Photographs 4 - Village pictures from before the new estate was built
If you click on a photograph, you can see an bigger version but it will probably take some time to download. If you can fill in any of the missing information or dates, please let me know through the Guestbook.
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1 - Aerial view of village, showing the footings of Speke Hall Avenue and the Rootes (Dunlops) factory approx 1930's
2 - Aerial view cropped
3 - Aerial View of Speke Hall Avenue after completion and the new houses being built on the estate (Gerneth Road, School Way and Speke Church Road)
4 - Prefabs in Rycot Road
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5 - The original airport when it was based in a farmhouse on Banks Road
6 - Cottages in
7 - A cottage in
8 - Speke Crescent - Speke Town Lane looking towards Woodend Lane
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8 - Courtesy of Speke Hall, these three photographs are from their archives. This one shows Home Farm cottages in Speke Hall in 1964
9 - Home Farm Cottages in 1965
10 - Cottages in Oglet Lane in 1964
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11 - An aerial view of The Slades, the original vicarage of Speke parish on Woodend Avenue on the way to Hunts Cross
12 - The Magellan baroque at the quayside of the shipbreaker's yard at the bottom of Oglet Lane
13 - The view from the Crescent down Speke Church Road to All Saints before the estate was built
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14 - A Speke cottage
15 - Speke Hall from their archives with many thanks
16 - Speke Hall from their archives with many thanks
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17 - Greyhound Farmhouse, also known at an earlier time as The Greyhound Public House
18 - The sign from the Greyhound Pub on Speke Church Road
19 - This aerial photo show the village turning into the estate. This is a copy of a copy of a copy so the quality isn't brilliant! I have left the size quite big so you can see more detail. At the top is the River Mersey and a barge towing containers behind it can be seen in the top right hand corner. The block of trees near the top are Stockton Woods around Speke Hall and the Walk leading to Speke Hall Avenue and a big roundabout. To the left as you look at it, the road leads to the Rootes (later Dunlops) factory. Opposite the smaller unit is All Saints Church and from there you can see the beginnings of Speke Church Road, Blacklock Hall and Greyhound Farm Roads. You will also notice that Rycot Road, Bray Road, Gerneth Road, School Way and Gerneth Close are already built. The Metal Box factory is also being constructed on the new Speke Boulevard which is still being marked out. The surrounding fields are the different farms formerly belonging to Speke Hall. In some of the fields are holes which some have mistaken for bomb craters but are in fact marl pits which farmers would dig out and use as fertilizer on the land.
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20 - Another aerial view of the emerging estate with the Metal Box Factory now built on the right hand side of the picture. If you carry on up to the roundabout (now traffic lights at the top of Western Avenue), turn left and follow the road to a small wooded area and there is The Slades - the vicarage of All Saints Church.
21 - One for those of you who lived in the prefabs. My Dad in the back garden of my first home, 60 rycot Road opposite Evans Medical.
22 - Look at the roundabout in the middle of the bottom of this photo, the road leading to the left is Speke Boulevard, and to the right is Speke Hall Avenue.
23 - Liverpool Aerodrome being built with Hangar 1 already completed and Garston Tenaments on Speke Road in the background in 1938.
24 - Rootes (later known as Dunlops) near completion. I think the farm in the bottom right hand corner was called Millbrook.
25 - Speke Boulevard is not yet here in 1938 but Bray Road, School Way, Gerneth Road, Gerneth Close, some of Speke Church Road, and the beginnings of Blacklock Hall can be seen. Stocktonwood School's site is still a field as are most of the roads we know today.
26 - At the bottom of the picture is the edge of Suttonwood Road and at the top is the Metal Box circa 1940.
27 - Alderfield Drive in the 1950's.
28 - Austin Rawlinson Swimming Baths - brrrr!
29 - The new estate creeps out across the fields.
30 - Is this bus going to Speke? Well it's never said anything before! (Sorry!)
31 - Ganworth or Conleach Road flats where it bends around the parade. The top two floors of these were taken off in the 1990's and they were made into lovely little bungalows.
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32 - Evans Medical being built. You can see the prefabs in Rycot Road on this picture and if you look close, you can see me playing in my back garden..... Well I know which one it is!
33 - Ganworth Road, now bungalows
34 - Gerneth Road - no chewy, no dog muck, no litter..... no people!
35 - Hale Road where the posh people were given houses with garages......
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36 - Planes waiting for the aiport to be built!
37 - School Way
38 - The 'new' Speke Parade lasted until 2007 when the shops moved to a brand new site on the old Speke Park.
39 - Speke Station was on Woodend Avenue from Speke to Hunts Cross. The road still narrows now to go over the bridge where the station was.
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40 - Bray Road and Gerneth Road - With thanks to Mavis Smith who sent these 3 photos in, taken by her father in approximately 1937
41 - Bray Road & School Way - as above
42 - Bray Road
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43 - I can't remember who sent these in or where this one is, so if you know, please email me!
44 - Alderfield Drive
45 - Austin Rawlinson Baths
46 - The first Liverpool Airport being built
