Silverdale Hall,Birkenhead

[chris_49]

Anybody know where Silverdale Hall was (or even is)? By all accounts a fancy residence with cupolas, etc. My relative George H Skelsey lived there in the 1890s.

There is a Silverdale Road in Oxton but I don't know if it was there. George is listed in directories as living on Woodchurch Road in Oxton (as opposed to in Prenton or in Woodchurch) which I suppose is the stretch near the town centre. One of the Skelsey children was born Oxton.

I might be able to post a photo if another relative can get a scan to me.

Chris

[Scottiedog]

Hi

I remember Silverdale nurseries which used to be between Fairview Rd and Woodchurch Road, between Woodchurch Rd school and the junction with Singelton Ave.

It's been built on now - see Nursery Close.

I don't know if that's any help though 

Les

[chris_49]

Thanks for that, Les.

I think it's likely that the nurseries were part of the grounds of Silverdale Hall. I wonder if some of the other housing nearby, built earlier than Nursery Close, was built on the site of the Hall itself. I'll take a look next time I'm in the area.

Any other evidence? I'm thinking of some fancy railings (or stumps of some, removed for the war effort) or even an old lodge?

All best, Chris

[celia]

Hi Chris
I have been looking through the on line Cheshire directories for 1890 Birkenhead i cant find a reference to Silverdale hall.Then again after typing in Silverdale(it doesn't always work)it came up with 55 hits but the first ten were people living in silverdale road in oxton so the rest might be.I didn't trail through 55 to find out .There should be a small mention of the hall somewhere.when you get past the schools church and whatnots Have trawl through you might find it,if it was there then.

Celia

[celia]

Chris
the 1894 street directory gives a bit more
info It is referred to as "Silverdale" So if les remembers silverdale nurseries maybe that was built on land or part of it where the old  house stood.But there was one before that nearby.

Woodchurch Road toOxton
Kingsland Road to Woodchurch (west side)
                And here is Arrow road (after the others)
Mrs Wylie Hearbies.
Samuel Johnson Nursery man
        "South Grove Nurseries"
The grove giving 3 names.
wall letterbox
Kelsley Geo.Hen Silverdale On the court page not sure what that is, the George and address are the same. Cant find an occupation for George.

Celia

[Scottiedog]

Hmm ...

I've had a look at an old map. The area I knew as Silverdale Nurseries back in the 1960s was known as Southgrove Nurseries in the 1880s. I think Celia might be right.

BTW: it covered a larger area than the nursery I remember.

Les

[andycand]

The 1914 Kelly's Directory has the St Georges Institute for Trained Nurses (Silverdale) in Woodchuch Road. Could that have formerley been known as Silverdale Hall. The directory has it close to Storeton Road between properties known as Grangefield and Heathley. A 1912 map has Grangefield and Heathley on it with a large unnamed property inbetween them. This could be Silverdale Hall. Looking at the A-Z it would be just opposite Temple Road and approx where Downing Court and the Primary School is. Southgrove Nursery is on the 1912 map and is further down Woodchurch Road.
Andy

[chris_49]

Thanks a lot to all you night owls - or should I say stars??

I'm sure the answer lies in that quadrilateral enclosing Woodchurch Road, Storeton Road, Fairview Road and Arno Road (is that the same as Arrow Road? Can't find that.) It's possible Silverdale had an estate that occupied the whole area but which was gradually built over. If Silverdale Road already existed as such in 1880 then I expect that's out of the equation.

Andy's finding of a large property between Grangefield and Heathley looks very promising - we know it was big. On the current 1:25000 map there are three large blocks opposite Temple Road but I don't know if these indicate the three houses or just three (say) blocks of flats off Downing Close.

Celia, do you think your letterbox information could relate to houses this far down Woodchurch Road? Do you have a link to the info you provided? That goes for Les and Andy too. I'd love to look at those old maps.

George Henry Skelsey, like all of his clan, often suffered the indignity of being reduced to a Kelsey. He was a cement manufacturer and landowner. In 1891 he was still living in Yorkshire and co-owned a cement works south of the Humber at Barton, Skelsey's Adamant Cement. But he soon left that in the care of cousins and fellow-directors and set up another works at "Shotton, Birkenhead", but I think that's a mistake for Shotton, Flintshire because he turns up on the 1901 living at Wepre Hall, Connah's Quay - transcribed by Ancestry as George H S Kelsey - and he sold a piece of land at Sealand to Chester Corporation - the site of the industrial estate and the Deva stadium. His offices, though, were at 18 Cook Street Liverpool (at least at first).

Despite owning land, he only seems to have rented houses - that's certainly true of Wepre Hall. He might have regretted that, because he was cheated by a business partner and went bankrupt - he died in 1905 aged only 47.

All best, Chris

[celia]

Arrow Road? Can't find that.

Could that possibly be The Now "Arrow Park Road"

Celia