site of the old st oswalds church netherton

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Sharon scheme manager
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Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:24 am

Hi

Hoping you can help
St Oswalds Court sheltered housing for older people is 25 years old this year .as part of our celebrations we are looking at the history of the old St Oswalds churches that were built on this site between 1938 and 1977 we do know there have been two previous buildings on this site before the church relocated to Ronald Ross Avenue in the 1970s
We do have some information but we are still looking for anything at all relating to the old churches. Memories, photos, and information in fact anything any documentation or photos could be scanned to us or copies taken and we would pay for this.

Thanks in anticipation

Kind Regards Sharon and tenants

Regards Sharon Hill

RIVERSIDE ECHG
Scheme Manager St Oswalds Court
St Oswalds Lane
Bootle
L30 5SS
TEL 0151 523 1999
E Mail sharon.hill@riverside.org.uk
PETER CRAIG
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Welcome to the Bootle forum Sharon,
Peter.
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Teddy
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Sharon,

The Netherton Activity Centre had some old photo's of NEtherton in their lobby when they reopened. If I recall correctly, there were some of St OSwalds church. Not sure if the display is still there, but they might be able to loan you some of the pics.

Good luck in your search.
alfieb
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I reckon this reply is way too late for your research, but I used to go to St Oswald's church and the junior school.

I remember that the church always smelt of polish and that the pews, and font, were a rich orange colour. You entered the church from the rear through 2 sets of swinging doors. Immediately to your left was the choir and organ and in front of this was the font, sitting on a granite base. If I remember it correctly, the choir was split into two sections of either 2 or 3 rows deep.

If you turned to your right you faced the pews facing towards the alter which had a rail just in front. Above the alter, on the wall behind was a cross, and vestry to the right.

I vaguely recall the church had to be demolished due to the supports & ceiling containing high alumina concrete that was prone to rapid decay.

Does anyone have any pictures of St Oswalds as I've serched around but been unable to find any?
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Dan
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The single storey building stands on the site of the original St Oswald's church hall.

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Daft Apeth
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Sharon,

Just happened to be going through a load of old photos and came across these. Taken from the Warwick Bolam school around 1982.

Not sure if you're still out there but here they are.....


[url=https://postimg.cc/jnR0k5rw][img]https://i.postimg.cc/jnR0k5rw/IMAG0332.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://postimg.cc/hQMWFBSC][img]https://i.postimg.cc/hQMWFBSC/IMAG0333.jpg[/img][/url]
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Dan
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Daft Apeth wrote: Sun Feb 14, 2021 2:42 am Sharon,

Just happened to be going through a load of old photos and came across these. Taken from the Warwick Bolam school around 1982.

Not sure if you're still out there but here they are.....

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Great photos Daft.

Could be mistaken, but I think the chimney in the background belonged to (Lunt's?) soapworks.
Daft Apeth
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Dan,

Sorry fella can't confirm, my world was a relatively small one in those days and anything beyond Dunnings Bridge Road was largely a foreign land so can't confirm, (assuming Lunts was that far of course).

I knew St Oswalds Church well when I was a nipper due to my Dad having one of the allotments close by (basically behind where the Forticrete was). We used to go in and say a small prayer for our fruit and veg to grow.

Happy days
Last edited by Daft Apeth on Wed Feb 17, 2021 10:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Dan
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The allotments were closed down a few years ago, may have been 10-15 years.

Everything was cleared, but the land was left fallow.

Some enterprising inhabitants got the locks open and set up some more allotments. Still going now.

The Forticrete is now a housing estate Grosvenor Close, Regent Avenue and Richmond Crescent.

Picture from google maps below.

You took your picture in, what is now Marian Gardens (upper left).

The allotments are between the houses and the B%M store in the Switch Island Shopping Park.

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Daft Apeth
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Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2016 4:52 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Dan,

Love your work fella, great stuff.

I've seen elsewhere on this site you put up early photos on this theme of how the area was developed from the 50''s. One of which made reference to 5 houses in Fleetwods Lane.

Just for context I was born and grew up in St Augustines Way, (at the back of Fleetwoods Lane) went to the Holy Ghost junior school, (we were the first year NOT to go to the Annexe - which were the old Army huts). Then to St Thomas Acquinas (what an eventful 5 years that was), then over to Warwick Bolam which had a Sixth Form (gone now as you've pointed out) which is where the photo was taken.

Many thanks
Rabbit
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Looks like the chimney of the Peerless Oil company. Lunts would be further to the right and probably hidden by the church
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Dan
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Bootle Times February 20 1953

Plans for Netherton


The site for St Oswald's Church is marked with a 3 on the map.

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Daft Apeth
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Dan,
Love your work.
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Dan
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Cheers Daft. :D :D
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BOBHAMO
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Great adverts Dan :D :D :D
bobhamo
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robinroyle
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Daft / Dan, I don't want to seem too pedantic but those photos were not taken from Warwick Bolam , but rather from the Boy's Grammar. WB was on Glover's Lane next to the canal, and I believe that it's now the Netherton Activity Centre. The Grammar is a housing estate (sorry, development) and park.
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Dan
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Evening Robin.

Warwick Bolam and Bootle Grammar merged in 1973 to become Warwick Bolam High School.

That would have been a couple of years after you left.

The old Warwick Bolam site on Glovers Lane closed in1986, to later become the library and the Netherton Activity Centre.

The old Bootle Grammar site on the Marian Way closed in June 1991 and was demolished early 1992.(See below)

Everything was finally situated on the Countess of Derby site as Bootle High School. That site was demolished in 2010.


Marian Way site just before demolition.

Daft Apeth
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Dan,

Correct in every way. Just to be additionally specific the left side of the building running adjacent to the Marian Way, was in fact called the Warwick Bolam VI Form which is where I attended and took these photos.

Thanks for the interest

Daft
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Dan
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Bootle Times January 23 1997.

Appeal for Browns Lane and Bridle Road allotments.

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Daft Apeth
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Spent much of my early childhood at the allotments, my Dad was a real Green Thumb. Can vividly remember swigging Sarsaparilla from a bottle we bought from the Alpine Man. The 'Plots' were a mix of interesting smells. Apart from the wonderful perfumes from fresh flowers and veg, on one side you had the acrid dust from Forticrete and on the other the wonderful smell of fresh baking from Scott's Bakery.
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Dan
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Morning Daft,
The Brown's Lane allotments are still going, though fewer than in your dad's day.
The Forticrete is a housing estate.
In place of Scott's is the Switch Island shopping and cinema complex, and a small bakery - Allied Bakers.
The big change is the dirt path that ran between Scott's and the allotments has been tarmacked. :)
I walk through there a couple of times a month. No bread smells and with the Peerless gone, no oil smells.

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Daft Apeth
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Location: Melbourne, Australia

Dan,
Apologies for the late response. I'm in Australia these days and as it's summer not much happens. Needless to say huge thanks for the updates, always a pleasure to hear your insights.
Great to hear the Brown's Lane allotments are still going, it holds a special place for me and interestingly enough since then I've always made an effort to grow a few fruit and veg' wherever I've lived.
The Forticrete being a housing estate is probably apt, I recall it always looked out of place being tucked in behind the decent houses on Park Lane.
Allied Bakers being there in place of Scott's Bakeries is also a nod the past I suppose. I can still remember my career counselling session when 15 at St Tommies (Aquinas) whereby my teacher suggested I'd be a good 'runner' on the Breadies (Vans). I can still remember him referring to Scotts as the 'St Tommie's Sixth Form'.
The path that ran between Scott's and the allotments has been tarmacked?, wow I can remember running as a child up and down there, the 'Cindy' as it was lovingly called. I fell when running (or was pushed!) and had many a scraped bloody knee there and still have minor scars to prove it!
Great that you continue to walk through regularly and I'd total forgotten the smell of the Peerless, tho I do remember my Dad seemed to know when the smell would be at it's worst (probably asked someone who worked there) and we would only go in early mornings to early afternoon to miss the stink.

Happy New Year and all that.
Best
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