My Mother Said (A Liverpool Irish Memoir)

Hello,

Thank you for your informative website.

 

My mother was born and raised in Liverpool. She has just turned 80 and has just had her memoirs published in her book "My MotherSaid... (A Liverpool Irish Memoir)".

I wonder if you would be interested in posting a link to her book, making it available to your readers?

It's available here http://www.equilibriumbooks.com/mymothersaid.htm

I hope to hear from you soon!

Kind regards,

Catriona Hill.

Forced Emigration of Children

In respect to the forced emigration of children, it is well known that many orphaned children from Liverpool were sent to Australia and Canada from the various childrens institutions throughout the city. The system began in the 1860s and continued beyond the 1930s and was on the face of it a charitable act to take orphans to the land of plenty where they would be looked after on farms and in agricultural areas. However, many of the farmers regarded the children as cheap labour and gave them little in return apart from board and lodging.
The authorities may have begun the scheme with orphans but they soon began to include petty thieves, the destitute or delinquents which was a fine way to keep the jails empty and get rid of "problem" children. Regarding the tallyman in all this --- if they found persistent "offenders" in overcrowded houses who refused the order to "disperse to another address" then they could find themselves among the miscreants bound for the colonies.
Liverpool Seamens Orphanage in Newsham Park was a centre for these activities --- a letter from an old employee at the Orphanage condemned the practice in a letter to the Liverpool Echo as late as summer 2009.

Orphaned Children who were sent to Canada

I have been searching for several years for trace of two of these orphaned children who were sent to Canada. My grandmother was orphaned in 1886 and a brother and sister were shipped to Canada in May 1900. I have a copy of the passenger list. Records of what happened after they went to the "distributing house" in Ottawa are lost, but I am curious to know from where in Liverpool they were taken. It seems that the Catholic children on that ship were from "Father Berry's Homes" and there seems to be some connection with Brownlow Hill. I don't know where they were from their mother's death in 1886 to 1900. Would orphan children have been put in a workhouse, or would there have been Catholic orphanages? (I live in Canada and don't know this) They were "distributed" (don't you love the expression) according to their religion. Harder to trace the Catholic children, who were fewer I think.

75 Renshaw Street

Can any tell me about the history of the building of 75 Renshaw Street its a junk shop now

Mere Villa Dance Hall

 Possibly Mere Villa Dance Hall, Mere Lane.

Can anyone tell me a little about the Mere Villa Dance Hall, this is where my parents had their wedding reception back in April 1947,

Liverpool Architectural and Archaeological Society Letters

Hello Rob

I have a bundle of hand written letters in my possesion they are all from 1848 and are all from members of the Liverpool Architectural and Archaeological Society,they are in very good condition,some of the names are Picton and Horsefall.

Are they of any value intrest thanks Ian

iianeverton@aol.com

Rushworth`s Request for information

My name is Mrs Irene Henshaw and I worked at Rushworth and Draper from 1937 (when I was 18 years old and my name was Miss Platt) to 1941 when the war meant that I had to leave to work at the Ministry of Food.

Rushworths was a very significant part of my young life in Liverpool and I have very fond memories of my job there and the many characters I worked with.

My first role was in the organ works on Great George Street - a marvellous place. I remember the apprentice organ builders and George Hutchins the Manager of the organ works who tested them. I recall sitting alongside him on the organ bench while he played, urging him to ‘swing it’ a bit! The men were highly skilled craftsman – my bosses Mr Rackham and Mr Parker were university graduates. Every room contained organ pipes and the various elements that went into the build – it was very complicated. When the war came, the organ works was closed because it was felt that organs were luxury items and there would be no call for them. The Sheet Music Department was also a very important part of the business.

When the organ works closed, I went to work in the shop on Islington where they sold radiograms, I then worked in the publicity department – scouring the newspapers for any reference to Rushworth and Draper and keeping the cuttings - and I also worked for a short spell in the basement trying to sell, would you believe, washing machines and industrial sized ironing boards! This idea was Mr James Rushworth’s – he thought it would be a money spinner but it didn’t work. I also remember Maynard Rushworth who gave piano lessons.
One of my friends was Miss Rae Davies who worked in the Box Office managing all the ticket sales for shows around the country and for the Liverpool theatres too. Miss Davies shared the Box Office with a parrot that greeted customers – a company gimmick - it used to irritate her terribly.

As well as serving all things musical, Rushworths had a strong connection with the theatres and with visiting actors. Rushworth Hall was used by artistes for rehearsals and many famous names of the day passed through the doors including Michael Redgrave; Malcolm Sargent was also a regular visitor.

Rushworth’s cared for their employees – although the pay wasn’t brilliant. As well as a staff restaurant serving excellent food, there was a rest room for female employees who might have a tummy ache and need a hot water bottle and a lie down. There was also an annual company sports day.

Alison Henshaw on behalf of Irene Henshaw