An Introduction to the West Wirral Coastline: Wirral Peninsula

by Tony Franks-Buckley

At over 160 pages, this book offers an insight into the West Wirral Coastline during the early years, 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries using information and plenty of pictures. The West Wirral Coastline is probably the most naturally beautiful area in the North West of England, offering much wildlife and species. most notibly the grey seals at Hilbre Island. Over a thousand years ago Wirral was invaded by the Norsemen and their leagacy can be read in the local place-names, the -by suffix meaning village in the old Norse tongue; we still use the term by-law today West Kirby was west of Kirby in Walea, the old name for Wallasey. The focal point of their settlement was the site of St Bridget's Church in the old village, although the oldest remaining part of the building dates back to about 1150, placing it firmly in the Norman period. The growth of modern West Kirby really began in 1886, when the wonder of the age of the steam engine - arrived. The speed of travel offered by the railway meant that it was possible to work in Liverpool during the day but escape to the cleanermore peaceful and healthier surroundings of this part of Wirral to live. Developers were not slow to realise this, and the place grew out of all recognition. The First Edition of the O.S. plan, drawn in 1871, shows four or five buildings clustered around the corner of Grange Road and Dee Lane. By the time the Second Edition was drawn in 1897, the village layout south of Grange Road was almost exactly as we see it today, and by the turn of the century, just three years later, the shops of the north side were completed. The population boomed - in 1871 Hoylake and West Kirby together had 2,118 residents; thirty years later this figure had increased five-fold to 10,991. Down on the shoreline the Marine Lake is a major attraction for watersports. This was opened on 21 October 1899, and formerly included an open-air swimming pool. The pool has gone, but the lake itself has been extended to cater for the growing demand. This book will also focus on The islands of Little Eye, Middle Eye and Hilbre which are located at the mouth of the Dee Estuary on the border between England and Wales. Hilbre is a designated nature reserve and Site of Specific Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area, a Ramsar site (a wetland of international importance), and is a candidate for designation as an European Union Special Area of Conservation. Last but not least is the beautiful area of Caldy. Caldy Village was mentioned as Calders in the Doomsday Book. It is situated is on the west side of the Wirral peninsula and is developed around the old village and manor which dates from the late 17th century. In 1832 the village was bought by a Mr R.W.Barton. Development from 1906 to the late 1960s was by way of disposal of individual plots, in most instances for the purposes of the construction of single dwellings. The methods of sale continued to constitute a quite effective way of preserving the special character and nature of the Caldy village, which was one essentially of a low density area of good quality housing offering a high environmental quality.

168 pages, Paperback

First published September 21, 2012

About the author

Wallasey Historian and Author that completed BA Honours Degree in Modern History at Liverpool John Moores University under the guidance of fellow author Prof Frank McDonough, Dr Mike Benbough-Jackson and a host of others.

My main interests in history are from the Industrial Revolution era in Britain, which was the beginning of the modern day Britain as we know it today. I also hold a keen interest in World War II due to my uncle, who served in the Royal Navy and was involved in the D-Day landings. Stories that were told to me by him when I was a child have stuck with me to this day.
As well as graduating from university, I have also attended Wirral Met College in Birkenhead where I gained A Level results through an Access to Higher Education Diploma in English Literature, History and Environmental Studies which allowed me to enter University.

In year one my modules included, Presenting the past, Historical Themes, Nineteenth Century America, Historians in action, Revolutions in the modern world and Reconstructing the past. In year two my modules were, British Economy and Society 1800-1990, British Political History 1832-1990, The Rise & Fall of the British Empire 1750 to the Present day, Key Skills in Historical Research and Career Planning. I read works during my university time by John Belchem, Phylis Deane, Eric Hobsbawm, and Peter Mathias who all write about Social Economy and the Industrial Revolution.

In year three my modules were, Decolonisation in Southeast Asia post 1945, Life on the British Home front during the Second World War, Popular Culture in the nineteenth century, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich as well as my Independent study on Liverpool during the Industrial Revolution 1700-1850.

I am now embarking on my next part in life of historical research. I have previously written two books called, The History of Wallasey - A Small Surburb with a Large History and The History of Birkenhead & Bidston. I am also writing my first Historical-Fiction Novel on Mother Redcaps that was on the New Brighton shoreline. New Brighton has a vast amount of history and the Pirates and Smugglers that came to the shores of Wallasey from the 16th Century onwards will be the future focus of my work in both Historical Fiction and Non Fiction form.

Hector Hornsmith will be bringing plenty of old Pirates back into the public eye with his Diary Entries that he collaborated whilst at sea. I am the creator of Hector Hornsmith and his Memoirs which can also be found on my History blog site http://tonyfranksbuckley.blogspot.co.uk/ Hector speaks of his adventures with his good friend Captain Gray who is married to Mother Redcap the owner of Mother Redcaps Inn.

Beneath Mother Redcaps and Wallasey is a network of tunnels that are used by Captain Gray and his crew to stash their loot when returning from sea, as well as their living quarters, where they hide in comfort away from the eyes of the forever pursuing Captain Vernon and his Royal Naval crew of the Barfleur. The tunnels and caves stretch underneath the whole of Wallasey in several directions.