Old Maghull (as seen by parents and grandparents)

Grandparents came to Maghull in 1883.

Grandfather Headmaster C. of E. School 38 years

Parents lived all their life in the area.

Village life in those days was all centred round Parish

Church and School, and of these the present church was new

just earlier than 1883 and had then its first vicar, Canon Leigh.

Services before this were taken in old Church, remains of which

are still in old Churchyard. The last clergyman some older residents

still remember – his name was Holden and he had only one arm.

Previously visiting clergy came on Sunday mornings on horseback

from Halsall, the Mother Church and went on to Melling to take afternoon

service, returning to Halsall before nightfall.

The church has been much beautified since those days with

Stained glass windows, pulpit, reredos, organ etc and

church grounds enclosed.

The School was built in early half of last century, one

storey at first, 2nd storey added later. At first boys

and girls in separate departments. A Mrs Oxford was last

girl’s mistress and she was last teacher to occupy School

House. Grandfather was the first head of the combined school

The school house became a shop where confectionery and

sweets were sold. No playground except the small piece

in front, the road was used mainly. Later people of

parish bought ground behind school and enclosed and

surfaced it and made stairway at back of top floor down to it

For social events school was the only place available.

Floor was cleared and desks put in rows and small platform

to front for concerts. Only open fires for heating and

oil lamps, often very cold and badly lit. Concerts were

held, local talent mainly. No parish Hall till early next

century.

Northway didn’t exist and its space was all cultivated

fields. A path opposite school made a sidewalk to graveyard.

From school to Red Lion not much altered, the little

old house there occupied by a Mrs. Pye had a coalyard attached

which backed on to Canal where Deakins Bank is now. Coal came

in barges up canal and was retailed. People often took cwts

away in trucks which could be loaned. Price about 8d  / cwt.

Weighing Machine in front of house.

Red Lion was a Public House up to early this century.

Over the bridge, going towards Ormskirk, the old Turnpike

Road with the Toll Bar, opposite my home. Toll collected

on every vehicle and the barkeeper probably lived where

present Bar Cottages are. The houses, library and Sorting

Office are all new. Cottages opposite are old – named Urens

after one-time owner. Some used one time by boatmen.

Canal Wharf lay between these cottages. Here were unloaded

coal, paving stones for roadmaking, grain, manure for farmers.

Canal itself constructed early last century, mainly for

bringing supplies to farmers, and country people along its

banks. Railways have superseded it.

The Hare and Hounds has been enlarged considerably. It had

a large club room which was used for meetings for say the

Maghull Oddfellows and Tontine Societies. These existed for

mutual help to members who had to pay regular contributions

and got sick benefits and help when out of work and at death.

The Oddfellows for many years held a Field Day on field now

occupied by Hankins (Corn Mill Lodge) lst Monday after August

Bank Holiday. The members paraded with a Band and in all

their regalia and there were bobby horses and side shows,

quite a lively occasion.

On the canal side toward Lydiate, all houses and

bungalows are new and built on part of Clent Farm, except

Bar Cottages and what is now a garage. In the narrow strip

beside the canal nearest to Swing Bridge was at one time held

a Cattle Sale either yearly or half yearly and E. C. Stretch of

Ormskirk was well known Auctioneer.

The house known as High Pastures was once the home of

Dr. Gordon, well known and popular local practitioner. He was

for years the only medical man in the parish and made his

rounds with a high trap and quite a spirited pony. His

coachman was a Mr. Bill Storrie who lived in Hall lane into

his eighties. Many a weary wait he used to have at

confinements which were a bit delayed – no qualified midwives

those days, just a local handy woman with a little experience

and willing to help. No pre or ante natal care then.

The Coach and Horses has altered a little in structure. In

the early part of the last century it was a changing place

for Stage Coach horses, then the only means of travelling

from Preston and the north to Liverpool.

In the Weint were stables, and horses were changed going

into town and picked up again on the return journey.

It has been said that some Maghull people travelled to

Liverpool on barges up the canal. Don’t know how long this

took or what comfort afforded. Most of the cottages up the

Weint are built on the old Stables. Houses known as

Forrests Cotts, from name of owner, have not altered for

years. Behind the shops stood the Butchers Arms, a

moderate sized beer house and behind that again the local

Smithy (Barne’s) gradually changing from horses to more

mechanical work.

Needens Row are a group of cottages named after the

owner and of good age. The Methodist Church is comparatively

new and took the place of a very small Wesleyan Chapel and

has grown in usefulness.

It will be noticed in most villages of like size as

Maghull that they had joiners and blacksmiths, tin smiths

and basket makers. These all had their place in village

life, very necessary in Victorian days when travel was

difficult. Joiners and blacksmiths were close together

usually both were found in Deyes Lane and Liverpool Rd S.

Mr. Cobham, Moss Side was local basket and hamper maker and

of an old family of such workers.

The farming community made good use of joiners and the

like and were of families named Ball, Pimbley, Cropper,

Ashcroft, Sumner, Woods etc. All more or less related to

each other. Many of their farms are now built on and new

schools etc. on them. In Sefton Lane, which led to what

at one time was a very popular skating area there started

at the old Manor House, a Colony for Epileptics, about the

1890’s with six patients or thereabouts and has since become

one of the most famous homes of its kind in the country.

Much of the land was the Park belonging to the old Manor House.

Many other homes have since sprung up including another

section on what was Chapel House Farm. The Chapel House

itself was for some time the home of Richard Ripley, founder

of Ripleys Blue. The houses now at the Deyes Lane entrance

were at one time part of the stabling at Chapel House.

In Green lane, Coach & Horses end, stood Bank House,

home of the Wood family, memorized in St. Andrew’s by the

East Window and another tablet. This family came from

Scotland and many or their servants came from that country

and settled in Maghull. They drove round in open carriages

with coachmen and footmen and were really the stylish part

of the community. They gave generously to Church and

School and many of the poor people of the parish had them to

thank for gifts when they were sick or distressed.

In the Sefton Lane area, there lived a family called

Litherlands – the father at Sefton Hall and his son on the

other side of the bridge over Cheshire Lines Railway. Both

set up business as caterers for picnic parties and the

places became noted as such. Children from Liverpool came

out on the Cheshire Lines Railway in their thousands in the

summer for their school picnics. Later Boyers set up in

similar lines on what is now King George Playing Field and

kept up for several years.

There was only one school in Maghull except for some

small private ones with perhaps 6 to a dozen pupils, and a

small school for boys where Mr. Bert Carr the Nurseryman

lives near Sefton Lane corner. Some of the upper class

families had their own governesses.