Liverpool Daily Post - Pool of Life

Isle of Man post office marks 100 years since Ellan Vannin sinking

2009-11-09T17:23:19Z

THE Isle of Man post office has released a new set of stamps marking the 100-year anniversary since the sinking of Ellan Vannin, which was sailing between the Isle of Man and Liverpool when she vanished.

The disaster was immortalised in song by Hughie Jones of the Liverpool folk band The Spinners, who runs a folk club in the Everyman Bistro each Tuesday evening.

In 1909, the 339-ton passenger and cargo steamer Ellan Vannin fought through a hurricane in a bid to get to Liverpool and then vanished.

Later that day, one of the indicators of her fate, among floating lifebuoys, dead sheep and bags of turnips in the River Mersey, was a floating mail basket. Crew of the Formby Lightship retrieved it. Birkenhead Post Office opened it and found mail from Ramsey, Isle of Man.

Ellan Vannin was a 49-year-old veteran of the Steam Packet fleet; so small that she was regarded as the company mascot. Many knew her as 'L'il Daisy'.

She had a reputation, however, of being a 'weatherly little craft' that got the mail through in atrocious weather conditions when bigger vessels took shelter.

Launched at Glasgow on 10 April 1860 as a paddle steamer named Mona's Isle II, she was converted at Barrow-in-Furness in 1883 to a screw vessel and re-named Ellan Vannin, the second Manx steamer to bear the name. A rival Castletown line had operated the first between 1854 and 1858.

At 1.12am on 3 December 1909, when the Ellan Vannin left Ramsey for Liverpool, a North-West gale was developing but it was not thought to be dangerous. The Ellan Vannin's Master, James Teare, was a cautious man.

Later, however, the gale worsened to hurricane force. On the Isle of Man there was structural damage. Roofs were stripped of their slates.

Even then, nautical men thought the Ellan Vannin had 'come through ordeals quite as bad, if not worse'. Indeed, she reached the mouth of the River Mersey safely.

What happened next would always be debated. Did she collide with an unknown vessel? Did she hit a sandbank? Did mighty waves overwhelm her?

Experienced sailors reckoned that the sea at this point would be seething and bubbling as huge waves met fast-moving waters emerging from the Mersey. What happened next must have been quick, allowing no time for anyone aboard to put on lifebelts.

At about 6.50am, for that was when the ship's clock stopped, the Ellan Vannin went down, settling upright in two halves, one of her masts protruding above the surface at low water. Because she was a hazard in a busy shipping lane, she was eventually blown up.

A Board of Trade Inquiry decided that 24-foot waves overwhelmed her, even swept away the bridge. She went down by the stern then her bow broke off.

Fourteen passengers and her crew of 21 were lost - many of them never recovered - but it could have been worse. The Ellan Vannin could carry 299 passengers.

The Steam Packet Company would never use the name Ellan Vannin again.

The Spinners' lyrics go like this...

Snaefell, Tynwald, Ben My Chree Fourteen ships had sailed the sea
Proudly bearing a Manx name,but there's one will never again
Oh Ellan Vannin, of the Isle of Man Company, Oh Ellan Vannin, lost in the Irish Sea

At one a.m. in Ramsey bay,Captain Teare was heard to say
"Our contract said deliver the mail, in this rough weather we must not fail"
Oh Ellan Vannin, of the Isle of Man Company, Oh Ellan Vannin, lost in the Irish Sea

Ocean liners sheltered from the storm, Ellan Vannin on the wave was borne
Her hold was full and battened down ,as she sailed towards far Liverpool Town
Oh Ellan Vannin, of the Isle of Man Company, Oh Ellan Vannin, lost in the Irish Sea

With a crew of twenty-one Manxmen, her passengers Liverpool businessmen
Farewell Mona's Isle farewell, this little ship was bound for hell
Oh Ellan Vannin, of the Isle of Man Company, oh Ellan Vannin, lost in the Irish Sea

Less than a mile from the Bar lightship, by a mighty wave Ellan Vannin was hit
She sank in the waters of Liverpool Bay, there she lies until this day
Oh Ellan Vannin, of the Isle of Man Company, oh Ellan Vannin, lost in the Irish Sea

Few Manxmen now remember , the third day of the month December
The terrible storm in Nineteen-nine , Ellan Vannin sailed for the very last time
Oh Ellan Vannin, of the Isle of Man Company , Oh Ellan Vannin, lost in the Irish Sea.

Tom Slemen's Haunted Liverpool books on stage

2009-11-06T08:00:03Z

TOM SLEMEN'S best-selling Haunted Liverpool books will come to life in a series of dramatic readings later this month.

The spooky tales, adapted for stage by Jen Hayes, will be retold through readings and theatrical performance at St George's Hall's Small Concert Room.

The first readings of Tales from Haunted Liverpool will be performed by Royal Court stalwart Eithne Browne, MC at Liverpool Capital of Culture opening ceremony Brian Dodd and Stephen Fletcher, who recently starred as Hamlet in the same location.

Producer Bill Elms says: "Tom Slemen's books are incredibly popular in Liverpool and lovers of these books can now sit back and hear these spine chilling stories in a live interactive way and in a very unique setting."

Slemen has written nine Haunted Liverpool books of spine tingling tales of the city's past and present. Tales from Haunted Liverpool takes place on November 25. Tickets £10 - £12.50, 0151 709 4988.

Photo of the Week: Bonfire night in Everton 1974

2009-11-05T10:27:02Z

The thrills of Guy Fawkes night are reflected in the faces of these youngsters as they gathered round their bonfire in Premier Street, Everton, in 1974. Code: tmc061174bonfire

To order this or any other Photo of the Week, call 0151 472 2549, quoting the relevant picture code, or click here to buy online

Slideshow of images of John Lennon's Woolton

2009-11-04T23:47:05Z

I'VE put together a slideshow of photographs my grandfather took of Woolton in the 1950s that I'm using as the basis of a feature in the Daily Post about what the town was really like when John Lennon was growing up there.

I'm hoping it will stir some memories and that people who lived there at around the same time, and who would like to be included in the feature, will get in touch.

You might even spot someone you recognise...

Guest blogger: tips on researching your family tree

2009-11-02T17:46:01Z

KATHY DONALDSON, a member of Liverpool and South West Lancashire Family History Society who is completing a 13-week placement at Liverpool Record Office, shares her tips for researching your family tree.

Add yours to the bottom and I'll include them in a future blog...

1. When starting to research your family tree it is important that you start with yourself.

2. Write down everything that you know, dates, surnames, maiden names and any relatives that you know of.

3. Complete a small pedigree chart starting with your name, date of birth and then move on to your parents, grandparents and great grandparents recording everything that you know.

4. Visit relatives to ask if they have any information. They may have old documents and pictures; there may even be a family Bible.

5. Before planning a visit to the Local Record Office check opening times, what identification is required to gain access to local records.

6. Family history is not just about birth, marriage and death certificates. Once you have found these, it's worth looking at the social history to your family.

7. If you are unsuccessful in locating a certificate, always consider the alternative spelling: i.e. Morris, Morrice, Maurice.

8. If you can't find a registration for your relative look in alternative records. These can be workhouse records, school records even Poor Law Guardian minutes.

9. Never give up. The information is there - you just have to find it.

Video of old Liverpool photos

2009-10-29T08:20:18Z

I FOUND this wonderful slideshow of photos of old Liverpool while cruising You Tube. I particularly like the images that show buildings that we know so well today still in the middle of being constructed.

Enjoy...

Guest blogger: Postcards of Heswall, Pensby, Prenton and Exchange Flags

2009-10-28T08:26:45Z

THIS is the final piece from this week's guest blogger Old Postcards. A big thank you to her for sharing so many fascinating images with us.

Do you have a special interest in local history and would like to become a Pool of Life guest blogger, contact me at lauradavis@dailypost.co.uk

IN THIS part we will show you more samples of our current stock of Merseyside and Cheshire vintage postcards.

An example of a scene which you may not recognise - take a look at this one of Acre Lane in Heswall - this was posted in 1907.

Here is an animated view of The Exchange, Liverpool, at the start of the 1900s:

A view that has definitely changed is Roman Road, Prenton - posted in 1903:

Lastly, it is not always postcards of the early 1900s that are popular. So many 1960s/70s cards are universally popular; people can remember them as they used to be and these more 'modern' cards too, have their appeal.

Take a look at this scene from Pensby, showing Pensby Road very much quieter then... this was posted in 1975 but judging by the cars and the shops you can see, it was probably published much earlier, circa 1960s.

I hope you have enjoyed reading the blog and viewing some samples of our cards - there are lots more of Merseyside and Cheshire in our store, too many to feature here. In total there are over 1,500 from all parts of the UK and abroad.

Photo of the Week: Parkgate artist

2009-10-27T13:06:01Z

An artist finds a good subject in Parkgate, Wirral. Date unknown. Code: zz020309lookback.

To order this or any other Photo of the Week, call 0151 472 2549, quoting the relevant picture code, or click here to buy online

Guest blogger: How much are old postcards worth?

2009-10-27T08:30:26Z

THE second guestblog from Old Postcards looks at the different types that exist and how valuable they can be.

OBVIOUSLY not all postcards command the same worth. Some are worth coppers, some change hands at up to £100. Different ways of producing the cards play a big part in determining the card's worth as well as the scene they depict.

Real photo postcards, (usually black and white) based on an actual photographic process, are worth more than printed cards which tended to be more mass produced with less definition than RP cards.

An example of a real photo postcard - and also an example of a scene that has long since disappeared is this one of Mount Pleasant, Runcorn. I believe this was in the area behind Trinity Church.

This card was posted in 1913; being a real photo postcard AND depicting a scene now vanished forever, makes this card more valuable. Admittedly one of the dearer cards in our store, but in 30 years of postcard collecting I have only ever seen this postcard once.

This doesn't mean to say that you should disregard printed cards - certainly not! With topographical postcards, value depends on the location they feature and whether or not it has changed over the years. Take a look at this printed card of Well Lane, Higher Tranmere... rather different today!

How do we date postcards if they are not posted?

If a postcard has an undivided back, where the sender had to use the front of the card for a message then these were all produced no later than 1902, which helps to date them. After that time they were published with a line down the middle and the message written on the left with the address on the right.. much as it is today. Postage rates quoted also give us an idea of date - up to 1918 inland postage rate for the UK was a halfpenny; it then went up to 1d.

Here's an example of an undivided back postcard, this one of St George's Hall, Liverpool and also an image of the reverse side of the card (note the limited space allowed for a message to be written on the front of the card!

Unfortunately the postmark is not clear but the card will have been produced no later than 1902.

In tomorrow's third and final part of our guest blog, we will show you some more of our vintage cards from Merseyside and Cheshire. For now, we will leave you with an image of Seabank Road, Egremont, posted in 1904:

Guest blogger: Old Postcards on collecting vintage images

2009-10-26T08:30:00Z

VINTAGE postcards are often a good source of information on how life used to be. This week, our guest blogger Old Postcards, who sells them in her online store and who also writes a her own blog on the subject, shares her expertise...

COLLECTING vintage postcards goes by the very flash name of 'deltiology' and is second only to stamp collecting as the world's most favourite hobby. We all like taking a peek into the past... with vintage postcards you can tap into a world that has gone forever; some locations have totally changed, particularly those of streets and town centres.

The craze for postcard sending and collecting began in the very early 1900s and literally millions were produced between 1902 and 1918 - termed 'The Golden Age' in postcard circles. People sent them by the hundreds and more often than not used them as a form of communication rather like we use the telephone or email these days.

Because they were more or less guaranteed to arrive at their destination the next day (sometimes with more than one delivery!) they were often used just to say 'Meet me off the train at 12.30 tomorrow' or suchlike - difficult to imagine that, nowadays! They were, of course also sent as souvenirs from holidays just like today. They were avidly collected and stored in albums, carefully looked after and preserved. Some of them have really interesting and amusing messages on them, going back over a hundred years.

They are of special historical interest if they show a scene long since disappeared. Here's one of the old Convalescent Home in New Brighton - it was located in Rowson Street, and now demolished.

Old postcards afford wonderful opportunities to search out vintage views of places you knew, still know, or even lived in. Sometimes it is possible to get vintage cards of your very house in times gone by, if you are lucky.

Did anyone reading this live in one of these houses? It is entitled Aigburth Road and Eastfield Drive, Liverpool - note the tramlines and the wires overhead!

Postcards of suburbs are more keenly sought after than those of city centre locations - particularly if the scene or building has vastly changed. Here's one of Potters Barn, Crosby Road, Seaforh, posted in 1909. The barn was built in 1841 but is now the site of a public park.

So.... What should one look for when collecting postcards? Well - the first and main thing is to collect the area or subject in which you are most interested. One important point which is often not widely known by people outside the hobby is that just because a card is old, it doesn't mean to say it is worth a lot of money.

In the next part of the blog tomorrow, I will explain more about the different types of postcards and how their production process plays a big part in determining their value. Plus more local cards from Liverpool, Wirral and Cheshire will be featured for you to see. You'll be amazed at some of the views and how they have changed over the years.

All the postcards featured here are currently for sale in our store.nOur Wirral cards are all to be found in the Cheshire section of the store; Liverpool postcards are filed under Lancashire. When allocating cards to their various sections in the store, the older county names are used rather than the more modern (and not as well liked!) metropolitan districts or boundary changes which came into effect in the 1970s.

Local history quiz (Thurs Oct 22) - answers

2009-10-23T07:00:40Z

HERE are the answers to yesterday's quiz. If you send in your own questions I'll include them on the blog.

1. On the gates of Calderstones Park.

2. It marks the site of St Peter's Church, Liverpool's pro-Cathedral for the Anglican Church.

3. The construction of a ventilation shaft for the Liverpool underground loop line. It was never built.

4. Walter A Thomas designed it in 1908. The building was completed in 1911.

5. Sir Oliver Lodge.

Local history quiz - how much do you know?

2009-10-22T07:00:00Z

HERE'S a quick quiz to test your wits this Thursday. I'll post the answers tomorrow. Send in your own questions and I'll include them in next week's quiz.

1. Where can you find the giants Gog and Magog?

2. Why is there a cross in the pavement outside Topshop on Church Street?

3. Why was the Cavern demolished in the mid-70s?

4. Who designed the Liver Building?

5. Which Liverpool University professor, pictured, sold his radio patent to Marconi?

Pope John Paul II's visit to Liverpool in 1982

2009-10-21T07:00:48Z

AS WE wait to learn whether Pope Benedict XVI will visit Liverpool during his British tour next year it seems a good time to reflect on the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1982.

I was four at the time and can remember my mum telling me the Pope was coming to the end of our road. We lived on Woodlands Road, in Aigburth, at the time so I can only assume that he travelled along Aigburth Road on his journey between Speke and the cathedrals. Can anyone confirm this or set me straight?

My memories of the experience are very vague, but I know my cousins were there and that my sister was a toddler in a buggy at the time. I also remember eating three Mr Men lolly ices because it was a long wait and I think each adult bought them for us without realising we'd already had one. We were only ever allowed Lemonade Sparkles or Mini Milks so this was a special treat, which is why I think it stuck in my mind.

What are your memories of the Pope's visit?

Photo of the Week: Fishing in Newsham Park

2009-10-20T07:00:52Z

AS LAST week's image of boating in Princes Park proved so popular, with lots of messages on the Pool of Life Twitter account, I'm sticking to the park theme with this photo taken in October 1972.

Gone fishing in Newsham Park, Liverpool - or how boys used to amuse themselves before technology saved them from a childhood of fresh air Code: zz280409lookback

To order this or any other Photo of the Week, call 0151 472 2549, quoting the relevant picture code, or click here to buy online

Previous Photos of the Weeks:

Life before Liverpool One

Halewood's last Ford Escort mk2

Deyes Lane School pastry lessons

First day at school

Update on mass graves of Old Swan

2009-10-19T18:08:51Z

A QUICK thanks to Pool of Life reader Fortinian, who send in a link to a piece he wrote on the mass graves in Old Swan, in response to a blog post requesting information on behalf of final year history student Lydia Chadwick.

He's gone to the trouble of marking the sites on a number of ordnance survey and tithe maps as well as recording the responses to an (incorrect) theory that they are the graves of Irish immigrants massacred by the British government.

Further links relating to the mass graves, provided by Kev at Yo! Liverpool, are detailed in this blog post.