tag:,2008:/789 2008-11-28T15:07:46Z Delving into the rich history of Formby, Freshfield, Little Altcar, Great Altcar, Hightown, Ince Blundell and Sefton. Share your memories with us. Movable Type Enterprise 4.21-en tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://789.108426 2008-11-28T14:40:25Z 2008-11-28T15:07:46Z

THIS week Times Past will reflect upon Formby's proud but rather neglected association with the medical profession. And this link is principally based upon the lives of Dr Robert Minnitt and Dr Richard Formby. Dr Minnitt, who invented the iconic...

Tom Duffy THIS week Times Past will reflect upon Formby's proud but rather neglected association with the medical profession. And this link is principally based upon the lives of Dr Robert Minnitt and Dr Richard Formby. Dr Minnitt, who invented the iconic 'gas and air' machine, grew up in Formby. He lived in the Old Vicarage on Lifeboat Road, which was demolished toward the end of August earlier this year. Richard Formby was born in 1815, and grew up in the gas light of Formby Hall. He studied law at Trinity College, Cambridge. However, a strong interest in anatomy led him to Edinburgh, where he completed a post graduate degree in medicine. On his return to Merseyside in 1818, the following notice appeared in the Liverpool Mercury:"Dr Formby will commence a course of lectures on anatomy and physiology on Tuesday, the 17th Instant, at eight in the Morning." This was the beginning of Dr Formby's illustrious career in Liverpool, which saw him contribute to the establishment of the city's medical school and make a substantial contribution to the public health of the city. Interestingly, it also thought that Dr Formby was fleetingly involved with the grave robbers or 'resurrectionists' who spirited bodies from graves in the dead of night.Before the Anatomy Act of 1832, the medical community relied upon this illicit trade to provide bodies for anatomical purposes, and it seems Dr Formby was no exception. T Cecil Gray, in 'Dr Richard Formby, states:"He must have been involved with the resurrectionists, but which and where are unknown." However, Dr Formby principal achievement was his contribution to the emergence of Liverpool Infirmary Medical School; he provided the introductory lecture on October 1 1844, and was elected Honorary Member on September 29 1864. Dr Formby also worked for Liverpool's Lunatic Asylum, sitting on its governing committee. The doctor and his wife, Charlotte, would occasionally invite patients to their home on Formby Point, for a day of fresh air and rest. The final chapter of Dr Formby's life is associated with Shorrocks Hill., where he built a house to spend his retirement in. Dr Formby enjoyed a happy retirement 'close to the pinewoods and dunes.' A series of heart attacks brought his life to an end in 1897, and a plaque in St Luke's Church celebrates his life. tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://789.106948 2008-11-21T11:45:49Z 2008-11-21T12:07:28Z

IN light of last week's stormy parish council meeting, this week Times Past will cast its eye over the history of local government in Formby. Local government appears to have arrived in 1894, when Formby was run by West...

Tom Duffy IN light of last week's stormy parish council meeting, this week Times Past will cast its eye over the history of local government in Formby. Local government appears to have arrived in 1894, when Formby was run by West Lancashire Rural District Council. And controversy was not far away, even then. Councillor Sean Brady, who attended last week's meeting, has posted an entry on his blog about Formby's first parish council on his blog. He describes the tensions between the council and the Formby Times, which was critical of the bodies performance. Cllr Brady writes:"The local newspaper of the day, The Formby Times, was full of constantly critical reports as the new members struggled to come to terms with the requirements of the law. Week after week in early 1895 the equivalent of the editorial complained of the lack of competence and compared the Council unfavourably with the newly established Parish Council in Ainsdale." However, Formby people were less than happy with remote rule from Ormskirk, and a groundswell of opinion led to the formation of the Urban District Council in 1905.However, as Formby's population began to boom during the mid 20th century, this body became less able to serve the needs of the people it was meant to represent. In 1997 a Local Government Commission for England survey discovered that many Formby people began to feel marginalised and frustrated with the quality of council services. This report led to the emergence of Formby Area Committee, which is currently chaired by Councillor Vincent Sedgley Platt. However, by 2001, Formby Civic Society and Claire Curtis - Thomas MP joined forces to press for the establishment of a parish council. A public meeting was held, at which 75% of the audience agreed that there should be a submission to the Deputy Prime Minister's Office. The first Formby Parish Council elections were held in January 2004, and the rest, as they say, is history. ]]> tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://789.103217 2008-11-13T17:10:27Z 2008-11-06T17:28:49Z

THIS week Times Past takes a closer look at the wooden cross in the grounds of St Peter's Church in Formby. Although a cross in a church is not in itself unusual, this structure is a little different. Recovered from...

Tom Duffy THIS week Times Past takes a closer look at the wooden cross in the grounds of St Peter's Church in Formby. Although a cross in a church is not in itself unusual, this structure is a little different. Recovered from the trenches of France, it marks the names of the soldiers from the 12th King's ( Liverpool Regiment ) who died at Ginchy in 1916. And as Remembrance Sunday begins to fade from our collective memory for another year, perhaps now is the time to take a closer look at some of the names on it. They are Kenneth Lotherington Hutchings, Arthur Ernest Thompson, George Eric Thompson, John Smethurst, Thomas Power Corish, Robert Davison, Herbert Harman Dunn and Harry Edwards. All the men's bodies were destroyed by German shelling, so the cross is an important record of their lives. And two of the fallen heroes were living in Formby before the war. Lieutenant Hutchings was at South View on Old Town Lane in Freshfield. He was commissioned in to the The King's on September 12 1914, and killed on September 3 1916. His name is also recorded on the epic Thiepval memorial in France. And George Thompson came from a Formby family who lived at Parkfield on Freshfield Road. George was educated at Rugby and Harrow, and was a member of Northern Cricket Club and West Lancashire Golf Club. He enlisted in to The King's on August 31 1914 and was killed on September 3 1916, aged 20, after 7 weeks on the front. His name is also commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, and at Northern Cricket Club in Great Crosby. Fr Paul Ormerod of St Peter's said:"The cross is important because it records the names of local men and a Liverpool Regiment." tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://789.101776 2008-10-30T16:21:00Z 2008-10-31T13:19:56Z

THIS week Times Past celebrates the life of Joan Rimmer, one of Formby's leading lights.

Tom Duffy THIS week Times Past celebrates the life of Joan Rimmer, one of Formby's leading lights. Joan, who was a regular visitor to the Formby Times office, is well known to many as the 'Formby Historian.' Her latest book, The Village That Was Formby, is a composite of three earlier titles; My Formby, Formby Remembered and Formby Today. However, as Joan is keen to emphasise, 'none of the books were planned, and this fuss is a mystery to me.' Sadly, it was the death of Joan's mother that led to the world of books, drawings and local history. Joan said: "My mother became very ill in 1986, and died in January 1987. During this period of time I started writing poems, and this led to the books." And local artist Muriel Sibley took an early interest in Joan's poetry. Muriel encouraged Joan to do more, and later provided the art work for Joan's books. She said:"Yes, Muriel was a dear friend, and her beautful art work appears in all of my books." Joan remembers Muriel as a remarkable woman, who began photographing Formby in the 1950s with her 35 mm camera. Today Joan Rimmer has sold 10,000 books, and raised over £20,000 for charity. She said:"I just can't believe it. It's all a bit of mystery to me." However, Joan's achievements are not confined to her books. She has organised 14 slide shows since 1996, and also writes a column for the St Luke's church parish magazine.She said, teasingly:"Yes, I can thank John Nelson for that one." Although Joan has no plans for any more books, the slideshows, column and charity work will all continue. She intimates that Formby's golden age is now a memory, but takes huge pleasure from the family home she lives in on Priesthouse Lane. Asked where her favourite place in Formby was, she replied:"My house on Priesthouse Lane. I sleep in the room I was born in. I love my house for its memories." And finally, thanks to Shirley Childs, who has put some names to the chess awards photograph at Ravenmeols School. She remembers Margaret Young, Catherine Young, Raymond Young, who all appear at the front of the photograph on the right, and lived on Chapel House Walk. tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://323.58937 2008-10-23T16:07:25Z 2008-10-23T16:19:37Z

THE life-blood of Times Past is our readers' response, and this week is no exception. S.G. Mclardy, who is one of the column's best friends, has provided some lovely background information to a photograph we ran on October 8....

Tom Duffy THE life-blood of Times Past is our readers' response, and this week is no exception. S.G. Mclardy, who is one of the column's best friends, has provided some lovely background information to a photograph we ran on October 8. Mr Mclardy remembers the snap as a chess players award ceremony in the PE hall at Ravenmeols School. And he spotted his brother, Ian David, third from right on the top row, holding on to the rope net. The second face he recognised was that of Peter Baden, his best friend, fifth from left on the bottom row. And Mr Mclardy has not stopped there. He has told us that Ian, who is now nearly 50 years of age, became a civil servant in the health and safety department at Bootle Town Hall, and now works in the Formby branch of Waitrose. And his school pal Peter, who lived on Castle Drive, was a good chess player and bird watcher. The Baden family, who were apparently very musical, later moved to Oxfordshire, and the friends lost touch. And finally, thanks to John K. Rowlands, who has helped resolve a reader's 'Cairnie House' mystery. John spent a little time searching the records in Formby Library, and discovered the site of the old house, on Victoria Way. He said: "All that is left of Cairnie House today is the original front wall. This site is now called Victoria Way, which is a group of private houses built around 20 years ago." ]]> tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://323.54334 2008-08-21T08:59:16Z 2008-08-21T09:34:59Z

VICTORIAN England is our destination this week, thanks to Fr Geoghegan of Herbert House. Fr Geoghegan told Times Past the wonderful story of his relative, Thomas Formby, who was born in 1827, and famous for being press ganged - twice!...

Cliff Birchall Thomas Formby, sitting outside The Railway in Formby If you can tell us any more about this story, or about any of the other pictures, write to Tom Duffy at Times Past, Formby Times, 17 Elbow Lane, Formby L37 4AD, phone 872237 or email newsdesk@formbytimes.co.uk Were you one of these babes in arms? Let us know. Were you among the cast? Let us know.]]> tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://323.53841 2008-08-14T10:09:08Z 2008-08-14T10:17:12Z

By Tom Duffy, Formby Times TOWER Grange is the perfect paradox in that its beauty is matched only by the mystery that surrounds it. The property is currently home to Maureen Griffiths, who lives there with her daughter Ruth, son-in-law...

Cliff Birchall By Tom Duffy, Formby Times TOWER Grange is the perfect paradox in that its beauty is matched only by the mystery that surrounds it. The property is currently home to Maureen Griffiths, who lives there with her daughter Ruth, son-in-law Steve and grandson Jack. The grade II listed property seems to be the perfect family home, with exposed timber beams and a sweeping garden. However, as Maureen pointed out: "In this house, nothing is as it seems." Although Tower Grange is obviously a period property, perhaps it has just a little too much history. The house is mentioned in the Domesday Book, which was commissioned in 1085 by William the Conqueror. And Maureen and Ruth provided records on the house which suggests it belonged to Whalley Abbey in the 13th Century. The Reverend Thomas Woolfale, who was the Vicar of Formby, used it is a grange in the 16th Century, and described it as "an ancient building, old and ruinous." However, Tower Grange has another, more sinister thread to its history. A priest hole exists between it and the house next door, and the skeleton of a cleric was reputedly discovered in it. It is the ghost of this man which reportedly haunts the house, contributing to Tower Grange's dark side. Today, Tower Grange is no more than a beautiful family home. However, its strangeness is profound, and even extends to the garden which sits behind the house. From this location the property seems to morph into another house completely, which is odd to say the least. Perhaps the final word should go to Maureen,who knows Tower Grange as well as anyone: "I call it the crooked house, because that is what it is." Building's history TOWER Grange is actually two houses. The original property is on the left of the drive, with a lounge on the ground floor and bedroom above it. In 1904, an architect named Atkinson began the extension which today forms the rest of the house. However, the work done was unusual to say the least. The owner forbade the builders to use plumb levels, and insisted on eccentric features such as trap doors, secret passages and cupboards with windows. In parts it almost feels like a chocolate house, which is slowly starting to melt. However, it seems that Mr Atkinson was not the only "character" to have lived in Tower Grange. Local historians are sure that a Professor Garstang lived there around the turn of the last century. He apparently made exotic trips to Egypt, to take part in archeological digs, and filled the house with a bizarre array of finds and artefacts. And this only added to the house's reputation in Formby, particularly among cleaning girls and tradesmen who visited the property. Ghostly goings-on WHEN Maureen moved into the house 20 years ago, a painting of the ghost was already on the wall. Fortunately, this is the closest anyone in the family has come to meeting the metaphysical. However, a couple of years ago Maueen was visited by a "ghostbuster," complete with a machine that measured "something in the air." Maureen said: "Apparently his machine recorded something odd in the atmosphere." Although Maureen has not had a direct encounter with the ghostly cleric, she knows someone who has. Around 15 years ago she was disturbed late at night by her then neighbour, Mena, who lived in the house which shares the priest hole. The woman was distraught, and claimed to have seen the ghost at the foot of her bed. Needless to say, when Maureen returned to the neighbouring property with Mena, the only people in the house were the two women. Ruth also remembers that Mena's dog, called Berkley, loathed the house and spent most of its life seeking refuge in Tower Grange. The painting of the ghostly presence at Tower Grange]]> tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://323.53497 2008-08-08T14:19:28Z 2008-08-08T14:29:12Z

DR Reg Yorke of Formby Civic Society has kindly provided Times Past with more information on the old windmill. It seems the society knows rather a lot about the old mill, from the name of the owner to the various...

Cliff Birchall Times Past with more information on the old windmill. It seems the society knows rather a lot about the old mill, from the name of the owner to the various tenants that lived in it. We now know the freehold belonged to Reverend Richard Formby in 1792. And the various tenants that lived in the mill included Peter Travis, John Lowe, Richard Meadow, Robert Rimmer, William Hargraves and John Robinson. And the society even provided some detail on one of the tenancy agreements. It seems Richard Travis, who took the lease out in 1792, was required to:"Keep a Pointer or other dog after he becomes resident in Formby.....and agrees to sell to the said Richard Formby all the meal seeds, bran, wheat and grain produced by the mill." The structure was demolished in the late 1880's, and was replaced with a steam powered mill on Cable Street. The civic society also think there may be evidence of the old structure in and around its site on Old Mill Lane. There may be remants of circular paving, stout posts, foundation beams or mill stones. And if you live on Old Mill Lane and spot anything unusual in the house or garden, please get in touch. Formby's old mill was demolished in the late 1880s Dr Reg Yorke of Formby Civic Society with his presentation on the old mill ]]> tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://323.53218 2008-08-05T09:27:30Z 2008-08-05T09:29:19Z

SEARCHING for reports of sandwinning, the Formby Civic Society's Anthea Royden and Pat McGregor began looking at old copies of the Formby Times on microfiche at Formby Library. Beginning at 1920, it was immediately apparent to them that the paper...

Cliff Birchall Anthea Royden and Pat McGregor began looking at old copies of the Formby Times on microfiche at Formby Library. Beginning at 1920, it was immediately apparent to them that the paper in those days was very different to today's. IN 1920 the Formby Times consisted of four pages only, it cost one old penny and was published every Saturday. The appearance of the paper was not inviting. Each page was densely filled with small print; there were a few main headlines at the top of each page but no subsidiary headings, the different news items being separated only by a small space, with sometimes a dash. There were no advertisements, in fact nothing to liven up the page and attract one's eyes. It was impossible to scan the page quickly for a particular topic, as every paragraph had to be scrutinised to find out its subject matter. The topic reported reflected the character of Formby in the 1920s. It was still largely rural, so people read about the effects of drought or flooding on the growing crops, the possible threat of the dreaded potato blight, or rumours of nearby cattle sickness. The Poultry Club published a bulletin each week. Many Formby residents travelled to Liverpool or Manchester to work each day, so the performance of the Railway Service was of great interest. There were reports of train breakdowns and cancellations, the shocking increase in the price of fares, and the occasional derailment or collision. Gas was manufactured locally, so the price of gas was often mentioned. The activities of the local gentry were considered newsworthy, and there were frequent accounts of the doings of the families from Formby Hall, Little Crosby, Croxteth or Knowsley, perhaps setting off on holiday to the Continent (something rare in those days) or going down to London for an important social occasion. A regular feature which ran for several years was the serialisation of novels. None of these were familiar and seemed to be either blood-and-thunder stories or romances in the style of Mills and Boon. The episodes took up almost the whole of one page, sometimes the front page, which seems a very strange choice. Later on the back page became their usual home. They were eventually ousted by the growing volume of sports news. Another long-running regular feature was Quentin Quiz's article, which started in the late 1930s. The writer portrayed himself as an elderly busybody trundling round Formby in a bathchair, poking his nose into everything and criticising whatever met with his disapproval - holes in the road, dogs wandering loose, councillors who frequently missed committee meetings, the terrible price of coal. You name it, Q.Q. had something to say about it. Occasionally, he gave praise, perhaps for a pretty garden which had caught his eye. People used to speculate about the true identity of Q.Q. The column was still running in the 1960s, by which time the original Q.Q. (as described by himself) must have been a centenarian! Gradually the appearance of the paper became more attractive. More headings and sub-headings began to be used and, with the different news items more clearly separated and identified, the paper became easier to read. The first photos appeared (strangely, the first two we spotted were with obituaries) but they were of very poor quality for a long time. Advertisements began to appear - for many years the only one was for Broadbent's fashions. At sale times their advert took up a whole page. World Ward Two came, bringing more news items to print, but also a shortage of paper. This was overcome by using even smaller print, so cramming an extra column on to each page, making nine columns instead of the usual eight. The Formby Times now gave its readers news of ration books, and how to procure a new one, blackout transgressions, wartime recipes, and, of course, news of service personnel, perhaps home on leave or, sadly, sometimes reported missing. The paper took both VE Day and VJ Day very much in its stride, hardly any mention apart from reporting on the various street parties that were held in celebration. The paper shortage lasted for several years after the War, then gradually eased, and the Formby Times grew in size. In 1951 publication day changed to a Friday and the price went up to tuppence (two old pence). By the early 1960s the paper had changed to tabloid form, and the price had increased again to three old pence. Photographs were now plentiful and of much better quality and there were many advertisements of all kinds. Pat and I ended our research in 1962, by which time the Formby Times was very much in the style it is today, albeit on a smaller scale. But it still cost only three old pence and was still published on a Friday]]> tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://323.52978 2008-07-31T09:47:16Z 2008-07-31T09:48:44Z

TIMES Past is plunging in to the Middle Ages this week, with Father Geoghegan of Herbert House. Parishioners of St Luke's Church in Formby will be familiar with the headstone of Richard Formby, which lies in the entrance to the...

Cliff Birchall TIMES Past is plunging in to the Middle Ages this week, with Father Geoghegan of Herbert House. Parishioners of St Luke's Church in Formby will be familiar with the headstone of Richard Formby, which lies in the entrance to the church. It arrived in 1840, after it was damaged in a fire at York Minster. Father Geoghegan, who is a retired missionary priest, was sufficiently interested in it to visit York Minster last summer. He searched for the original grave, and plou ghed through the Minster's formidable archive, to find out a little more about Richard Formby. Richard was famous for being an armourer to King Henry IV. Father Geoghegan established that he died on September 26, 1407, of the plague. It also seems that Richard was something of a celebrity, and famed for his height, strength and fighting ability. In 2003 a poem was written in tribute to Richard by David Davies, as part of the Formby Hall Project. The final three stanzas read: "When he died, Henry honoured his famous 'armiger', And buried him with all ceremony in famous York Minster. But his tomb-stone was cracked in the great Minster fire, And now rests in Saint Luke's church not far from the choir. And if ever you go there on a warm summer's night When bats wing the air and owls give a fright You may glimpse a dark figure among the tall trees And hear a faint chuckle borne aloft on the breeze Tis the ghost of our Richard walking forth in the pines And thinking of King Henry in those far distant times. So be not afraid when you see him pass by He'll just give you a wink and a long drawn-out sigh." Have you ever done any research on this headstone or know of other details about it? Or have you any more modern memories about Formby and its churches? Contact Tom Duffy at Times Past by phoning 872237, writing to Times Past, Formby Times, 17 Elbow Lane, Formby L37 4AD, or emailing newsdesk@formbytimes.co.uk tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://323.52634 2008-07-24T14:28:48Z 2008-07-24T14:34:22Z

THE old photograph of Park Farm, which featured in Times Past on July 3, has unearthed some wonderful memories of Formby's farming past. Mr S G McLardy has provided a rather touching account of the Suttons' life in Formby, after...

Cliff Birchall The Sutton family were tenants at Park Farm off Ravenmeols Lane Code NA ]]> tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://323.52029 2008-07-17T14:58:19Z 2008-07-17T15:15:57Z

Pupils at Freshfield County Primary MANY thanks to Tricia Barrett, who recognised a Times Past school days snap. Tricia is well placed to describe the photograph, because she is in it! We now know it was taken during the...

Cliff Birchall Pupils at Freshfield County Primary MANY thanks to Tricia Barrett, who recognised a Times Past school days snap. Tricia is well placed to describe the photograph, because she is in it! We now know it was taken during the 1968-9 academic year at Freshfield County Primary, which is a little earlier than Times Past estimated. There are still one or two faces she could not name but the line-up is (front row, from the left) ? ? Tricia Stead (now Barrett), ?, Kim Crossweight, ?, Lyne White, Linda Spencer, Lesley Kinsella, Jill True, Andrew Grayson. Middle row: ?, Sheena McCollam, ?, ?, Jeffrey Short, Jacqueline Wright, Barbara Shaw, ?, Elizabeth Bradbury, Debra Owens, ?, Victoria Sharp. Back row: Adrian Rowe, Ian Wood, Paul Rigby, Jeffrey ?, Helen Kitis, Martin Hope. This week's photograph comes via Cape Town. John Linaker, who now lives in South Africa, was visiting friends and family in Formby, and kindly popped in with the snap below of St Peter's first XI football team. Back row, from the left; McDonald, R Bradshaw, headmaster Russell Brown, Jimmy Tyrer, Joe Maguire, Brian Whitaker. Middle row from the left; David Lovelady, Derrick Houghton, Roy Kellet, Bernard Proudlock and Frank Dickison. Front row Roger Gardiner, John Livesly and Richard Sherman If you have any additional information about either of these photographs, contact Tom Duffy at Times Past, Formby Times, 17 Elbow Lane, Formby L37 4AD, phone 872237 or email newsdesk@formbytimes.co.uk ]]> tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://323.50975 2008-07-03T12:48:48Z 2008-07-03T12:53:13Z

TIMES Past is plunging back into Victorian England this week, with a photograph captured in 1878. The snap shows the old mill, which was in Mill Lane in Formby. And if you look closely you can see the owner...

Cliff Birchall TIMES Past is plunging back into Victorian England this week, with a photograph captured in 1878. The snap shows the old mill, which was in Mill Lane in Formby. And if you look closely you can see the owner sitting in front of it. If you think your house now occupies the site, please get in touch. And finally, some light has now been shed on last week’s ‘sepia snap shrouded in mystery,’ thanks to Mrs Beryl Carr. Beryl has dated the picture to 1937, and put names to several of the faces. The front row from the left is Maureen Murphy, Betty Kirby and possibly Dillis Edwards.The middle row, from the left is Hilda Grimes, Kathleen Murphy and Olwen Aindow. Beryl told Times Past that the photograph was taken at St Luke’s School in Jubilee road, and that Maureen and Kathleen Murphy went on to enjoy successful nursing careers. l If you can provide any more information about these pictures, or have some interesting memories about old Formby or photographs, get in touch with Tom Duffy at Times Past, Formby Times, 17 Elbow Lane, Formby L37 4AD, phone 872237 or email newsdesk@formbytimes.co.uk ]]> tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://323.49974 2008-06-20T11:48:18Z 2008-06-20T11:54:01Z

MANY families have their history entrenched in our area, but few roots run as deep as those of Peter O’Neill. The 38-year-old works for Merseyside Army Cadet Force and is at least the fifth generation to work at Altcar Training...

Cliff Birchall MANY families have their history entrenched in our area, but few roots run as deep as those of Peter O’Neill. The 38-year-old works for Merseyside Army Cadet Force and is at least the fifth generation to work at Altcar Training Camp. Indeed, the camp was also home to many of his forefathers, who lived in cottages on site while the men tended the ranges and the women helped in the messes. Their history stretches to the early days of the range in 1860, with the second known generation, Tom Mawdsley, mentioned in connection with an incident in 1906. But it was Peter’s great-great-uncle, Robert (Bob) Wilson, who started the chain and became best known. Sadly, this was for the nature of his demise – after being hit by a ricochet on C range in 1914, he became Altcar’s only fatality. Bob and his wife lived at 2 Grange Cottage and his work was taken over by son-in-law Thomas Mawdsley, who lived with his wife Phoebe in the old lighthouse that stood on the Altcar estate, and later on site. As chief warden, Tom looked after the range and accommodation in camp. He was presented with a telescope by rifle club president Captain Robert Gladstone, great-nephew of the Prime Minister, which has passed down the family to Peter. Peter’s grandad John Wilson Mawdsley (Jack) was born at Bridge Cottage, then moved to Grange Cottage at two or three years old. He was involved with the ranges from school days, when he acted as a marker for people shooting in the butts, and only left the site when he was called up. Jack progressed to become chief range warden and railway crossing keeper, manning the entry point at Cleaver cottages, while his wife, Elsie, helped out in the Red Rose and old YMCA canteen in B Camp. Jack was presented to the Queen when she visited Altcar in 1985 to inspect the Duke of Lancaster’s Own Yeomanry, and was delighted when she asked him about the unfortunate fate of his Uncle Robert. He also oversaw the arrival of the first electric target ranges in the 1970s. The family moved to Cambrian cottage and lived there until Jack went into a nursing home in 2000. Elsie and Jack’s daughter Pat, Peter’s mum, also lived on site and helped out with the messes. She married railwayman Terry O’Neill who worked at Hightown and Ainsdale until national service led him into the Royal Marines and later the Royal Marine Reserves. Peter started as a range warden in 1989 and became a moving machine target trainer before leaving for six months in 1999. He returned as Senior Supervisor on Main Camp, looking after accommodation for five years, then in 2005 moved to Merseyside Army Cadet Force where he is currently Cadet Administrative Assistant, living on Salford Road in Ainsdale. Peter said: “When I was offered the job it seemed like a natural progression to follow the family line. I felt maybe fate had thrown it my way.� tag:formbytimespast.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://323.46835 2008-05-15T09:18:43Z 2008-05-15T09:19:56Z

THE enduring mystery of one of Times Past’s older photographs has now been resolved, thanks to Colin Vince. Colin, of Rimmer Avenue, recognised the photograph because he is in it, and decided to help Times Past put some names to...

Cliff Birchall ]]>