellesmere port, then Wallasey) in the wake of the 1846 repeal of the Corn laws (that basically had required corn to be milled near to where it was harvested). Since flour was more perishable than grain this deterred imports (and made British landowners powerful) until the corn Laws were repealed. A boom in imports from Canada and the US Great Lakes region soon followed.

The building of mills on the Mersey effectively put into terminal decline an 800 year tradition of corn milling at Chester weir. Indeed I can remember old people in the 1950s in Northwich using the expression "the rent of Dee Mills" to mean "an unreachable amount of money". Of course Dee Mills had not brought any rent money for at least 50 years even back then.

Like so many other things, the death of this industry was the containerisation revolution - it made it economic to ship flour rather than grain.

Now what was the name of the dog biscuit factory there?
All the substandard wheat was made into dog biscuits.

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Originally Posted by HollyBlack

Since flour was more perishable than grain this deterred imports (and made British landowners powerful) until the corn Laws were repealed.

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They still are almighty powerful. 0.66% of the population own 70% of the land. Not much has changed in many, many hundreds of years. The planning laws also reinforce their power.

Hollyback said :-....
Now what was the name of the dog biscuit factory there?
All the substandard wheat was made into dog biscuits.

Was it BOCM (British Oil and Cake Mills) they made a lot of animal feed stuffs.

Phredd

I personally love the picture of that stately home behind that steam Lorry.. #2 photo.. What lovely architecture.. and wow.. what a place to live...Wonder if it still exists?

Super photos, well done for saving and showing them :handclap:

Yes, the lorry is all polished up for a special portrait. One therefore wonders if the house belonged to its proud owner? If so, there was evidently a few bob to be made out of hay and corn back then. One assumes the house was on the Wirral somewhere and may well be still standing- anybody recognise it?

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Originally Posted by Ernie

:PDT_Aliboronz_24:The picture of the new Chester road, I think is by Camelairds, facing is the pub called the Castle, they used to have all the drinks, already pulled for the rush from Lairds in the dinner hour.

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Sadly the building with the "pointy bits" has fell into disrepair and is looking very bad !, it even has plants growing out of the brickwork making it more unsteady !

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Originally Posted by squiggs

Sadly the building with the "pointy bits" has fell into disrepair and is looking very bad !, it even has plants growing out of the brickwork making it more unsteady !

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The "pointy bits" are stone crosses on each of the apexes. The building was an abattoir for many years. The distant part of it nearest the Cammell Laird gates was being used as a meat processing plant until about 3 years ago when it was totally destroyed by fire, leaving just part of the outer walls standing.

Looks like a fine and ornate building for such a mundane use, almost church like. I hope they can keep it.