"Old Trash" - Phantom Black Dogs around the Formby/Southport area

[fortinian]

I don't suppose it's about 'believing' in the actual thing itself but having an understanding of how these tales orginate and and passed on can tell us more about the human condition and its apparent need for a supernatural dimension to life.

[johnreppion]

No offence intended its just my personal opinion on the subject. Am sure there are many who are fascinated by these myths, am just not one of them. There are lots of modern "tail's" that one day am sure will become folk law, crop circles, moon landing hoax, 911 conspiracies, ufo's, etc. I just don't understand why people choose to believe in such things. Perhaps your studies could enlighten us.

Ah, no problem, I must have just had a bit of a cob on that day.

One of the best articles I've ever read on the subject of Black Dog folklore was "A Strange and Terrible Wonder" by Clare Stubbs, published in Fortean Times #195, April 2005. Definitely worth tracking down if you're interested in that kind of thing.

[lindylou]

.. and Spring Heel Jack.

[wsteve55]

.. and Spring Heel Jack.

[Oudeis]

I have the front to post this just because Lancashire is mentioned early on...

http://www.forteantimes.com/reviews/...of_bungay.html

[ChrisGeorge]

Hi folks

Whether the Black Dog really exists or not I don't know but Steve's account is certainly interesting. Of course there is a Meols on the Wirral north shore as well as at Formby. I came across this blog on Wirral Vikings that you might find of interest.

Chris

[ThePenkethPedant]

I posted a reply but was told I hadn`t logged in - I had, actually - why is everything made so difficult on this site?

[ThePenkethPedant]

Well, that`s off my chest. I read John Reppion`s book "800 Years of Haunted Liverpool" and it is excellent. One of the photos (Liver Building) is a bit misleading as only the top section of its two towers are visible behind the Post of Liverpool Building. There were a couple of misprints, but I realise I`m nitpicking! The feature on the Old Necropolis/Grant Gardens interested me - more anon.

[ThePenkethPedant]

The Old Necropolis, corner of Everton Road/West Derby Road, opposite the Hippodrome as was, in the mid-50s was a forest of stone monuments. I have often wondered what happened to all the monuments,tablets,gravestones etc when they were removed and the cemetery became a park. I expect that burial records are in the Central Library archives; the author refers to 80,000 nameless bodies still interred beneath the surface.

[wsteve55]

The Old Necropolis, corner of Everton Road/West Derby Road, opposite the Hippodrome as was, in the mid-50s was a forest of stone monuments. I have often wondered what happened to all the monuments,tablets,gravestones etc when they were removed and the cemetery became a park. I expect that burial records are in the Central Library archives; the author refers to 80,000 nameless bodies still interred beneath the surface.

The Necropolis was closed about 1910,and converted to a public park,Grant gardens,which opened a couple of years later!
Test drilling around that area,recently,re' the proposed Merseytram route,uncovered human remains,so you can only assume that all remains, weren't removed!

Pic's courtesy of L.R.O.

[ThePenkethPedant]

Thanks -the book states that it was closed in 1895. I don`t think it became a park as early as 1912 - as I said, in the mid-50s it was still a cemetery with all its monuments,albeit maybe closed to further burials. My cheif enquiry is -what happened to the monuments? Nobody seems to know, although I had heard that someone came across some in a Welsh field.....

[wsteve55]

Thanks -the book states that it was closed in 1895. I don`t think it became a park as early as 1912 - as I said, in the mid-50s it was still a cemetery with all its monuments,albeit maybe closed to further burials. My cheif enquiry is -what happened to the monuments? Nobody seems to know, although I had heard that someone came across some in a Welsh field.....

Sorry,but whatever book you've got,it's incorrect!

p.s. if you look at the park pic' I've posted,it states quite clearly,1913!

[ThePenkethPedant]

Right,wsteve -I hadn`t spotted the photo dating; this is all very odd - my recollection of the monuments and gravestones in the mid50s is strong, I wonder if I had a `time-slip`, similar to those reported in Bold Street; maybe I should have a word with Tom Slemen.....

[wsteve55]

Right,wsteve -I hadn`t spotted the photo dating; this is all very odd - my recollection of the monuments and gravestones in the mid50s is strong, I wonder if I had a `time-slip`, similar to those reported in Bold Street; maybe I should have a word with Tom Slemen.....

Possibly,you're thinking of another cemetery? Maybe Toxteth,which has many victorian memorials/stones,and you would pass this on a main rd!

[ThePenkethPedant]

Possibly,you're thinking of another cemetery? Maybe Toxteth,which has many victorian memorials/stones,and you would pass this on a main rd!

I`ve been on a Ranger tour of Toxteth Cemetery,it was definitely Grant Gardens , "The Old Necropolis". I was working in the bank which was embodied in the Hippodrome opposite. The manager,Mr.Patterson, told me of the cemetery and how it used to be called The Old Necropolis. Maybe my memory is simply of old photos of when it was full of memorials and gravestones.