FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH

TRIBUTE TO LITTLE ITALY FAMILIES

Dear Scottie Press, On Thursday 15th May I met with Terry Cooke, author of the book 'Little Italy'. I advised Terry that I am about to embark upon a project for a book dedicated to the families who lived in and around the 'Little Italy' area of Liverpool, mainly Gerard St, Christian St, Lionel St and Circus St. This also includes St Joseph and Holy Cross parishes. Families I am interested in contacting are...

Albertini, Baccino, Bordessa, Capaldi, Cappella, Chiappe, Colletto, Frediani, Fusco, Gianelli, Imundi, Innelli, Mancini, Marengo, Minchelli, Minghella, Podesta, Riozzi, Sabatini, Santangelli, Silvano, Tremarco, Valerio, Varcelli, Vernti, Ventro, Vermiglio and Volante. All information and photographs of the area would be greatly appreciated e-mail to dmdanunz@hotmail.co.uk or telephone 07847452857

Thanks Debra D'Annunzio

PARISH CHURCH RECORDS

Dear Scottie Press, My family come from the Scotland Rd, I born in Eldon St in 1950's, it's the first time I have come across your website it is really wonderful and it will a while to look through it all. My parent's worked for Tate & Lyles, I must look for some photographs for your website. My family really regretted leaving the Eldon St community. I am part of the Lancashire on line Parish Clerk project. It is a voluntary group, which is transcribing parish record for Lancashire Churches. I have transcribed records for St Augustine in Everton, St Georges Derby Square and St John Haymarket, we usually write a page on the churches and provide a photograph if available of the church. The Scotland Rd Churches are not very well covered, I was wondering it I could appeal for photographs of churches and any one willing to transcribe the Parish Records. You have a wonderful photograph of St Peter's in Seel Street. The picture on our site is really poor. We can only use non-copyrighted material, or if we are given permission to use the picture by the owner. It is a worthwhile project and is done on a purely voluntary basis. We can obtain a CD/DVD of the LDS records of Parishes and transcribe the records to spreadsheets before downloading them to the Website.
http://www.lan-opc.org.uk
I would be grateful if you would look at our site and if possible consider adding a link to your website, ideally we do need people with Computer's to transcribe the records. Maureen Campion, (nee Braithwaite/Irving)

LOMAS FAMILY HISTORY

Dear Scottie Press, I send are some photos related to the Lomas family and featuring the parishes of St Alphonsus and St Johns. The photo of the double wedding seems to have been taken in a studio of the Carbonara Co., perhaps in Walton Road or Lime St. The wedding took place on 1 June 1936 at St Alphonsus Church, Great Mersey St. The priest was Father George J Sargent. The brides were sisters and lived with their mother, Sarah McNally and two other sisters at 98 Gt Mersey St. Their father had died in 1909. My father, William Lomas, the groom on the left lived at his parents home 28 Howley St. After the marriage they lived at 42 Pope Street, Bootle. The other groom is John Rawlinson, a friend of my fathers. The couple, Joseph Chamberlain and Nora McInerney, in the photo of the wedding that took place in 1929, which is already on your site lived at 88 Great Mersey St after the marriage and would certainly have known the McNally family. In the photo of St Alphonsus Girl's School, Group II, my mother, Margaret McNally, who was born in January 1905 is fourth from left in the second row from front. The photo was probably taken about 1914.The photo that I have entitled Faith Hope and Charity, is of three daughters of the McNally family of 98 Great Mersey St. On the left is Elizabeth, born in 1909, centre is Ann, born in 1902 and on the right is my mother Margaret, born in 1905. The photo, taken in a studio, was probably related to a Church Procession, perhaps for the feast of Corpus Christi, about 1914.

The 1915 photo of my father, William Lomas was taken when living in Howley St and attending St John's School. I found another photo related to St Alphonsus' School, which probably dates from about 1912. My Aunt Ann McNally is on the extreme right of the second row from front. The photo in the backyard was taken at 98 Great Mersey Street in the mid 1930s. On the left is my grandmother, Sarah McNally with three of her four daughters, Sarah, Elizabeth and Margaret, my mother. The photo of the boy and girls shows my mother, Margaret McNally on the left. I don't know who the boy was, perhaps a neighbour or family relation. The photo was probably taken in Oswald St or Vesuvius Street. The photo with the car seems to be a family outing, but I doubt that the car belonged to a member of the family. The photo must have been taken between 1925 and 1930 judging from the apparent age of my Aunt Elizabeth, born 1909, who is between the two boys. In 1925, my grandmother, Sarah McNally, who is the lady with the dog, would have been 51. The McNally family probably lived in Vesuvius Street when the photo was taken.

CORRECTION - St John's School photos

I looked at the photos and commentary that I sent to you before Christmas concerning St John's School, which you put onto your website's Archive 'St John's Web Page. There is an error in the commentary that I should like corrected. The location of my father in both the 1918 and 1921 photos is incorrect. In the 1918 photo, my father, William Lomas is second from right in the front row. In the 1921 photo, he is fifth from right in the second row from front. In the 1918 photo, James Geraghty, who later became a teacher and taught at Holy Name School, Fazakerley (as already stated in the commentary under the photo) is located fourth from right in the back row. Also in the 1918 photo, located third from right in the front row, is Gerry Murphy (with his head down), who also became a teacher and in 1966 was named deputy head of St John's School, but died before taking up the appointment. His father was killed when trying to stop a carter's runaway horse. BILL LOMAS

GENEALOGY WEBSITE CAN HELP
FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH

Dear Scottie Press, I found your website whilst searching for information about Genealogy and thought the new website our company has been developing might be of interest to you and your visitors: http://www.genealogy-guide.org.uk .

The site is a useful guide for those wishing to learn more about their family history and provides useful advice regarding tracing their family trees. The site is simple to use and provides step-by-step information on getting started and the sources that are available to help. It also shows you how to compile your very own family tree and has a useful links section to help with your research. I was wondering if you would be able to provide a link to our guide, possibly from your 'Family History Research' section, I think our site could be beneficial to those interested in their family history and are in need of some of advice. Kind Regards, Emma Franklin

FAMILY TREE

Dear Scottie Press,
I am doing my family tree and still rooting out information. My mum’s side of the family lived in the Scotland Road area but I have not got all the info yet.

Frank Mcloughlin is my dad. He went to Major Street School. The photo of him (above) was taken in 1956 when he did his National Service in Hong Kong with the Kings Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster). The Mcloughlin family moved to Kirby in the 1950s. There was Edward, Margaret, Richie, Martin, Frank, Maureen and Anne, and their mum Margaret (my nan -nee Roberts). My nan worked in the Baggie - making sacks and when I went back on the census her nan Rose Fearon worked there - called sack makers in 1891. My nan was born in Burlington Street. Edward Mcloughlin 2nd married Margaret Roberts on 30th April 1927 at Our Lady of Reconciliation (Eldon Street).

Edward Mcloughlin the 1st (see photo above) - born 29th Jan 1882 in Hornby Street, Died aged 48 at Rice Lane - Walton Hospital. He was then living at 20 Lancaster Street as far as we know he did spend some time in the Navy, when he died he was employed as a ships repairer. Married Annie Eccles 2nd June 1903 at St Mary’s Church, Kirkdale.

The last photo is a group of neighbours from Lancaster Street in the late 40s ? early 50s Going from the back row from left to right as you look at the photos this is the names that I have been given and ? means I don’t know Back - Alice Roberts ? Emily Finch? Mr W Roberts ? William Roberts, Arthur Roberts and Sammy Daley. Next Row ?  Mary Wilson  Mrs Roberts ( ?Mr Wick) Johnny Wilson. Next Row Mrs Daley next two are man and wife possibly Mr and Mrs Rimmer, Annie Byas - then my Nan Margaret Mcloughlin, Mrs A Roberts ? Mary Daley. Front Row - ?  ?  ?  Ada Burns Mrs William Roberts (little boy is her son ? name) ? Katie Roberts.

Sue Lythgoe

WEDDING PHOTO CONNECTS FOUR PARISHES

Dear Scottie Press, This wedding photograph has connections to four different parishes in the Scotland Road, Vauxhall and Everton areas. People pictured came from the parishes of St Joseph's, St Bridget's, Holy Cross and All Souls. The photo was taken outside St Joseph's Church, Grosvenor Street, in 1943. Pictured are my mum and dad, Anne Cunningham (Bride), Charlie Smith (Groom), Jim Bennett, Ginny Dole (Bridesmaid), Phil McConnell (Best Man), Jimmy Cunningham (my Grandfather) and Kitty Cunningham (my mum's sister). I would welcome hearing from readers who may be able to identify other faces on the photograph. TONY SMITH

GORDONS GROCERS

Our thanks go to Frank Hird for providing this issue of the Scottie Press with a photo, which pictures staff at Gordons Grocers in Athol Street. Frank says the photo was taken in the late 1950s and that his mother, Ethel Hird, is pictured on the right hand side. We welcome hearing from readers who may have memories of the shop and staff and or other such photos of Scotland Road's local shops and shop staff.

ATHOL VAULTS MEMORIES

Dear Scottie Press, I came across your website by accident whilst searching the web. In your archive section there is a photo of the Athol Vaults. I am sure that the man playing the accordion is my grandfather JOHN LEARY. Is there any way you can confirm this, it would mean so much as we do not have a photo of him, my late mother Jessie was his daughter. My grandparents lived at 20 Woodstock Gardens. Thank you for taking the time to read this email, and hope to hear from you with good news. Kind regards, LIL ROSSITER

W W 1 WEBSITE

Relatives of 11,000 Liverpudlian soldiers who died during World War One can search for their details online thanks to a web-based index. The W W 1 records reveal information like where soldiers were born, lived and their regiment. The index also features information from trench diaries and war maps. For more details visit www.1837online.com

As well as the W W 1 web site you can obtain information on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission at http://www.cwgc.org/

KINGS LIVERPOOL REGIMENT

Dear Scottie Press, I have noticed on your Family History web page that a Mrs Jenkins has sent in a photograph of her uncle, Richard Owens, who was in the Kings Liverpool Regiment and was killed in World War 2.

I have sent you this photograph, also of the Kings Liverpool Regiment, on which my dad, Jim Molloy, is pictured on the back row. There may be a faint possibility that Richard Owens could be on this group photograph as well. The photograph was probably taken 1939/1940 because my dad was a prisoner of war in Germany for 5 years. There may be other readers who may recognise a familiar face on the photo. Best regards MARY WRIGLEY

Help with your Liverpool RC/Irish Family History

Having problems in your Liverpool RC/Irish family history research? I may be able to point you in the right direction. On my ‘Hibernia’ web site you will find some baptism indexes (2,000 names), some marriage indexes (over 71,000 names from 1800 -1900) and a burial look-up service in the indexes for Ford, Yew Tree and Ainsdale RC Cemeteries (over 300,000 names from 1859 - 1989). Other indexes that I hold are; the Index the 1851 Census of Liverpool, Civilian War Dead of Lancashire & Cheshire. All ask, if I am successful, is that you make a donation to a charity of you own choice or to my favourite charity (CAFOD).

FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH

Family History Research has become one of the most popular pastimes for people with computers. But even with the use of the latest tools available on the internet anyone wanting to find out something about the history of their family can often find that it's not easy.

The Scottie Press website is often contacted by readers who are seeking help with family history research and we have a considerable number of links from a mix of our webpages to websites that offer such help. In an effort to provide easier access to these links and to encourage readers to share their family history research we have established a Family History Research page in our Projects section.

Dear Scottie Press,
One of the finest books on the Kings Regiment (Bravest of Hearts) can be borrowed from any library. I found the book quite by accident and it has references and photos of two members of the Cookson family.

I also have the family history going back to the 1600s (Cooksons Pawnbrokers).

If any readers would like to contact me my email address is

YOUR FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS

Our thanks go to Diane Law for providing this webpage with a photo of her Great Grandmother, Mary Gertrude Tafe (nee Devaney) in her Wardens Uniform (obviously taken during the 2nd World War). Mary was born in 1866 at Waterloo Road, but spent most of her married life in Conway Street with her husband James and 4 children, Selina (aka Ann), James, Thomas and Joseph.

We welcome hearing from readers who may have family photos they’d like to have featured on this webpage.

FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS AND MEMORABILIA

Our thanks go to Terry Baines for sending to this webpage a selection of family photographs and memorabilia. We hope that readers may find them useful when tracing members of their family tree. If you have any family photographs etc that you think would be useful for this webpage please contact ronformby@scottiepress.org

JOHN OWENS

Our thanks go to Anthony Hogan for send to this webpage a pohoto of his Great Grandfather with some information.

This is my Great Grandfather John Owens. This Clipping is from The Liverpool Echo dated 11th June 1915 . John married Sarah Ann Cain at St Anthony's Church on 26th August 1905. They had 2 children, a Son Austin and a Daughter Ellen (my Grandmother) John had served in India and South Africa . He left the Army and remained on the Reserve list. John was working as a Coal heaver when he was called up for service with the 1st Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment during the1st World War. Sadly John was killed at Ypres and is remembered on the Menin Gate.

LIVERPOOL'S OLDEST CATHOLIC CHURCH

A link with Liverpool in days when courageous priests fought and endured for Catholic liberty and progress, and memories of the cosmopolitan nature of a part of the city where seafarers and immigrants have made their homes were provided by St Peter's (Seel Street) - Liverpool's oldest Catholic Church. The church, which was built by Father McDonald, was opened on 7th September 1788. The first baptism is recorded to have taken place on September 21st of the same year. The marriage register, although incomplete, records the first wedding at the church on February 8th 1812.

A new sanctuary was built in 1845 by a Father Appleton who had to cope with the appalling over-crowding of the starving fugitives of the Irish famine. The congregation of St Peter's was largely Irish for many years, but the church also had Scandinavian, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Greek parishioners. Most of who were sailors. By the end of the 19th century St Peter's had among its congregation residents of Liverpool originally from the Philippines, China and Africa. Obviously the church records could be very useful for people trying to trace their family tree.

Lying between the chief shopping streets and the river, the church was often over-run by successive waves of civic development. It withstood this upheaval and the two Great Wars and went quietly about its business. St Peter's Church stood, as a symbol for all that is good and kind until it closed in 1976. Thereafter the church was used by the Nuns of Mother Teresa Order, up to the early 1990s. It was then closed completely and its fixtures and fittings removed. Some of these have been given to churches in the Catholic Liverpool and Merseyside area. The benches from the church are now in St Anthony's Church on Scotland Road.

Currently St Peter's Church is undergoing redevelopment. It is being converted into a 'Wine Bar and Restaurant' and will be renamed 'PAX'. The outside of the church is pictured as the redevelopment work takes place.

PHOTOGRAPHS OF INTEREST

Our thanks go to Terry Baines for sending the Scottie Press a mix of photographs we feel sure will be of great interest to readers.

Terry tells us that this photo of people in a pub on Scottie Road pictures Mary Graham who is his wife's Aunty. Also photographed is Lilly Murray who lived in Hopwood Street, Lilly was a Florist who later had he own shop. Terry's wife's Uncle, Billy Upton, is also pictured holding the cigarette. No names are given by Terry for the other two men but perhaps readers will recognise a face and advise us. Terry thinks that the man standing up was the manager of May Donohues facing St Anthony's church, next door to Harry's ice cream shop.

The photo taken in The Newsham Pub shows Lizzie Graham and Maggie Rice and her husband.

The wedding photograph pictures Mary Graham who married Harry Day. The photo taken outside St Anthony's Church in 1950. All the guests pictured lived in the Scotland Road area.

Pictured in Dryden Street in either late 1950s or early 1960s are a group of children. Billy has no names and once again readers might be able to help identify those photographed.

Terry's wife's father, Billy Upton, and his brother Sammy are pictured with shipmates celebrating the end of the second-world-war. Terry says the photo was taken in Benledi Street.

Terry also sends two photos of old rent books that were once his grand mothers.

THE CAMPBELL FAMILY OF ROSE PLACE

Our thanks go to Teresa Chadwick who sent us these two photographs of members of the Campbell family who lived in Rose Place before moving to Everton Brow.

The second photograph shows Mr & Mrs Campbell with 4 of their sons; Robert, John, Peter and Colin.

Teresa has also provided the Scottie Press with a Boxing Programme (29th January 1929) featuring members of the St Joseph's ABC. Among the members are Robert and John Campbell.

Teresa's father, John Campbell, who was born in 1920, went on to win the Military Medal for Bravery. He was awarded the medal just months before the second world war ended for an amazing act of bravery in Burma.


All descendants of the Campbell family are very proud of the family history.

We welcome receiving other family history information and photographs for inclusion on this webpage. We also welcome hearing from readers who may have useful hints and tips that can help fellow readers trace their family tree etc.

MY DAD’S MEDALS

We thank Maria Bennett for sending us two photographs, which picture two medals that her father, George Caldwell won.

One was won for the Catholic Schools Cup Final while he was at St Sylvester’s school in 1922 when he would have been 14 years old.

The other medal was for the W J. Sawyer Cup, which he won a runners-up medal in 1927 when he would have been 19years old.

Maria tells us that her dad won quite a few medals, which have unfortunately been lost over the years. These photographed medals were kept safe by Maria’s uncle, Thomas Caldwell and when he died they were passed on to Maria’s father and then onto her.

Maria would very much like to know more about the W J. Sawyer Cup. Readers who may have information on this can contact

BILLY WOODS MEDALS MEMORIES

Recently after a brief wait of 50 years, I received from the MO.D a medal for active service in the Canal Zone in the 1950s. It was suggested that along with other medals I won while playing football for St Sylvester’s School they should be mounted and retained as of some interest to posterity. For one reason or another past generations including my father and uncles awards of which there where many; have been treated with scant regard. Probably because an empty belly was higher on the list of priorities than awards presented from a less than grateful nation. Recently I went around my extended family asking what happened to my uncles and my fathers medals won in World War two no one knew; they had all just disappeared probably in the upheaval of the demolition of Scotland Road area in the sixties. I asked other friends of my age what happened to their kin-folks awards none of them knew. So for posterity; -below a description of the medals won in 1947 –48 –49. -50s

From top left, Runners up Catholic cup 1949 bronze medal, Winners Catholic Cup 1947 48 gold on silver. 1948 49 Winners all Liverpool Areas Catholic league final Gold on silver. Winners senior boys.1951 L’B’A. National Assoc. Boys Clubs. Liverpool Central Amateur League 1950s. Second row Catholic league winners all Liverpool area 1947-48 The remaining three where cup and league winners Anfield Junior League. 1949 50. During these years Saint Theresa’s and Silly had the monopoly of football honours in the city. Many of the lads from both schools playing for the City team. A few years on St Anthony’s came to the fore.

When I was called up in the fifty’s I was allocated to the South Lancashire Regiment. During this brief spell I was with them; three or four weeks it was; I spent all of my time on jankers. As I was due to finish one spell I was put on another charge it was never ending, as every one knows who served in the army and done jankers its no picnic especially if you speak with a Scottie Road accent. As I with another squaddie where about to go before the O.C on another charge the other lad said eff this for a lark Woodsy am going over the wall tonight, are you coming, I'm off. Being brought up in Scottie the only time I’d run away from any thing was when me old girl went after me with the heel of her shoe. I got another seven days making that twenty-one day in the first four weeks in the army. Next time it would be before the C.O. with the threat of six months in Sheppton Mallet hanging over me. Next day I volunteered for the parachute regiment I was ridiculed as being too small no chance said a pompous Corporal from Warrington who hated scousers he thought we where all hard cases I certainly wasn’t. While out on the range doing field craft and T O E’ Ts. I was handed a letter by the orderly corporal along with all the necessary travel arrangements to report to P Company at the Parachutes Regiments H’Q at Maida Barracks Aldershot.

At that time direct enlistment into the Paras wasn’t possible you had to have a parent regiment (in my case the South Lancs.) and go through a rigorous Physical and Psychological selection course over four weeks; the dreaded P Company. I past with flying colours in spite of my size. Only twenty percent of the courses got through the others being R’T’Ud. I done well in P Company, the instructors where as hard as nails. They where as upbeat and fair as any one could be, human beings not like the morons at Peninsular Barracks Warrington who like a pack of wolfs devoured you once they got their teeth into you.

The course was tough we competed as a group against other groups but assessed individually. On the curse where six-foot marine commando’s few of them got through P Company. Maybe it was the thought of going back to the South Lancs. that drove me on or just our inbuilt characteristics from Scottie. The discipline boarded on the extreme as it needed to be as we later learned. Having passed through P Company we went on to Abingdon which was the R’A’Fs Transport Command Base. This housed the parachute training school. This entailed another selection course. We were taught how to roll and fall being strapped into a harness from a huge fan in the super structure of the enormous hanger and coming down fast from a great height. We had some more R’T’U’ on this contraption. Then we learned how to exit a plane from mock up fuselages. Our first training jumps where from Barrage balloons a cage hung from the balloon the same type that floated over the city in the blitz. We all where organised into sticks (lines) We hooked are static lines up to a strong point in the cage, red light came on then green and we jumped out at about one thousand feet on the command of the instructor. Every move we made was done to a drill. Again we had more R’T’Us.

We then went on to single door exits from Hastings and Valetta’s. Graduating to double door exits from the starboard and the port side of the aircraft. On my fourth jump in the port stick of a double door exit from a Hastings the lad in the starboard side stick made a bad exit. As I went through the drill of watching my chute develop I could see him drifting into me from the underside of the aircraft. There is a drill for this you spread eagle and hold your position with the intention of bouncing of the other paras’s chute. Unfortunately he panicked. I had every confidence in my chute and was by this time well versed in the drill. I looked up he was as pale as a ghost but his rigging lines where entangled in mine. My chute remained fully developed I was no hero but I knew we would be fine, although one instructor had told me I was as thick as pig shit like all scousers, I had learned the drill. Trying to assure him telling to hold his position that he would come down on my chute I spoke to him like a priest would talk to people in distress. With my rigging lines and harness I kept my chute fully developed. As we neared the ground the blood wagon was nearing the spot on the D-Z where we would land. An instructor was running around with a loud hailer shouting instructions. As we landed the other lad landed on top of me and lay there. We have a drill as we did for all our actions for getting out of our chute and rolling them into a bundle so they can be repacked with ease it takes less than a couple of minutes if you didn’t go through this drill the chutes would be billowing all over the D’Z, on a mass drop it would court disaster. I was out of mine bundled it up and was with the other lad before the blood wagon arrived. He was so still I thought he was dead then I thought no he came down on my chute he didn’t have a really bad drop. He opened his eyes “ Never again that’s my lot” The lad was returned to his unit next day.

Within two weeks I was with 16 Independent Para Brigade I was allocated to The Second Battalion the Parachute Regiment in Ismalia-Canal Zone along with five other squaddies who by this time had grown so close to each other they without doubt, would without a second thought put there mates before themselves. The second Battalion was the only unit in the British army out side the Highland brigade where the C.O and the R.S.M. could wear a Scotch kilt on parade. 2 Batt had been formed originally from volunteers in the Scottish Regiments. On our intro to the battalion the R. S M with a cynical smile was asking questions of us about the structure of the Battalion “Who is the C’O he asked Jock a lad who was one of the five, “H’ B. Coxen sir” he replied” He asked another lad “Whose Q.M S”- “Staff Sargent Welsh sir” was the reply. “And you Tiny”he said to me “what’s my name. At Abingdon we had learned all the names of the C’Os -R’S’Ms and ranking officers. At Maida Barracks the RS.M was Smokey Furness. I had been informed at Two Bat it was R’S.M Spike Jones. Without hesitation I replied “R.S.M Spike Jones Sir” He raised his pace stick above his head as if he was going to crash it down on my head, “Spike Jones” he roared, then a smirk developed over his face breaking into a huge grin “Spike Jones” he repeated. “So that’s what they call me hey, wait till I tell me wife.” His real name was R.S.M Davies, Spike was his nickname like Smokey Furness. He then told us what company we where going to. I was drafted into support company in the anti tanks platoon. The other four lads joined the rifle platoons.

Are duties out there where internal security to keep the Suez Canal open. We controlled all the roads from checkpoints and built in islands. One called desert island in the middle of Ismalia controlled the Roads into Port Said. King Farouk was the ruler at the time being upsurbed by General Negieb. His Foreign Minister proclaimed that he would like to see the gutters of Egypt running with the blood of the Paras, obviously he must have been brought up in England other wise he would have known there where no gutters in The Canal Zone. He also put a price of fifty pounds for the heads of Para’s.

We jumped over Jordan the boy King Hussein was on the DZ to greet us. One of the lads presented him with a tin of corned beef from our haversack rations, he was disgusted, and he being a Moslem thinking it was pork. On big operational brigade jumps we left the aircraft at 700 ft and lower. Normally the height was one thousand feet this was safer giving you time to correct your flight, lower your kit from a rope attached to your parachute harness this rope would dangle twenty or so feet below you till it hit the ground.

Anti tank platoon 2 Para on burnt out tank Sinai Desert 1950's

Devils Island road junction Ismalia, with a few of the mates having a break. Note the pillboxes mounted with Brens, also the bridge in the back ground across the sweet water canal that was controlled by Paras.

Below are four more snaps taken during my time in Egypt

Top of Shelled Building with Bren. Ismalia Gun	Eygpt In KD
Ready for the bus	Sitting on a six pounder Anti Tank Gun

We thank Anthony Hogan for sharing these phtographs and memories with the Scottiepress should any of our readers wish to contribute to this page or any other on the website we would be only too pleased to feature your material on our site.

This is a photograph of my Grandfather Bernard Hogan and My Grandmother Ellen (Nellie) Owens.Taken in 1939/40. they are holding there son(my father) Bernard Hogan served as a Gunner in the Royal Artillery during WW2.He fought through Africa before landing in Italy. Sadly he was killed in action on 25 January 1944 at Minturno. he is buried in the Minturno war cemetery.

Here are my Grandparents on their wedding day in March 1937. They married at St Anthonys.Nellie lived in Kew street and Bernard in Comus Street.They moved into St Martins Cottages after the Marriage. Bernard was a Dock Labourer.Nellie later moved back to Kew street after Bernards death.She later met and married Arthur Graley and lived a happy life.

This photograph was taken in 1916. it shows my Grandfather( holding his fathers hand ) aged about 4. he is with his two brothers John and Thomas and his parents Mary Flaherty and John Hogan.a sister Winifred was born a year later.John Hogan was Killed in action during WW1,while serving at Ypres in Belgium.John and Mary married in 1908 at St Josephs. Mary was later a member of the St Silvesters Parish and lived to the age of 94.My Grandmothers Father John Owens was also killed in action at Ypres in 1915.

My ancestors seem to have come from the parishes of St Anthonys,St Josephs and St Silvesters. My Grandmother attended St Anthonys School as did my Father. Her parents were John Owens and Sarah Cain.They have a big connection to St Anthonys.

I started my search for my Grandfather last September. i just wanted to know something about him. i have been very lucky and have received help from many people and places. One of my biggest successes was through the Scottie road message boards.

I wanted to put my finds onto this site to remember my Grandparents and their connection to Scotland road. many thanks to Ron for allowing me.i also hope to hear from any readers who knew my family and could tell me anything about them. Anthony.

MY MOTHER’S AND FATHER’S MEDALS

These three medals are over 100 years old, they were presented to my Mother for ‘good attendance and conduct’ at St Mary’s school, Lower Milk Street. One medal is dated 1899 for 2 years, another 1900 for 3 years and the third 1901 for 4 years.

These two medals were presented to my Father by the Cunard Steamship Company Ltd for being a member of the ‘Winning Lifeboat Crew’ when he served on the R.M.S. Caronia, June 5th 1913 and on the R.M.S. Franconia, August 2nd 1913. The metal matchbox was a gift from the County Borough of Blackpool as an official memento of the ‘Visit of the Channel Fleet’ on 9th, 10th and 11th of August 1907.

Alice O’Keeffe

Our thanks go to Alice O’Keeffe for providing the Scottie Press website with some very interesting information about two sets of medals she has kept safe for many years. We are looking for interesting articles like this for inclusion on the website as they are a very important part of our Archive project that will hopefully secure for future generations a means of appreciating local community history, heritage and culture. We welcome hearing from readers who may have medals won and or awarded to their parents or grandparents that they might like featured on the website. We are also keen to include old school certificates as featured on this webpage.

FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH

I would be grateful if any readers could help me with regards to tracing my family tree. I am particularly interested in finding out more about the Pritchards who lived in Eaton Street in 1881 and Gascoyne Street in 1891. I send a photo taken in the 1900s which pictures my grandmother Elizabeth Ellen Owens nee Pritchard who was born in 1880 at 51 Eaton Street and later lived at 115 Gascoyne Street. I have no idea where the photo was taken but with her having roots in the Scotland Road area it is probably somewhere local. She may have been living in the Great Homer Street area at the time as my mother went to Penhryn Street School.


I also send a photo of my Uncle, Richard Owens (who was my mother’s brother). As you can see he was a member of Kings Liverpool Regiment and he was killed in Monte Casino in 1944. I also send a photo of his grave in Monte Casino. I would welcome hearing from any readers who might have more information about the Kings Liverpool Regiment.

If you have any information please contact Ron at the Scottie Press who will forward the information to me.

ronformby@scottiepress.org

Many thanks
MRS JENKINS

HIBERNIA WEBSITE: RESEARCHING IRISH FAMILY HISTORY IN THE LIVERPOOL AREA
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~hibernia

This website was set up to help people with their Irish Family History research in the Liverpool area. I and many others have struggled over the years to find out the roots of our Irish ancestors. Many Irish came to Liverpool in the 1800 and 1900s for all sorts of reasons. Each person will have their own tale to tell. By far the greatest influx arrived between 1840 & 1860. Mostly poor Catholics trying to escape famine and poverty in Ireland. Some people only stayed for a while before moving to other parts of England, Scotland and Wales. Some went further afield, America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand being the most common destinations. I suspect the poorest and those without relatives elsewhere stayed in Liverpool. The Catholic churches at that time struggled to accommodate their growing congregations, so many new churches were opened to meet their needs. The main area of growth for Catholic churches was the Vauxhall and Scotland Road districts.

So it is the RC churches in this area that will hold a lot of useful Irish family data. The RC marriage registers being the best source to check. There you may find the Groom or Bride saying they came from a certain county in Ireland. Some give the parish they came from. Others may give you the names of the father and mother of the parties. I have even seen in some marriage registers give the address of the parents in Ireland.

It is for the above reasons that I have put together a Liverpool RC marriage index (1800 – 1900) that gives information on over 64,000 persons. The majority of them being of Irish descent. Other marriage indexes available are on the website.

• St Anthony’s RC church Liverpool 1856 – 1906


• St Franci Xaviers RC church Liverpool 1856 – 1863


• St Mary’s RC church Woolton, Liverpool 1756 - 1907

Another look up service I provide is a cemetery search service for Ford, Yew Tree and Ainsdale Cemeteries. I have the index to the burials that took place 1859 – 1989. Ford Cemetery has over 250,000 burials, most of the people of Irish descent. The website has a couple of baptism indexes

• St Austin’s RC Church, Grassendale, Garston, Liverpool 1856 – 1882


• St George’s Presbyterian Church, Liverpool 1856 – 1905

There are burial indexes

• St Anthony’s RC Church Scotland Road Liverpool for 1847


• St Nicholas RC Church Liverpool, 1813 – 1854


• SS Peter & Paul’s RC Church Crosby, 1826 – 1920

For those people who would like to learn more there is an article called ‘Notes on Researching Irish Family History in the Liverpool area’ by Marie McQuade and Jo McCann. This provides lots of useful information. Church pictures and histories have been added to the website along with lots of useful links to other Birth, Marriage, Death and Census indexes and other useful website.

PATRICK NEILL.

FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH

Family History Research has become one of the most popular pastimes for people with computers. But even with the use of the latest tools available on the internet anyone wanting to find out something about the history of their family can often find that it's not easy.

The Scottie Press website is often contacted by readers who are seeking help with family history research and we have a considerable number of links from a mix of our webpages to websites that offer such help. In an effort to provide easier access to these links and to encourage readers to share their family history research we have established this Family History webpage.

We welcome hearing from readers who may like to suggest additional website links to those we list. We also welcome readers who may wish to use either our Guestbook or Forum facility to request help with information they require regarding their family history research. To access the Guestbook and or Forum facility click here

Links www.liverpoolhistorysociety.org.uk www.familia.org.uk www.familyrecords.gov.uk www.ffhs.org.uk www.bbc.co.uk/history/your_history/familyhistory www.genuki.org.uk/gs www.pro.gov.uk
Links www.liverpoolregisteroffice.net www.familysearch.org www.ancestry.com www.rootsweb.com www.pro.gov.uk www.shizzzyb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Dear Scottie Press
The Family History Research webpage is a great idea. My favourite site for Liverpool researches is www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk There is a great links page that has lots of information about Liverpool Irish e.g. lists 64,000 RC marriages just for starters.

SUE MILLER

Dear Scottie Press
I wonder if you can help me? My Dad has asked me to try to find out some information about the date of construction of the original houses in Burlington street. My father was born in 221 Burlington street in 1919 and his mother had lived there with her mother prior to 1918.

BRIAN JOHNSON

Dear Scottie Press
I would really appreciate any help you can give. I am seeking baptism details and I am after the name of a Church that was at the top of Gordon Street or Conway Street, Netherfield Road. I think it was a C of E Church.

ROSE HALFORD

If you wish to send a contribution to or make any comments about this webpage please contact ronformby@scottiepress.org

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