Calderstones Park

[kathb]

Hello, I Have a letter saying that an ancestor was a housekeeper at a large house in this area. It's a long shot I know. It is likely to be in the 1917 to 1924 period. Any ideas please?
regards KathB

[ciderdrinker]

Hello
There's this Calderstone Park in Liverpool
Calderstones Mansion House, Calderstones Park, Liverpool was built in 1828 for Joseph Need Walker, a lead shot manufacturer. It is a 'restrained neo-classical' ashlar mansion of three floors with a separate and extensive stableyard and coach-house which was originally set in 93 acres of parkland. In 1875 the house and estate were acquired by Charles McIver, co-founder of Cunard Line, for £52,000.

In 1902 the McIver family sold the estate of Liverpool Corporation who transformed it into a public park, they soon acquired the adjoining estate of Harthill and established the current 126 acre park.

The Grade II listed building became the offices of the Liverpool Corporation Parks and Gardens department and in the 1940s part of the house was transformed into a self-contained flat for the Assistant Head Gardener. The 1940s also saw a neo art-deco open-air theatre was constructed at the back of the house, designed by Sir Lancelot Keay.

But that does seem to have been sold by the dates you mentioned.

Ciderdrinker

[kathb]

Thank you cider drinker. I wonder if I should turn my attention to the hart hill estate mentioned.
Regards Kathb

[JGDavies]

Maybe relevant:
A large building complex in Whalley originally built to be a 'lunatic asylum' was taken over for the duration of The Great War (WW1) and renamed the Queen Mary's Military Hospital. It later returned to its original function and was renamed Calderstones though revived it's military status during WW2 eventually closing in the 1960s
Jon

[CaroleW]

Hi

I think you will find that there were a great many "large" houses in Calderstones in that timescale.  Also - what was considered to be "large" in those days may not necessarily be so by todays standards.

[Blue70]

I agree with CaroleW it may not necessarily have been a mansion house or lodge. Here's an old map of that area:-

http://maps.nls.uk/view/101104292


Blue

[garstonite]

"The Mansion House" in Calderstones Park - my uncle - who is still alive in his 80's lived in that house - he was one of Liverpool Corporations top gardeners and he organised all the Wedding flowers for our family - he organised my wedding flowers in 1971 and was still living in that house then ..to my knowledge there were TWO large Mansion houses in the park and are still there - I go fishing in Calderstones Park Lake .... I live 2 miles away ....
if your ancestor was a Housekeeper 1917 - 1924 , I can't see it being the "Mansion House " because as stated by Ciderdrinker , it was taken over by the " War Effort" during WW1 ...I would have thought by the end of the War the building was handed back to the owners within a year - so back to it's original owners by 1920 .......

[kathb]

Thank you all for your replies. It was a very long shot. I am just going to have to wait for the 1921 census and see where she was then. I really appreciated Your efforts and advice.
Regards
Kathb