FORREST’S CARPENTERS, SEFTON ROAD, 1880s-1Between 1880 (approx) and 1906 there was a Carpenter’s workshop in Sefton Street, between where the barber and The Pantry is now. My Mum-in-Law’s maiden name was Forrest, and one of her family stories was about her great Grandad’s carpenter’s shop in Litherland.
That was all the information there was to go on. Through a bit of family tree work it was possible to find the most likely person as the carpenter – a certain William Forrest born in 1841. Assuming a generation of 30 years, it was just about the right timing for a Grandad and Dad to be born and fit in to the year when my Mum-in-Law was born.
The next breakthrough was a trawl of the archives to reveal a William Forrest living at 2 Sefton Road aged 40 in the Census of 1881 and 50 in 1891. Imagine the surprise when close inspection of two original postcards bought off eBay showed what looked like a woodyard in Sefton Road (opposite where the war memorial is now). On one of them it was possible to see the name “Forrest” at the very edge of the frame (pic 2). Result!
Many people will already know these photos of Sefton Road, but if you zoom in there are more details to reveal (see pics).
SEFTON ROAD COTTAGES, POSTCARD 1906 An Evening Express newspaper from April 1932 said the cottages were built in 1704 but were to be demolished for “modern shops”. They apparently had “an uninterrupted view over the River Mersey”. This postcard was dated 7th August 1906 saying this scene was visited (see last pic) so it is likely that the shop was still open then. William died in 1908.
REVELATION OF THE “FORREST” NAME This close-up of a second picture shows the name “FORREST” (near where the red star is). The stacked wood in the yards indicates the carpenters was spread over at least two of the cottages.
THEN AND NOW – SEFTON STREET It is easy to imagine the cottages in the present day by reference to the current Room 21 shop (many remember it as Valins the Chemist up until the early 1970s but then it was Lee’s the Chemist – see the ghost sign still there). As Sefton Street continues on from Sefton Road, you can make out similar window shapes in the present-day buildings.
CLOSE-UP OF THE CARPENTERS WORKSHOP The prominent iron gas lamp on the right marked the village centre. This scene is now looking toward where the present-day Barbers shop is. Gardens with trees covered the large area to the front. It is still the era of the horse-and-cart, or even just the cart with carters - like the one here - being a very familiar sight.
SMALL COTTAGE, WOMEN AND CHILDREN At the other end of the cottage block is this tiny little place, with several women dressed in what appears to be dark robes. There are a number of young children in the picture who are pausing to look at the camera.
LEES CHEMIST The postcard gives a good view of Lees Chemist, a building with features that are still very recognisable today over a hundred years later. It must have seemed modern then with its three skylights and what looks like a horse and carriage parked outside. Now we pop down to Boots for our prescription, maybe then some people went in a little carriage.
POSTSCRIPT – WHAT WAS WRITTEN ON THE CARD? The coloured postcard in this post was dated 7 August 1906 (posted in Bootle). Its message said (?) “Dear Auntie, we have been here today. Love to Grammie & You from Molly and Charlie-Lee. It was addressed to Miss Steele, 5 Hector Street, Stanley Road, Kirkdale. It looks like Hector Street is gone, though it was very close to Bootle. To think that someone sent a postcard from Litherland to Bootle as if it was a holiday destination is amazing.

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