West Derby
Encyclopedia
West Derby is a suburb in the north of Liverpool
, Merseyside
, England
. It is also a Liverpool City Council
ward. At the 2001 Census
, the population of the ward was 14,801 (7,182 males, 7,619 females).
, West Derby achieved significance far earlier than Liverpool itself. The name West Derby comes from an Old Norse
word meaning "place of the wild beasts" and named an administrative area called the West Derby hundred
, or West Derbyshire, which covered south west Lancashire
.
It was home to the Earls of Sefton
(family name Molyneux), whose house, Croxteth Hall, and the surrounding countryside estate now forms Croxteth Park, an attractive public space.
West Derby once had a castle
, now completely disappeared, but still retains a courthouse built in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I
: the first (Wapentake) court in West Derby was established around 1,000 years ago. The West Derby Courthouse, built in 1586, was restored and conserved in 2005 and is the only freestanding post-medieval courthouse in Britain. The tiny Grade II* listed building is open to the public between 2 pm and 4 pm every Sunday except Easter from April to October inclusive, admission free.
Opposite the Courthouse is a set of Victorian cast iron stocks
once used as a public restraint punishment for offenders the villages used fruit and rotten vegetables to throw at the offenders. The stocks were placed in their current position to commemorate the coronation of Edward VII
in 1902. Temporarily removed in 2008 whilst the site was renovated, the stocks have since been put back in place.
There is also some suggestion of a Roman
site on a street called Castlesite (nicknamed "The Rosies" by some locals). The site is now a small public park, the shape and dimensions of which are similar to that of a Roman barracks or castra
. The remnants of a wooden castle were unearthed on this plot during excavations in the mid 1930s.
and Cllrs Daniel Barrington and Pam Thomas of the Labour Party
.
is located on the south side of West Derby, at Eaton Road.
Both Everton
, and Liverpool
football clubs located their training grounds in West Derby, Everton at Bellefield
and Liverpool at Melwood
. However, in 2007 Everton moved to their new complex in south Liverpool called Finch Farm
.
The West Derby Society was founded in 1977 and holds regular monthly meetings and outings. It also lobbies on planning and environmental issues. The West Derby Community Association, a registered charity, owns Grade II-listed 'Lowlands' in West Derby. This 1846 mansion underwent restoration and renovation with the help of a £1 million Heritage Lottery Fund
grant.
, one of whose alumni is actor Craig Charles
. St. Edward's College
produced Sir Terry Leahy
, former England rugby union
player Mike Slemen
and actor Michael Williams. Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School
includes footballer Steven Gerrard
and musician Mike di Scala
as former students. Previously called Cardinal Allen Grammar School, it was attended by Everton footballer Colin Harvey
and actor Paul McGann
. Broughton Hall High School
former students include singer Natasha Hamilton
of Atomic Kitten
, and actress Jennifer Ellison
. Ellison later moved to St. Edward's College
for sixth form.
Other schools in the area include Holly Lodge Girls' College, St. Pauls Junior School and Blackmoor Park Junior School.
, The Beatles
' first drummer Pete Best
, who lived in Haymans Green - the home of the Casbah Club where the group first practised; Bill Shankly
the iconic Liverpool FC football manager, whose house overlooked Bellefield; Carla Lane
the scriptwriter lived close by, as did Eddie Braben
, the scriptwriter for Morecambe and Wise
, Bessie Braddock
the famous Liverpool Exchange
Division MP.
was located on the North Liverpool Extension Line
. The station building has since become a shop and the access ramps to the former platforms remain, although one of the passages have been closed off to the public. The track has been lifted and the trackbed now forms part of National Cycle Network
Route 62 and a public footpath between Liverpool and Southport
.
The former Channel 4
soap opera
Brookside
was filmed on a housing development built on part of Lord Sefton's estate.
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is also a Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It consists of 90 councillors, three for each of the city's 30 wards. The council is currently controlled by the Labour Party and is led by Joe Anderson.-Domain:...
ward. At the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, the population of the ward was 14,801 (7,182 males, 7,619 females).
History
Mentioned in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, West Derby achieved significance far earlier than Liverpool itself. The name West Derby comes from an Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
word meaning "place of the wild beasts" and named an administrative area called the West Derby hundred
West Derby (hundred)
The hundred of West Derby was an ancient division of the historic county of Lancashire, in northern England. It was sometimes known as West Derbyshire, the name alluding to its judicial centre being the township of West Derby .It covered the southwest of Lancashire, containing the ancient...
, or West Derbyshire, which covered south west Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
.
It was home to the Earls of Sefton
Earl of Sefton
The title Earl of Sefton was created in the Peerage of Ireland in1771 for the 8th Viscount Molyneux. The Earls of Sefton held the subsidiary titles Viscount Molyneux, of Maryborough in the Queen's County , in the Peerage of Ireland, and Baron Sefton, of Croxteth in the County Palatine of Lancaster...
(family name Molyneux), whose house, Croxteth Hall, and the surrounding countryside estate now forms Croxteth Park, an attractive public space.
West Derby once had a castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
, now completely disappeared, but still retains a courthouse built in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
: the first (Wapentake) court in West Derby was established around 1,000 years ago. The West Derby Courthouse, built in 1586, was restored and conserved in 2005 and is the only freestanding post-medieval courthouse in Britain. The tiny Grade II* listed building is open to the public between 2 pm and 4 pm every Sunday except Easter from April to October inclusive, admission free.
Opposite the Courthouse is a set of Victorian cast iron stocks
Stocks
Stocks are devices used in the medieval and colonial American times as a form of physical punishment involving public humiliation. The stocks partially immobilized its victims and they were often exposed in a public place such as the site of a market to the scorn of those who passed by...
once used as a public restraint punishment for offenders the villages used fruit and rotten vegetables to throw at the offenders. The stocks were placed in their current position to commemorate the coronation of Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
in 1902. Temporarily removed in 2008 whilst the site was renovated, the stocks have since been put back in place.
There is also some suggestion of a Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
site on a street called Castlesite (nicknamed "The Rosies" by some locals). The site is now a small public park, the shape and dimensions of which are similar to that of a Roman barracks or castra
Castra
The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military defensive position. The word appears in both Oscan and Umbrian as well as in Latin. It may have descended from Indo-European to Italic...
. The remnants of a wooden castle were unearthed on this plot during excavations in the mid 1930s.
Government
The three elected councillors for West Derby ward are Cllr Graham Hulme of the Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
and Cllrs Daniel Barrington and Pam Thomas of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
.
Organisations
Alder Hey Children's HospitalAlder Hey Children's Hospital
Alder Hey Children Hospital is a children's hospital in West Derby, Liverpool. It is run by the Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust as part of the National Health Service in England...
is located on the south side of West Derby, at Eaton Road.
Both Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, and Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
football clubs located their training grounds in West Derby, Everton at Bellefield
Bellefield
Bellefield, in West Derby, Liverpool, is Everton FC's former training ground.Bellefield had been Everton FC's training ground since 1946. It was purchased in 1965 from landowner Mr Tyson and Everton developed it so it was ready by summer of 1966...
and Liverpool at Melwood
Melwood
Melwood, in West Derby, Liverpool, is home to Liverpool FC's training ground. It is not attached to The Academy, which is in Kirkby.It is based in the West Derby area of Liverpool and has been their home since the fifties. The ground previously belonged to St Francis Xavier, a local school...
. However, in 2007 Everton moved to their new complex in south Liverpool called Finch Farm
Finch Farm
Finch Farm is the training ground for Everton F.C., in the Liverpool suburb of Halewood.The School of Science is the nickname given to the complex by some supporters, referring to a long-standing nickname for the club. The training ground houses both the Everton first team and the youth academy...
.
The West Derby Society was founded in 1977 and holds regular monthly meetings and outings. It also lobbies on planning and environmental issues. The West Derby Community Association, a registered charity, owns Grade II-listed 'Lowlands' in West Derby. This 1846 mansion underwent restoration and renovation with the help of a £1 million Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
grant.
Education
West Derby is home to a number of schools that have produced famous students: West Derby SchoolWest Derby School
West Derby School is a comprehensive school based in Liverpool, England, and as a community school is run by the local education authority.West Derby school is an all boys split site comprehensive school...
, one of whose alumni is actor Craig Charles
Craig Charles
Craig Joseph Charles is an English actor, stand-up comedian, author, poet, radio and television presenter, best known for playing Dave Lister in the British cult-favourite science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf...
. St. Edward's College
St. Edward's College
St. Edward's College is a voluntary aided, Catholic school in the UK located in the West Derby suburb of Liverpool. The institution was formerly a boys grammar school run by the Congregation of Christian Brothers, known widely as The Irish Christian Brothers...
produced Sir Terry Leahy
Terry Leahy
Sir Terry Leahy is a former CEO of Tesco, the largest British supermarket chain.He lives in Cuffley, Hertfordshire, with his wife, Alison and his three children.- Early life :...
, former England rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player Mike Slemen
Mike Slemen
Michael Anthony Slemen is a former international rugby union player. He toured South Africa in 1980 with the British and Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for Liverpool.-Rugby union career:...
and actor Michael Williams. Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School
Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School
The Cardinal Heenan Catholic Sports College is a comprehensive school for boys and sixth form college in West Derby, Liverpool, L12 9HZ, England.-Admissions:It is just north of the A57 in Mill Yard, east of the Alder Hey Children's Hospital...
includes footballer Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
and musician Mike di Scala
Mike Di Scala
Mike Di Scala , also known as Re-Con, is a British electronic musician, record producer, disc jockey and singer-songwriter from Liverpool, England. Di Scala began producing records as Re-Con in the late 1990s and he first emerged as the producer of English dance group Rezonance Q and was also the...
as former students. Previously called Cardinal Allen Grammar School, it was attended by Everton footballer Colin Harvey
Colin Harvey
Colin Harvey is a retired English footballer who is best known for his time as a player, coach and manager with Everton. He is married to Maureen and lives in Aughton, Lancashire.- Playing career :...
and actor Paul McGann
Paul McGann
Paul McGann is an English actor who made his name on the BBC serial The Monocled Mutineer, in which he played the lead role...
. Broughton Hall High School
Broughton Hall High School
Broughton Hall High School is an all-girls', Roman Catholic secondary school and sixth form in the West Derby area of Liverpool, L12 9HJ England. The school holds Specialist Technology College status.- History :...
former students include singer Natasha Hamilton
Natasha Hamilton
Natasha Maria Hamilton is a British singer-songwriter, dancer and occasional stage actress. She was a member of Atomic Kitten from 1999 to 2008.-Early life and career:...
of Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten were an English girl group from Liverpool, first established in 1997. Created by Andy McCluskey, the final line-up, and most commercially successful, consisted of Natasha Hamilton, Liz McClarnon, and Jenny Frost...
, and actress Jennifer Ellison
Jennifer Ellison
Jennifer Lesley Ellison is an English actress, glamour model, television personality, dancer and singer...
. Ellison later moved to St. Edward's College
St. Edward's College
St. Edward's College is a voluntary aided, Catholic school in the UK located in the West Derby suburb of Liverpool. The institution was formerly a boys grammar school run by the Congregation of Christian Brothers, known widely as The Irish Christian Brothers...
for sixth form.
Other schools in the area include Holly Lodge Girls' College, St. Pauls Junior School and Blackmoor Park Junior School.
Notable residents
Well known residents of West Derby have been; Shakespearian actor Leslie BanksLeslie Banks
Leslie Banks, CBE was an English theatre and cinema actor, director and producer, now best remembered playing gruff, menacing characters in black and white movies of the 1930s and 1940s.-Early life:...
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' first drummer Pete Best
Pete Best
Pete Best is a British musician, best known as the original drummer in The Beatles. He was born in the city of Madras, British India...
, who lived in Haymans Green - the home of the Casbah Club where the group first practised; Bill Shankly
Bill Shankly
William "Bill" Shankly, OBE was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Liverpool between 1959 and 1974. One of Britain's most successful and respected football managers, Shankly was also a fine player whose career was interrupted by the Second World War...
the iconic Liverpool FC football manager, whose house overlooked Bellefield; Carla Lane
Carla Lane
Carla Lane, OBE is an English television writer responsible for many successful sitcoms, including The Liver Birds , Butterflies , and Bread ....
the scriptwriter lived close by, as did Eddie Braben
Eddie Braben
Eddie Braben is a comedy writer and performer who has provided material for such figures as David Frost and Ronnie Corbett, and who is most famous for having written for Ken Dodd and Morecambe and Wise....
, the scriptwriter for Morecambe and Wise
Morecambe and Wise
Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, usually referred to as Morecambe and Wise, or Eric and Ernie, were a British comic double act, working in variety, radio, film and most successfully in television. Their partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death in 1984...
, Bessie Braddock
Bessie Braddock
Elizabeth Margaret Braddock JP , better known as Bessie Braddock, was a British Labour politician...
the famous Liverpool Exchange
Liverpool Exchange (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool Exchange was a borough constituency within the city of Liverpool in England, centred around Liverpool Exchange railway station. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.The...
Division MP.
Transport
West Derby railway stationWest Derby railway station
West Derby railway station was a station located on the North Liverpool Extension Line to the south of Mill Lane, West Derby, Liverpool, England, it opened on 1 December 1879....
was located on the North Liverpool Extension Line
North Liverpool Extension Line
The North Liverpool Extension Line is a now-disused railway line in Liverpool, England. The line was to be the eastern section of the Merseyrail Outer Loop...
. The station building has since become a shop and the access ramps to the former platforms remain, although one of the passages have been closed off to the public. The track has been lifted and the trackbed now forms part of National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
Route 62 and a public footpath between Liverpool and Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
.
Filmography
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Brookside
Brookside
Brookside is a defunct British soap opera set in Liverpool, England. The series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982, and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003...
was filmed on a housing development built on part of Lord Sefton's estate.