Welcome

Thanks for stopping by. My name is Roy Dutton. Our family arrived in Wallasey during the 1860's this is our story. With hundreds of photographs, and newspaper cuttings. Have a look around and enjoy your trip into the past.

To give me an idea of who's been visiting me here, you can write in the guestbook.

Sixteen Decades in Wallasey

For over sixteen decades my family has been woven into the very fabric of Wallasey life.  The book, with many original photographs and information, was originally intended for members of our family, but it may be of interest to a wider audience. Many of the places described no longer exist and have been wiped off the map.

The book starts with the history of the Dutton’s on my father’s side and the Hammond’s on my mothers side of the family, and continues with my autobiography.

Welcome to my life and my ancestors, I hope you have as much enjoyment reading this book as much as I have had in writing.

The constant procession of ocean-going liners up and down the Mersey was a real spectacle .Wallasey has eight miles of Promenade fringed by golden sands. With children’s talent contests "Joytime" in Vale Park. The Tower Grounds, rides, skating, and a figure of eight. We even had a Circus and a Zoo.  The New Palace Indoor Amusement Park the largest in England. Tommy Mann’s miniature railway operated in the tower grounds next to the promenade. Trips on the “Royal Iris” the ferries and a magnificent pier. And don’t forget the largest outdoor swimming pool in Europe. What a place to grow up in!. It was my Disneyland and on my very own doorstep.

A Tale of Two Cities

A tale of two cities is the story of our tenure of the City Pub, its history and the characters that crossed its doorway. Followed by a dip into the smorgasbord of Manchester's glorious past, from the clubs and pubs that have faded into history.

To the buildings and places lost in the passage of time. With contemporary newspaper cuttings of events and the people that helped shape the city of Manchester.

I hope you enjoy the tale of two cities as much as I have in

compiling it.

The History of New Brighton Tower & Grounds

One of the most important structures ever built in Victorian Britain, the tallest building in the land, it stood at 567 feet. The Tower had been constructed in record time.  It towered over the greatest port in the land, a beacon to the shipping that sailed in and out of the River Mersey. 

The Tower Theatre, sited between the legs of the tower, could accommodate an audience of 2,500, while the ballroom the largest in the North could entertain another 1000 couples dancing the night away.
Taking a walk down memory lane, and chronicling many of the famous faces that have trodden the boards including the Beatles that appeared 27 times.

Flaybrick Hill Cemetery

Designed by renowned Victorian landscape
designer Edward Kemp and opened in 1864.
Flaybrick is the final resting place of over
100,000 people from the Wirral area and
beyond, including Kemp himself.
The cemetery’s significance is recognised by
its Grade II listing on the Register of
Historic Parks and Gardens.
With over 100,000 people buried in 10,000
graves. Flaybrick is a place to remember
the people who have gone before us and to
celebrate their achievements.