My Hometown: Birkenhead, Wirral
posted on December 11th, 2007 by Anthony
I don’t think this a meme really, but it is a nice idea. Jack alerted me to the idea with his piece about Gateshead, and he in turn got the idea from Mike Chermin… so I suppose it’s spreading like one.
Anyway it’s all about giving you readers an idea about the area I actually live. I have touched on the area a few times in posts, and my last two designs of this site have hinged quite heavily on the sights of the local area. It makes sense to give a bit more detail to the picture.
Over The Water
I’ve mentioned it once or twice (hey we won’t have it forever…) but here’s the view from our flat. Not only is it stunning, but it does give a good idea about the Wirral’s place on earth…
So basically Birkenhead is slap bang opposite Liverpool. 2008 European City of Culture. Home to the mighty Liverpool FC and some team that play in blue. World heritage site (well the bit in the picture, The Pier Head). Host of the 2007 Turner Prize. One of the biggest building sites in the Europe. What else… oh yeah music… The Zutons, Space, The LA’s, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, The Lightning Seeds, some four piece outfit from the 60s… they all came from Liverpool.
But I’m not here to talk about Liverpool. They’re “Over the Water”, this is about Birkenhead and the Wirral.
The Wirral Peninsula
For those who didn’t pay attention in geography a peninsula is a piece of land with water on three sides.
The Wirral is probably about as classic as examples of peninsulas get. As you can see from the map we have the famous Mersey and the not-so-famous Dee rivers feeding into the Irish Sea at the north.
I’ve lived on the Wirral for most of my life, bar a few years living in Cheadle Hulme up Stockport way. On the map I’ve highlighted the towns I’ve lived, as well as Wallasey where I went to school. Fascinating stuff.
One point about the peninsula is it’s name. Is it The Wirral, or just Wirral? I say The Wirral – it’s not technically correct, but is is how most locals refer to the place. If nothing else it does fit the soft scouse accent and the general local way of saying things…
History
There is a very strong Viking history to the peninsula, we were a completely independent Viking state at one point. In fact there’s a pub near Hoylake that reckons there is Viking longboat under it’s car park, and my local golf courses was the scene of an epic Viking battle – the one that apparently set England on it’s course of Englishness – not too shabby.
In the twelfth century the monks of Birchen Head (a group of birch trees) started up a little ferry service over the river – and so Birkenhead came into being. The church – Birkenhead Priory – is still there and is the oldest standing building in Merseyside. Obviously the ferry is still going too, though it’s a bit further up the river now.
What really put the Wirral on the map, however, was shipbuilding. John Laird opened his Cammell Laird shipyard in the 1820s. Between 1829 and 1947 over 1,100 ships were launched form the Wirral’s coastline, including the first ever steel ship (and very scouse sounding) Ma Roberts. All the ship building also inevitably led to Birkenhead becoming a major docks area in general, mirroring the massive success of it’s neighbour over the water.
After WWII times got harder shipbuilding in the country and things dwindled away considerably. The last proper launch was of the nuclear submarine HMS Unicorn (now called HMCS Windsor and operating for the Canadian Navy) in 1993. Ship work still takes place on the site, but these days it’s for refits and things like that.
The site is used for the odd few other things these days. For example the main construction shed – one of largest indoor spaces in Europe – is occasionally used for testing hot air balloons! (I’m pretty sure Richard Branson tested his last big expedition balloon there.)
Railways also played a massive part in the development of the area (as they so often did). First a certain George Stepheson connected Birkenhead to Chester in 1840. Then in 1886 a tunnel was dug for the railway to carry on through to Liverpool and it’s docks.
This was the boom time for Birkenhead and money came flooding into the town. Along with giving the town some cracking architecture it also provided Birkenhead Park in 1847. This was the first public park in the world! It’s widely believed to be the inspiration for New York’s Central Park. It was sadly neglected for many years, however it has just undergone a massive, and much needed, £11.5m redevelopment.
Birkenhead doesn’t haven’t a complete monopoly on the industrial history of the Wirral – although it’s undoubtedly what made everything else possible. In 1888 William Hekseth Lever built a whole town for his soap factory and workers called Port Sunlight – after their famous Sunlight Soap. It still exists today with over 900 listed buidlings and is a desginated conservation area. It’s still as pretty and well maintained today as it was when it was first built. (It’s a shame it’s next to New Ferry…). Lever still have a factory is still there too.
The Bad Side
The Wirral has always been regarded as the posh side of Liverpool. That’s both true, and unfair. The Wirral has a huge spectrum of areas. It has hugely affluent areas, it has some of the worst council estates in the country. It has beaches, wonderful coastline, it has farmland, it has towns, it has parks, it has industrial estates and much more within it’s 7×10 mile area.
I’ve kind of hinted at it, but when shipbuilding hit the skids so did Birkenhead. At it’s height Cammell Lairds employed around 16,000 people alone. As the shipbuilding industry slowly died over the second half of the last century, money slowly drifted out with it.
Like Liverpool, recent history hasn’t been too kind to the Wirral – and Birkenhead in particular. Admittedly, Birkenhead was always a dock town. Being a dock town will always mean that some areas aren’t going to be particularly posh… but add in 50 years of slowly dying industry and any problems that existed get magnified hugely.
Birkenhead doesn’t have a great reputation and, to be perfectly honest, most of it is entirely justified. The town centre is run down and populated by scallies (chavs), a lot of the surrounding mini-towns that make up Birkenhead are no-go areas for a lot of local people. Only recently Birkenhead made the national news because a 13 year old kid had killed a man and tried to hide his body in a bonfire…
Having said that, for various reasons, my family has been living in a town called Rock Ferry. It’s in the immediate Birkenhead area that was once the heartland of the Cammell Lairds community. It’s got a pretty bad reputation locally, but having lived there for over 10 years I can honestly say it was never as bad as it was portrayed. Not great… but just about bearable.
The Good Bits
So I’ve painted a pretty bleak picture of Birkenhead. It’s hard not to. It’s a huge shame because Birkenhead has some pretty beautiful areas and buildings. We are lucky that our flat is just off one of them – Hamilton Square. This is a lovely Georgian style square headed up by the old Town Hall, with a war memorial in the centre. Birkenhead was once a very affluent town, and some areas really reflect it’s glory days… they were just some time ago now, unfortunately.
The Wirral as a whole though is a great place to live. There a lot of areas that more than live up to it’s reputation as being the posh side of Liverpool. Areas like Caldy where you will find a large proportion of the Liverpool and Everton teams past and present. Mr Benitez himself has a £4m+ property around there.
Caldy is in the North West of the peninsula, and this where some of the Wirral’s finest features lie. The coast line, for one, is beautiful. West Kirby has a lovely beach, a marine lake and is generally a great little seaside town. Up the road you have Hoylake – another nice seaside town – and also home to the 2006 British Open golf tournament. A load of money has gone into that area to improve the transport network etc… it has also seen a resurgence of the towns night life…
The area is also home to a number of parks and woods, a lot of which is National Trust Nature Reserve land. I have many, many fond memories of cutting my mountain biking teeth around Royden Park and Thurstaston. The bedrock of the area is sandstone which makes for some striking scenery, and lots of interesting rock formations – not least Thor’s Rock/Stone.
Thurstaston Common also provides the highest point on the peninsula, offering views of all three bodies of water in a hugely impressive panorama.
Other bits that are really nice, but I haven’t got time to mention:
- Bidston Hill – another lovely sandstone hill, unfortunately too close to one of the worst parts of Birkenhead, but has a tidal observatory and windmill. It also used to have a lighthouse.
- Hilbre Island – a tiny little island just off West Kirby. You can walk to it at low tide
- Leasowe Lighthouse – a lighthouse built in 1763, destination of many a schol trip whi also forms part of…
- The North Wirral Coastal Park – where you can find cracking sand dunes among other things
- The Wirral Way – the old railway line turned into a 13 mile pathway around the edge of the peninsula from West Kirby to Hooton in Cheshire.
- Tranmere Rovers – I have to mention the Wirral’s own football team, playing in League One they have been on the edge of greatness a few times, including a League Cup final appearance under the helm of legend John Aldridge in 2000.
- The Birkenhead (Queensway) Road Tunnel – opened in 1934, costing £8m, and winding over 2 miles under the Mersey it was a hugely impressive feat of engineering. It was joined it’s Wallasey (Kingsway) counterpart in the 70′s.
You can find a lot more stuff on the Wirral’s Wikipedia page.
Summing It Up
I’m not sure I’ve done a good job of selling of Birkenhead and The Wirral. It’s very easy to get bogged down in it’s negative aspects – it’s certainly the image that most outsiders seems to have of the place.
I’m extremely glad that I could call it home for over 20 years of my life. It’s varied environment is a great place to grow up, it has a fascinating and long history, and (mostly) it’s a pretty friendly place. It’s an area where people live, rather than visit – if you see what I mean. It’s certainly not a tourist destination, and until recently it has never marketed itself as one.
I’m hoping that since the British Open came to town that people will start to see that the Wirral has a lot to offer. The council are also desperately hoping to grab hold of the coat tails of Liverpool Capital of Culture status, it should help.
If you’re ever visiting Liverpool, take a day out to come and see us. It’s a place well worth exploring.
There have been 35 Comments on “My Hometown: Birkenhead, Wirral”
Mike Cherim
December 12th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
That’s a terrific write-up Anthony. Thanks for sharing.
jen
December 14th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
THU WIRRAL IZ GUD CUZ JEN LIVES THER.
And seriously, I went to Cheshire Oaks today and Birkenhead is no where near as grotty as Ellesmere Port. I could feel the soul being sucked right out of me when the bus was passing through. Shudder.
And O.M.D are from Birkenhead! You should listen to Dazzle Ships and feel especially proud of your heritage.
P.S. Nobody is puking here anymore, so it’s reasonably safe to come ’round.
Mark
December 22nd, 2007 at 8:08 pm
I used to work in Birkenhead for many years and now try not to ever visit the place.
It’s full of Lacoste tracksuit clad scallies with chips on their shoulders stumbling around out of their mind on either Cannabis, Smack or White Lightning. The Birkenheader is a strange breed, check out Jegsy Dodd’s track called Downtown Birkenhead for a heads up of what it’s all about.
The Wirral is a nice place and has some lovely areas but stay away from Birkenhead – The town with the frown.
Pat
February 14th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
I enjoyed your blog. For Christians, Birkenhead has a great heritage – Emmanuel Bible College having caused outward eddies of dedicated people to many regions of the country – and the world.
Also, Beatties sell very good scones in their restaurant.
Barry
February 23rd, 2008 at 10:36 am
Birkenhead is a town of 2 halves like most places, the suburbs like Prenton and Oxton are very nice places to live (though don’t be fooled by what areas the post office now calls Prenton).
If only we could get rid of the north end, half of Moreton, most of Wallasey and most of Ellesmere Port and return it to farmland what a place this would be.
angry
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:59 am
Well Barry, what an crass remark you made regarding Wallasey.
I was born and raised in birkenhead and now live in Wallasey and I can honestly say there are a lot more places in birkenhead I would rather not live than there are in Wallasey.
You must be one of the lacoste tracksuit wearing smack heads the previouse person was remarking about
mmitchell
March 31st, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I agree with the person who made the comment about Jerkinbed being “the town with the frown” – dead right. It is a s……hole with scally dimwits walking about all over the place. The Local Council, to the detriment of other areas, have spent billions on Birkenhead and it is still a place better avoided. The shopping centre is crap, dirty and depressing. Same goes for the “new” so called bus station. A very high percentage of Birkonians have mega chip on their shoulder and are mega jealous of Liverpool and Scousers. I am proud of my mum being from Liverpool but I would not be proud to know my ma came from Birkenhead. The natives are mainly uneducated and unfriendly.
sadester
April 1st, 2008 at 2:47 pm
hi i’m writing a research essay on a play called ‘the people are friendly’ which is set in Birkenhead and written by a local playwright. its all about the redevelopment of Birkenhead and how it affects the poeple on the ‘worst council estates’. you should find it its a really good play. just wanted to know if they have actually started to re-develop the docks there or if its still being debated- thats what the book is all about- i think in protest to development.
Anthony
April 1st, 2008 at 3:17 pm
It’s starting.
Slowly, but it is starting.
The first plans have been submitted to the council for the redevelopment of the Central Hydraulic Tower.
So I think you might be out of luck with a protest.
proud
July 1st, 2008 at 12:33 am
instead of stereo typing yourselves with the same old spouting of how bad things are in birkenhead/wallasey/liverpool and i wish we could get rid of such and such you should take a real hard look around this country of ours and thank yourselves very lucky you dont live anywhere else (other than gods own wirral/merseyside)take a look around this borough and we have everything most people would kill for on our door steps oh and while im having a rant heaven forbid the poor ever get off there housing estates and mix with the rest of the population they might just mix the gene pool up then where would we be!(prob have a melt down of society)love the blog but to all the misery and doom and gloom mongers plurrppppppp! i blow a big raspberry.
enjoy it you only pass this way once!
proud
July 1st, 2008 at 12:46 am
f.a.o.mmitchell get a life love were your from and promote and be proud of it instead (my mums a scouser crap )my mams norweigan but i dont rave on that bergan is better than birkenhead(were’s your old man from?as you leave that bit out!)of running it down like all the other narrow minded dead heads! why are you ashamed of wre your from
Nancy
July 30th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Hi,
I enjoyed reading your blog and even though I come from Holland it does take me back to Birkenhead!
My parents originally come from Rock Ferry and I’m sorry to say but whenever I visit, I do get depressed and want to go home after two days.
It’s a shame really ’cause it could be a nicer place, all I see is young teenage mothers and blocked up houses…
It doesn’t seem that anyone is making an effort to make Birkenhead a place that people would voluntarily visit!
dave m
August 6th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
i agree with a lot of people here i felt prouds words were very good and should be listened to but sadly Nancy too had a good point this place can be depressing what with the drunken teenagers causing trouble and apparently Argyle street is known by coppers the country over as a bad place after drinking times etc and as to the guy saying the council spending billions . He is having a laugh surely any money the council has spent was given by the people of wirral anyway damn Foo, If wirral was given more money perhaps there might be a better birkenhead park and a place for families to breath sadly again the poor dont get a say
shirley
August 20th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Visited West Kirby for the 1st time last weekend. We are coming back in 2 weeks to have another look because we liked it that much. w We want to move there. It was so friendly and has good transport links to Liverpool. It felt a lot safer and friendlier than where we live (Rugby).
adam
September 12th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
I can’t stand the place. Hope the tunnel collapses and i never have to go back!!!!
Rob
October 2nd, 2008 at 8:27 pm
I live in Rock Ferry by Victoria Park, its a lovely park, I enjoy walking the dog around it and then over to Mersey Park with its view of the river. Its good to see the parents being so proactive with the kids football teams. People around here are really ok, some knob head drug heads but they are everywhere. Litter is a real problem council seem to put litter bins in place they dont need them. Europa boulevard in town is about 300 metres long and I counted 24 rubbish bins, from Argyle Street to Bedford Road I counted 4 theres planning for you. I worry about the lack of fencing around Victoria Park the way the kids run out into Albany Road, the council took the railings down years ago and conveniently forgot to put them back. All in all not a bad place, by the way I have been around the world and I have seen really bad places, you dont know how lucky you are, make the best of it and help people if you can it doesnt hurt.
MATT
October 9th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
‘Some team that plays in Blue’, Everton Football Club was there many years before Liverpool FC came along. If your know your history.
karyn
October 16th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Hi. I live right in the middle of Birkenheads North end (the avenues) & while i have to agree it has had a terrible reputation & bad elements, after living here most of my life (from age 9 to 44) things have been gradually changing for the better . Wirral partnership homes have taken over from the council & regeneration has begun in earnest with all houses getting a total upgrading & so giving people something to feel a bit of much needed pride in .
There’s good & bad everywhere, but saying that the youth of the avenues get a raw deal. Ok, so they’re not angels & some are total tossers, but many are just young kids with nothing to do & nowhere to go who are tarred with the “scum” brush. Sad, but true the majority of joyriders & Quad/motorbikers come in from other areas but the kids living in the Avenues automatically get the blame from people who don’t actually live here & yes, we do still have a problem with drugs/drinking, but we now have a half decent antisocial/community policing team who’re on the ball and this element is fast disappearing, people here now feel a sense of place & things are fast improving.
This is so not the 1970s/80s, & the community living in the avenues are fed up of being labelled “scum”. Maybe if everyone stopped living on 3rd hand memories of ” The north End” from people who passed though on the bus, but never actually got off here we might get a better deal.
Karyn
North End avenues resident.
denny
October 16th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Have just read some of the comments on this site and think that some of them are a load moaning minnies. Big deal if his mum comes from Liverpool, what about the scallies living there. What about the areas like Knowsley, Toxteth etc. I was born in Wallasey and came to live in Birkenhead in 1971. I love it. Ilove the people, the shops, the area. I live backing onto Birkenhead Park in Claughton. The people of Claughton are the loveliest, friendliest, kindest people you will ever find anywhere. When my daughter was diagnosed with cancer they rallied round, supported and helped us and looked after her and her children. As for being educated I bet I have more qualifications in my left toe than that idiot has. All I can say is that the place you come from is made by the people living there, so I don’t think that the people who write such negative comments must be very sociable.
povey
November 12th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
hi liverpool liverpools still better tbh sorry guys
xxx
Angie
November 30th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Hi,
A very well written account of Birkenhead,warts and all.I’ve lived all my life on the Wirral and have never wanted to live anywhere else.I’m not saying for one moment that it is perfect but then where is?In my opinion,we have a lot to be proud of on this little peninsula.
Angie
Nathan
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:48 pm
I was born in liverpool, and my family is from liverpool, i work/ go to college in liverpool, but brought up on the wirral which is the only down side. Their is nothing on the wirral….and LIVERPOOL has everything!!!!!!!!!
Nathan (same one)
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:52 pm
P.S. The bus service is rubish after 5.30 (Monday-Friday).
LEX
January 2nd, 2009 at 5:12 pm
I use to live in Wavertree, but moved to Thingwall (Wirral) 7 years ago and i personally think that Thingwall is full of snobs, snobs who can not afford to live in Heswall. But like ‘Nathan’ said there is nothing here. People from the wirral talk about the wirrals history. I then ask myself what history? Vikings? As ignorant as i sound…please MOVE ON. Granted the wirral is cleaner than most areas in liverpool (espically near the city centre). Liverpool has everything better shops, Catherdarals, better football teams, better industry, etc, etc. The Wirral would be nothing without Liverpool. It’s that simple. Thank You.
Angie
January 2nd, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Hi,
I think that ‘Lex’ is somes up Liverpool, with here aggressive and rude attitude. Thingwall isa very nice area and i think it is wrong to sterotype all the people from Thingwall as snobs.
If you hate The Wirral that much why don’t you go back to Wavertree were ever that is!
P.S. Lex should check his/her grammer.
Angie. x
Phil Tunes
January 10th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
I came across your Wirral account by accident. I am not from the North West, but love Liverpool and the area. I have many friends there. Unfortunately, (at least for me) I am stuck in a lonely place in the Mddle East .
Every major town in the UK has its troubles, come to think of it….it is not so safe where I am although I would never go anywhere if I kept that thought! I liked your picture of the scene over the Mersey…great that. It reminded me of a happy wintertime 3 years ago when I visited Birkenhead. To a dear friend who has returned now to live and teach in ‘The wirral’ I would say it looks a good place to be. Phil
MARY MOO MOO
February 9th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
PEACE AND LOVE ALL AROUND
MARY MOO XX
Betty B
February 27th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Don’t be mean, Angie. Lex’s “grammer” may not be great, but your spelling isn’t exactly brilliant either. See how it feels?
Betty B
February 27th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
What’s not to love about the Wirral? How many places in the UK have miles of sandy beach like this within 10-15 minutes of a city? It’s possible on a busy, sunny day at Hilbre Island to find time alone. It’s all little more than an hour from Llangollen, the Great Orm, Snowdonia, Bedgellert. I live on the west coast of America now and miss all these things. It’s beautiful here, but there are often hundreds or thousands of miles between places worth seeing. Cities? They are full of fluff. There’s no escaping the noise. People spending money they don’t have on foreign imports they don’t need but mistakenly think will make them happy. Keep it.
LEX
May 19th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Hi just Lex here…..Big up that Betty B. Yo Angie, i can’t help my ‘grammer’ init but i is at a writtin’ and readin’ class can’t help my social political upbringin’…….forget Wirral Liverpool divisions this is the north. I am just proud to be British!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
xxxx
BIG UP THE WORLD BEING UNITED
dave
July 6th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
I’m actually thinking about moving to Wallasey or Moreton (more affordable houses) cos i’ve done alot of research and visited both areas a few times recently and it seems like quiet a nice place. I know both areas will have their good and bad parts but which would you say is better in general. I dont really like areas with chavs lurkin on street corners and high levels of drug use. Im not really considering anywhere else in the country cos to be honest i love visiting the wirral and theres alot to see and do.
dave
July 6th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
LEX-
ITS GREAT BEING BRITISH (well half British in my case)
daz
April 18th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
i am originally from sunderland but been in the forces for past 20 years. me and the wife are looking to move to the wirral in about 2 years with about 150k to spend on a house. what area would people recomend?
Kath
May 9th, 2010 at 11:44 pm
Thank you for writng this up – brought back lost of memories from long ago and some from more recent times. I lived in Rock Ferry and I’m sad to see it now – used to be a great busy place with lots of children playing in the streets, plently of shops on Bedford Road and a really nice Victoria Park (by the way, the railings went to help the war effort and never got put back).
Thnaks again, well written and balanced.
Frankly Speaking
June 5th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Excellent write up. Brought back childhood memories of climbing the red rocks of Thurstason Park. Saw this by chance while researching for a novel partly based on Merseyside. I lived in Birkenhead town centre. I remember the savage brawls outside the pubs at weekends but when sober the people were really friendly. Let’s not forget the great sense of humour (I’m talking about 40-50 years’ ago!). It was a tough place to be brought up in but, frankly, it gave me the incentive to study to get away. However I “escaped” by studying (university) and got away to London and then abroad. I remember I needed to hide the fact that I was studying hard because my classmates would put you down. A very negative attitude was the main characteristic – as if you couldn’t or shouldn’t try to get away from the place. The chip on the shoulder was definitely there. I had it as well. The people need to change their attitude (easy to say I know) to improve.