Chavasse Park Cellar Excavations 2004

**Max** · 04-15-2006

What were they used for and where as the entrance to them?

Or were they part of the courts?

**Kev** · 04-16-2006

As far as I know, they were the cellars from old pubs, general buildings from the 1700s.

**Sloyne** · 09-07-2006

Originally Posted by Kev

are u refering to these?

[PICTURES LATER ON IN THE THREAD]

??

The picture is of the basement area of the old Customs House which was located on Canning Place (now Chavasse Park) which took a direct hit in the May Blitz of 1940. I have very fond memories of a incident that occured in that bombed out basement one very wet summers evening about 1952/3. Mind you when I arrived home about midnight, soaked to the skin and looking like a drowned moggie, I got battered by me nan. But hey, I thought it was well worth it.

**snappel** · 09-21-2006

They were something else I wanted to photograph but left too late... Some were the customs house, some weren't. I talked to a bloke at the book launch for the Liverpool Blitz Diary book (I forget the author) and he was saying that the Echo had said they were all filled in after the war, but this guy said a lot of them were still standing in the 60s, as he used to play there as a kid. They were then later demolished and basements covered.

Does anybody have any more photos? I remember walking down there and seeing that collapsed lift car and some old bottles and things.

**Waterways** · 09-21-2006

Originally Posted by snappel

They were something else I wanted to photograph but left too late... Some were the customs house, some weren't. I talked to a bloke at the book launch for the Liverpool Blitz Diary book (I forget the author) and he was saying that the Echo had said they were all filled in after the war, but this guy said a lot of them were still standing in the 60s, as he used to play there as a kid. They were then later demolished and basements covered.

Does anybody have any more photos? I remember walking down there and seeing that collapsed lift car and some old bottles and things.

They were there open until about 1967, when the site was cleared for the new modern buildings there (now demolished). The basement walls were left up to ground level and all the rubble removed. I assume the walls were left to reinfoce any foundations that infilled.

The walls were very thick as the picture shows and you could walk on them no problems - two kids abreast. We used to jump the walls. It was like a maze in there.

**Kev** · 09-30-2007

I 'dug these out' from 2004. I originally had them online but they were deleted some reason, anyway, here they are again. Now (2007) buried deep beneath the Paradise Street development car park:

Uncovered well, centre of the pic:

**phredd** · 09-30-2007

Kev
Thank you mate
They bring back memories of yesteryear

As a matter of interest one of the buildings was occupied by a firm called >>> wait for it .......
"The Jurex Rubber Company",
not to be taken as the more 'prominent' company of the same name bar one letter

I think they were into very early tire retreads (not sure).

May I have you permission to use the pics on a 'Military' site I use >>

http://www.armymedic.net/index.php

and also to my local British Legion Club of which I am a member ??

Thanks again and if you say NO I will understand. NP/

Fred (In Arduis Fidelis)

I am supprised = the link works

ps = thats a long post from me

**Kev** · 09-30-2007

Originally Posted by phredd

Kev
Thank you mate
They bring back memories of yesteryear

As a matter of interest one of the buildings was occupied by a firm called >>> wait for it .......
"The Jurex Rubber Company",
not to be taken as the more 'prominent' company of the same name bar one letter

I think they were into very early tire retreads (not sure).

May I have you permission to use the pics on a 'Military' site I use >>

http://www.armymedic.net/index.php

and also to my local British Legion Club of which I am a member ??

Thanks again and if you say NO I will understand. NP/

Fred (In Arduis Fidelis)

I am supprised = the link works

ps = thats a long post from me

Use them, thanks

**Waterways** · 09-30-2007

I used to jump on and off these wall when I was a kid.

**Kev** · 09-30-2007

Were they exposed back then?

**phredd** · 09-30-2007

Originally Posted by Waterways

I used to jump on and off these wall when I was a kid.

What year was that ?

**Waterways** · 09-30-2007

Originally Posted by phredd

What year was that ?

1960s. The basement of the Customs House was left just as you see it - the whole block. Then it was cleared to build dross which was eventually demolished. In 1951 they turned down a 50 floor plus block on this site.

It looks as if you can still see the whitewash on the cellar wall.

**Kev** · 09-30-2007

Thanks John, wasn't the old customs house further to the left of the pic and to back towards the road?

**Waterways** · 09-30-2007

Originally Posted by Kev

Thanks John, wasn't the old customs house further to the left of the pic and to back towards the road?

It took up the whole block. From the Dock Road back to the Sailors Home, from South Castle St to Park Lane.

The Customs House was totally restorable. It was only burnt out with the structure intact. It was demolished around 1949. The Customs decided to move their operations to London and abandoned Liverpool in big way. Another example of Liverpool being gradually raped by the South.