UNSEEN AND UNPUBLISHED - LIVERPOOL'S 'BRITISH RESTAURANTS'

During WWII, the Walker Art Gallery was taken over for use by the Ministry of Food. Food as we knew it became difficult to obtain and was rationed, people were encouraged to grow their own. In September 1940, Lord Woolton, the Minister of Food and himself from Liverpool asked the Liverpool tenements architect, Lancelot Keay to draw up plans for what were to become known as 'British Restaurants' Over 2000 of these establishments were to open across the land, the idea being that affordable food would be available to all whilst saving on fuel and power within the home.

On 11th November 1940, Lord Woolton opened the fast moving Keay's first British Restaurant called 'Byrom' (1st photo) integrated into part of the newly built Fontenoy Gardens tenement scheme. The second called 'Myrtle' (2nd photo) was opened by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool in Falkner Street on 3rd March 1941, again as part of the tenement block of Windsor Gardens, itself part of the larger Myrtle Gardens sceme.

In fact four of the first six 'British Restaurants' were contained in tenement developments, the other two being in Warwick Gardens and Prince Albert Gardens.

The photos below are from the LRO and can be seen in full by using the scroll bar.




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The picture on the wall in the second photograph, is that Blue Coats?

I never even heard of anything like this. How lovely for the clients, the rooms look charming. Thanks Ged.

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Originally Posted by Oudeis

The picture on the wall in the second photograph, is that Blue Coats?

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Yes, the old BlueCoat school, School Lane. There are other pics with other murals too.

Thanks Roni.

It looks like a modern Bistro

My great aunt used to work for Lord Woolton

The rooms taken up by the Byrom Restaurant were later to house the dinner halls for Holy Cross school and then later still, a community centre ran by the Vauxhall Neighbourhood Council. Shops were located either side of the entrance which we inhabited right until the demolition of the blocks in the late 1980s.

Brother Ged, terrific pics as usual, well done that man! So the tenements in the locale of Myrtle Gardens were an integral part of a larger plan ?, (Windsor,Sidney, and obviously, Myrtle House ?) I have only just realised that fact, I knew they were of similar age, so it makes sense. By the way, I saw a reference to Almond House on your site, was this part of the main block of M.Gardens?
Questions, questions......

They are one development I had no cause to go in when they existed Tom so perhaps someone else can clarify but those blocks you name were part of the two Myrtle Gardens developments that were either side of Falkner Street. It would appear the main one with the Myrtle Gardens sign over the entrance was on an angle fronting onto Crown Street facing that big underground railway chimney.

Right again brother Ged, my grandmother and other family lived in Myrtle Gardens, and as a boy I spent a great deal of time there, but details which I find of interest these days mattered naught to little Tommy then.
I've seen the pics on your site and elsewhere, and I do recall the general layout, but I wonder if there exists a plan of the development anywhere?, perhaps they might show individual designations of the site.

Myrtle Gardens?

There is this...

http://www.minstercourt.org.uk/index_photo_gallery.htm

---------- Post added at 12:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:13 PM ----------

(just in case it is not that plain, this is the main site)...

http://www.minstercourt.org.uk/myrtl..._liverpool.htm

Yes, my friend Tony's site.

---------- Post added at 02:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:16 PM ----------

Tom, I think there are plans in the records office, I know there are of some of the other tenement developments. Actually there is a plan on Tony's site though not very detailed.

Really enjoyed those pics, thanks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oudeis

Myrtle Gardens?

There is this...

http://www.minstercourt.org.uk/index_photo_gallery.htm

---------- Post added at 12:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:13 PM ----------

(just in case it is not that plain, this is the main site)...

http://www.minstercourt.org.uk/myrtl..._liverpool.htm

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Oudeis old man, once more into the breach, eh!, I thank you (and not for the first time) for your help.
Tatty bye, Jock, tatty bye.