Chris Clare of local firm Invest & Protect (website) writes:
“We want to change the frontage of our office from the current unsightly mess it is to nice shop frontage. Not for any financial benefit but more from an aesthetic point of view as it is currently ugly. The address is 45 Market Street and it used to be the Lloyds TSB, hence its unsightly look.
The thing is we would really like to know what it was before, how many windows did it have, how far up Wood Street did they go, so we can do the remodel some justice. This leads me to the reason for asking for help, does anyone have any old photos of the building or any recollections of how it looked in the past particularly the windows and how they were situated.”
So, if you can help, get in touch.
Great to hear of someone wanting ‘to do the right thing’ and respect the local architecture. No photos I’m afraid but good luck in your quest and with the project!
Hi Peter
Thanks for your comments.
I have lived in Hoylake for over 20 years now and would love to see these buildings brought back to their original architecture. If it worked back in the day it will work now.
And surely if we all made some sort of effort on our own spaces the town would start to look much more appealing for residents businesses and most of all potential visitors.
So fingers crossed.
Other than being painted white I don’t believe the frontage was very much different as the Trustee savings bank. I had my first childhood savings account there in the late 1970s. I have no idea if it was the TSB before the facade was built, I’m not old enough 😉
I have a couple of photos which show the junction of Wood Street and Market Street,one taken by me in the early 1960`s and the other is an old postcard, probably more interesting but not very good quality dating from the 1920`s I would say.
Not sure if they will show exactly what you are looking for but I will scan them and send them to John C. as he may like to publish them on his Hoylake Junction site.
Hi Syd
Thank you very much can’t wait to see them.
It was the TSB, with the DIY shop on the opposite corner… I wonder if the DIY shop could act as a template?
Hi Chris,
While agreeing with your suggestions – I would also like to see the name Wood Street changed to Barlow Street as originally intended by the Barlow Family when they sold the land (late 1800s)
Just “a Bee in my Bonnet” which rankles.
Ricky [G’G’Grandson of Ellen Barlow]
Hi Ricky
Whilst I have the power (planning permitting) to change the look of my building I don’t think it stretches to changing street names for my own pleasure but thanks for the request.
Kind regards
Chris
As a recent ‘incomer’ to Hoylake I had no idea that this building used to be a Bank!
Best of luck with the remodelling
Hoylake used to be full of banks in the 70s: NatWest had 2 branches plus Martins/Barclays, Midland, TSB and a few building societies.
Chris
One day I will get thre requiste 3.5 seconds free to publish a complete list, rather than the bits and pieces over the years, but there are about 8 or 9 roads in Hoylake which have been renamed and at least 2 which have been renumbered! A letter to the Council maybe? I’m all for Barlow Street too!
Hope Syd can get you a photo – I’m pretty sure I don’t have one
Jim
Hi Jim O’Neil,
I received a very good picture from Syd Bird. This was taken from Market Street looking down Wood Street.
It showed the partial destruction of Old Barlow’s Cottage prior to any development of Chris Clare’s property.
(if you are reading this Chris, a copy of Syd’s picture can be seen at 2 Wood Street – just mention my name)
However, when I was in the Birkenhead Archives last month – I saw another picture similar to Syd’s but at a slightly different angle. This was in a book published by a chap called Jim O’Neil – Honest.
Sorry Chris, but both pictures are very interesting but out of your time frame.
Ricky Cooper.
I just don’t have a later picture of this corner, i.e. after the cottage but when the bank was new-ish/
Jim