Before "The Strand"?

Your place to talk about your Bootle memories
Bungle
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I can't seem to find a great deal of mention about it on here, as I am curious as to what stood where the Strand Shopping Centre now is, and when it was built. I can gather alot of homes where destroyed during the blitz, so is the strand sited in an area that was destroyed during the war?

I gather it was built during the 60s (don't know which end of it though!), so some years after the war ended.
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Mack
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Hiyya Bungle

Here is a pic of the Strand when they where first building it.

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Mack ( site admin )
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Bernie R
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What a cracking photo that is Mack!!!

I'm guessing that the shops in the precinct must have been accessible before the frontage came down then?

Can anyone tell me the name of that little street on the left please?

Bern
Born and raised in Romeo Street, later Lambeth Walk, Jersey Close, Garden Place, Hawthorne Rd, Gonville Rd now Netherton
Eddy Lloyd
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Love it :D Peter Pells was a popular tailor shop for us young Mods also Burtons had a shop just down the block where I purchased my first Mod suit :D It was lincoln green in colour can you believe it :D . Strand Road continued over Stanley Road and was a busy shopping area. There were rows of streets off Strand Road going down towards The Derby Arms pub one of them being Virginia Street where my grandfather lived George Flynn was his name.
Billbow
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The street next to Peter Pell is Carolina Street
daveowe
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Hi Bungle

Welcome to the site, the frontage of The New Strand replaced Bootles thriving shopping centre it spread along both sides of Stanley Rd and continued along both sides of Strand Rd, towards the docks, the start of Strand Rd now occupied by the current front entrance to the shopping mall.
(P Woolley books feature many pics of how it looked in its heyday available in Sefton Libraries)
Some parts had suffered war damage and where rebuilt, others sadly remained as waste ground. The old Bootle Town Council set in train a huge revamp of the area, demolishing swathes of shops, streets and manufacturing industries, result The New Strand shopping Mall was conceived mixed with office developement a high rise tower block of flats and multi storeycarparks. In my opinion the developers hoodwinked the politicians and gave the town, what every other town has and with a bit of foresight it could have retained some of its former character.

daveowe
Bungle
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Mack, what end of the strand is that (is it the current frontage where the shops are on the other side of the road (Stanley Road?), or the side where the bus terminal is around the rear (and what date is that pic from)?

The picture is interesting as that "original" frontage seems to have been built bang in the middle of what seems to be half of Peter Pell's.. was that an actual operational entrance or simply the very start of construction?

Fascinating to see what was once there, and thanks for that info daveowe - i'll be sure to take a look at those P Woolley books!
daveowe
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Hi Bungle

The temporary entrance in the pic, is the current entrance at the M&S end of the Stanley Rd frontage, you can see the incline towards the canal. The shops to the right of Peter Pell were demolished to allow access. The construction was phased during the late 1960s completed 68/69.

daveowe
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is that entrance to carolina st down a large section of steps ?.
when that new entrance to strand sign was in place a load of kids were making there way back from bootle village and when they went down the steps they found the rear entrance to woolies was wide open and they entered and had the time of thier lives , if i remember right easter eggs were on the shelves.
word spread that woolies had closed and loads of toys and sweets amongst other things had been left , soon the place was alive with kids.
lots of the shops left loads of old stock when they closed , like the record shop further down past the langton pub.
anyway lots of those kids were making the trek home arms full of booty but were stopped in the tracks by the police , the result was an appearance before the magistrates who made sure quite a lot of them never seen marsh lane again for three years.
i have long felt the council had made a deal with the developers to clear the streets of the kids who were "naughty"consistantly in return for the shopping centre.
i remember the laughing policeman who was always in a police hut close to opening , i think he laughed so much because he knew about the hiding we were going to get after he had his quiet word with the dads along the lane.
the langton dock goods yard
Jan
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:D

Hi Bungle,

This is the way the streets went along Stanley Road in the 1938 Directory, (I am just going from Carolina St to Marsh Lane).

261 and 263 Stanley Road, then Carolina Street, then from 265-311 Stanley Road (Boots the Chemist on this corner) then Strand Road, then from 313-315 The Langton pub, then from 317 - 351 Stanley Road more shops, then Vermont St, then from Vermont Street to Marsh Lane.

Jan
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BOBHAMO
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Eddy Lloyd
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That's a rather naughty signpost in your first pic Bob :oops:
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Bernie R
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Well it is a bit secluded under that bridge Ed - especially at night!! :lol:

By the way, before my good name gets muddied - I only know as I lived in the first block of Jersey Close as you came out from under the bridge.

Bern
Born and raised in Romeo Street, later Lambeth Walk, Jersey Close, Garden Place, Hawthorne Rd, Gonville Rd now Netherton
daveowe
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Hi Bungle

Another pic of Stanley Road looking down hill from the canal road bridge, the tower in the centre back ground is the infamous Langton Pub, this was on the corner of Strand Rd. The buildings on the right still remain, the Imperial Cinema previously had been called The Sun Hall, this just past Merton Grove.

http://www.20thcenturyimages.co.uk/trol ... /index.htm

daveowe
chris sealeaf
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Hi
The site of the present Strand Shopping centre was an area known as little America, because all the streets were named after states in America.
My grandparents lived in Vermont street during the war and when I was a child (born 1946) they lived in Delaware Street. My father was the manager of a grocery shop in Strand Road after he returned from the war.
My husbands family also came from this area.
Washington St, Vermont St, Delaware St. Nevada St, Jersey St, Carolina St, Florida St,
Chris
chrissealeaf
Eddy Lloyd
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Don't forget Virginia St Chris :D My grandparents lived there.
Bungle
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Location: Crosby, Merseyside

I was back in The Strand yesterday and couldn't help but try and imagine what was there once (referring to the first picture).

If it was normal shops either side, then am I to assume the shops where Shoemarket etc now are, where there before the strand was built?

I still can't get over that first picture with the dated buildings around something in the middle which looks very misplaced!
lindylou
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When I was a child my Mum would take us down to Bootle (Stanley Rd) for everything we needed. Timpsons for our new shoes etc. I loved going on the bus to Stanley Road ( we lived in Captains Lane ),as we got to visit all our cousins in Queens Road, Bedford Rd, Benedict Street etc. Life seemed so innocent then. I think the Strand ruined the area. If they were going to build a shopping centre they could have done a better job. When I saw the centres they built in Australia I realised what could have been achieved. Maybe they could improve it now. Whenever I come 'home' to Bootle I always hope they will improve the Strand as it is the major shopping Mall of the area. Anyone else agree?
Linda
Lived in Captains Lane,emigrated to NZ then Oz
Billbow
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The shops from the cut to Marsh Lane 1968 - Pre New Strand

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lindylou
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Hi Bilbow
Thanks for that list. My Dad always got his suits from Burtons. I remember that prices were always things like 19 and eleven pence halfpenny at the shops Mum would go to! I was in seventh heaven when we would get shoes from Timpsons or a 'paper nylon' underskirt to go under a dress for the May procession at church ( St Robert Bellarmines). Oh happy days. Kids today do not know what they are missing out on do they?
Lindylou
Lived in Captains Lane,emigrated to NZ then Oz
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BOBHAMO
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Last edited by BOBHAMO on Sat Nov 01, 2008 4:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Billbow
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You're welcome Lindylou.

Here's the other side of Stanley Road from the cut to Marsh Lane 1968

Image
Eddy Lloyd
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Great stuff Billbow, brings back loads of memories to me. I worked as a lad in Hughes butchers delivering meat etc on my order bike and helping make the pies in the ovens out back.
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BOBHAMO
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was that the time eddy when a lot of cats went missing :roll: :roll: :roll:
Eddy Lloyd
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Me ow could I do that Bob :D
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Bernie R
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Nice to see from that first list of the shops that some of the small businesses actually relocated into The Strand. Skulnick's wallpaper shop and Stanley Drug Co. stick out in my memory (among the other bigger names like Woolies, Boots & Dewhursts of course).

Bern
Born and raised in Romeo Street, later Lambeth Walk, Jersey Close, Garden Place, Hawthorne Rd, Gonville Rd now Netherton
alamo11
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chris sealeaf wrote:Hi
The site of the present Strand Shopping centre was an area known as little America, because all the streets were named after states in America.
My grandparents lived in Vermont street during the war and when I was a child (born 1946) they lived in Delaware Street. My father was the manager of a grocery shop in Strand Road after he returned from the war.
My husbands family also came from this area.
Washington St, Vermont St, Delaware St. Nevada St, Jersey St, Carolina St, Florida St,
Chris
Hi Chris, we lived in york st till 1952 .I remember
Quirks, Irwins and waterworths . There was a a couple chip shops.
I loved the peas,chips and fishcake. Wish it was all still there.
Best wishes .Allen Maureen
Liverpool Docks 1957-63 Left U.K. 1963. NZ 8 Years. Australia 39 years. Maureen O'Brien Viola St. Like to hear from anyone who may remembers us.
Ged
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Here's a few of Peter Woolley's pics of Stanley Road including both sides and further along. For better quality pics and of course the accompanying text, you're better seeing his book.

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Kenny Cunningham
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Great photos Ged....Brings back a lot of memories...I got my first ever suit from Peter Pells...I think everybodies Dad got their suits from Burtons , so Peter Pell was more the fashion.
Anyone remember Cavendish Motors? It was a little further up the road opposite the dole.. Dennis Lecky used to own it and i still remember him driving around in the newest Jaguar.
It was my first job after leaving St. Wilfreds. I was supposed to be an apprentice mechanic but all I ever did was clean engine compartments. I used to work 45 hrs a week, Half day Saturday for 3pound 17shillings and 6pennies. That's about two beers now right? I still gave me mam 30 shillings of it
oriel55
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Location: Romentino, (No), Italia

Here is a pic of the Strand when they were first building it.
Ironic and sad to see Woolworths at this time. A priceless photograph in my book. Thanks for a memory revived. :D
n3ttl3
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My Uncle Dixie worked in Swifts - and my dad used to get his suits made in the tailors a few doors down (can't remember the name).

I lived in 21 Carolina Street for the first two years of my life. Would anyone be able to post a photo for me? I do believe that it is on the corner of Carolina Street at the back of the Strand (there is a street lamp on the corner).

Anyone else remember the Steak Pie and Gravy in the Strand Cafe????? Friday night before we went home for tea - brilliant!

All the best
Annette :)
Always a Carey, Never a Traitor!
Eddy Lloyd
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I'll post it for you Annette I will PM you my address and afterwards I will return your pic.
Eddy
Tony Hines
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Eddy Lloyd wrote:Love it :D Peter Pells was a popular tailor shop for us young Mods also Burtons had a shop just down the block where I purchased my first Mod suit :D It was lincoln green in colour can you believe it :D . Strand Road continued over Stanley Road and was a busy shopping area. There were rows of streets off Strand Road going down towards The Derby Arms pub one of them being Virginia Street where my grandfather lived George Flynn was his name.
with patch pockets and an 18in vent i bet :D
Eddy Lloyd
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Is right Tony :wink: :D
n3ttl3
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Location: Hinckley, Leicestershire

Apologies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What I meant about Carolina Street was - can anyone take a photo of the corner where number 21 stood for me?


Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, Sorry :oops:

Annette x
Always a Carey, Never a Traitor!
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