Making Of
CROXTETH
1952 - 1956
St Swithin's R.C Church, Gillmoss, A Brief History.
St Swithin’s Roman Catholic Church earlier known as the Gillmoss Chapel, was originally founded in the year 1410. The first Mass was held on the site in the year 1425, in what became St Swithin's Church.
The original chaplaincy was run by the Benedictine Monks, until 1757. In 1768, when the Catholic, Molyneux family of Croxteth Hall where forced to find another place of worship, a loft was converted into a secret chapel in a farm house, on Gillmoss Farm, which is now Back Gillmoss Lane and the site of Our Lady And St Swithin's Primary School.
It is also recorded that during the years 1768 - 1824 the small loft chapel was visited by French Royalty, notabley Charles X and Louis XVIII while the two where in exile following the French Revolution .
The news cutting from 1952 shows the converted loft, where the Molyneux family would worship in secret.
The small farm cottage was standing until the 1950's a place of pilgrimage.
A third church was built in 1824, and the fourth a final church was built in 1958.
Another claim of St Swithin's parish is it holds the crypt of martyr Blessed Richard Hurst who was executed in 1628.
Hurst a recusant was to be arrested on the order of The Bishop of Chester, during the arrest a man named Dewhurst while running across a ploughed field fell and broke his leg, Dewhurst later died of his injury and Hurst was accused of the murder, convicted and sentenced to death.
The following day Hurst was commanded to hear a sermon at the Protestant church, he refused and was dragged by the legs for some distance along a rough road to the church, where he, however, On reaching the church Hurst in pain still refused to hear the sermon and put his fingers in his ears.
At the gallows Hurst was offered his freedom and informed that his life would be spared if he would swear allegiance to the king, but as the oath contained passages attacking his Catholic Faith he refused and was executed.
Richard Hurst was beatified in 1929.
With it's many connections St Swithin's became a place of pilgrimage as this news cutting from the Liverpool Daily Post in 1952. shows when an estimated 12.000 pilgrims walked from St Teresa's Norris Green to St Swithin's.
Sadly the last Mass at St Swithin's was held in 2004, and services where held for a short time at the Convent next to the church, until the parish merged with Our Lady Queen Of Martyrs.
As for the Church building that was converted into a skill centre, which benefits the young people of Croxteth and Gillmoss.
St Swithin’s Roman Catholic Church earlier known as the Gillmoss Chapel, was originally founded in the year 1410. The first Mass was held on the site in the year 1425, in what became St Swithin's Church.
The original chaplaincy was run by the Benedictine Monks, until 1757. In 1768, when the Catholic, Molyneux family of Croxteth Hall where forced to find another place of worship, a loft was converted into a secret chapel in a farm house, on Gillmoss Farm, which is now Back Gillmoss Lane and the site of Our Lady And St Swithin's Primary School.
It is also recorded that during the years 1768 - 1824 the small loft chapel was visited by French Royalty, notabley Charles X and Louis XVIII while the two where in exile following the French Revolution .
The news cutting from 1952 shows the converted loft, where the Molyneux family would worship in secret.
The small farm cottage was standing until the 1950's a place of pilgrimage.
A third church was built in 1824, and the fourth a final church was built in 1958.
Another claim of St Swithin's parish is it holds the crypt of martyr Blessed Richard Hurst who was executed in 1628.
Hurst a recusant was to be arrested on the order of The Bishop of Chester, during the arrest a man named Dewhurst while running across a ploughed field fell and broke his leg, Dewhurst later died of his injury and Hurst was accused of the murder, convicted and sentenced to death.
The following day Hurst was commanded to hear a sermon at the Protestant church, he refused and was dragged by the legs for some distance along a rough road to the church, where he, however, On reaching the church Hurst in pain still refused to hear the sermon and put his fingers in his ears.
At the gallows Hurst was offered his freedom and informed that his life would be spared if he would swear allegiance to the king, but as the oath contained passages attacking his Catholic Faith he refused and was executed.
Richard Hurst was beatified in 1929.
With it's many connections St Swithin's became a place of pilgrimage as this news cutting from the Liverpool Daily Post in 1952. shows when an estimated 12.000 pilgrims walked from St Teresa's Norris Green to St Swithin's.
Sadly the last Mass at St Swithin's was held in 2004, and services where held for a short time at the Convent next to the church, until the parish merged with Our Lady Queen Of Martyrs.
As for the Church building that was converted into a skill centre, which benefits the young people of Croxteth and Gillmoss.
Sixty years ago Liverpool City Council were in the middle of a slum clearance, the city planners had already developed suburban area's on the outskirts of the city such as Clubmoor, Dovecot, Fazakerley and Norris Green.
As the planners were looking at more rural locations, they focused on the area of Croxteth, just beyond West Derby Cemetery. Croxteth at that time only had a few farm buildings but was dominated by St Swithins R.C. Church which had stood on the site from 1410.
It was decided to build on the fields beyond Utting Avenue East and Lower House Lane, the only problem for the citizens of Liverpool was getting there, as the trams stopped at Utting Avenue East, the alternative was to travel along the East Lancashire Road.
As the planners were looking at more rural locations, they focused on the area of Croxteth, just beyond West Derby Cemetery. Croxteth at that time only had a few farm buildings but was dominated by St Swithins R.C. Church which had stood on the site from 1410.
It was decided to build on the fields beyond Utting Avenue East and Lower House Lane, the only problem for the citizens of Liverpool was getting there, as the trams stopped at Utting Avenue East, the alternative was to travel along the East Lancashire Road.
Map from 1909 show St Swithins Church.
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Map dated1937, showing the end of the tram line at Utting Avenue East
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a closer view of the tram terminus
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The No 43 at Broadway
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N0 13 and 19 at the Pier Head
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No14 and 13 at Broadway
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No14 tram passing St Teresa's
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Before the building work started on the housing estate lets take a look around some of the streets and lanes around Croxteth before 1952.
Back Gillmoss Lane, 1938
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Stonebridge Lane looking towards Napiers
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The Dog and Gun Pub 1927
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St Swithins Church 1944
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All Mod Cons
One of the appeals of families moving to Croxteth was the commitment of the city planners to make Croxteth a little utopia with all amenities, Shops, Schools and nurseries, Churches, Pubs a library and a selection of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom houses.
Before the building of the Croxteth housing estate families were living in the small two up two down terraced houses which surrounded the Scotland Road, Great Homer Street, and Netherfield Road area's of Liverpool.
The small Victorian terraced homes couldn't match the facilities such as what was on offer on the new estate, indoor toilet and bathroom, electricity and front and back gardens, but most appealing was the sense of space and fresh air in the much larger homes on offer in Croxteth.
The idea the planners had for the estate was to build the show homes first which is now Crantock Close and then allocate the houses as families came to view the estate, along with the show homes they also had a map of the future of the estate, first to view the view homes was the families in the temporary prefab homes of Altbridge which ran parallel with the East Lancshire Road, which is now the site of the Showcase Cinema and the shopping complex.
Before the building of the Croxteth housing estate families were living in the small two up two down terraced houses which surrounded the Scotland Road, Great Homer Street, and Netherfield Road area's of Liverpool.
The small Victorian terraced homes couldn't match the facilities such as what was on offer on the new estate, indoor toilet and bathroom, electricity and front and back gardens, but most appealing was the sense of space and fresh air in the much larger homes on offer in Croxteth.
The idea the planners had for the estate was to build the show homes first which is now Crantock Close and then allocate the houses as families came to view the estate, along with the show homes they also had a map of the future of the estate, first to view the view homes was the families in the temporary prefab homes of Altbridge which ran parallel with the East Lancshire Road, which is now the site of the Showcase Cinema and the shopping complex.
Croxteth Estate map 1952
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View from Coronation Court, showing the prefabs on Altbridge Road
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The show homes in Crantock Close, 1952 -1954
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Crantock Close, completed with shrubs
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1952 - 1956
residents move into Mullion Walk
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Blackwater Road
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Petherick Road
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Parkview Road
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By 1956 all the homes were occupied and the amenities that had been promised were up and running.
The Nursing Home on Altcross Road
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Croxteth Clinic on Altcross Road
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Croxteth Youth Centre, behind the school
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The opening of Croxteth Library on Moss Way
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