Derby Park Lake - Child Drowning in the Past

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ALAMO2008
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My Auntie Barbara clears up Derby Park and has just asked this Question on Facebook.

Can anyone help ?


" Barbara Rouse I run the Friends of Derby Park, and am surprised to learn that a child drowned there, ??what confirmation is there of this, I have a file from years ago, but no mention of this ? "
WatsonTommy
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a child drowned 7 8 years old lad the boating lake so they drained and filled it in there were rowing boats on it the bridges are still visible
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fatboyjoe90
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I'm sorry Al, i have tried to find any info on the child drowning in the park, but nothing is coming up for it. :(
Cheers Joe.
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ALAMO2008
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Location: Aberystwyth

February 1945 :-

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Matt
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Location: vancouver island

Hi Alamo,the draining of the boating lake had nothing to do with that little lad getting drowned.As you found out the drowning occurred
in 1945 and the lake was drained sometime in the 1950's.I remember fishing for sticklebacks in that lake when my big cousin Anne Smith
from Park Street used to meet me from Christ Church School and take me there until I went to Bootle Grammar in 1952-3.
Matt
bernie johno
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great research Alamo also like the story of the shoe robber :D :D :wink:
hood st ,norton st, spenser st ,
ken
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Location: FRANCE

I'm with Matt on when the lake was drained. It has to be after 1954 I think. My best mate who was(Ithnk?) in the 4th form at Bootle Grammar was a bit of a daredevil and he swarmed down from the bridge to the island in the centre and unhitched the sort of raft that was always tethered to it. He got in and paddled around until Slyeye spotted him and yelled. Luckily Colin was near the edge of the lake so he just jumped onto the bank and legged it - we were just laughing. I was told that when they did drain it there were quite a lot of biggish fish in it flopping around when it was finally nearly emplty.
We did the same as Matt - digging out little red worms, tying them onto cotton thread then catching redbellies. We also used the park to play ollies there - there was always a game on at least in my recollections anyway - rings usually was being played.

Ken
Roberts, Allison are the Bootle names I'm interested in.

Thorp(e), Ballard, Parry, Lucas, Dodd, Jacobson, are Liverpool ancestors.
WatsonTommy
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well I was only about 10 0r 11 know all's :roll: just trying to help Barbara you must be getting on a bit as I'm 76 :roll: :roll:
Forshaw
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I’d have to agree on the lake being drained about 1953 or 54 . Tessie Le Serf and I had great fun playing in the mud as it was getting emptied . I suppose we’d be about 10 or 11. The mud was like quick sand and she lost one of her wellies in it . We just managed to pull it out before it disappeared altogether . Her Mam would have flattened her if we’d gone home without it .
WatsonTommy
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you mean wellied her
Forshaw
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Ha ha ha . Nice one Tommy .
Forshaw
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What a blessing they drained it . Never knew of the tragedy. As kids we thought it was all fun .Especially for bonfire night. The big lads used to cross to the island to steal the trees to burn them. The girls had to keep a look out for the Parky. I was too young to understand the danger. Very sad for the family back then.
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filsgreen
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Why is it a blessing that it was drained? One less beautiful feature to deny the people of Bootle. I never had the pleasure of it. If you're worried about kids drowning, why don't we drain the lake in Newsham Park, the 126 miles of canal that snakes through the industrial heartland of the North West, or the Serpentine lake in London's Hyde Park?

Typical attitude to risk in the 21 century, God forbid people have to take responsibility for themselves. Kids drown or get electrocuted on the railway, yes it's sad but it's part of life and teaches them to respect danger. Fact is, you can try to eliminate risk by draining all the lakes, but they could still get run over by a bus.
Forshaw
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Who remembers playing on the Black Hills ? . And dancing in the summer round the Band Stand on Evenings waltzing to the Salvation Army Band . Dancing the St Bernard’s Waltz and the Valetta . Also Ye Olde English Fayre . I’m not really qualified to talk on the reasons for the lake draining . From what I remember people said it stunk something shocking . My Dad was a parky in the early sixties . I know he skated on it when he was a young boy . Sorry if I offended anyone’s feelings I should have asked my Dad more questions but he died in 62 . It was fenced I remember .
everliver
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Almo great bit of detective work well done and thanks
jeand
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How sad - I grew up by Mrs Pickering but never knew about her son drowning. I don't remember the lake although my mother told me that she fell in it when she was young. I do remember playing in the Black Hills though and dancing around the band stand. My friend and I won a prize for waltzing (or trying to!) - we must have only been about 9 or 10. My own daughters have lovely memories too of their childhoods playing in the park and often reminisce about it.
Bootle born and bred, ex Bootle Grammar School and Bootle Tech. Still living in Bootle.
Shelagh
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Picture of Derby Park boating lake, taken from “Bootle Through Time”
Contests; model yachts would race in inter-club matches with enthusiasts from other parks around the North West!
There used to be two islands in the lake, one made accessible by bridges, as in the foreground of the picture!

Lovely childhood memories of playing on the black hills of Derby Park..would return home looking like chimney sweeps :)

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Dan
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1903 The Derby Park Lake

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1933 Skating on Derby Park Lake, from Sefton Council Library site.

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Regards

Dan
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Dan
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c1905

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Regards

Dan
billygooner
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hi gng, did you all see the Williams toffee works chimney in the back ground. I remember seeing a blue plack on the canal wall opposite where the chimney stood but I think it has now disappeared. regards billy.
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Dan
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1928 map showing the lake, and a few other interesting landmarks.

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Regards

Dan
Walsh
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Dan. Great images of the Derby Park lake and map of its environs. My Grandma often talked about the lake. Turned just 3, August 1955, I went to the Derby Park, for the first time - but the Lake had gone. As kids, we often played footy and war or on the rides, in the drained areas each side of the bridge pathway leading to Earl Road. Great days. Wonderful park. Walshy.
billygooner
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hi shel and walshy, we probably crossed paths all those years ago, I lived opposite Christ church school on hawthorne road, spent many happy hours in the park. I was born jan 1941 in 283 hawthorne road remember the lake and the black hills. also remember Montgomery riding on top of a tank up park street about 1946. my house backed on to the 40th tank reg headquarters. regards billy.
Bobdyl55
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ALAMO2008 wrote:February 1945 :-

Imageobtenir prêt
Great research
peter c
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Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:21 pm

[quote=billygooner post_id=464681 time=1560367976 user_id=1223]
hi shel and walshy, we probably crossed paths all those years ago, I lived opposite Christ church school on hawthorne road, spent many happy hours in the park. I was born jan 1941 in 283 hawthorne road remember the lake and the black hills. also remember Montgomery riding on top of a tank up park street about 1946. my house backed on to the 40th tank reg headquarters. regards billy.
[/quote]

Hi Billygooner.
I too have some fond and distant memories of the park.
I was , like you, born in the midst of the war. I was born in February '41 and we lived on Earl Road across from the park. When they were draining the lake I decided to try to walk across it and ended up almost waist deep in mud , remember it well!!. Also spent many hours playing cowboys in the "Black Hills". Once dad got back from overseas we moved from Earl Road to the prefabs on Park Street. I saw Monty ride the tank past our house so I think it was in 1947. Good time, lots of pictures at the Sun Hall on Saturday afternoons.
I am hoping there is someone from the area who still remembers and even possibly has some photos to share.

Take care.

Peter C.
COLLY
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before and after
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Dan
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COLLY wrote: Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:16 am before and after
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I like the before picture Colly. First time I've seen it.

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peter c
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:21 pm

Was polio the reason for draining the pond ? That's what I was told. I lived at 13 Earl Road, directly across from the park gates. Just asking.
peter c
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[quote=Forshaw post_id=447494 time=1524653814 user_id=3161]
I’d have to agree on the lake being drained about 1953 or 54 . Tessie Le Serf and I had great fun playing in the mud as it was getting emptied . I suppose we’d be about 10 or 11. The mud was like quick sand and she lost one of her wellies in it . We just managed to pull it out before it disappeared altogether . Her Mam would have flattened her if we’d gone home without it .
[/quote]

I too remember getting stuck in the mud. I played in the park often and when they were draining it I tried to walk across - not too smart! I got stuck in the mud.
I also remember playing in the "black hills" . Those were the days! I lived on Earl Road on the 40's right across from the park before moving to Park Street. Lots of good memories.
Peter c
Sophie mckenzie92*
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Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2022 8:29 pm

hi my family we’re the prices and lesurf”s dose anyone remember?
ken wrote: Thu Apr 19, 2018 2:20 pm I'm with Matt on when the lake was drained. It has to be after 1954 I think. My best mate who was(Ithnk?) in the 4th form at Bootle Grammar was a bit of a daredevil and he swarmed down from the bridge to the island in the centre and unhitched the sort of raft that was always tethered to it. He got in and paddled around until Slyeye spotted him and yelled. Luckily Colin was near the edge of the lake so he just jumped onto the bank and legged it - we were just laughing. I was told that when they did drain it there were quite a lot of biggish fish in it flopping around when it was finally nearly emplty.
We did the same as Matt - digging out little red worms, tying them onto cotton thread then catching redbellies. We also used the park to play ollies there - there was always a game on at least in my recollections anyway - rings usually was being played.

Ken
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Dan
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I'm only making sporadic visits to Crosby, but next time I go I'll try to find a report on the pond infill.

On the Liverpool Then and Now thread on facey there is a word-of-mouth attribution of 1949 as the year the pond went.

Could take a few minutes could could 6/7 hours. Still, footy season hasn't started yet.
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Dan
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Went to Crosby this morning. Only needed a couple of hours.

The Bootle Times of October 14 1949 reported that drainage was under way, and the lake was almost completely drained.

No reports of polio or health concerns.

The lake was a water-filled hole in the ground with no liner. It was too costly to refurbish.

By March 10 1950, drainage was complete and the hole in the ground was being infilled.

Bootle Times October 14 1949.

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Bootle Times March 10 1950

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