Everton Valley

Lyric Studios? This is a photo of my grandmother taken in about 1910. The thing I am flagging up is the address. The photographic studio has no number on Walton Road just 2c. I suspect the studio must have been behind the Lyric Theatre, perhaps part of the same complex? Any ideas?

As Everton Valley sweeps up towards Anfield, this intriguing image will fascinate former pupils of Major Lester Primary School. Sherlock Street, immediately on the right, led to the school. Rembrandt Street is the next one up with the old shops in between.

A wonderful 1968 shot of the grand terraced houses on Everton Valley with their steep steps up to the front door. The tram lines are still in place.

A 44 Tram at the junction of Everton Valley/St Domingo Road/ and Kirkdale Vale. Chadwick Mount Church is in the background.

Chadwick Mount Church ‘Then & Now’ uploaded by Jimmy Johnson to the Heyworth Street Facebook platform

A remarkable picture of a tram accident on Everton Valley in the 1950s, uploaded by Irene Delaney Edgar to the Netherfield Road & S.A. Facebook. What a dramatic incident. I remember the newsagent on the corner of Kirkdale Vale. The old ambulance shape pinpoints the date.

In the picture of the teachers from Major Lester School. I know the tall man on the far right is Mr O'Brian - I always used to have a sense of dread going into his class but it was unfounded. He was a nice man and introduced us to poetry. He went on to work for a school for the blind. The gentleman sitting in front of him. I think it is Mr Weights (not sure of spelling). He was a great storyteller and introduced us to Worzel Gummidge. I think he lived in Arkles Lane, Anfield. I hope this helps!

On your marks, get set . . . the cars on the other side of the Walton Road lights appear to be on the grid of the Everton Grand Prix, ready to roar across the Valley's junction with Netherfield Road North and Kirkdale Road in the 1960s.

A fascinating picture looking down Everton Valley towards its multi junction with Netherfield Road, Kirkdale Road and Walton Road, uploaded originally to the Netherfield Road & Surrounding Area Facebook platform by Denis Hargreaves. It highlights a devastating moment following German Luftwaffe bombing as the 1941 May Blitz begins to take its toll, Dave Bridson pinpointing that on the far left of the photo is the Liver pub on the corner of Morely Street. Damaged straight ahead is the Pembroke Castle pub, and a section of the famous Derby Arms pub can be seen on the far right, Every time I think I've seen local images from every angle, another one appears that is absolutely stunning. I was not born until the end of 1948, but lived 100 yards to the left of this image up Netherfield Road North. There were many bomb sites or debris/ oller areas around the district which, as kids, we only thought of as our personal playgrounds. This is one of those shots that literally takes your breath away. The Derby Arms on the right was clearly completely rebuilt with its amazing tile work across the frontage. The second time it suffered such a devastating blow was in the 1960s, this time at the hands of the demolition bulldozers that finished off the work the Luftwaffe had attempted 15/20 years earlier. Fascinating to see the Pembroke Castle Pub which, clearly, was never rebuilt. To the right of that is what I remember as the main district Post Office where, as a kid, I would get my one shilling or two and six savings stamps bearing the faces a young Princess Anne or Prince Charles. That discipline of saving little and often for something in the future that you might be able to afford has sadly gone, swamped by the age of plastic Visa cards and the like. Again, a sensational picture that tells so much.

A classic image looking up Everton Valley from its Nertherfield/Kirkdale/Walton Road junctions. A bobby directs the traffic as a tram trundles down. The steeple of the former Everton Valley Presbyterian Church at the top of Royal Street can be seen.

The famous Notre Dame College on the Valley, the site now replaced by new houses.

Thanks go to Pete Mears for this remarkable image. He says: "This is Major Lester Primary School, its main entrance on Sherlock Street off Everton Valley, taken from the top floor of Sir Tommy White Gardens tenements in the late 60s, a telephoto shot over the rooftops of Calder Street of the back of the school. It shows kids having a great time playing in the yard. What happy memories it brings back. Five plus decades on, just where has the time gone? Perhaps the last word on that should be left to the great Albert Einstein who, when deliberating on the concept of time concluded: ‘The distinction between past, present and future is a persistent illusion.’

An intriguing and unusual shot of the back of the Notre Dame College on Everton Valley in 1948 with the girl students enjoying a dance lesson.

An old 44d corporation bus makes its way up the bottom end of Everton Valley. The houses on the left have been replaced and, likkewise, the large wall and hoardings on the right have gone, replaced by modern build.

WW2 German parachute mine damage near Everton Valley. The whole area was devastated during the 1941 May blitz.

The shops at the bottom of the Valley that were inbetween Morley Street and Foley Street. In the sixties and seventies before the '5' a side football pitches were laid out there used to be an advertising hoarding and waste ground on this spot. Quite a rare photo, even if I do say so myself.

Major Lester staff mid to late 1950s: Back row, left Mr Orr; second left Mr Hignett. Front row left Mr Jim Harker, my wonderful and inspirational teacher; second left Miss June Abel who we all adored. Mr Auger is on this picture. Of course, centre front is the gentle giant who was our remarkable headmaster, Mr Arthur Corrin. It would be great if the others could be identified.

Everton Valley across to Kirkdale Vale.

Quite a climb up to your front door to enter these once highly impressive residences on Everton Valley.

Everton Valley Presbyterian Church of Scotland situated at the top of Royal Street. It was opened in 1862 and was demolished due to it having death watch beetle in its' timbers some time late 50's or early 60's.

A tram heading down the Valley

A 1968 photo of the pub on the corner of Everton Valley and St Domingo Rd.

St Chad's, Everton Valley.

Everton Valley and the and Notre Dame College demolition. Thankfully, a good housing estate has gone up on the site of this and the old Major Lester School.

A really unusual and captivating angle of Everton Valley from the upstairs window of one of the large houses that were once on the right hand side as you go up the Valley.

Everton Valley’s famous Derby Arms pub before demolition in the 1960s. The contrast to the present site is dramatic, as captured by Brian Rea below. You can see the splendour of some of the former grand Victorian houses further up the Valley before they too were demolished,

The famous Derby Arms pub site as it is now on Everton Valley, perfectly captured by Brian Rea who actually lived on the other side of the road.

Everton Valley’s famous Derby Arms pub before demolition. The contrast now is dramatic, as captured by Brian Rea below. You can see the previous splendour of some of the grand Victorian houses further up the Valley before demolition. There are more Derby Arms images further down this reel.

This picture, taken in our Major Lester playground in May 1957, should bring back memories for some of my old classmates. That's me, arms folded, back row (second left) - ready for the new Handball action game that a visiting teacher from Malaya was about to get underway. Next to me, third from left, is my great friend, the late Billy Willmott. Central next to him is the always smiling and upbeat John Rimmer. One of my Facebook friends, who I am still in touch with, is Tommy Marshall (back row, right).

A sad sight on Everton Valley where these former grand Victorian Houses now lie empty and ready for demolition in the 1960s. These properties and those of their neighbours once faced Everton's famous Lyric Theatre which was directly opposite on the Valley. The houses were elevated with steps up to their front doors. I well remember these impressive properties. My 1950s Major Lester school friend Tommy Marshall lived in one of them. Picture courtesy of Gerard Fagan's collection.

Not strictly Everton, but I couldn't resist uploading this picture of the famous Harry Quinn bike shop close to Everton Valley on Walton Road. Thousands of local kids would have got their first bikes here or gone to this shop for quick repairs and equipment. Another well known bike shop was O'Neill's on Great Homer Street where I got my first two-wheeler, a Hercules New Yorker with 3-speed Sturmey Archer gears.

Everton Valley 1975, uploaded to Netherfield Road & Surrounding Area Facebook by Robert Curran.

Another great picture of Everton Valley showing a tram and an old corpy bus. Notice the white coated policeman taking his life into his own hands directing the traffic, just to the right of the bus.The pub and the post office will inspire contrasting memories.

Everton Valley's Derby Arms as a Walker's Brewery pub.

An historic and fascinating 1897 programme from Everton Valley's long gone and yet still famous Lyric Theatre.

Thanks to Kay Roney for the great picture of the corner of Everton Valley and St. Domingo Road in the reel below. The big church on the corner, next to Notre Dame, is Chadwick Mount where there was a Scout troop. After emerging from the Cubs at Major Lester School as a proud 'senior sixer' I went to St Chad's to join the Scouts. I was really keen to be a drummer in their band. Instead, I was given something like a bugle and was so disappointed, that it immediately marked the end of my brief Scout career. I have one more memory of St Chad's and, sadly, it's not a Sunday Service. They occasionally held a Rummage Sale and I recall going with my mother and being mesmerised by all of the second hand games on display one stall. It was like an early Christmas grotto!

Notre Dame Girls School, once stood proud on Everton Valley. The interior was amazing, now demolished, new houses are being built on the site, what a shame .

This beautiful building has now been demolished,

Notre Dame Collegiate, my old school, now demolished.

At the corner of St. Domingo Rd. and Everton Valley

Absolutely brilliant photographs that have evoked so many fond memories. My first job in 1965 as an Office Junior was with Wm Rainford, Ltd on Everton Valley which was only a short stroll from my home in Leadenhall Street though I wasn't keen on the walk back up St Domingo Road after a day's work while I enjoyed my first illegal pint of beer at the age of 16 in the Valley pub opposite my workplace. Great memories of working with great people who taught me so much for the journey ahead.

Thank goodness Frank Lenhan took this shot of the familiar Derby Pub frontage on Everton Valley before the landmark premises were demolished. Just look at the quality of the tiling.

This image, taken from a nearby block of flats, shows the remains of the Everton Valley Lyric Theatre site.

The frontage of the famous Lyric Theatre that once stood on Everton Valley.The theatre failed a fire certificate inspection in 1932 and never reopened. It suffered extensive war damage in 1941 and was demolished. When I was a kid in the 1950s I recall the site had been taken over by the William Rainfords Demolition company. I always remember going to the street around the back where the words 'STAGE DOOR' could tantalisingly still be seen in stone above an old doorway..

A superb image of the former Derby pub on Everton Valley with the famous Lyric Theatre still standing on the left further up the Valley.

Everton Valley and its famous pub.

The Valley Pub on the corner of Everton Valley and St Domingo Road.

The former Major Lester School on Everton Valley (Sherlock Street) served tens of thousands of local children for over 100 years before it was eventually demolished to make way for new housing. See histories for a tribute to visionary Canon Thomas Major Lester whose name the school took in 1903 in recognition of his remarkable educational vision.

Steam traction engines on Everton Valley in 1904

A great shot of Everton Valley as many remember it in the 1950s.