Old photos of Bootle

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Matt
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Funny seeing that photo with wrought iron railings and gate.
They were all taken down and the metal used for the WW2 war effort.
Matt
graham01
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Matt,sorry to disapoint you but less than 3%of scrap metals collected in ww2 were used by british government.
It was used as a morale booster to make the public think they were doing their bit to help the wsr effort.graham.
origin waterloo.present and future bootle.
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filsgreen
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Morning, Graham. I was surprised at your answer and did a bit of googling and you were, of course, correct. :D Here is a bit of information.

Dear Cecil:

My relatives who lived during World War II insist that all the scrap-metal and rubber drives, supposedly done to preserve resources for the war effort, were only for propaganda. None of the metal and rubber collected was ever used for anything. Is this true?

— Anthony Allen, Los Angeles

Cecil replies:

We live in a cynical age, Anthony. World War II scrap drives were a lot like the federal government, the Oscars, and Dennis Rodman: they partook of a considerable measure of hot air and bullshit. But not 100 percent.

In 1942, when the first scrap drives were organized, the war was far from won, and frightened civilians at all levels were anxious to do something, anything, to help. So campaigns were organized to collect not just metal and rubber but kitchen fat, newspapers, rags, and so on. These drives were extremely successful — millions of tons of material were collected. It was only afterward, contemplating the assembled mounds of junk, that those in charge of the war effort asked themselves: What are we going to do with all this crap?

World War II shortages weren't just home-front propaganda. Japanese conquests in Malaya and the Dutch East Indies cut off access to natural rubber supplies. President Roosevelt urged Americans to turn in "old tires, old rubber raincoats, old garden hose, rubber shoes, bathing caps, gloves," and so on at their local service stations. Just one problem: there wasn't (and still isn't) an efficient way of recycling rubber products. Rubber's complex chemistry and the variety of formulations in use made recycling slow and expensive and the resultant material inferior to virgin rubber. Although the rubber recycling industry did produce a fair amount of material throughout the war, the rubber scrap drive didn't significantly boost its output. The real solution to the rubber shortage was development of synthetic rubber and conservation — gas rationing was primarily meant to save tires, not gas.

Many of the other materials collected couldn't readily be recycled either. Many who lived through the war remember collecting old newspapers, but apart from using them as packing material and such there was little to be done with them. A 1941 aluminum-scrap drive to help the plucky Brits pulled in 70,000 tons of aluminum pots and pans, but only virgin aluminum could be used to manufacture aircraft.

Iron and steel were a different story. These metals could be easily melted down and used for munitions. It's not as if the U.S. lacked domestic sources of iron ore, though. The real challenge was gearing up American industry for war production. That meant everything from increasing steel-making capacity to building more factories and designing better weapons. Recycling of steel and iron unquestionably helped. One campaign netted five million tons of steel in just three weeks, and scrap-metal drives continued for most of the war.

Useful though recycled steel and iron were, some scrap drives went overboard. In addition to old streetcar tracks, wrought iron fences, church bells, and the like, people carted off relics of previous wars, including cannons, park statues, and other memorials. When the memorials were being rebuilt after the war, many wished they hadn't been so hasty.

There's no denying scrap drives and other World War II home-defense efforts were meant in part as morale builders. Some seem pretty loopy in retrospect — air-raid blackouts in Nebraska, for example. But a few were surprisingly effective. In 1943 victory gardens produced 40 percent of the country's fresh vegetables. Salvaged kitchen fat was used to produce glycerin, an ingredient in drugs and explosives. Then there's the Civil Air Patrol, organized in 1941 to watch the coasts and assist in search and rescue operations. Less help than hindrance, right? Not so. In the 18 months before the navy took over patrol duty, the CAP spotted 173 U-boats, located 363 survivors of sunken ships and downed aircraft, and reported 91 ships in distress. Lest you think all home-front volunteers were paunchy air-raid wardens in tin hats.

— Cecil Adams
Matt
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Location: vancouver island

That answer you posted Fils was all about the USA not GB.
Graham morale booster or not it certainly worked. I remember talking to our neighbour in
the South Park prefabs and asking him why the only railings left in that area were around the
Bootle Cricket Club.His answer "it took years to get that pitch in a beautiful condition and no bl***y
scrap metal dealers were going to stop him watching the Sunday afternoon game war or no war" but he remembered as a young lad
the huge steam trucks(lorries) being loaded with the sawn off pieces of the railings from the park down Wadham to Stanley Road
and along to Emmanuel Church to make as he was told bombs and tanks.
Matt
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filsgreen
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I realise that, Matt, but I think the rationale will cross over to the UK. With all due respect, you being informed by a neighbour or a steam truck driver, has the same credibility as my Googled observation and opinion.

Morale boosting propaganda has to be reinforced on all levels, from the Govt. to the collector of the iron. Here is a link that reinforces my opinion.

http://www.londongardenstrust.org/featu ... lings3.htm

Hopefully Graham will have a reliable source for his information. :)

Phil
graham01
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i was told this first time at school by my history teacher and the second time by steven fry who also said that the scrap was also of very poor quality.graham.
origin waterloo.present and future bootle.
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Glenys
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The railings had been removed from in front of our home in Knowsley Road, but don't know when they were removed.
Lived Linacre Lane, Trinity Road & Knowsley Road.
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fatboyjoe90
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Moor Lane Crosby 1763?


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Last edited by fatboyjoe90 on Fri Jan 10, 2020 8:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Cheers Joe.
graham01
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The old mill with its ssils.great photo.
Now owned by the uks biggest porn star omah.
Just got back its b and b licensr from sefton council after a ban after comlaints about noisey parties.graham.
origin waterloo.present and future bootle.
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fatboyjoe90
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I don't know if this photo has been posted before?


Image
Cheers Joe.
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fatboyjoe90
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Just looking at that photo there are more people on the road than road vehicles. :wink: :D :D
Cheers Joe.
graham01
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I was born round the corner of south road in york street in my nans front room.
That was 62 years and 364 days ago.a bit after that photo was taken.grat pic.graham.
origin waterloo.present and future bootle.
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fatboyjoe90
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Thanks for your reply Graham, and wishing you a happy birthday on Friday. :wink: :D Image
Cheers Joe.
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fatboyjoe90
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Seaforth Arms Hotel, Sandy Lane. :wink:
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Cheers Joe.
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fatboyjoe90
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South Road Waterloo 1903. :wink:
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Cheers Joe.
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filsgreen
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Photos are amazing, Joe. Thanks for finding them.
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fatboyjoe90
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Another photo of South Road. :wink:
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Cheers Joe.
Shelagh
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Great photos Joe..lovely picture of the old windmill, Moor lane..property was on the market a few years ago, up for £600,000 but they couldn't flog it, nobody would touch it, needed too much work doing on it, would have cost a fortune to fix!
The vendors had the nerve to start a crowd funding campaign, (didn't go down well with the locals) needless to say, campaign failed, that's how they ended up in the b&b business..may take a long time to gather those necessary funds..

Lovely pictures of South Road and Seaforth, loving the old perambulators :)
The Queens Picture-house on the left of South Road, now a Wetherspoon's - still called The Queens!

Good piece of local history..thanks Joe :wink:
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fatboyjoe90
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Thanks for your in-depth comments Shelagh, they are much appreciated. :wink: :D :D
Cheers Joe.
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fatboyjoe90
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Waterloo Railway Station. :wink:
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Cheers Joe.
graham01
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joe,great pic of waterloo station.
my dad worked there for 6 years after he returned to waterloo afterhis national service.
great post as per usual joe.graham. :D :D :D
origin waterloo.present and future bootle.
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fatboyjoe90
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Horse-drawn carriages at Waterloo Railway Station. :wink:

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Cheers Joe.
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fatboyjoe90
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graham01 wrote:joe,great pic of waterloo station.
my dad worked there for 6 years after he returned to waterloo afterhis national service.
great post as per usual joe.graham. :D :D :D
Thanks for that Graham. :wink: :D
Cheers Joe.
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fatboyjoe90
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Stanley Hospital. :wink:
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Cheers Joe.
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filsgreen
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Passed that loads of times on the L2 and 28, Joe.
PeterR
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Location: Evandale Tasmania

Is Stanley Hospital still There?
Peterr
Born in Spenser Street
henry
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Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:45 pm

The chemist on the corner over the road and did you you see the hospital in the film called Violent Playground with David Mc Callum and a young Freddy Starr
HENRY BORN FLORIDA STREET OFF STRAND ROAD
henry
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PeterR wrote:Is Stanley Hospital still There?
Peterr
No it's all built up with new houses
HENRY BORN FLORIDA STREET OFF STRAND ROAD
PeterR
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Thanks for that -Now Who remembers What was the message inscripted in the Brick over the main front entrance ? Paterr
Born in Spenser Street
PeterR
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Location: Evandale Tasmania

For about 2 years 1962-1964 I was bus conductor with RIBBLE I must have passed this spot opposite Daisy St School -thousands of times.
Peterr
Born in Spenser Street
Silver-Haired-Hippy
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My mum was in sheltered housing which was on the site of the old Stanley Hospital, maybe the housing has also gone now and houses built there?

Loretta
A bit of Bootle in Wales
starkeyc
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon May 26, 2014 11:41 pm
Location: Kingsgrove NSW Aus

My great great grandfather Joseph Starkey died in Stanley hospital 25/10/1898 (along with a lot of other people) thanks for the photo.
Chris Starkey in OZ
nicolas
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Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2013 8:10 am

St Alexander, built 1857, bombed during the War.

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nicolas
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henry wrote:The chemist on the corner over the road and did you you see the hospital in the film called Violent Playground with David Mc Callum and a young Freddy Starr
Full Film, Henry.
https://youtu.be/p7JRZlHBZpg
lynne99
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Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:55 pm
Location: Rugby

Peter R , before we get the topic lost. What was the legend over the door? Thanks
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