FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH
BILLY WOODS MEDALS MEMORIES
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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.
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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
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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