Long before we had just a handful of energy companies whose prices keep on going up and up (and up!) Hoylake was serviced by its own gasworks.
The Hoylake & West Kirby gasworks (pictured) was located on the Carr Lane Industrial Estate and in 1885 the company provided gas to 125 customers. By 1915 the company had 3,319 customers.
HoylakeJunction.com reader Carolyn McCrae and her husband have kindly gone to the trouble of creating this pdf document (open here in new window) of a scanned brochure produced in 1927 by the Hoylake & West Kirby Gas and Water Co. An updated system of coal-fired gas production was officially opened on December 14, 1927.
Fred Banks, mentioned in the document and pictured below with Betsy Banks at the official opening of the new gasworks, was Carolyn’s grandfather!
Note the logo in the document for the old urban district council. I guess two of the three local landmarks are the Column in West Kirby and a local lighthouse. But was was/is the third item?
The third symbol looks as if it may be harbour entrance marker or something similar? A shot in the dark…
There were three or four of these markers along the coast of Hoylake and Meols until the 1990’s and they marked groynes made up of piles of large stones that served as 1) cover for sewage outfalls and 2) as breakwaters to reduce silting by sand washed along the coast
Is it meant to be an East cardinal marker? These are placed to the east of a hazard on a navigation channel to warn shipping of danger
Thanks for the document by the way. A fascinating piece of social, industrial and local history. I remember being scared of walking past the gasworks when I was little as we came along ‘Tip’ Lane from West Kirby to visit my aunty in Hoylake.
Was there a gas tank somewhere where The Concourse is now or am i dreaming? I thought i could remember one from the school bus journey.
No, no gasometer in West Kirby. There was, however, a water tank for the former steam engines of the West Kirby – Hooton line which remained until the Concourse was developed.
The abandoned WK railway station buildings and platforms for the Hooton branch line survived into the 70s and were great fun to explore, still full of old railway stationery, luggage labels, etc.
Thank goodness for other people’s good memories! Despite the fact that I recall the Concourse being built, I can’t remember what was there before it at all! Does anyone have a photo of that part of W.K, pre – Concourse?
Does anyone remember the ubiquitous sprayings of “HAWK” (allegedly the gang known as Hoylake And West Kirby’) around town in the 70s and 80s? Did such a group actually exist or was it the work of a hopeful graffiti artist?
I do have a photo of the part of Grange Road where were located the Crosville Bus office and the various coal merchants.
I wonder if the third item in the logo represents the sign which marked (or still marks?) the ends of the electricity cable between Hoylake and Hilbre?
I think it leaves the mainland somewhere near Red Rocks and lands on Hilbre roughly in the middle of the island.
This is a question for Carolyn McCrae, do you know of Ernest Banks, or his wife Willamna? They lived on Trinty Rd., posssibly # 18 until the early fifties,, thanks for any imformation.
I lived on Carr lane and we had two gas and also electricity board there to came back a few years a go and did not recognised any were as its all changed apart from the beach and my school was still there but not a school any more I think it said town hall I used to walk the cinder path to see my anti at west Kirby but still a nice place to go coming over again soon with some off my grand children the concourse was newly built when I left school
SEEING THE PHOTO OF THE GAS WORKS REMINDED ME OF THE WEEKY
CHORE I HAD TO DO WHEN I LIVED WITH MY GRANDPARENTS NAN & POP PEERS
IN NEWTON ROAD JUST AFTER THE WAR. I HAD A SMALL HOME MADE HANDCART
AND WENT EVERY SATURDAY TO THE GAS WORKS TO BUY COKE TO SUPLIMENT
THE COAL RATION. I WOULD THEN RETURN ALONG THE FOOTPATH AT THE SIDE OF
THE RAILWAY TO MANOR ROAD STATION .IT WAS HARD WORK FOR A 8 YEAR OLD.
HAPPY DAYS
ARTHUR E ROBERTS
URMSTON, MANCHESTER
Hi Cousin,It was a nice surprise to see your Comment’ It has been a long time.(since the 1950’s) I had been trying to remember the station where we caught the electric train to and from Liverpool, when we came to visit. or even your street. Remember the canoe pool near the swimming baths? and going winkleing.
any cockling, can’t forget the cockles, the best I’ve ever tasted.