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In 1873 in Whitby Road the Whitby Primitive Methodist Chapel had been built on the ‘big hill’. Also built here were the school rooms. The Canal Company gave them £25 towards the cost of the buildings. This seems like a very small amount now but back then it was a very large sum of money. In 1891 to 1901 specific developments were built in the surrounding village. In 1892 a number of markets gardeners that were in business in Whitby were listed in Kelly’s Directory of Cheshire. They also had a steam laundry built where local residents of Ellesmere Port could go to get their clothes washed. In Capenhurst Lane and Chester Road two brick and tile works were built, these were owned by a Mr B Foxall and a Mr T. Wilson. In the earlier years a number of industrial ventures were established, one of these was a Whitby Soap Works this was established by Charles and Edward Davies. In 1909 William Stockton, who was the village postmaster, grocer and butcher, was later played a very part in the progress of the town of Whitby and he became Chairman of the Urban District Council. He made application for planning to build new houses in Whitby Road.
The History of Whitby Hall
John Grace, a local landowner and the only aristocrat in the area built Whitby Hall in 1860. It was designed as the family home, an elegant residence set in 42 acres of parkland and pasture. The hall was constructed mainly of red Cheshire brick. At the rear of the main house was a coach house and groom’s living accommodation. Much of the estate was sold 11 years later leaving just the hall and 3 acres of gardens. It stayed within the Grace family until 1931 when it was sold by John Grace to the Urban District Council. The hall became the town’s administrative centre housing various council departments and the gardens were landscaped for form a public park. The hall and grounds became a focal point for local people, being close to the town centre and a number of developing housing estates. New facilities such as the bowling green and the tennis courts provided opportunities for recreation. The functions of the local authority outgrew the accommodation at the hall and the early 90’s saw the hall’s windows and doors boarded up and the building was put up for sale. This was a sad turn of fate for one of the few historic buildings in the town and as little interest was shown in purchasing the property it became vulnerable to vandalism and the weather. However, some years later, the towns up and coming theatre company, Action Transport, had out grown its base at the EPIC leisure centre and this presented the council with an opportunity to re-open Whitby Hall. The arrival of Action Transport Theatre injected new life into the place and a new era began. The company had already been using the park for its outdoor Shakespeare productions and summer arts activities but now had a professional office base, indoor performance area, and storage and rehearsal space. Whitby Park, the original grounds to the hall is the town’s major park and an important area of local space.
In 2002, an application to the Heritage Lottery Board was successful and enabled the restoration of the park. With these improvements to the park came the potential to re-develop Whitby Hall as a vibrant cultural centre acting as a seeding ground for youth arts activity. Investment from both the Borough Council and the Regional Arts Lottery Programme allowed for this development to take place and this was completed in spring 2003.
Population
By Charlotte Walton Kate Radcliff & Jess McHale 9WR History 9a2 (2007)
Whitby Village
Whitby village is the little village just down the canal from the ‘Port’. It is a small village, but has a number of people living there.
This picture is of the start of Chester road, between vale Road and what was Tom Price’s shop. It shows the lamppost in the middle of the road, which is in the middle of the picture. To the left of the picture if where the ‘sportsman’s arms’ would be now. To the right is where the chip shop is and an Indian restaurant. Here is the road as what it looks like now. As you can see straight ahead is now the balloon shop and the wedding dress shop. The roads then and the roads now were very different as you can tell. There are a number of differences between the two photos like lampposts, buildings, paths and transport. As you can the see the start of Chester road on the pictures above here is another photo of it looking back towards pooltown road from the other end.
It shows the last house, on the right of the picture, which is the only house that is left standing, with garden as well in splendid isolation. Another picture of pooltown road shows the shop on the right that was Tom Price’s shop. On the left hand side it shows the blacksmith’s workshop, the smith was called Mr. Parsonage. As well you can see the lamppost in the bottom right, which was surrounded by a kerb so it could be protected from wheels of horse draw vehicles. Final this last picture of the ‘sportsman’s arms’ that was used to be called the ‘Dog and Partridge’, but will locally be known as the ‘Bondy’.
The Whitby post office was combination of a bake house and a post office, because the owner Mr & Mrs Mellor who just ran the bake house, but many years later the post office returned here.
Whitby road had a number of houses that were called Stanlow Cottages. These were built in 1899 for the benefit of workers at the local smelting works, which is were Octel is situated today.
These next maps show the development of the port, and of Whitby village (1872).
WHITBY ROAD
In the 1920s the road was the main shopping area. The rows of houses lost their front gardens and they were converted into shops. They were opened to fulfil the increased demand from the growing population. The population of Ellesmere Port had risen from 4,082 in 1901 to 13,063 by 1921 to 18,911 by 1931.
THE KNOT HOTEL
This building was built in 1911, and is reputed to get its name from the local Staffordshire Knot, from where many local families originated. In 1920 the publican was John Winn, who was still there in 1940. In 1961 the Knot Hotel was a member of ‘The Robley Group If Fine Hotels and Restaurants’ and their part of their advertising said: ‘The Ports brightest and most friendly meeting place’. Further up the road, in 1911 the co-op society extended their premises by building a hall above their shop. This became the ‘co-op hall’, a popular venue for dances, and all kinds of shows.
Heathfield House
Heathfield house was originally owned by the Mansfield family, who had a gas distribution business in Oxford Street, Ellesmere Port and Birkenhead. They were famous for their invention of calor gas. The house was first used as a hospital in the world wars. It was extended and turned into the cottage hospital. In 1932 a road was cut through a large paddock between Stanney lane and Thamesdale, the land was then opened up as Whitby Park. The first road was just a cinder path, only open to pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders. It was made broader and safer so it could be opened to cars. There were no play area then and the play areas were situated on Westminster road, Heathfield road and on Overpool road. The popular places in the 1920’s and 1930’s were Victoria Gardens and Westminster road. Brass bands would play at the weekend.
WHITBY HIGH SCHOOL
The school was opened for boys in the 1950s and later it was opened for girls as well. In one half of the school, the lower part of the school was just for boys and the upper part of the school was just girls. It became a mixed high school in 1976 and people from all over Ellesmere Port wish to attend the school.
CONCLUSION
From a small village in the 1800s, to a larger but more sophisticated village which is full of history and I have enjoyed doing this project.
With thanks and acknowledgements to:
Ellesmere Port 1795-1960 by T.W. Roberts
Yesterday's Wirral No 9 Ellesmere Port to Bromborough by Ian & Marilyn Boumphrey.
Looking back at Ellesmere Port by Pat O'Brien
The old photographs Ellesmere Port compiled by Pat O'Brien
Ellesmere Port Library
Reference Library
By Mark Sellars 9a2 (2003)
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