Willaston in the Past
A community group seeking to record and publicise the history of our lovely village
This photo shows the centre of Willaston in the mid 1930s. This photo was from ‘Willaston – Centre of Wirral’ by Bob Prince.
The Green Lantern café. The café was owned and run by Mrs Wilkinson and her daughter Brenda from the 1930’s until the late 1960s. The building is now Lantern House, 2 The Courtyard.
Willaston Heritage Festival 1975. Johnny Francis, farmer from Heath Lane, drives the tractor with Brian Preston carrying the union flag. Among the spectators are Willaston FC in fancy dress prior to their fancy dress football match on the Rec.
(Photo: Andy Legg)
About Willaston in the Past
Willaston in the Past has its roots in HM Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee when a small group put together a history of the village over the 70 years of her reign. We gathered a lot of information and were delighted with the interest the exhibition received.
A second exhibition was put on for King Charles III’s coronation and a Facebook page started: /Willastoninthepast
We are now establishing a steering group to form an organisation. Our aim is to gather together local people’s photos and memories to ensure that the history of our village is remembered.
Information about Willaston History
All the information on these pages are working documents that are constantly being updated, as we learn more. If you can add to them or have amendments to suggest, please contact us, mentioning Willaston in the Past.
We have used information available through public outlets, including social media, newspapers and books and have also talked to people to record their memories, and find old photos of our village. If you have any concerns about content, please contact us to have it changed.
Information about each decade of Willaston (information from our Platinum Jubilee Exhibition in 2022)
The story of the men who are on the Willaston War Memorial (originally put together by Willaston Village Festival Society in 2018)
Christmas in Willaston now and in the past
The story of the Legion and the Services Club in Willaston, which is now closed.
How we have celebrated Remembrance Day now and in the past
Information about Businesses and Buildings in Willaston
The following information, originally produced for the Exhibition for the Coronation of King Charles III, gives a history of the main businesses and buildings in Willaston. We are always building on this information and welcome people’s photos, memories and stories to add.
Acres Farm (now houses on the corner of Mill Lane)
Ash Tree Farm (Hadlow Road)
Astons (now Pepper’s Café)
Atworth House (now Jillian Dawn floral designs)
Birchalls/Hairdressers (now housing on Hadlow Road)
Cecil Barnes Butcher (now Willaston Barbers)
Cherry Brow Farm (Hadlow Road)
Cherry Brow Terrace (newsagent and butcher) (now housing)
Church Farm (Neston Road)
Church Hall (now Elizabeth’s Cottages, Neston Road)
Coal Merchants (Hadlow Road Station)
Colliers Joinery Works (Hooton Road)
Colls Grocery Store (Village Green)
Corner House Farm (now Pollard’s Inn)
Green Lantern Café (now housing, Neston Road)
Griffin and Legg Landscape Gardeners (Hooton Road)
Grocery Store (now Spar, Neston Road)
Hawthorn School (Mill Lane)
Home Farm (now housing on Neston Road)
Hooton Road Service Station (now Sols Campers)
Horseshoe Stores (now Willaston Physiotherapy)
Lady Bibby’s preschool (Hadlow Road)
Leech’s Farm House (Neston Road)
Mill View (Neston Road)
Newsagent, Neston Road(now Classie Grooming)
Silverstones (now housing in Hadlow Road)
Smithy on the corner of the Village Green
Station Garage (now Willaston Car Sales)
Willaston Detachment of the Red Cross (now White Feather Home)
