Thank you for these ideas. It might not be so eary to contact the present occupants of the new houses but it's certainly something I'll consider when I next visit, although that might not be for a long time.
The house was Lansdowne House, 4 St Mary's Road, Huyton, Liverpool. My father, William Edward Ford, bought it sometime in the late 1930s/early 1940s we think. According to Liverpool Archives he was in Hunts Cross in the 1938 Kelly's street directory.
I did find the house in one directory owned by Eaton Hall Jun., Wine Merchant but the interesting thing is that in previous directories Eaton Hall Sen. owned a house called Melrose on the same street so we do not know if this was the same house renamed or two different houses.
My sister was told a story that the house was once known as 'The Wedding Cake' as it was built for the Earl of Lansdowne on his marriage. I suspect that this was just a story! I can find no connection between Huyton and the Marquess of Lansdowne, nor could the local history society.
Thank you again for your help.
Dave
PS. Just noticed two more posts, I have tried gazettes-online and found nothing. I haven't tried the local council so that could be a good place to start.