Garston News Views and Discussion

[ChrisGeorge]

Hi all

Fletcher Rogers has become a figure of interest in the investigation into the Maybrick case and whether James Maybrick actually could have been Jack the Ripper (with or without the supposedly hoax Maybrick Diary). Rogers was the foreman of the coroner's jury that looked into the death of James Maybrick and he later moved into the Maybrick mansion, Battlecrease House, on Riversdale Road. It so happens that Mr. Rogers was buried at St. Michael's Church, Garston.

Chris Jones of the Liverpool Cricket Club is developing a website on the Maybricks and has just posted the following on JtR Forums:

Further to my post yesterday, I decided to cycle down to Garston Parish Church this morning to try and find Fletcher Rogers' grave. I timed my arrival to coincide with the end of the morning service so that I could get inside the church (it is normally closed and locked) and maybe speak to one or two of the older residents.

I had been passed the church many times, but had never actually been inside. I was really surprised by what I saw - the church interior was very beautiful. Unfortunately, the old records of the church had all been destroyed. The burial vaults were all outside the church (on the east side). I managed to find Fletcher Rogers' grave. He was buried in a grave with his second wife. She died on 2nd October 1877, aged 35. In her relative short life she had given birth to 12 children. At the time of her death, the family lived in Wood End, Grassendale. I took some pictures and will place them on this site in the future.

The Church of St Michael's, Garston, is one of those hidden gems. It is located in a very deprived area of Liverpool and the graveyard is overgrown. Nevertheless, it is well worth a visit.

Best wishes, Chris Jones

[Kev]

Cheers Chris, we used to play cricket amonst those graves.

[taffy]

The current church dates from the mid 1870s or so. There were at least two other churches on the same site. Looking at the church's location and the original churchyard layout, I strongly suspect the church has early Celtic origins dating probably from about the 6th C.

[Kev]

Whilst relaying the floor around 1985 we pulled up the floors [just befor the choir area, bootom of the steps] and I [being cheeky] carved my name on the beams that run beaneth the floor!!!

I've got excellent memories of that place, lots involving huge rats plus two men that stuck in my mind, Mr Sole and the choir master.

[taffy]

Here you go Kev, photo taken on the day ( Jan 15th, 1984) you walked the length of the bypass prior to its official opening. Photo courtesy of the Garston Historical Society

[Kev]

thats great taffy, cheers

[taffy]

I've recently been told that many older people regard the "true" Garston as that area under the bridge. The St Mary's Rd area etc was posher and was regarded as being in Cressington. Anyone come across this?

[Kev]

I've always, [upto my teens] had the same view, although I never viewed Under The Bridge as proper Garston. Kids on St, Mary's Rd were different to us kids that went to C of E/ Banks Rd, a bit posher I think

[taffy]

I've always, [upto my teens] had the same view, although I never viewed Under The Bridge as proper Garston. Kids on St, Mary's Rd were different to us kids that went to C of E/ Banks Rd, a bit posher I think

Someone told me that his parents from under the bridge in Garston were extremely annoyed when the new baths were built in Speke Rd (around 1907 or so). This was because they were called "GARSTON" Baths and clearly they were not in Garston !! Interesting how they came to this view and how its changed these days.

[eddie french]

Hi Taffy,
Thanks for the e-mail.
I received two copies of UTBBG this morning in the post.
Nice job. I forgot about the picture of me on the back page. What a laugh

[taffy]

Hi Taffy,
Thanks for the e-mail.
I received two copies of UTBBG this morning in the post.
Nice job. I forgot about the picture of me on the back page. What a laugh

Glad you liked the finished booklet. Its production has been delayed by the work to complete the Garston Revisted book. For those who would like a copy of either Eddie's memories " Under the Bridge By Gaslight" or the "Garston Revisited" book, just send me a private email.

[eddie french]

Glad you liked the finished booklet. Its production has been delayed by the work to complete the Garston Revisted book. For those who would like a copy of either Eddie's memories " Under the Bridge By Gaslight" or the "Garston Revisited" book, just send me a private email.

Please be aware that any coppers made over the production costs go towards the upkeep and continuance of the worthy efforts of the Garston and District Historical Society.
Ed

[fiftyfive]

the group that played in the `kings ` pub were called "the kingstrums"...the cook bros and brian crothers...crowie...as he was affectionately known....in the beatles official book,they played `wilson hall` with the kingstrums,but said they would never play there again as it was a "rough" area..
i lived in 61/63 st marys rd...on the corner of jackson st...was the grapes inn/then the co-op /then the A1pram shop/then Richards beds/then Garston Trophies......i came from Bennett st,up the village......my dad,Clarence Grove..my mum Otway St,both under the bridge....considering Garston wasn`t part of liverpool in 1907,i find it insulting for `under the bridge`people to say `Garston baths`was not in garston....most of the under the bridge people were brought in from Wales to work the Copper Works...the welsh,knowing how to work copper.....so half of them weren`t even Garstonians....then when they decided to buck the system and strike ,the copper works sacked them /turfed them out of their houses,and then brough many,many copper workers from Ludlow...hence the well known garston people who were "LUDLOW SCABS".. a lot of people came from the wirral,especially steel ship builders/blacksmiths./for their experience in steelwork for the steel bridge builders,who supplied railway bridges all over the world...so who exactly were the `garstonians`who complained about the baths....probably mostly woolybacks.......allan..garstonite

[Kev]

The £6m village of culture

Mar 20 2008 by Nick Coligan, Liverpool Echo

A FIVE-year plan to revitalise a Liverpool community has been revealed.

Council managers want to spend about £6m transforming the heart of Garston, bulldozing derelict shops and creating a new centre for cultural businesses.

They intend to sell off former railway sidings to generate cash for the long-awaited project to improve struggling St Mary’s Road.

That work would be done alongside ongoing multi-million pound schemes to build 700 homes in Garston’s Under The Bridge estate.

A report, due to be discussed by councillors next week, reveals how the council has thrown its weight behind the Garston Cultural Village idea, featured in the ECHO last year.

Championed by artist Alex Corina, it would see a derelict school building in Wellington Street refurbished into a hub for creative businesses.

The council now plans to put £800,000 into the scheme, along with £160,000 from Liverpool Biennial, to get it off the ground. The cultural village would then be self-financing.

Mr Corina, who recently showed Culture Company deputy chairman Phil Redmond around the site, said: “We have been negotiating for two years and, although I will believe it when I see it, we have reached an advanced stage.”

Officials have also drawn up plans for St Mary’s Road, which has struggled since the Garston Way bypass took away trade.

They describe it as “the biggest single problem” Garston faces, and plan to buy up properties so they can be renovated or demolished to make room for new developments.

The third part of the overall regeneration scheme involves supporting developers in the Under The Bridge estate, where 575 private homes and 120 housing association properties will be built over the next few years.

Cllr Marilyn Fielding, executive member for housing, said: “We have already transformed parts of the area by replacing worn-out housing, and upgrading others.”

Officials plan to sell off Dingle Bank (Where's this?), a former railway embankment, and land in the Under The Bridge estate to developers for housing, raising £5m.

nick.coligan@liverpool.com

[taffy]

The £6m village of culture

Mar 20 2008 by Nick Coligan, Liverpool Echo

A FIVE-year plan to revitalise a Liverpool community has been revealed.

Officials plan to sell off Dingle Bank (Where's this?), a former railway embankment, and land in the Under The Bridge estate to developers for housing, raising £5m.

nick.coligan@liverpool.com

Kev, Dingle Bank is the name given to the old embanked railway sidings leading to the old coal tipping machines at Garston Dock. The sidings ran alongside Dale St. This street was so named as it ran along the route of the old Dingle, a wooded valley and stream, that ran past St Michael's Church and into the River Mersey. This stream was once dammed to form the mill pond for the recently excavated Garston Old watermill. This mill site was reputedly the oldest in Lancashire.

Some demolition has already started on the site of 65 St Mary's Rd. Originally the old Theatre Royal playhouse was once sited here. St Mary's Rd has so much character, let's hope any new buildings are in keeping and not the derivative type we've seen built for example by South Liverpool Housing on the Church Rd /St Mary's Rd junction