Lake May/June

Issue 20 • May/June 2016

The local interest magazine for West Kirby, Hoylake, Meols and Caldy

Incredible Edible Hoylake • Street names of West Kirby • Wirral’s Viking Roots

Welcome to the twentieth issue of The Lake, the local interest magazine for West Kirby, Hoylake, Meols and Caldy.

We would like to thank our readers for your kind comments and to encourage you to keep writing to us with your thoughts and stories.

@lakewirral

We’d also like to thank our advertisers without whom this magazine wouldn’t be possible – we are extremely grateful to them for their continuing support.

The Lake provides local interest and historical stories on a bi-monthly basis and we hope you enjoy it. Please get in touch if there is anything you want to see in future issues, or if you have any stories or pictures of your own that you want to share.

Published by: Wirral Advertising Media Ltd, Royal Standard House, 334 New Chester Road, Rock Ferry, Wirral CH42 1LE.

Contact the Editor by email: jon@lakemagazine.co.uk Or by post to: Jon Bion, Editor, The Lake, Royal Standard House, 334 New Chester Road, Rock Ferry, Wirral CH42 1LE. Telephone 07796 945745.

Contacts:

Our team has years of experience in design, production and distribution.

The magazine is delivered door-to-door to 12,500 homes and businesses in the area and copies are available from various outlets.

Editor Jonathan Bion 07796 945745 jon@lakemagazine.co.uk

If you feel that advertising in The Lake would benefit your business, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you. Please contact Alan Strange on 07788 510868 or email: alan@lakemagazine.co.uk

Sales Director Alan Strange 07788 510868 alan@lakemagazine.co.uk

www.lakemagazine.co.uk Photographs and original material are submitted at the sender’s risk and must be accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope if you wish them to be returned. The publishers will not accept responsibility for loss or damage.

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published, Wirral Advertising Media can accept no responsibility for the veracity of the claims made by advertisers. Any views expressed in The Lake are not necessarily the views of the publisher.

Cover image: Port Sunlight Building Department 1906 – Houses under construction, Primrose Hill Part of Port Sunlight Museum’s 2016/17 Special Exhibition – Port Sunlight in Focus 1896 – 1916 Showcasing the work of three local photographers who contributed most to the pictorial record of the village during its first 20 years.

Rare and unpublished images on display alongside some of the most iconic views that has helped Port Sunlight to achieve worldwide fame.

Open daily 10am – 5pm Port Sunlight Museum, King George’s Drive. Portsunlightvillage.com T: 0151 644 6466 • E: info@portsunlightvillage.com

Accounts accounts@lakemagazine.co.uk Delivered free to 12,500 homes and businesses in West Kirby, Hoylake, Meols and Caldy

CONTENTS

For distribution queries please call 0151 644 9475

04 Incredible Edible Hoylake

28 The Wirral Society

08 Songs of Praise Star at St Hildeburgh’s

30 Open Studio Tour

10 Street names of West Kirby

32 Hair today, gone tomorrow!

11 Wine Column

34 All Things Auctioneering

12 West Kirby Sailing Club

36 What’s on the Big Screen

14 Fragments from the Front

37 Shorelines

20 Wirral’s Viking Roots

38 Fitness Queen

Let us know how we can help promote your events

The Editor, The Lake, Royal Standard House, 334 New Chester Road, Rock Ferry, Wirral CH42 1LE Email: jon@lakemagazine.co.uk • Telephone 07796 945745.

04 The Lake

Pick Your Own with Incredible Edible Hoylake

By Robert Foster a range of home-grown goodies on our doorsteps. Who knows, the experience may even help coax out the Alan Titchmarsh that lurks inside each of us!

Like so many of our fantastic local community projects, Incredible Edible Hoylake is always on the lookout for a helping hand. You may think you’ve not got green fingers, but everyone can learn.

With an ever-increasing number of sites to sow, weed and water, volunteers and willing helpers should get in touch – particularly if you find yourself reaping the benefits on a regular basis.

So the next time you find yourself facing an emergency basil shortage after the shops have closed, do not despair – all is not lost.

Take a stroll to your nearest Incredible Edible planter and take your pick. Just remember to leave some for everyone else!

The old adage says that you don’t get anything for free. Well, whoever came up with that has clearly never visited Hoylake.

Since 2011, the generous folk who operate the Incredible Edible Hoylake scheme have dedicated their time to growing all sorts of fruit, vegetables and herbs specifically for the benefit of local residents. Yes, that’s right – their organic crops are there to be harvested and used by anybody!

Many people will have spotted the planters strategically placed throughout Hoylake and West Kirby. As the temperature climbs and spring blooms, it won’t be long until these miniature veg patches will be brimming with tasty treats that are ripe for the picking.

Each planter is a veritable Pandora’s Box, holding all manner of appetising delights.

The idea was developed by locals Rose Chandler and Sally Scott through a shared passion for community spirit, food and sustainability. It places a focus on locally grown, accessible produce and promotes an excellent sense of togetherness. They based the idea on a similar scheme operating in the Yorkshire town of Todmorden and see this social project as an ideal opportunity to promote learning, sharing and community awareness. It really is a breath of fresh air, and makes the most of public spaces by providing fantastic green spaces as well as the obvious edible bounty.

Since its launch the scheme has been a roaring success. Some may be a little wary of helping themselves at first, but don’t be afraid – that’s the whole point! Once you start, the temptation to savour a handful

An Incredible Edible Soup

of strawberries or a bunch of rosemary becomes overwhelming and you will find yourself exploring each enticing planter with a great sense of anticipation.

Why not see what ingredients you can find to make our Incredible Edible Hoylake-inspired Spring Vegetable Soup.

The pesto adds a fantastic Mediterranean twist to this wholesome seasonal soup, but it’s just as tasty without.

Alternatively, a few sprigs of fresh mint will give it a lovely fresh twist.

Ingredients: - 1 tbsp British rapeseed oil

So what exactly do they grow?

Unsurprisingly, the Incredible Edible team focus on seasonal produce that will thrive in local conditions. Onions, tomatoes, lettuce, courgettes and all manner of fresh herbs… I could go on, but a quick look at their Facebook page shows exactly how ambitious they are in terms of what they produce. Variety really is the spice of life in this vegetable extravaganza and, given its seasonal nature, you never quite know what you will find.

- 1 onion, diced

Aside from the obvious benefits of tasty free food, the Incredible Edible scheme is a clear winner with local children. Us grown-ups tend to overlook the simple pleasure that can be gained from foraging for ingredients to take back to the kitchen, but hunting through weird and wonderful crops really gets kids’ imaginations firing.

An afternoon spent rummaging through planters and exploring what’s within is sure to keep little hands busy and fuel their interest in the natural world.

Method:

We all know how popular fresh, sustainable ingredients have become. Many of us love the idea of producing organic fruit and veg. but lack the space, know-how or confidence to grow our own crops. Incredible Edible gives everyone the opportunity to access

Add the pesto and season well to taste.

- 1 garlic clove, crushed - 1 leek, finely sliced - 1 large potato, diced - 200g fresh or frozen peas - 75g broad beans - 500ml vegetable stock - A large handful of spinach - 1 tbsp basil pesto Gently heat the oil in a large saucepan and soften the leek and onion for 5-10 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for a further minute before adding the potato, peas, broad beans, spinach and stock. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are thoroughly cooked.

Remove from the heat and blend until smooth.

Reheat for a couple of minutes to bring back to temperature, then serve with crusty buttered bread.

06 The Lake Built in 1894, the Old School Room at the Lyceum was originally the main Village School and Church in the historic 19th century garden village of Port Sunlight. When school numbers increased to over 1,200 pupils, the Lyceum building became stretched to capacity and so new larger buildings were built by village founder William Hesketh Lever for his villagers.

The Lyceum with distinctive red brick façade, high mullion windows, vaulted arched ceiling and parquet flooring is the perfect venue for a handcrafted wedding! Adjacent to the building stands a picturesque sandstone bridge which once spanned a creek and now highlights a pretty sunken garden providing a picture perfect location for your wedding album.

The larger hall is the perfect space for an intimate wedding ceremony with a side breakout room, ideal for hosting drinks and canapés. The venue is licensed for weddings and can welcome up to 60 seated or 100 standing guests. Another venue close by and perfect for the Bridal party to gather is Bridge Cottage, the village founder’s former home, ideal for bridal preparation, hair, make-up and dressing, set with a chilled relaxed atmosphere to help get your special day started!

We provide the venues, giving you the opportunity to theme your day how you wish!

If you would like to view the Wedding Venue Hire Rooms, please contact our wedding planner Nigel on 0151 644 4811 or email: n.chapmanrogers@portsunlightvillage.com The Old School Room at the Lyceum & Bridge Cottage.

Bridge Street, Port Sunlight, Wirral.

Website: www.portsunlightvillage.com

The Old School Room (Image supplied by Port Sunlight Museum Collection).

Help Matt raise money for Cystic Fibrosis Trust A local man from Heswall has taken it upon himself to complete ten events spread over the year to help raise as much awareness and money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Matt Strange, 30, who suffers with cystic fibrosis, is a keen runner and general fitness fanatic. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease caused by a faulty gene.

This gene controls the movement of salt and water in and out of your cells, so the lungs and digestive system become clogged with mucus, making it hard to breathe and digest food. There is currently no cure for cystic fibrosis. Each week five babies are born with cystic fibrosis, and two people die.

The average life expectancy ranges from 30-35 years, so training and keeping fit is an essential part of trying to defy the odds, something that Matt is very focused on.

Matt told The Lake: “Living with cystic fibrosis has taught me a few things – firstly, live every day like it is your last and secondly, push your body to the limits,” which is exactly what he intends to do throughout this year.

Matt has set himself a target of £2,000 to raise before the end of December, and has raised around £350 from two events. He has already completed the Liverpool Half Marathon and Chain Runner (a six-mile obstacle course) both of which are tough events for anyone, let alone somebody suffering with cystic fibrosis.

If you would like to sponsor Matt and help spread more awareness and help him reach his target, you can do so at the following https://www.justgiving.com/MattTeamCF or you can sponsor by texting MSCF85 £5 (or any amount) to 70070.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

The Lake 07

Solar Update – Government pushing ahead There have also been developments both in terms of the aesthetic appeal of solar, and ability to store excess energy generated during the day in batteries for use in the evening. Tony Edwards, from local design and installation company NES Roofing and Energy, explains: “Even with today’s electricity prices, an investment in Solar can still provide a return in excess of other investments – and for anyone considering a reroof it makes absolute sense, as significantly fewer tiles or slates would be needed, and the finish looks really good.”

“Also, battery technology is now available at a price which makes financial sense – and the technology can provide backup and protect against blackouts – and we are installing equipment from companies such as LG and Tesla.”

As predicted in earlier editions, the government are pushing ahead with plans to bring more nuclear and fracked gas to the UK energy mix, even though this will impact on the energy security of the UK and, ultimately, cost the public more than the renewable energy alternatives..

In addition to signing up for Chinese funding of the proposed nuclear plant at Hinckley Point, in January the government reduced incentives for solar installations. After much campaigning, the reductions were not as drastic as had first been proposed however, and solar can still provide an attractive proposition – both financially, and ethically.

08 The Lake

Songs of Praise Star at St Hildeburgh’s Flower Festival The town’s World War I memorial, honouring the 168 Hoylake men who died, which stands in St Hildeburgh’s wooded grounds, will also be specially decorated.

The festival is being widely supported, with the floral art societies of Wirral, Hoylake, New Brighton and Heswall joining the members of St Hildeburgh’s Ladies’ Guild to create the arrangements. Refreshments will be available throughout the weekend.

Pam Rhodes

Pam Rhodes, star of the BBC TV’s Songs of Praise, is to showcase a special feature on best-loved hymns at St Hildeburgh’s Church, Hoylake.

At the same time, St Hildeburgh’s will hold an exhibition to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday – a timeline pageant of Hoylake photographs throughout the 90 years – which will start on Saturday, June 11

(10am-4pm) and be open from TuesdayThursday, June 14-16 (9am-12noon) and then throughout the festival opening times, which are: Friday, June 17, 6-9pm; Saturday, June 18, 10am-4pm; Sunday, June 19, 11am-4pm.

Admission to the Flower Festival will be by programme, price £4. For more information and programme availability, email St Hildeburgh’s on church.office@sthildeburgh.org or Brenda Gande on brendagande@yahoo.co.uk St Hildeburgh’s Church, Hoylake, Wirral CH47 1HL, is at the corner of The King’s Gap and Stanley Road (opposite the Green Lodge inn).

Pam will present the event in Hoylake’s beautiful parish church as the climax to a three-day flower festival, staged in the historic building from Friday-Sunday, June 17-19. The festival will end with a service at 4pm on the Sunday in which Pam will highlight popular hymns, telling a moving, thought-provoking or amusing story about each one. The hymns will include such favourites as How Great Thou Art, In Christ Alone and Great is Thy Faithfulness.

For the flower festival, St Hildeburgh’s will be bedecked with gorgeous blossoms in more than 20 displays on the theme of Reflections, ranging from scenes such as woodland and water to historical concepts recalling, for instance, the Roman port at nearby Meols.

Displays around the altar at St Hildeburgh’s last flower festival in 2013

St Hildeburgh’s Church

Flower Festival Admission by programme

£4

Friday June 17th (6pm-9pm), Saturday June 18th (10am-4pm), Sunday June 19th (11am-4pm)

For more information email St Hildeburgh’s: church.office@sthildeburgh.org or Brenda Gande: brendagande@yahoo.co.uk

The Lake 09

Will you still need me when I’m 64? their separate ways. Obviously, with people living longer, it does mean that there are more people in that age bracket and naturally, therefore, the overall number of people seeking divorce will increase; however, there could be other factors.

Tom Fisher

According to figures published by the Office for National Statistics, the rate of divorce is going up for men and women over the age of 60.

Tom Fisher, partner and collaborative lawyer based at Lees Solicitors’ West Kirby office, looks at the statistics and discusses what could be causing this increase in ‘silver divorces’.

In 1993 there was an average rate of 14.3 men and 14.1 women getting divorced in every 1,000 of the married population. By 2013, the number had decreased to 9.8 for both men and women, demonstrating that divorce has actually fallen by 30% over this 20-year period.

Compare this to the figures for the over 60s where there was a record 15,275 divorces in 2011, compared with 13,554 the year before and 10,273 in 2000. This clearly illustrates that filing for divorce in retirement has become more common.

Whilst no two marriages are the same, there do seem to be some common factors which are leading to more and more couples in their late 50s and early 60s choosing to go

It seems that one factor is that the stigma of divorce has decreased amongst the over 55s.

As it becomes more common for people to get divorced, the pressure of having to stay together in an unhappy marriage diminishes.

Once you take retirement, you can find that you have more free time and more time at home. This can lead to a realisation that you no longer have things in common with your wife or husband and more time together can exacerbate the problem.

Also, financial stability will be a factor. More women now have financial independence from their husbands, which will make splitting the marital assets easier as both can expect a good quality of life following a split. In addition to this, average house prices have considerably increased over this period of their marriage, which means that this age group are likely to have reasonable equity in their properties, allowing both husband and wife the ability to set up homes separately and in comfort.

If you would like to talk to one of our specialist family law advisors, please call us free on 0800 387 927 (now also free to call from mobiles) or email family@lees.co.uk or visit our website www.lees.co.uk/family

At Lees Solicitors we understand that a breakdown of a relationship is upsetting and can be one of the most difficult times in your life. We will provide you with expert, professional and sensitive legal advice, helping you deal with divorce, financial matters, and any questions you may have as a parent.

What Lees Solicitors can do for you…

• Fixed fee options available • Free half-hour consultation available • Out of hours appointments from 5–7pm on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

• Heswall office open on a Saturday (book for an appointment) • Three local offices to choose from: – West Kirby 0151 625 9364 – Heswall 0151 342 6273 – Birkenhead 0151 647 9381 • Collaborative lawyers If you are in need of family law advice, contact our team to book an appointment or to chat through your options. Call us free from either a mobile or landline on 0800 387 927.

10 The Lake

Street names of West Kirby

Street names may provide an insight into the past. They can preserve aspects of times gone by.

Old lanes and roads were often named after the village they were leading to. Hence, radiating from West Kirby are Caldy Road, Frankby Road, Saughall Massie Road and Meols Drive. Approaching West Kirby is West Kirby Road.

Orrisdale

In 1935 there was an advertisement for Boulton’s sunshine villas, Grange Hill, West Kirby. This is probably why Boulton Avenue was so named.

Roads may be also named after the building they were leading to such as Church Road, Rectory Road and Grammar School Lane.

Beacon Drive leads to the Beacon, China Farm Lane leads to China Farm and the memorial column is a feature on Column Road.

Some roads are named after a local dignitary or benefactor, such as Paton Close (named after Sir Alfred Paton), Gilroy Road (named after Councillor James A Gilroy, Chairman of the Council 1936-1937) and Ashton Drive (named after Emma Mary Ashton). Gourleys Lane is named after Cyril Edward Gourley VC. Eaton Road is named after Canon Eaton, Rector of St Bridget’s Church from 1860 to 1889. Darmond’s Green seems likely to have been named after William Darmond of West Kirby, mentioned in the Act of Parliament for The Bennet’s Charity in 1700. It is interesting to note that an apostrophe is used on the Darmond’s Green sign.

A road containing former RAF houses (built for officers at the RAF camp during WW2) bears the name of Slessor Avenue (named after Sir John Slessor, Marshal of the RAF). Nearby Douglas Drive was named after Sir Sholto Douglas, Air Chief Marshal of the RAF, who commanded air operations during the Battle of Britain.

Some names connect to royalty. In West Kirby we have Victoria Drive, Victoria Road, Albert Road, Alexandra Road, Kings Walk, Kings Drive, Jubilee Drive and Coronation Gardens. York Avenue commemorates George (later to be King George V) becoming Duke of York in 1892.

1st West Kirby cubs – Darmond’s Green

Sometimes the name of the road relates to the builder of the properties. William Watson Christian, a Manx builder, named Orrysdale Road after a family home in the Isle of Man. Ridley Grove was named after his wife’s former surname and Murray Grove after his grandmother’s surname. Mercia Terrace and Stamford Terrace were renamed Tynwald Road (after Manx parliament) and Tynwald Hall later became The Blenheim Cafe.

Roads may also be named after the former landowner. Gleggside is named after the Glegg family who at one time lived at Grange Hall.

The ownership and land was bought by John Leigh in 1785. Leigh Road is named after John Shaw Leigh (son of John Leigh), who at one time owned large parcels of land in West Kirby. Macdona Drive is named after the Macdona family who formerly owned a large plot of land surrounding the family home, Hilbre House.

When a house is demolished the road often takes on the name of the former house. Examples in West Kirby are Heatherdene Road, Ashburton Road, Hillview Avenue and Homestead Mews.

A road name may be connected with an occupation. Smithy Hey stands on the site of an old smithy.

There is a coastal feel in names like Sandy Lane, Riversdale Road, Riverside, Banks Road and Dee Lane. Salisbury Avenue is named after Salisbury Bank in the River Dee. The geographical position of a road is often used in the naming.

There is South Road, North Road, Westbourne Grove and Westbourne Road. Sometimes a direction was added to a road name like Church Road West and Grange Road West. West is not included in the modern road names; however, in Caldy we do have Croft Drive East and Croft Drive West.

The Lake 11

W NE COLUMN

By Graham Simpson, Whitmore & White

Summer in a bottle? Yes please!

Heatherdene

Road names may indicate the vegetation formerly found there. For example Acacia Grove, Pine Tree Drive, Gorse Lane and Hawthorn Drive. The Oatlands indicates the crops that were once grown in that place.

Geographical features may be a factor in the naming of a road.

Wetstone Lane, Brookfield Gardens and Birkett Road are all connected to tributaries of the River Birkett, which is culverted under West Kirby (the lake in Ashton Park is part of the River Birkett).

There are several roads mentioning ‘Mount’ – Mount Road, Wirral Mount, Grange Mount. Hill is mentioned in Hillside Road and Hillview Avenue. Sandstone Drive is so named for obvious reasons.

Several roads are named after towns, districts or counties – Surrey Drive, Norfolk Drive, Warwick Drive, Ludlow Drive, Devonshire Road, Anglesey Road and Gresford Avenue to name a few.

Some road names were changed to avoid confusion with the same road name in neighbouring Hoylake. In West Kirby Grove Road became Groveside. School Lane (leading from Village Road to St Bridget’s school) was renamed St Bridget’s Lane. Kirby Park was formerly Grosvenor Road (the builder, William Henry Forde, formerly lived in Grosvenor Road, Claughton) and the name altered to avoid confusion with nearby Grosvenor Ave. In Hoylake Church Road was renamed Trinity Road. Bank Road became Strand Road. The name of Prussia Road was changed to Queens Road (because of allegiances to an enemy in WW1). However there is still an Albert Road in West Kirby and also one in Hoylake.

Confusion still exists in West Kirby as Victoria Road and Victoria Drive have not been renamed and both roads lead off Banks Road.

Presently there is only one street in West Kirby and that is De Grouchy Street, off Darmond’s Green. The stonemason, Philip de Grouchy (1798-1877, aka de Gruchy) from Jersey lived there.

On the 1881 census this was known as Jersey Place. De Grouchy Street was not named until 1924.

This poem was in the West Kirby newspaper of 1911: West Kirby Streets There was once a street in West Kirby, At least so I heard when in Irby, That wanted a name, so they said call it lane, We don’t want any streets in West Kirby.

In West Kirby they made a new street; To name it the owners did meet.

So if in the dark, you see Marine Park, You will know it is meant for a street.

And if to West Kirby they send you, In search of a house; why then you May look for the street, but instead you will meet, With a road, or a grove or avenue.

CON-TEM-PLATE These are just some of the discoveries made about West Kirby street names. Researcher Keith Hatton has recently taken over this project. Please let us know if you have further information.

Heather Chapman

It’s the time of year again where the deckchairs are dusted down, parasols are raised high on the garden tables and there’s a scramble to buy sun cream at the chemist. Or, with a British summer, it’s more likely that the deckchairs are dried off, the parasols are raised high to keep the rain at bay and there’s a scramble to find the jumper you put away in January. But here’s hoping that we have a summery summer this year.

And what better for a summery summer than sunny summery wine to enjoy with friends and family?

So here are six summer slurpers to bring you a ray of sunshine.

Vilarnau Cava Brut £10.95 Cava took a bit of a hammering for a number of years at the hands of Prosecco. However, it’s beginning to fight back and this absolute corker from Vilarnau is one of the shining lights. Lots of honey, elderflower and citrus notes with more body and overall ‘oomph’ to it than Prosecco.

Perfect to sip while sitting on the verandah with some olives to hand.

San Abello Rosé £7.95 Rosé wine is always popular throughout the summer months and this is a cracking little rosé from Chile. Fresh and juicy with notes of raspberry and cherry on the palate. This can be enjoyed on its own, but will also work with a fish dish or a roast duck salad.

Beronia Rueda Verdejo £9.95 Here at Whitmore & White we are huge fans of Bodegas Beronia. The Riojas they make are stunning and have made several appearances in this magazine. This is a white wine from the region of Rueda in Spain and is made from the indigenous Verdejo grape. The result is a crisp and dry wine with notes of apple blossom, lemon peel and nectarines. Great with simple tapas dishes.

Claymore You’ll Never Walk Alone Sauvignon Blanc £14.95 Yes, that is Bill Shankly on the label. The owner of this winery spent his student life in Liverpool and fell in love with the city and with LFC. He pays homage to the late, great Bill Shankly with a red blend and also with this super, fresh and vibrant Sauvignon Blanc from the cool Adelaide Hills region of South Australia. A lovely wine that works really well with goats cheese salad.

Millefiori Rosso £12.95 This is a stunning Italian red wine. (The label is cool too.) Made in the ‘apassimento’ method where the harvested grapes are left to dry out for a given time prior to the fermentation. The result is a rich and super-ripe concentrated wine that just keeps on giving. Great with any Italian-themed pasta and meat dish..

Fairview The Goatfather £11.95 Brilliant label and brilliant wine to boot. A South African homage to Italian wines. This is a blend of Barbera, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo grapes with some Cabernet Sauvignon thrown in for good measure. An iron fist in a velvet glove ensues with a wine of deep black fruit, smooth tannins and spicy undertones. If you’re having a BBQ, pop some burgers on and crack open a bottle of this bad boy.

So there you have it. Six rays of sunshine in a bottle!

Until next time, Graham.

12 The Lake We are especially pleased that Wirral Disabled Marine Association have joined West Kirby Sailing Club as affiliate members, and look forward to giving them more help, and welcoming them into our clubhouse.

West Kirby Sailing Club Start of Season

By Phil Shepherd

The 67th Wilson Trophy is approaching fast, and preparations are well in hand for the 32 team event.

The season started, as tradition dictates, with the President’s Race, a handicap race on the tide for all classes of boats. It is used as a good excuse to get the tidal boats launched and ready for the season’s racing calendar.

There have been a few small changes to our lake racing timetable.

On Monday nights our highly successful beginners sessions are beginning. After they have been out on the lake they will be able to discuss the evening over a meal, which gives an opportunity to integrate into the Club. We are expecting larger numbers than ever, and hope to see some more of last year’s participants starting to race.

Racing is not for everybody, but brings another dimension to the sport, which really adds to the fun.

Tuesday evenings are for the Solo, Laser and Firefly classes to race in their own fleets. Daylight dictates an early start during April, but turnouts have still been very good. Chris Kameen, Captain of the fireflies, has introduced a personal handicap to their results so that, whatever the experience or ability, all boats can compete for first place.

Wednesday evening is for everyone: fast and slow handicaps for all dinghies. This enables the less popular boats, or smaller fleets such as the Larks, to compete.

Quite large numbers of different boats have been attending.

The GP14s and Albacores have taken over Thursday evenings. Already, 14 GPs have raced, and they have ambitious plans for this year. The Albacores are also an impressive fleet, and enjoyed on the tide as well as on the lake. We have the largest fleet in the country.

Forthcoming Events: Wilson Trophy, May 13-15th WKSC Regatta, June 3rd-4th Open Day, June 25th Contact: Friday is Junior night. The Optimists, whose numbers are growing at a phenomenal rate, are being coached before the Cadets and Youth Handicap racing begins, so that some may learn to crew with a more experienced helm. Cadet, Optimist and Junior beginners (in the Onboard scheme) are also training on Saturdays.

At weekends, on top of the coaching, there is tidal racing, within classes, or all together in some of the exciting long distance races, such as the Round Hilbre Island Race, Mostyn Race, or the Jubilee Pursuit Race.

In the latter, the start time for the classes is handicapped, leading to a dramatic finish where all the boats cross the line very close together.

One of our start of season races is the Champion of Champions, in which winners of a race series during the previous season all compete for the title. Champion of Champions for 2016 are Alex Colquitt and Rob Giardelli who sailed their 420 slightly quicker than equal seconds, Mike and Ann de St Paer’s Albacore, and Jemima Riley’s Hilbre, in what was a very close finish for all competitors.

There have been lots of dinghy instructor and powerboat courses held recently, to back up all the sailing activities, and ensure safety on the water.

Phil Shepherd, Commodore 0151 625 5579 www.office@wksc.org.uk

14 The Lake

Fragments from the Front This series of short articles by Rastus and Betty looks at a soldier’s close connection to his West Kirby family and his correspondence with them from the Western Front trenches during WW1.

15 May 1917 Dear Mother

Joseph Ellerker enlisted in the King’s Liverpool Regiment in January 1917 and it wasn’t long until he became an Acting Sergeant. Why he didn’t enlist sooner is a bit of a mystery. Perhaps it was because of his perceived disability with his right hand!

During his time on the front and in the trenches he kept up regular correspondence and sent many postcards to his sister, Annie, and his parents. Annie also kept up regular correspondence with many local West Kirby soldiers then on active service on the Western Front. The might of the pen and news from home must have been something our poor soldiers longed for every day, and on every occasion the mail was delivered. It must have been a real boost for morale – at both ends!

Just a few lines to let you know I am in the pink. You ask me if I received your parcel of two loaves and butter. Yes I did and very nice too and I hope you will have received my letter to acknowledge it by the time you receive this one. I also received one this week of bread & cheese & butter.

Your son Joe His mother, Hannah, would have been happy to know he was fit and well (“in the pink”), and her food parcels from home meant so much to him.

WW1 silk postcards were bought by soldiers on the Western Front.

They were initially embroidered by local French and Belgian women and this soon became an industry. This must have been a useful source of extra income for French and Belgian families.

A few of the beautiful postcards are reproduced in this ‘Fragments from the Front’ series.

I have received no news from you as yet.

Joseph It must have been very sad for our soldiers not to have received a letter from home, especially if everyone around them was reading theirs. We are sure this was an unhappy moment for Joseph, but he would have laughed it off with his usual sense of humour and he probably would have used his stock, unhappy little duckling, joking line – ‘Nobody loves me – I might as well go out into the garden and eat worms!’

May 15th 1917 Dear Annie Address my letters to the below in future we have changed our address. I think I received all your parcels, and you don’t receive my letters, and don’t forget to write soon.

Pte J Ellerker, 82 Labour Coy, B & F France, 4 Plat. Thank Fred for the Cigs very much.

Next issue – More WW1 postcards from the Western Front

The Lake 15

Green Mole’s exclusive UK launch event of the smartflower solar panel system takes place on Wednesday 18th May 8am until 8pm at Green Mole HQ, 9 Tarran Way South, Moreton, Wirral, CH46 4TP.

Call to book a FREE ticket or to arrange a private viewing 07591 608844 or 0151 605 1469

Business is Blooming at Mole Group with the launch of smartflower Mole Group has brought the first ‘smartflower’ to the UK, having secured distribution rights for the renewable energy technology.

Heralded as a revolution in solar PV, the new product is a spectacular way for businesses and consumers to generate renewable energy.

Green Mole is the specialist energy efficiency division of Mole Group, a Wirral-based drilling, moling and environmental engineering company, and the team recently went to Austria for training on this beautiful and innovative technology. ‘smartflower’ earns its name thanks to a number of innovative features. Taking its inspiration from nature, smartflower is engineered to ‘wake up’ each morning and track the movement of the sun, in the same way that heliotropic (‘growing towards the light’) flowers open their petals in the morning and follow the sun during the day. smartflower is 40 per cent more efficient than traditional rooftop solar systems, with a considerably longer peak phase that produces energy even in the fringe hours of the day.

The ‘plug and play’ set-up means that installation is a breeze compared with traditional systems, with set-up typically taking one hour. Thanks to its smart cooling and smart cleaning functions, the smartflower reduces the usual losses caused by heat and dirt accumulation by up to 15 per cent. As well as producing electricity for use in the home, smartflower can charge electric vehicles using integrated batteries that are capable of storing energy.

David Furlong, Mole Group’s Managing Director said: “When I first saw smartflower, I knew I had to bring this technology to the UK. As well as being a superior product to anything available in this country, it’s quite simply a captivating product to look at.”

For more information on smartflower, visit www.green-mole.co.uk/smartflower

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The Lake 19

Because when the kids are happy, everyone is The Red Balloon’s new owner, Emma Bounds, tells us what it’s like to own a toy shop… and what makes the perfect party gift.

What do you like best about owning a toy shop?

Everything! I love meeting our customers, and hearing how much children have enjoyed our toys.

I also love ensuring our customers have lots of choice and the best toys – which means me visiting loads of toy fairs and poring over catalogues!

What are the main reasons people visit your shop?

It’s often to buy a gift. Children can go to 20 parties a year, so parents want to choose from a range of quality presents that don’t cost too much – that’s why we stock over 750 different toys.

They like the convenience. We wrap their gifts, and stock Emma Johnston’s beautiful handmade cards – which means that five minutes after walking in, they’re all set for the party.

You stock lots of party gifts. What makes a great present?

Something you’re proud to give and that kids will be delighted to get.

So – good quality, nicely packaged… and at an affordable price.

Do you have toys for children of all ages?

Yes, we have loads of toys for every age up to 11, from newborn right through to Year 6.

Stocking over 750 toys, perfect for…

Birthday presents • Party gifts • Pocket money toys Entertaining the kids • Learning through play Rewarding their achievements • Getting to know them better

How do you choose who works in your shop?

Firstly, they have to be nice! And love toys, children, and helping people.

Most of us are parents – with children of different ages. But we also have grandparents, teachers, and our resident toy testers, Maia and Tom! What are you most proud of about the shop?

I love how well it fits with our community. West Kirby is a fantastic place to bring up children. It’s full of people who’ve lived here for years or who moved away for a while, then returned to start their family. And a place packed with lovely children should have a lovely toy shop!

Our customers’ feedback shows how much they appreciate having us here.

It’s a perfect fit with the community, and I’m proud of it.

Why do so many people go to your shop, even though they can buy online?

The guarantee of quality. We’ve all bought things online that didn’t look like the picture when they arrived. Well, that’s no use as a gift – especially if it arrives too late to swap.

Also, there’s something personal about buying toys. People like coming into the shop, bouncing ideas off someone knowledgeable, and seeing what they’re getting.

And if we don’t stock a toy you want, we’re happy to try to source it for you.

How would you describe The Red Balloon in one sentence?

A treasure trove of great toys, at great prices… because play is the most important thing a child can do.

“

This is a fantastic little shop and well worth the visit. Really helpful, friendly, non-pushy service and a beautiful range of toys – no tat in sight. I will be visiting this shop every time I need a child’s gift. Thank you!

”

Sarah, West Kirby

20 The Lake

Ryan Ferguson takes a look at Wirral’s Viking Roots Another local fable centres around the exploits of King Canute, ruling leader of the North Sea Empire. According to mythology, Canute thought he was so powerful that he could sit in a chair near the sea and turn back the tide. One particular demonstration is believed to have taken place on Wirral, somewhere between Leasowe, Moreton and Meols. During the later Victorian period, a replica chair was erected on the peninsula, bearing the following inscription: “Sea come not hither nor wet the sole of my foot”.

Though later damaged by vandals, the chair was another reminder of our colourful ancestry.

First Vikings led by Ingimund arrive in Wirral. Painting © Chris Collingwood - www.chriscollingwood.co.uk

We’re very fortunate to live on Wirral, a diverse peninsula of stunning coastline vistas and quaint homely villages. But one of the most overlooked benefits of calling Merseyside home is the intoxicating history attached to our roots. For instance, up to half of all Wirral residents can trace their DNA back to Norse origins, a lasting legacy of Viking occupation. Similarly, more than six hundred place names throughout the borough have Scandinavian etymology, which makes for an intriguing identity replicated in few other locales around the country.

In the year AD 902, our humble slab of land was empty. Then, a group of Vikings, largely of Norwegian descent, settled on Wirral after being forced out of Dublin and Anglesey. Led by Ingimund, their ambitious leader, the Vikings sought additional room for farming and fishing, away from chronic overcrowding back home. Northern Wirral became their new abode, and a mass migration by longboat followed.

Before long, a large Viking community grew on Wirral with its own language and even a parliament situated at Thingwall. The foreign tongue was similar to that spoken in modern day Iceland, and the parliament was possibly the very first established on British soil.

Those arriving to help the enclave grow were traders, farmers and fishermen, eager to forge a better life and expand their plot. They even built churches, with religious values coursing through everyday life.

Initially, the Vikings were granted a specific lot of land on Wirral, with the boundary brushing past Neston, Raby, Thornton Hough, Prenton and Tranmere. The group tried to extrapolate this Viking mini-state, with regular attacks on Chester, but Wirral was definitely home. They treated it as such by naming places and landmarks. For instance, Birkenhead means ‘headland growing with birch trees’ in Old Norse, while Irby can be read as ‘settlement of the Irish’. Claughton translates to ‘hamlet on a hillock’, and Raby literally describes a ‘village at a boundary’.

Thingwall was the seat of power in Viking Wirral. As the headquarters of the parliament, it regularly staged important meetings and court sessions. Meanwhile, Meols was used as a seaport, and it remains one of Britain’s best preserved Viking sites to this day. A longship is believed to lie beneath The Railway inn of Meols, and some archaeologists even consider it the first Viking vessel ever discovered in the UK. In terms of legacy, the aforementioned place names, and in some cases family names, stand as a lasting reminder of our Viking heritage. But we also have relics to spark the imagination. In Thurstaston Common, for example, an ancient rock formation known as Thor’s Rock forms the epicentre of romantic legend on Wirral.

Many believe the Vikings held religious ceremonies around the rock in honour of Thor, the Nordic god of thunder and fertility.

In modern times, the most significant emblem of Wirral’s Viking bloodline may be the name of Tranmere Rovers, the only professional football club in Britain with a Norse moniker. Tranmere is derived from the Old Norse of Trani-Melr, meaning ‘sandbank with the herons’. It’s likely that the Vikings saw a heron, or crane bird, perched on a nearby sandbank, and that particular township was duly named as such. The title later morphed into Tranmere, and has remained untouched for over 1,100 years. The football club adopted it in 1885, a year after formation as Belmont FC, and has subsequently represented Wirral’s Viking tradition around the country and even abroad in the Anglo-Italian Cup. Of course, it can be easy to have an overly sentimental view of the Vikings, which doesn’t necessarily mesh with historical fact. According to some accounts, the Norsemen were exceedingly violent and bloodthirsty. That partly led to their defeat in Britain, although the seeds of eventual downfall were scattered before the Vikings even arrived on Wirral.

King Alfred ruled from 871–899 and set the ball rolling towards toppling the Norsemen. He took London and fortified it in 886, triggering a treaty with Guthrum, leader of the Vikings, which essentially split Britain into two territories: the so-called Danelaw, home to Viking rule, and English Mercia, governed by conventional West Saxon law. The Danelaw comprised most of the north-west and east of England, while Alfred became king of the rest. When Ingimund and his clan arrived in 902, they were, therefore, interjected into a delicate political process.

While records show that the Vikings lived fairly peacefully on Wirral, the peninsula is often cited as a possible location for the famous Battle of Brunanburh in 937, which established Saxon rule throughout England. Athelstan, Alfred’s grandson, led the Saxons into battle against Vikings from Dublin, Scotland and elsewhere. In a legendary conflict, one of the greatest in Anglo-Saxon history, the Vikings were defeated after much bloodshed, and any threat to England’s unity was dissolved. The Danelaw became part of England, and Athelstan became the first true king of the entire country. Although Viking activity continued, and four Viking kings later ruled the nation, the Battle of Brunanburh did lasting damage. The Viking age in Britain finally ran out of steam in 1066, when Harold Godwinson, the English king, defeated Hardrada in a long battle at Stamford Bridge.

In dealing a heavy blow to confidence and numbers, the Battle of Brunanburh was crucial to overthrowing the Vikings. Therefore, it’s incredibly significant that Wirral stands as the favoured destination of the battle by most experts. Although the exact location is yet to be accurately pinpointed, Bromborough is a leading candidate, with Bebington also a possibility.

Thus, Wirral can be seen to have experienced the best of both worlds when it comes to a Viking legacy. Our borough was bestowed with the very best they had to offer, in terms of place names, societal foresight and architecture, while also providing a possible site for the battle that catalysed a movement towards English unification.

From our vantage point of retrospect, it’s difficult to pass judgement on any historical sect. In their own way, every army does regrettable things. However, in general terms, Wirral probably benefits from its strong Viking connection, while also reaping the rewards of their eventual demise, which with a certain pinch of salt can also be traced to our fine corner of the world.

22 The Lake

Julian’s Restaurant opened in 2004 and is owned and run by Julian and Jackie Davies. It’s a bistro-style, intimate restaurant serving international and modern British cuisine.

One of Wirral’s finest restaurants, Julian’s has built a reputation for mouth-watering, innovative food along with friendly, professional, attentive service, with most customers becoming great friends.

Two Courses £13.90 from

per person

Tuesday Wine Offer £14.90 per person For latest menus and offers go to

www.juliansrestaurant.co.uk

Starting his distinguished career at the age of just 12 at the Bake House in Ruthin, Julian has been a chef for 43 years. At 18 he joined the Chester Grosvenor Hotel, becoming a sous chef and spent 14 years enjoying the very best training, becoming a sous chef and assisting with catering for various royal weddings and other exclusive events.

Moving into outside catering with his own company, Julian provided a high-quality service for ten years before joining Paparazzi in Chester. He then moved to become head chef at The Wheatsheaf Inn, Raby, staying for seven years and winning the title Chef of the Year with Wirral Tourism Awards.

If you want to learn from Julian’s wide experience and knowledge, and pick up some ‘tricks of the trade’, why not join one of his popular Sunday Masterclasses. With two students per class, this is a totally hands-on course. And you can invite a friend to come and join you afterwards to sample your labours with a glass of wine. Just £70 each, which includes a £20 voucher.

Julian’s offers a table d’hote menu, a market/grill menu, and an excellent wine list with a wine offer on Tuesdays. The restaurant can cater for vegetarians, vegans and customers with food allergies.

Julian’s can also be booked for private functions with bespoke menus.

Enjoy our relaxed, comfortable atmosphere – your table is yours for as long as you want.

Check out our Facebook page and website at juliansrestaurant.co.uk

Don’t forget Caldy Village Gardens Sunday May 22nd – 2pm until 5pm In support of North West Cancer Research.

Tickets available from A I Roberts Butchers, Hintons Butchers, LeBizz Gift Shop in West Kirby and Linghams Book Shop in Heswall Further information can be found on the National Directory of Village Open Gardens www.opengardens.co.uk or from simonsfield@btjnternet.co.uk

The Lake 27

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28 The Lake

We continue our look at Keeping Wirral Green – The Work of the Wirral Society, written in 1988, to celebrate the society’s diamond jubilee.

This article, ‘The Early Years’ was written by David Randall.

In the 1920s, many conservationists thought that Wirral was becoming ‘a bedroom of Liverpool’ and losing its basic identity amidst the onslaught of housing for an expanding population. There was a real fear that with the decline of rural areas in Wirral – and with the corresponding decline in agriculture – new building developers would squeeze out open land. This theme was picked up in more recent times by W. Victor Smith (current Vice-President of the Society and author of the 1963 ‘Cautionary Guide’) who wrote, in 1962, that “in losing its remaining rurality Wirral would lose the very quality which at present makes it so important an asset to its own and the adjoining population”.

Housing requirements changed during the interwar period. The desire for a town house was replaced by the desire for a house with a garden and this involved dispersal of population. It coincided with social changes such as a higher standard of living, a greater interest in health, and the smaller family. There was increased mobility provided by the private motor car and the public motor bus.

Population spread became increasingly suburban and this expansion was not always adjacent to the built-up areas (such as in the example of Wallasey and Birkenhead). It also took the form of ribbon development with distinct patterns of houses randomly placed along lines of communication.

Building development in the 1920s and 1930s was haphazard and uncontrolled. There was the frustration that the necessary legal framework was lacking; an official attitude of ‘act now, think later’ was adopted, allowing land to be developed speculatively in lieu of a definitive legal ruling. The local authorities compounded this by providing services such as drainage and sewerage wherever building took place. A new ridge and furrow characterised the local landscape.

It must be remembered that in the ’20s and ’30s there was no officially designated ‘Green Belt’ or protected open land, and there was an attendant fear that towns and countryside would merge and become inseparable. The lack of an adequate and effective legal and planning framework encouraged the formation of a watchdog society.

The original committee of the Wirral Society was a fascinating mixture of businessmen and academics. Maurice Brown (Current Vice-President of the Society) recalls that “at one time if they had called a committee meeting, business in Liverpool would have come to a halt”.

The Society’s first ‘Cautionary Guide’ was issued in 1933 and this understandably reflected concern with the effects of indiscriminate building. The early minutes of the pre-1947 committee are sadly missing, but it is possible to piece together some of the issues that must have occupied the meetings in the 1930s.

The Local Government Acts of 1888 and 1894 provided the basic system of local government that remained until reorganisation in 1974, based on county or county borough councils, urban and rural district councils. In 1922, an advisory committee prepared a regional plan for Wirral and in 1926 their aims were outlined in a Joint Town Planning Commission. However, the scheme to restrict building to a few centres and preserve a large amount of agricultural land did not materialise.

In April 1933, there was the alteration of local boundaries and Birkenhead and Wallasey County Borough, which together with other authorities like Bebington Urban District, took much of what was previously Wirral Rural District.

As an example of local authority planning, Bebington Urban District embraced much of the ‘pleasant’ rural land in Wirral but the council’s schemes did not allow for centralisation of shopping and business centres. In 1931 there were plans to reduce the amount of council-maintained open land by 35 per cent.

There is a good reason for the apparent indifference of local authorities to rural preservation in the 1930s, and indeed later.

Agricultural land yields no rates, neither does council-maintained open space; therefore, any authority with a large amount of undeveloped land would actively encourage building developers in order to gain rateable value. There was, then, a conflict between the authorities’ role as planner and that of a rate collector.

The vice-presidents were Sir Alfred Paton, a Liverpool cotton broker; Sir Percy Bates, a Cunard director; and William Fergusson-Irvine, one of the greatest local historians of his day. The first President of the Society. Viscount Leverhulme, was perhaps an obvious choice.

It was largely due to his intervention that the central core of Wirral remained agricultural and his estates included the ‘green’ villages of the peninsula – Thornton Hough, Raby and Brimstage.

In 1934 there was another important development: the Mersey Tunnel opened to road traffic the potential markets and recreation of Wirral. The Port of Liverpool had given rise to a dependent population radiating in a semicircle from its hinterland. The tunnel effectively completed this circle and opened up the possibility of easier access, a process started in no small way with the arrival of a regular steam ferry on the Mersey (1827) and the railway under the river (1888).

The first secretary of the Society, Joan Royden, is generally credited as its founder. She was the daughter of Sir Ernest Royden who, in 1928 was responsible for the siting of ‘Hill Bark’ at Frankby.

Once again there was a dichotomy – the need to provide homes for a more mobile population and the need to provide and preserve recreational facilities for the resident and visitor.

There were three main groups which the Wirral Society had to bring together: landowners, local authorities, and the general public. The Society also wished to involve interested amenity groups. such as the Bromborough Society and the Heswall Society.

In 1939 war was declared and this put a temporary halt to the activities of the Wirral Society. In 1945 there would be a completely new set of problems and, in the light of post-war reconstruction, a unique opportunity in planning presented itself.

The Lake 29

Two significant issues affecting the Green Belt continue to concern us in the Wirral Society

By Rod Tann, Chairman Proposed relocation of Fire Station to Saughall Massie The Society is awaiting a report from the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) to the Fire Authority, which meets shortly. He will set out the progress of a) the proposal to close Upton Fire Station and b) the submission of a planning application to build a new facility a mile down the road on Green Belt land at Saughall Massie.

Proposed Golf Resort. Impression was prepared before inclusion of lakes and the 100+ luxury houses

Hoylake In the last edition, I referred to Wirral Council’s proposals for building a golf resort on Green Belt land between Hoylake and West Kirby.

Many aspects continue to remain unclear, for which answers will be needed before any informed decision can be made. However, the Society’s particular concerns centre on the proposal to build some 100–150 ‘luxury’ houses around the site to help fund the development. Being contrary to current Government policy, ‘Very Special Circumstance’ would have to be demonstrated.

In an earlier report by the CFO, it is apparent that he is undaunted

by Wirral Council’s advice that he will need to demonstrate ‘Very Special Circumstances’ to override Green Belt legislation. We have now learned that as the proposed site is within 200 yards of an established pond, the Fire Service is required to carry out an ecological survey to establish, amongst other things, if any protected species (e.g. Great Crested Newts) are present and, if so, come up with an appropriate mitigation strategy to ensure they are not harmed during any works. We understand the warmer weather conditions have only just enabled the survey to begin. As the results are not due for some weeks, and a strategy may need to be prepared, the planning application is not likely to be submitted for several months.

This delay in lodging the Application may mean that even if planning approval was given, this replacement station would be unlikely to be operational before the end of this year. This brings further into question the need for it in the first place, especially bearing in mind that West Kirby station has already been non-operational since early 2015.

Another related element of our concern is the Draft Hoylake Neighbourhood Plan, due to be the subject of a referendum in the coming months. In the Society’s response to the Draft, we make the point that, whilst we support the concept of decision-making at a local level, there is a difficulty in urban areas in defining what constitutes in this case, a Hoylake ‘Neighbourhood’, where no such boundary existed previously.

The Draft Plan has taken in an area to the west and south, which extends way beyond what we consider should reasonably be included as ‘Hoylake’. The map included in the Draft Plan clearly shows the Hoylake township, but also includes large areas of farmland to the south far beyond the Carr Lane estate, and has ‘annexed’ land that is part of Meols to the east. We have thus become suspicious that the boundary line here seems to bear a close relationship to that of the proposed golf resort; especially as written evidence in the draft plan supports the concept of the resort.

The pond currently being surveyed

This extended area is also significant, given there are no plans currently being produced by adjacent ‘Neighbourhoods’, i.e. Meols, West Kirby or Newton, and the impact on those areas does not seem to have been considered.

We learn the Draft Plan has been passed by both Wirral Council planners and the Cabinet and has now also been approved by the Independent Examiner. It is, therefore, on course to be put to a referendum of Hoylake residents and businesses later this year. If 50% plus one vote for it, it will become a mandatory document. We are concerned that those voting in support need to be made aware they could also be supporting the principle of the golf resort which, by its very definition, will bring little or no economic benefit to the town.

Upton Fire Station

The Society is keen to invite people who would like to lend us their support, which would add to our lobbying strength. The subscription is just £10 a year. You can find further details on our website www.wirralsociety.net or contact our membership secretary, Mrs Avril Wilmshurst on 0151 200 3920.

30 The Lake

Following last year’s highly successful event, Wirral once again throws open its studio doors to summer, for its seventh annual Wirral Open Studios Tour (WOST). The tour which takes place on 11th and 12th June 2016 from 11am – 4pm will see professional and semi-professional artists and craftspeople exhibiting work spanning an array of interesting genres.

With a superb bedrock of Wirral talent, the idea is that our exhibitors come together to open their studios, workplaces, homes, sheds, summerhouses and exhibition spaces to the public who can view their work and chat about the artistic practices and methods of working. We hope the informal and relaxing setting of the studios will help visitors understand our artists’ inspirations and creative techniques and share in their passion for the creative arts.

With a spectacular response from artists this year and more than 1,500 people visiting from across the North West in 2015, the tour which is continually growing in popularity and reputation will see over 50 artists, photographers, printmakers, potters, painters, glass designers, illustrators, textile artists and ceramists come together to celebrate this culture-filled weekend.

Artist and Wirral Open Studio Tour member, Amanda Oliphant, says: “Artists often work in isolation and it is so refreshing to know that last year visitors ventured from all over the North West eagerly hoping to see as many studios as possible. Visitors are warmly welcomed in, with artists sharing their spaces, in places that are not usually open to the public. Chatting freely about the motivation behind their work, as well as discussing techniques and approaches is such a great way for people to gain an insight into an artist’s world and we hope this year’s Open Studio Tour will be as exciting and as successful as ever.”

During the lead-up, there will be a brochure, along with posters and leaflets popping up in public places such as libraries, shops, galleries, cafés and bars. The brochure (which can also be accessed online) has a foldout easy-to-follow layout with trail maps and all the relevant details visitors will need to access the studios. As all the work is for sale, visitors will also have the opportunity to take away a piece of original art to treasure if they choose.

You can access the website at www.wirralart.com to find out about exhibiting artists. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

@lakewirral

The Lake 31

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32 The Lake

Hair today, gone tomorrow!

This can be a reality “Unwanted facial hair is just that, so don’t live with it!” says Tracey Locke, lead clinician at Serenity Clinic Ltd. While electrolysis is still the only procedure that can state the word ‘permanent’, there are other hair reduction and removal techniques available. Just remember a patch test and consultation are required for some treatments.

IPL: Intense Pulse Light is a quick solution to treat unwanted facial hair. This treatment is very targeted and, therefore, ideal for permanently reducing coarse terminal hairs.

Laser: This burst onto the scene in the 1990s and there are now many different versions on the market (some more effective than others). It can produce good results, but there is some controversy over whether it actually stimulates growth in certain individuals.

Electrolysis/Diathermy: Using short-wave diathermy this is the most widely used method, providing excellent results quickly. It takes an average 12 sessions to regulate growth. it is still the only method of hair removal that can state the word ‘permanent’.

Permanent hair removal has been around for decades. In fact, galvanic electrolysis was first used in 1875 by Missouri-based ophthalmologist Dr Charles Michel to remove an ingrowing eyelash. In 1924, Henri Bordier invented short-wave diathermy (epilation) and until the late 1990s this was the only progressive method of hair removal available.

The most common places that facial hair appears are to either side of the mid-chin and around the outer edges of the lip.

Hair growth in these areas is typically hormonally stimulated consisting of – in most cases – thick hairs called ‘terminal’ hairs. This type of hair is deeply rooted, with a rapid regrowth.

Unfortunately, most start to pluck these hairs when they first appear. Don’t! This just encourages blood supply, in essence ‘feeding’ them and enabling hair to grow stronger.

Fortunately for us ladies, facial hair doesn’t just appear all at once. It tends to start with the odd one and increases over a long period of time. Most people will start by plucking ‘rogue’ hairs every week or so, but then ‘hey presto’ – before you know it, you’re plucking every day. By this stage, hair growth is well established. What’s more, as some hairs can go into a resting stage for up to three months, what you see is only the tip of the iceberg. But, it doesn’t have to get to this stage.

Just a short 10-minute electrolysis appointment with a registered and licensed electrologist (you can check registration with the local authority) could stop this from happening.

Most of us lead busy lives with the demands of work, home, looking after our adorable children/grandchildren, so we often put off doing things for ourselves – such as tackling those unwanted hairs. So, if you’re plucking or shaving get some professional advice and a lasting solution.

Blend Diathermy (electrolysis) using galvanic current to produce a chemical reaction in the skin: Most electrologists will offer both diathermy and blend diathermy methods and will recommend the treatment best suited to your needs.

Ultrasound: Developed in 1996, it uses sound waves and static energy to damage/destroy the hair at its root. Good for downy or fine hairs.

Alkaline wash: Ideal for ‘vellus’ (fine downy) hair that tends to grow over larger areas of the face. This is not a permanent answer, but can slow the rate of regrowth over time. It can also be used with other hair removal treatments.

Threading: Using a knot in cotton this method of removal has been used for centuries, gaining popularity here approximately 10 years ago. This is not a permanent or long-term answer to unwanted hair; however, it’s quick and gentler than waxing.

Again, it can also be used in conjunction with other methods of removal.

Waxing: Typically using a blend of beeswax and resins to produce a slightly viscose liquid, hot or warm wax can be used on the face. It works best on the brow and upper lip area, producing better results than plucking and lasts up to six weeks. It is more aggressive on the skin than threading, so not suitable for very sensitive skins.

If you are pregnant, have an autoimmune condition or a pacemaker, some of these treatments will not be suitable for you. Professionals will be able to offer different treatments and advise you on individual requirements and treatment plans.

Serenity Clinic Ltd, 162 Banks Road, West Kirby, Wirral CH48 0RH T: 0151 625 6256 www.serenity-clinic.co.uk

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34 The Lake

All Things Auctioneering

by John Bathurst Crane

“Have nothing in your homes that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

This statement was made by William Morris speaking to the Birmingham Society of Arts on 19th February in 1880. It is a well-known quote but has stood the test of time and it is always worth repeating, even after 136 years.

Taxidermic specimens

William Morris

I was recently with a learned academic acquaintance for the purpose of appraising his picture collection, which contained works bought over his lifetime. “Why do people buy paintings, do you think?” I enquired of him.

“They are a narrative of one’s life,” was the reply. Maybe the same may be said of book collections and private libraries. They may enable the peruser who casually with limited time, or in detail at leisure, turn the pages to catch a fleeting glimpse into the soul and raison d’être of their temporary owners, as all assemblers of collections must surely be.

All works of art, whether great or miniscule, costly or not so, must I think represent that which we admire and are available to us within our means. Better a modestly sized, aesthetically pleasing antique print of high-quality on our walls than an exorbitantly expensive piece of daubed ‘originality’ by some well-known ‘here-today but forgottenin-30 years’ ‘personality manufacturer’ of such works. Beautiful objects by their very nature must always be evidence of good taste and a refined (in the true sense of the word) thought process.

It is sadly the case these days that very high-quality works of art are expensive, and most of us do not have the time or finances to have private museums and galleries at home.

However, with care and a good eye, objects that attract only a modest investment can give enormous pleasure and delight the heart for decades. The secret is that to take time and choose carefully and consult those with experience before parting with large – or even modest – amounts of hard-earned money.

Recently I found myself in Shropshire to visit a collector who was changing his style of living.

I had been invited to look at some modern, but high-quality pictures he had bought but

Rare Carlo Bugatti chair

now required an auction selling service. While at the property I was invited to comment on a pair of decorative chairs. I recognised their distinctive style as being the work of Carlo Bugatti. They were exhibited in Paris in the early 20th century and when the Queen of Italy saw them she remarked: “I do love your Moresque style, Mr Bugatti.” His reply was “Your Highness, This style is all MINE!” The chairs are overlaid with copper, have pewter decoration inlaid into the ebonised walnut, and are upholstered with velum. These rare chairs seldom come onto the market in auction. A Bugatti desk made over £100,000 a few years ago. Single chairs come on to the market very occasionally, but pairs hardly ever. At the time of writing the auction has not taken place, but we are expecting to do well for the vendor who bought them because he liked beautiful objects.

Auction prices this year seem to be holding up particularly well and the internet system of advertising our auctions and using three bidding sites at auctions with three operators bidding for clients worldwide can produce remarkable results if used efficiently.

Examples of taxidermy such as pretty Victorian wild birds contained beneath glass domes may not be everyone’s cup of tea on the sideboard, but they have become very popular again and the one illustrated made over £1,100 in our last auction. I always say that cameos are old-fashioned and not desirable these days, but one we were offered last month had such fine carving and quality that it made nearly £500. An oil on canvas painting from a local estate by the artist Terrick Williams made nearly £3,000 for a delighted Wirral vendor.

Fine Cameo

High quality makes high desirability and thence high prices at auction. The psychology of bidding at auction is an interesting subject and I might discuss this in a future article.

Following every auction we send items out to about 20 different countries. Our couriers collect and wrap professionally and arrange all the shipping and transportation – in the main without mishap!

An old client of mine telephoned to say that he had been bequeathed a still-life painting by the artist Jan Davidszoon de Heem (Utrecht and Antwerp 1606-1683). This was exciting news for us as the picture would surely be worth several hundreds of thousands of pounds… I was to find out that it was a Victorian furnishing copy of mediocre quality

Jan Davidsz de Heem copy

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– the ‘masterpiece’ looked fine from about 15 feet away but really did nothing for the narrative of the former or present owner’s life!

It was worth maybe £150 at most.

Art Deco figure

Already this year I have given eight talks about ‘All Things Auctioneering’ to groups of people in the North West. I was in Southport a couple of weeks ago talking to a group of 40 people from the NADFAS organisation where a very nice example of a 1930s figure was brought in for me to see; these have not lost their popularity, especially this one which is in fine condition.

The Probus club which meets at Heswall Golf Club was another destination for an after-lunch presentation. A few days later I discovered a photograph taken at the clubhouse door of the secretary in 1948, Mr C Ross. Does anyone remember him? The Heswall Golf Club has a common link with India Buildings and Martins Bank Buildings in Water Street in Liverpool, the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, flats in Camden Street in Birkenhead and the Woodchurch Estate. They are all great creations of civic athleticism combined with functionality for everyone to enjoy and appreciate – creations of great architectural merit. They all were designed by the same architect, Herbert James Rowse, who was born in Liverpool in 1887 and died in Puddington in Wirral in 1963 leaving these great memorials for our benefit.

At Liverpool Business Fair

Heswall Golf Club 1948

Along with a fortnightly programme on Wirral Radio with Adam Siddorn and a monthly programme on Radio Clatterbridge with Steve Evans, this is what I’ve been up to this year so far – many interesting discoveries uncovered and more to write in further issues, space permitting.

If you have pictures and objects and furniture at home that you are considering putting into auction or selling in London, it may be well worth your while to invite me to appraise them as we do have many long-established and reliable contacts in the capital for the finest items.

One final piece of advice... it doesn’t matter how beautiful you might think an object is that you see while out and about or how wonderful it might look with your current decor... forget what William Morris said and please leave enough money in your pocket for your bus fare home!

Thank you for reading and happy collecting to you all.

CatoCrane.co.uk & 5CountiesvaluationCompany.co.uk) 0151 709 5559 for Liverpool 01244 680055 for Wirral and Chester or telephone me direct on 07836 209995.

36 The Lake

Welcome to The Lake magazine’s film column.

Each issue will provide a rundown of what’s on over the next few weeks, including blockbusters, independent films and arts screenings that are available for you to check out in your local cinema.

The film opens May 13th and stars Will Brittain, Zoey Deutch, Ryan Anthony Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin, Blake Jenner, Glen Powell, and Wyatt Russell.

can prepare us for the aliens’ advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.”

Also this May: Bad Neighbours 2 Angry Birds Going in Style X-Men: Apocalypse Alice Through the Looking Glass Money Monster Top Cat Begins Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles 2 Warcraft

Roland Emmerich returns to direct the film and the brilliant Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman and Judd Hirsch also return for the sequel. Joining the old guard we have Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games), Joey King (Fargo: The Series) and Charlotte Gainsbourg (Melancholia).

Also this June: Me Before You The Nice Guys Mother’s Day The Boss The Conjuring 2 Gods of Egypt During May and June The Light Cinema New Brighton is hosting a wealth of live cinema. including theatre, opera and ballet.

ROH Live: Frankenstein (12A) – May 18th “The world premiere of Liam Scarlett’s new full-length ballet, inspired by Mary Shelley’s Gothic masterpiece.”

Hamlet – RSC Live (12A) – June 8th

JUNE The Secret Life of Pets MAY Florence Foster Jenkins On May 3rd The Light Cinema hosted an exclusive preview screening of Stephen Frears’ (Philomena and The Queen), Florence Foster Jenkins. Using New Brighton and Liverpool among its filming locations, this astonishing true story follows the legendary socialite (played

by Meryl Streep) who obsessively pursued her dream of becoming a singer. The voice she heard in her head was beautiful, but to everyone else it was hilariously awful, leaving her ‘husband’ and manager, St Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant), with the task of protecting her from the truth.

For their fifth fully animated feature film collaboration, Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures present The Secret Life of Pets, a brilliant comedy about the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day! Comedy thoroughbreds Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet and Kevin Hart make their animated feature film debuts in the film, which co-stars Steve Coogan, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Jenny Slate, Bobby Moynihan, Hannibal Buress and Albert Brooks. The film has a great ‘pedigree’ as it comes from the team that brought us such animated hits as Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2, The Lorax and Puss in Boots!

“Hamlet has the world at his feet. Young, wealthy and living a hedonistic life studying abroad. Then word reaches him that his father is dead. Returning home he finds his world is utterly changed, his certainties smashed and his home a foreign land.

Struggling to understand his place in a new world order he faces a stark choice. Submit, or rage against the injustice of his new reality.”

NT Live: The Audience (Encore) (12A) – June 9th Nominated for three Tony Awards, The Audience sees Helen Mirren reprise her Olivier Award-winning performance as Queen Elizabeth II, following her Academy Award win for the same role in The Queen. Encore screenings of the original West End production of The Audience, captured live in London in 2013, feature an exclusive Q&A with Stephen Daldry and Helen Mirren.

Il barbiere di Siviglia: Glyndebourne Opera Live (12A) – June 21st “The 2016 cinema season starts with a bang with this brand new production of one of the world’s best-known and best-loved operas. This is the first Glyndebourne production of Il barbiere di Siviglia in 33 years. We expect it to be one of the hottest tickets of summer 2016. Annabel Arden’s production promises to be playful, theatrical, sultry and slightly surreal.”

ROH Live: Werther (12A) – June 27th

Everybody Wants Some!!

Richard Linklater’s “spiritual sequel” to Dazed and Confused is finally here! From the director of the award-winning Boyhood comes another throwback comedy that follows the newest members of the Southeast Texas State University baseball team. But they’ve still got a whole three days ahead of them before classes start. With some help from the upperclassmen, the team newbies make the rounds and party as much as possible before the school year kicks off.

Independence Day: Resurgence “We always knew they were coming back. After Independence Day redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defence programme to protect the planet. But nothing

“Benoît Jacquot’s production of Massenet’s tragic opera explores the conflict between duty and our most passionate desires.” Starring Vittorio Grigolo and Joyce DiDonato with Antonio Pappano conducting.

Craig Barton is the co-director of Pilot Light TV Festival and works within film exhibition at multiplexes and film festivals, and is a former lecturer of film and creative media.

Release dates are subject to change and are provided by Launching Films and The Light Cinema.

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Shorelines

By Stephen G Baker

Many people are seeking eternal youth. They try various beauty products, fitness regimes, healthy eating plans and therapy, but never quite reach their goal.

The promise of eternal youth is an illusion which creates a lot of business opportunities, makes a lot of people feel better about themselves, but never quite delivers what it promises. It’s what we all want but can’t really have.

Please stop for a moment! I have good news for you. You cannot have eternal youth BUT YOU CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE! This is not a scam! It’s true! There are no catches! It’s the real deal!

So listen carefully!

2016 years ago a series of amazing events took place! These events changed world history and are still revolutionising people’s lives. I’m talking about the birth of Jesus Christ and 33 years later his death and subsequent resurrection.

Nearly 4,000 years before his birth a prediction had been made (in the Bible, Genesis 3:15) that a man would be born of a woman without a man being involved in the conception. Christians call this ‘the virgin birth’; it might actually be more accurate to call it a ‘virgin conception’.

Furthermore, the way that Jesus would die was was not unexpected and was predicted precisely. The mode of his death was not a normal form of capital punishment at the time the predictions were made. In Psalm 22:16, written 1,000 years before the time of Christ, it stated ‘they pierced my hands and my feet’. This is an overt reference to death by crucifixion. You may argue that Psalm 22 was written after the event - try telling that to a Jewish Rabbi!

You may argue that people manipulated events to fulfil scripture. I think an honest look at the circumstances surrounding the death of Jesus clearly makes that suggestion improbable. But the story gets more intriguing - three days after his crucifixion it was reported that his tomb was empty and that he was seen alive. Finally it is reported that Jesus returned to heaven 40 days after his resurrection.

Books have been written by a variety of intelligent and legal minds checking out these claims. Here are some authors you might want to check out. Frank Morison, lawyer, journalist and author (his real name was Albert Henry Ross but he wrote under a pseudonym), Professor Simon Greenleaf, American lawyer & Harvard Royal Professor of Law; Josh McDowell, lawyer; and Lee Strobel, lawyer and journalist to name a few.

The evidence that there is more to this than meets the eye goes on and on.

Ignoring it won’t change the truth but it will leave you exposed to the fact that God intervened in history, that he sent a message and you refused to listen.

I see a simple summary of the life of Christ in the words of scripture “the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world,” 1 John 4:14.

www.findingthemissingpeace.blogspot.co.uk www.seekthetruth.org.uk

38 The Lake

Although you should see a change in your shape when you do cardio exercise you are unlikely to get the toned and sculpted body that you are after. This comes with strength training.

Strength When people think of strength training, images of heavy weights, muscle men, and complex exercises often come to mind, so they tend to avoid them. But strength exercises are combined from a whole host of exercises that either use weights, like bicep curls and bench press, or just using your own body – for example, press ups and squats.

Doing strength exercises will burn less calories than cardio but, unlike cardio, when you stop the calorie burn doesn’t.

Because your muscles need to work to repair and recover, you can carry on burning calories for up to 48 hours after you have finished. Contrary to what a lot of people think, women who do strength exercises will not get big and bulky.

We simply don’t have enough testosterone for that, so instead we get lean sculpted muscles that give us that toned shape.

If you are new to strength training, don’t be put off by male-dominated areas of the gym. These kinds of exercises are great to do at home and you don’t need any expensive equipment either (two bottles of water work great in place of dumbbells).

Although the Great British weather may not want us to know it, summer is approaching –which means it’s time to dust off those bikinis and flaunt some flesh. Although the thought of getting your body out may fill you with dread, there is still time to slim down and tone up. There are many conflicting messages about which is the best type of exercise to achieve the body of your dreams, so let’s put them against each other and see which one comes out fighting.

Cardio When I talk about cardio exercises I mean anything that raises your heart rate and gets you out of breath, such as cycling, running or swimming. Cardio exercise is generally the place where most people start when they want to lose weight. This is mostly because it’s relatively cheap, very accessible and no need for expensive gym memberships.

Cardio exercise is great for quick weight loss because it raises your heart rate and burns a lot of calories in a relatively short space of time. The downside though, is that when you stop the calorie burn also stops. In order to burn more calories and fat you need to work out more, which can be hard if you have never exercised before or had a long break.

So what’s the best type of exercise to do to make you feel confident and look great in your bikini?

The verdict It’s a draw! Although cardio will help you lose weight quicker and help you feel fitter, strength training will mean that you keep the weight off and give you that toned shape.

If you want help but don’t know where to start, why not join Fitness Queen women only bootcamps? Sessions are currently run in Heswall and our years of success mean that we know exactly what you need to reach your goals. We are serious about fitness, but at the same time always manage to have a laugh.

We guarantee results in just 21 days, so what are you waiting for? Sign up for your free week trial now. Contact me by one of the three ways below: Email: zara.wylie@gmail.com Tel: 07702844984 Facebook: fitnessqueen Zara x