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New Book Compares Neston and Parkgate Past and Present

Published: 18th September 2014 09:56

Amberley Books has recently published the latest in a series of 'Through Time' books, which takes a look at some of the many ways in which Parkgate and Neston have changed and developed over the last century.

Parkgate & Neston Through Time by Vanessa Greatorex'Parkgate and Neston Through Time' has been written and compiled by Cheshire based writer and historian Vanessa Greatorex.  In full colour, the book brings the history and memories of the area to life through a fascinating collection of 'then' and 'now' photos, accompanied by descriptions containing facts, observations and even a smattering of local folklore.

Tossed by the tides, fêted by the fashionable, murdered by the marshes...Who could have guessed that a huddle of shacks outside the gates of a deer park would become a premier port and modish resort traversed by world-famous prodigies such as Handel and Turner?  Picturesque Parkgate is the perfect place to explore the dramatic and dynamic way in which landscapes evolve when man collides with nature.

From slender red-brick Jackson's Tower (built by a pharmacist) to its converted corn mill and very own Carnegie library, Neston is a market town of stunning architectural surprises.  Cholera, coal mining and commerce have all played a part in its history, but most striking of all is the extraordinary number of benevolent entrepreneurs whose philanthropy continues to enrich its environs and community spirit today.

'Parkgate and Neston Through Time' has a cover price of £14.99 and is available to purchase through the usual online portals. However, in the true spirit of keeping it local, why not pop down to Temptation in Neston High Street to purchase your copy today?

Here are some sample comparative photos from the book:

Neston Cross

Parkgate & Neston Through Time by Vanessa Greatorex

Parkgate & Neston Through Time by Vanessa Greatorex

Parkgate

Parkgate & Neston Through Time by Vanessa Greatorex

Parkgate & Neston Through Time by Vanessa Greatorex

 

 

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Comments

Susan C
At 18:13 on 22nd September 2014, Susan C commented:
There are some nice pictures in this book, but a number of basic errors of fact that demonstrate it was not written by someone with a good knowledge of Neston history- for example Swan Cottage the birthplace of Lady Hamilton? NO. Its a shame the author did not ask a local to check it before publication. Susan Chambers.
BHFL
At 17:02 on 1st October 2014, BHFL commented:
Also there are errors in the Backwood Hall section. It states "Carved above the central gable of Backwood Hall are the arms of the locally prominent Glegg family, which commissioned its red brick construction in 1840." Actually the Coat of Arms are those of the famous Rathbone family of Liverpool, with their motto Sauviter et Fortiter (gently & firmly). Theodore Rathbone JP (grandson of William Rathbone famous for Abolition of Slave Trade) bought the Hall in approx. 1867. They enlarged the estate and built the kennels, walled gardens and lodges, added wings to the hall and presumably added their coat of arms. His and his wife Maria's graves are at Neston Parish Church. The Hall was originally constructed after 1759 and in 1792 the Bennetts purchased it. In 1759 the fields where the hall was built where exchanged by William Cook of Heswall and James Bond, the apothecary of Neston. The Deed of exchange was witnessed by the Gleggs.
Clive Edwards
At 17:50 on 7th October 2014, Clive Edwards commented:
First to say that the 'Then and now' photos are mostly well done and I know how difficult is by my efforts, which were put on this website. However there are some big mistakes, due to a lack of local knowledge or of not showing to a local person.

Page 31 The Bushell fountain was not moved in 2014, that was done years ago. All that was done, was to make the paving round it and the crossing much better.
It is doubtul if the Greenland Fisheries dates as a pub to the 16th Century, despite the notice on the pub.

Page 40. The Green in Mill Street opposite the library. The cottages in the 'then' photo were removed, but not replaced. There is still a gap, which shows how narrow they must have been. The 'now' photo is not of the same place.

Page 73 The building in the 'then' photo was not split into two and in fact appears, little changed on both photos on page 67 to the left of Balcony House. The 'now' photo of the Marsh Cat is of a different building by the Square.

Page 75 A little point, but I do not think the 'boat' in the 'Now' photo is a boat, perhaps a device for collecting cockles. Any better ideas?

Page 26 Another little point, the Wirral Way was not the first County Park. The word 'linear' needs adding.

What could have been a very good and attractive book has also been spoilt, by not waiting for the scaffolding to come down in Parkgate.

Clive Edwards, Burton & Neston History Society
Fabian U. G. Elmere
At 20:35 on 10th July 2018, Fabian U. G. Elmere commented:
"Parkgate & Neston Through Time" is a fair specimen of a book published not because the author has a profound knowledge of the subject, based on years of reading and research, and feels compelled to impart that knowledge to others but because the publishers want to add a book on the subject to their catalogue and commission a professional scribbler to do the job. (Miss Greatorex has admitted as much in an interview.) Others, including Clive Edwards of the Burton & Neston History Society, have already pointed out numerous inaccuracies in it on this web page.

It may be noted here that in an online autobiographical note Miss Greatorex writes with evident pride: "Not satisfied with an Honours degree in English (University of Nottingham, 1992) and a Master of Arts degree in Medieval Studies (Liverpool University, 1992), I went on to do a second Masters degree—in Landscape, Heritage and Society—at Chester, graduating with Distinction in 2006." She writes in the same piece of having "linguistic, palaeography and research methodology skills," of having "a mission to engage with the public at large rather than elite cliques of academics" and of having "written about everything from Finnish saunas to biplanes, Floridian waterparks, Lindow Man and the importance of decent toilets." So much education (paid for out of our pockets), so much grandiosity of language (much if not all of it unjustified), yet so little talent for getting things right!

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