I live on the Wirral and remember new Brighton in its glory days. The late 60’s and early 70’s as a child it was amazing. My older brothers used to take me there most weekends. Victoria road was full of arcades and the front was so busy with different attractions. Now it’s just shops and overpriced coffee bars, the council should have put more effort into keeping this alive.
Wow, new brighton is alot better than the 90,s when it was a ghost town ,its a great place now,have u been to Victoria Road lately? I'm thinking not ,its fab full of restaurants and bars
Thanks for this - I'm Wirral born and bred. I was just thinking of the Tower the other day. Very few people I speak to know the Tower was ever there... Your efforts help keep our local history alive 👍🙂
I grew up in Blackpool, and as a child I used to have recurring dreams of there being two Blackpool towers, one of them a bit further down the coast. It was only about two years ago I learned about the new Brighton tower and it absolutely blew my mind. For me it was kind of reminiscent of Roy Neary dreaming of devils Tower in close encounters. It was a really weird sensation to know there actually was a second Blackpool Tower further down the coast.
This was great,I'm from Birkenhead forever... Way before I was born my mum and dad had split up but heard my mum was in tower ball room he said it was so busy that he couldn't see find my mum until a light shined on metal which was on her stiletto heal which he was told mum was wearing anyway they were married 60 years... There has always been skullduggery with buildings and land around the beautiful Wirral! Same thing going on to this day! Your very good thanks so much! I'm Dyslexic hope you understand this ...👍👍
I live in Wallasey, I wish that the Tower Ballroom was rebuilt and the fair plus the open air swimming pool. It would make New Brighton extremely popular place for Visitors. But the Council are so short sighted too realise the potential.
Wow! Amazing video, very well done! As kids in Liverpool, It was quite an adventure to get the ferry from the Pier Head over to New Brighton. After looking for crabs in the beach rock pools and messing about on Fort Perch Rock, our little gang would head for the fair. Parts of the main lower ballroom building were still there but it was all derelict, as was the fair. Just inside the ballroom building, there was an old waxworks behind a big wooden gate that we could just squeeze through. Very dark, no lights, but you could just make out the figures from the daylight filtering through the gate. Of course someone had to shout, "THAT ONE MOVED!!!", mad rush, and we all clambered out screaming. Then we thought it would be a good idea to walk around the big dipper! 🤔😲 The wood really was rotten and falling apart. Only one of us fell through though, on the top curve as you were about to go down the first main drop, but we managed to drag him up. No health & safety in them days 😄 Time for a strawberry Mivvy lollyice (6/d), and back on the ferry. New Brighton was great back then ☺
The Tower Athletic Ground actually hosted two football league clubs. New Brighton Tower FC were the first who were league members for three seasons (1898-1901) after which they went out of business. New Brighton FC were in the football league from 1923 to 1951, although only moved into the Tower Athletic Ground in 1946 (due to bomb damage at their previous ground) when it was renovated and a new stand built. Nice video, as always, with some great photos. Fascinating one showing the base of the tower as the building was being demolished.
This is a very interesting (and sad) article of when New Brighton was a top class resort. It shows where everything was on the land that is left today. My Mum and Dad met at the tower ballroom, it is now a football pitch. So sad to see this amazing building, boating lake, gardens, funfair, cafes, piers all gone without trace because the council wouldn’t preserve everything, the outcome was loss of revenue and the decline of New Brighton. I hope it will rise up again, Victoria Road is looking amazing at the moment, let’s hope New Brighton will continue to prosper and have a huge regeneration! 🤗
Another excellent video Darren. I was born in 1943 and live in North Wales. As a child we often visited New Brighton for a day trip. It was a full blown seaside resort then. I can clearly remember going to the fair in the tower grounds. The demise of the Mersey Ferries calling at New Brighton was the main reason the resort went into a rapid decline. There was a major lido at New Brighton too and attracted large numbers of visitors in the summer seasons. Once again, I applaud your research and the way you superimpose historical photos on current views of various sites. Superb work Darren! Your next project is always eagerly anticipated. PS Rhyl and its iconic Pavilion was always a regular resort for us to visit as children. Perhaps you could consider a project there at some point? Again many thanks and very well done!👏
Very interesting video. New Brighton in the 1960s was still a good place for a day out in the summer school holidays and at weekends and Bank Holidays. The ferries from Liverpool to New Brighton were always packed, so what we young lads in our early teens decided to do was take our bikes on the ferry to Seacombe and then cycle along the promenade to New Brighton, the Seacombe ferry being a few pence cheaper which gave us more money to spend at the fair. If my memory serves me correctly, there was a miniature railway running next to the promenade on the other side of the fence (at 16:38) but I suppose I could be misremembering this and it could have been a continuation of the roller coaster track. In the late 1960s, I worked in one of the few tall buildings in Liverpool city centre which over-looked the Mersey at that time and I recall watching the tower fire from that distance. I believe by that time, the building's use had been relegated to a warehouse and it was speculated that the fire was a fraudulent insurance claim .... allegedly.
Yes, I remember queuing for the ferry from Liverpool to New Brighton on Summer days in the 60s. You could hardly move for people. There were many thousands waiting to cross.
The miniature railway was definitely there running through a grotto type wooded area. I went on that myself as a child in the 1960s, think it was run by Tommy Mann.
I grew up in Wallasey and as a child in the 1960s New Brighton had everything, there were two swimming pools, the big art deco swimming pool and a bit further along another outdoor pool.
Well done Darren for producing such a great video. What New Brighton really needs is a replacement for the pier that was demolished several decades ago. Also the re-introduction of the ferry service that used pull into that pier many years ago. As a child it used to fill me with awe, watching that wonderful fun fair coming into view. The reconstruction of that tower ? Well, wouldn't that be a dream.....
Hey Darren As a southerner my knowledge of anything further north than Watford is appalling. Your videos are always fascinating and educating. I adore your narration and camera work, interspersed with your wonderful photo fades. Great job mate. Brilliant!
The photo fades really help me picture what was there in a modern context thank you. Sometimes it is hard to stay positive when you see how much we have lost to be replaced with endless concrete.
Fantastic film. Another reminder of what we have lost😢. It looked like people were having so much fun. The fades are amazing. Thank you for this fabulous video Darren.
Very many thanks. A great video. I have happy memories of visiting New Brighton as a child with Mum and Dad. I always loved the miniature railway that ran along by the prom and through a tunnel before returning to the fun faire. Wonderful.
@@suzyqualcast6269 I remember some time in the late 1980s, one of the few television channels, possibly Channel 4, decided to make a music programme on Merseyside. It was recorded over a few days and featured a wide variety of popular music from the time. I personally watched it for Status Quo playing on a temporary stage on the water inside the Albert Dock, but I recall that The Weather Girls (It's Raining Man was their current chart single) played in a public swimming baths on the Wirral on a temporary transparent stage erected over the water. Being sizable ladies, they expressed some concern that the they could see the water beneath them and would the stage hold. Could this have been in Guinea Gap baths?
@@anthonyphilips7171 I think you must be referring to "New Brighton Rock", which was a music festival held at New Brighton Baths, an open-air swimming pool, in 1984. I attended one of the shows and remember seeing Frankie Goes to Hollywood play. Pretty sure there's some old footage of it here on YT. The baths became "uneconomical to repair" after heavy storm damage in, I think, 1991. The site now features a large Morrisons and other retail outlets. Guinea Gap is an indoor pool in the vicinity of Wallasey Town Hall, a couple of miles away from New Brighton.
@@porly33 Thank you. You are almost certainly correct as to the location but they must have held several music events there over the years as the televised show I saw had the Weather Girls at New Brighton and Status Quo at the Albert Dock. Quo performed (mimed to) Red Sky which was not released as a single until July 1986. I recorded it on VHS and it is available on TH-cam. Also the Weather Girls at New Brighton is there - th-cam.com/video/C7VZbZkDtic/w-d-xo.html
My first roller coaster ride was at New Brighton. I was about 6yrs old and I was so scared but I loved it afterwards. There was only a bar to hang onto, no safety belts. I remember fondly the fun fair it was a real treat and so exciting for a young kid.
Rambert that rickety wooden coaster , I went on it regularly, loved it , I rember the little Railway train on the front by Egremont, used to be 1, 1/6 to go on it little steam train . 🚂
They should have saved the Rollercoaster.... The "birds eye view" fade at 18:26 was great along with you drone footage pinning the location names was spot on, it pulled the story together. Thanks for this historical piece of art..... NOTE: If I ever win the "Lotto" I would ride every rollercoaster in the world. lol
Brilliant work. This brings the old tower and surrounding area to life (briefly!). The attention to details, enthusiasm and presentation is first class. Well done and thanks
I had no idea this tower even existed. You did a great job merging the old and new photos to show how the area has changed. With victorian structures, they never seemed to be very good at demolishing them. Usually, you can find recognisable remains. In this case, they seem to have done a great job of removing everything. crazy that something so grand can just vanish. Very well put together video.
me too, and beetle played there, that would been enough save it being demolish today? am wonder are any historical blue places marker to that? (don't think the council world approve look how Liverpool over the mersey milks it everyday?
What an utter travesty. This incredible structure should have been saved and would have done wonders for the area's tourism today. A classic example of short sightedness all too common in the UK. I had no idea that that astonishing tower and the amazing, beautiful building surrounding it even existed. Thanks for this fabulous video and history lesson. I loved it, but it made me sad and angry too!!
No connection to Liverpool or New Brighton but bloody hell what a superb video. Absolute shame on so many fronts, it would be like showing today's youngsters an abandoned and demolished Alton Towers in a hundred years time...gone forever...bit like Morecambe fair and Southport pleasure land n zoo...great stuff..keep it up.❤️
Great video. Many thanks. Brought back memories for me from the 60s. My auntie's family lived just up the hill, and we went there for a holiday weekend - even though we only lived up the road in Birkenhead, it felt like a million miles away. I distinctly remember being addicted to the "hook a duck" in the fairground. Wonderful times.
My Grandfather took me one cloudy afternoon in the very early 50's. I could do whatever I wanted. I went on one ride, round and round. But then I discovered the fishing for ducks thing. That's all I did, lugging presents for everyone as we walked along the prom to get home. I asked my grandfather how much we had spent and he said "a pound." Now, that included candy-floss and whatever treats I had had. Age 5 and those ducks just kept dragging me back because I had to get presents for everyone. My Dad took me there around the same time just to go to the zoo and to see an elephant. He put a peanut on my palm and instructed me to put my arm straight out. The elephant took his peanut treat. I didn't flinch. Great place. I was forbidden to ever go there on my own. But I'd wander along the prom and not tell a soul where I had been. Penniless, but enjoying every minute.
What an amazing video, I accidentally found the tower while looking at old maps and got my hopes up that it might still be there when I read that the tower had gone and the building remained and then was heartbroken to find it had all gone, thank you for finding such amazing old photos and bringing it to life.
I have just subscribed to your channel. It was recommended to me by a work colleague. This video is amazing. I hadn't even heard of the New Brighton Tower!
Hi Darren, You missed a reference to 'Tommy Mann's' Railway which ran along the base of the Roller Coaster alongside the promenade. Great attraction to a 5 year old - and the apprenticeship for a railway enthusiast.!!
i’m an exiled scouser and used to visit New Brighton regularly with my dad in the 60s and 70s. I’ve lots of good memories of going over on the ferry and the funfair. I still make a point of going there whenever I’m in Liverpool. It’s changed a great deal and the tower area is almost unrecognisable, but I’ve still got a soft spot for it. One of my (now very old) aunts used to go dancing at the Tower Ballroom in the 1940s and my mum and dad used to go over when they were going out in the early 50s. I recall the fire well and New Brighton seemed to go into a rather sad and slow decline afterwards. Someone else might have mentioned it, but there was also a miniature railway at promenade level which ran from the funfair south easterly in the Seacombe direction, initially between the roller coaster and the promenade and then looped back on itself in a cutting. The remains of the cutting may still be there. Great video. Thanks for doing it.
Hi Darren, sad, sad state of affairs that it's all completely disappeared. I honestly never knew there had been a tower complex there. My involvement with Merseyside began in 1980's and only the lido and some entertainment venues existed. Work colleagues/neighbors never spoke about the old days there. Fort Perch Rock, the Napoleonic war fort jutting out into the Mersey was accessible to invited groups only as it was in private ownership then. There is/was an aviary built into the wall of the cafe in Sefton Park (Liverpool). Oh happy days. Cheers DougT
Absolutely fascinating Darren, you excelled again mate. I just love stuff like you do on your channel. I could watch and get nothing else done !!! See you when you're here ( in Blackpool ) Fantastic, what a privilege it is to live in a country with so much brilliant and inspiring history...
Ted Corry, Thanks Darren for the memories. I was in the Fire Service 1962 to 1969 and was on duty when there were 2 major incidents of fire at the Tower. If you have a look at photos of those fires I am the fireman on top of the Turntable ladder on the left operating from the top car park the operator was the late jack Clements. The TTL on the right was from Birkenhead. I still have photos of that fire and the Newspaper cuttings. I also attended a fire in the Love boat ride at the base of the tower and was trying to chip a hole in the wall of the waterfall when that part collapsed. Travelled to the ground on a piece of concrete unharmed but lost my axe which was never seen again. I emigrated to New Zealand in September 1969 to serve in the Fire service in Dunedin fore 28 Years.
Glad you've highlighted this. I live on Victoria Road which is right opposite where the pier used to be. So sad that both the pier, tower and outdoor baths are all gone.
Excellent video. Love gems like this. You also present them in such an insteresting way. Still loving the fade in/out of then and now pics. Brilliant work, more on this sort of theme would be great!
I live on the Wirral too, walking along the Prom there is a regular thing for me on my days off....the dock where the red cranes are in your video is where I work. My mum use to tell me of her days as a teenager growing up there and her dancing days in the Tower Ballroom during WW2.
We used to go to New Brighton quite a lot and catch the ferry 'cross the Mersey or just go on a cruise around on The Royal Iris. Last time I went was probably 1962 or 63 and I remember that cable cars taking us up to the roof of the building. That's about all I can remember of New Brighton. Nice video though, well done.
I remember experiencing it all as a small child, sadly only two or three times before it burnt down, but it was a magical place and I will always remember the excitement I experienced walking up the hill to those large yellow entrance gates! Thank you for the memories!
I was born in Wallasey and as a child spent many years walking around the area heard my mum an gran talking about the tower a few times wasn't till I saw the video it reminded me it does hold a lot of history for most of my family are from Wallasey and went to new Brighton a lot my mum was a folk singer she played in the pubs when she was younger they met at the golden Guinea on new Brighton front dancing till the wee hours on the weekend ( I think my mum worked there as well)it was love at first sight apparently my mum was hairdresser and my dad was a charted surveyor he left and went on to advertising working In Liverpool my mum used to met him off the ferry when she finished work and drive him home in little hillman imp were ever we moved too we always came back we had too we still sent the dentist there and my gran and granddad lived in Wallasey till they both were semi retired and went to I've in Moreton it's a place I will never forget and somewhere that I loved as a young kid I miss it as now most of the family that I spent time with there are gone now but I still have so many great memories
A really interesting video to watch. Maybe if the tower had survived New Brighton could have overtaken Blackpool as the number 1 seaside resort of the North west, shame that we will never know.
What is not appreciated enough is that the Tower Concert Hall played a significant contribution in promoting new Classical Music in the first decades and half of the 20th Century. This was due to the first Music Director-Conductor (Sir) Granville Bantock who realised that as his orchestra was paid from the general takings at the entrance he could be adventurous in his programming. He therefore introduced the first performances in the UK of major European composers who were grateful to him. Most notably Richard Strauss and Jean Sibelius who actually dedicated his Third Symphony to him. Bantock also introduced his own major compositions and those of other British composers too. For this he repalced Elgar at the Birmingham Conservatoire.
Hi there was also a miniature railway which run also run just behind the railing which was also run by Tommy man's the grounds also had a banked race track and held a few championships great loss only got to go there few times as I was born in 1963 maybe a part 2 on towergrouds ?
This is sadder than Raikes Hall, not to mention other Victorian / Edwardian places of leisure and entertainment such as White City in Manchester and indeed Crystal Palace.
Nice to see someone else paying respect to a massive tower, gone before I was 'aware' but known by my Dad and family, , who were from Wallasey. I DO remember the slotties at the Golden Goose in the 60's however... Then later, when I took my children out to Perch Rock, (zG. Goose having vanished to become a go kart track that they were to short to go on). Nice One fella ! 😉, and thank you.
Great work again Darren! I spent a time in the Wirral in the mid to late 2000s in Bebington but had no idea that the tower, buildings and attractions ever existed!
Yet another excellent and fascinating video. One reason the Tower isn't entirely forgotten is the that conductor and composer Granville Bantock (1868 - 1946) was musical director there from its opening until September 1900. He used the concerts to perform some of his own compositions and also promoted other British composers of the period. So it's great to put that work into context at last.
New Brighton had lots back in the day, I didn't know it had a pier as well as a Tower I did visit a few months back it was brilliant, there were loads market stalls all set up along the from and a really good atmosphere but the stuff you have shown it used to have is amazing, maybe one day some of it will come back, who knows....
Great video I remember the tower grounds from the 60,s as a youngster and even when I visit it these days I still try to visualise how it looked back then 👍
Brilliant video of a tower I knew nothing about. Sad that the whole project is no longer available for locals to enjoy. I’ve subscribed to further enjoy your work Darren, clearly a gifted and informative fellow. Best Wishes to you.
I remember as a 6-7 year old seeing a burnt out building which I presume was the tower building. The glory days of New Brighton. I remember going to the stock car racing by there
Yes. There was direct competition between NB and Eastham as to which was to be the resort on the Mersey. Eventually New Brighton won out, and the rest is history. In fact it's all history now!
Absolutely wonderful piece of work, thank you so much for taking such pains over the meticulous detail. Superimposing old photographs over the modern landscape is a brilliant touch to help bring it truly alive. I would add mention of the Tivoli Theatre which stood at the foot of Egerton Street next to the Tower Grounds, a hugely popular palace of varieties in its day where luminaries such as Lily Langtry, Marie Lloyd, Sophie Tucker and later Gracie Fields, George Formby and Ken Dodd all performed. A block of flats now stands on the Tivoli footprint but the architect thoughtfully included a round turret in the design as a salute to the old theatre that was alas demolished in the 80s. Thank you for your passion and presentation, a joy to watch though tinged with great sadness that a place which brought happiness to millions of day trippers and holidaymakers wasn’t saved for future generations. The Tower, like Liverpool’s Overhead Railway, would be beloved icons today. Keep up the great work reminding us of lost treasures.
Amazing video. It's great the way you merge the old pictures into the exact spot today. Lots of great information. Lived here all my life but born after the ballroom fire.
Those were the times when everyone would holiday in the UK instead of travelling to warmer places. So many of those UK resorts have been in decline since air travel became the norm. The world has turned and they will never be revived. Thanks for bringing back a few memories. As 8 year old kids we walked from Birkenhead library to New Brighton following the yellow bus route over the four bridges at the docks and on to the fairground where we were ripped off by one of the booths "Win any prize you want". "off the bottom shelf"
Very Interesting. I’d not heard of that attraction before. I’ve spent a bit of time on the south Wirral but that’s all. Amazing how some areas change so quickly and ancient ruins can be around for millennia
Brilliant video how different it looks now is just amazing. Can you imagine the amount of money all that could of brought in? But hey ho eh? Everytime I read that a fire was "unknown" it makes you think that it was done on purpose so they would have to demloish it.
I'm sure fires make the demolition job cheaper. Amazing how many old factories on land set to be converted into retail parks have large unexplained fires.
Very enjoyable and brought back some memories. Earliest was about 1947 and day trip from our home in Bredbury near Stockport. Still remember this little sprog falling in the swimming pool fully clothed. 1956/7 went to watch my local team Hyde Utd play New Brighton in FA Cup qualifying game. We lost 4-1. Remember being amazed at the size of the stadium and all the terraces being grassed.
"Destroyed by a large fire, the cause of which was unknown". That's the kind of announcement we OFTEN hear on Wirral...! See the piers, bathing pools, art schools, et al.
That was such an interesting history lesson you have given today, I really enjoyed it. I knew other towers similar to Blackpool were planned, but I didn't know any had been constructed. Such a shame it's demise as it could today have been one of the go to destinations for the North West. I look forward to your next video.
And I thought Scarborough was bad for loosing buildings and attractions New Brighton has lost everything. Sad really and this is a well put together documentary about it.
Very good video Darren I walked round that area last year on a walk and was trying to find out where everything was you’ve really helped. I love that sort of thing looking at old photos then going to see the spot today and see how much it really has changed. Thanks as always look forward to many more of your videos.
I live on the Wirral and remember new Brighton in its glory days. The late 60’s and early 70’s as a child it was amazing. My older brothers used to take me there most weekends. Victoria road was full of arcades and the front was so busy with different attractions. Now it’s just shops and overpriced coffee bars, the council should have put more effort into keeping this alive.
Wow, new brighton is alot better than the 90,s when it was a ghost town ,its a great place now,have u been to Victoria Road lately? I'm thinking not ,its fab full of restaurants and bars
@@iliketowatchvideos47 hes just stating that it was better in the 60s and 70s which it was.
@@iliketowatchvideos47 Yes I have and it’s nowhere near as good as it was back in the day.
@@XrpCookies Yep it was 😆
@@XrpCookies everywhere was
Thanks for this - I'm Wirral born and bred. I was just thinking of the Tower the other day. Very few people I speak to know the Tower was ever there... Your efforts help keep our local history alive 👍🙂
So sad we’ve had architectural elegance all over our country…… all nearly destroyed and replaced with modern blandness 😢
I grew up in Blackpool, and as a child I used to have recurring dreams of there being two Blackpool towers, one of them a bit further down the coast. It was only about two years ago I learned about the new Brighton tower and it absolutely blew my mind. For me it was kind of reminiscent of Roy Neary dreaming of devils Tower in close encounters. It was a really weird sensation to know there actually was a second Blackpool Tower further down the coast.
This was great,I'm from Birkenhead forever... Way before I was born my mum and dad had split up but heard my mum was in tower ball room he said it was so busy that he couldn't see find my mum until a light shined on metal which was on her stiletto heal which he was told mum was wearing anyway they were married 60 years... There has always been skullduggery with buildings and land around the beautiful Wirral! Same thing going on to this day! Your very good thanks so much! I'm Dyslexic hope you understand this ...👍👍
I live in Wallasey, I wish that the Tower Ballroom was rebuilt and the fair plus the open air swimming pool. It would make New Brighton extremely popular place for Visitors. But the Council are so short sighted too realise the potential.
They'd rather a Moggys, from what I've heard.... And I remember the Golden Goose, if not the Tower and its environs, as me Dad did.
@@suzyqualcast6269 What's a Moggys?
Rebuild it?no silly idea ,if it was still there it woukd have historical interest but a new 1 would look poo
@@iliketowatchvideos47 Not if is build in the same way as before but of course that will never happen.
They're not short sighted they just don't give a shit
Wow! Amazing video, very well done!
As kids in Liverpool, It was quite an adventure to get the ferry from the Pier Head over to New Brighton. After looking for crabs in the beach rock pools and messing about on Fort Perch Rock, our little gang would head for the fair. Parts of the main lower ballroom building were still there but it was all derelict, as was the fair.
Just inside the ballroom building, there was an old waxworks behind a big wooden gate that we could just squeeze through. Very dark, no lights, but you could just make out the figures from the daylight filtering through the gate. Of course someone had to shout, "THAT ONE MOVED!!!", mad rush, and we all clambered out screaming.
Then we thought it would be a good idea to walk around the big dipper! 🤔😲 The wood really was rotten and falling apart. Only one of us fell through though, on the top curve as you were about to go down the first main drop, but we managed to drag him up. No health & safety in them days 😄
Time for a strawberry Mivvy lollyice (6/d), and back on the ferry. New Brighton was great back then ☺
Mivvys long forgotten 👌
Seacombe lad....🇬🇧
Thanks for this. I grew up in Wallasey and good to see New Brighton given some recognition
Thanks Chris
The Tower Athletic Ground actually hosted two football league clubs. New Brighton Tower FC were the first who were league members for three seasons (1898-1901) after which they went out of business. New Brighton FC were in the football league from 1923 to 1951, although only moved into the Tower Athletic Ground in 1946 (due to bomb damage at their previous ground) when it was renovated and a new stand built.
Nice video, as always, with some great photos. Fascinating one showing the base of the tower as the building was being demolished.
It always amazes me how many old building mysteriously burn down when the land is wanted for housing.
Thought exactly the same thing.
This is a very interesting (and sad) article of when New Brighton was a top class resort. It shows where everything was on the land that is left today. My Mum and Dad met at the tower ballroom, it is now a football pitch. So sad to see this amazing building, boating lake, gardens, funfair, cafes, piers all gone without trace because the council wouldn’t preserve everything, the outcome was loss of revenue and the decline of New Brighton.
I hope it will rise up again, Victoria Road is looking amazing at the moment, let’s hope New Brighton will continue to prosper and have a huge regeneration! 🤗
My Mum and Dad met at the Tower Ballroom too!
Another excellent video Darren. I was born in 1943 and live in North Wales. As a child we often visited New Brighton for a day trip. It was a full blown seaside resort then. I can clearly remember going to the fair in the tower grounds. The demise of the Mersey Ferries calling at New Brighton was the main reason the resort went into a rapid decline. There was a major lido at New Brighton too and attracted large numbers of visitors in the summer seasons.
Once again, I applaud your research and the way you superimpose historical photos on current views of various sites.
Superb work Darren! Your next project is always eagerly anticipated.
PS
Rhyl and its iconic Pavilion was always a regular resort for us to visit as children. Perhaps you could consider a project there at some point?
Again many thanks and very well done!👏
loved New brighton growing up in the 70's and Rhyl,,, the Wirral had three Lidos New Brighton, Hoylake and New Ferry,, used to go to all three.
@@Imfat8888 You forgot Harrison Drive.
@@henryb160 can not believe i missed that out,,
Very interesting video.
New Brighton in the 1960s was still a good place for a day out in the summer school holidays and at weekends and Bank Holidays. The ferries from Liverpool to New Brighton were always packed, so what we young lads in our early teens decided to do was take our bikes on the ferry to Seacombe and then cycle along the promenade to New Brighton, the Seacombe ferry being a few pence cheaper which gave us more money to spend at the fair. If my memory serves me correctly, there was a miniature railway running next to the promenade on the other side of the fence (at 16:38) but I suppose I could be misremembering this and it could have been a continuation of the roller coaster track.
In the late 1960s, I worked in one of the few tall buildings in Liverpool city centre which over-looked the Mersey at that time and I recall watching the tower fire from that distance. I believe by that time, the building's use had been relegated to a warehouse and it was speculated that the fire was a fraudulent insurance claim .... allegedly.
Yes, I remember queuing for the ferry from Liverpool to New Brighton on Summer days in the 60s. You could hardly move for people. There were many thousands waiting to cross.
The miniature railway was definitely there running through a grotto type wooded area. I went on that myself as a child in the 1960s, think it was run by Tommy Mann.
I grew up in Wallasey and as a child in the 1960s New Brighton had everything, there were two swimming pools, the big art deco swimming pool and a bit further along another outdoor pool.
The derby pool in the sand dunes
Well done Darren for producing such a great video. What New Brighton really needs is a replacement for the pier that was demolished several decades ago. Also the re-introduction of the ferry service that used pull into that pier many years ago. As a child it used to fill me with awe, watching that wonderful fun fair coming into view. The reconstruction of that tower ? Well, wouldn't that be a dream.....
Yes that would be ideal for NB
Hey Darren
As a southerner my knowledge of anything further north than Watford is appalling. Your videos are always fascinating and educating. I adore your narration and camera work, interspersed with your wonderful photo fades.
Great job mate. Brilliant!
The photo fades really help me picture what was there in a modern context thank you. Sometimes it is hard to stay positive when you see how much we have lost to be replaced with endless concrete.
You mean there is life south of Watford
@@littlemissy2883 yes, there is. But, it’s all twisted and horrid ☹️
Come visit anytime, lots to see and affordable, unlike most places down south
Fantastic film. Another reminder of what we have lost😢. It looked like people were having so much fun. The fades are amazing. Thank you for this fabulous video Darren.
Very many thanks. A great video. I have happy memories of visiting New Brighton as a child with Mum and Dad. I always loved the miniature railway that ran along by the prom and through a tunnel before returning to the fun faire. Wonderful.
Superb video. The way you superimposed what WAS THERE is awesome.
Thanks James
Alot of history on the Wirral.Not much left of tower grounds when i was a kid .Spent most of my time at New Brighton baths,largest in uk .
We used to visit Guinea Gap baths, just out of Wallasey, filled with Mersey water 💦
@@suzyqualcast6269 I remember some time in the late 1980s, one of the few television channels, possibly Channel 4, decided to make a music programme on Merseyside. It was recorded over a few days and featured a wide variety of popular music from the time. I personally watched it for Status Quo playing on a temporary stage on the water inside the Albert Dock, but I recall that The Weather Girls (It's Raining Man was their current chart single) played in a public swimming baths on the Wirral on a temporary transparent stage erected over the water. Being sizable ladies, they expressed some concern that the they could see the water beneath them and would the stage hold. Could this have been in Guinea Gap baths?
@@anthonyphilips7171 I think you must be referring to "New Brighton Rock", which was a music festival held at New Brighton Baths, an open-air swimming pool, in 1984. I attended one of the shows and remember seeing Frankie Goes to Hollywood play. Pretty sure there's some old footage of it here on YT. The baths became "uneconomical to repair" after heavy storm damage in, I think, 1991. The site now features a large Morrisons and other retail outlets. Guinea Gap is an indoor pool in the vicinity of Wallasey Town Hall, a couple of miles away from New Brighton.
@@porly33 Thank you. You are almost certainly correct as to the location but they must have held several music events there over the years as the televised show I saw had the Weather Girls at New Brighton and Status Quo at the Albert Dock. Quo performed (mimed to) Red Sky which was not released as a single until July 1986. I recorded it on VHS and it is available on TH-cam. Also the Weather Girls at New Brighton is there - th-cam.com/video/C7VZbZkDtic/w-d-xo.html
@@anthonyphilips7171went myself👌seacombe lad oldershaw pupil.
Left 38 years ago
Memories 👍🏻🍺
My first roller coaster ride was at New Brighton. I was about 6yrs old and I was so scared but I loved it afterwards. There was only a bar to hang onto, no safety belts. I remember fondly the fun fair it was a real treat and so exciting for a young kid.
Rambert that rickety wooden coaster , I went on it regularly, loved it , I rember the little Railway train on the front by Egremont, used to be 1, 1/6 to go on it little steam train . 🚂
They should have saved the Rollercoaster.... The "birds eye view" fade at 18:26 was great along with you drone footage pinning the location names was spot on, it pulled the story together. Thanks for this historical piece of art..... NOTE: If I ever win the "Lotto" I would ride every rollercoaster in the world. lol
Excellent video.The photo fades really bring all the videos on the channel to life.
Excellent vlog Darren. Such a shame it has all gone. The tower looked excellent 👍
I been when i ok was 8 a Guinness sign was over the entrsnce
Brilliant work. This brings the old tower and surrounding area to life (briefly!). The attention to details, enthusiasm and presentation is first class. Well done and thanks
Thanks mate
Excellent work, I remember it well but after the tower was removed.
Echoes of the past. Fascinating
I had no idea this tower even existed. You did a great job merging the old and new photos to show how the area has changed. With victorian structures, they never seemed to be very good at demolishing them. Usually, you can find recognisable remains. In this case, they seem to have done a great job of removing everything. crazy that something so grand can just vanish. Very well put together video.
Thanks mate
me too, and beetle played there, that would been enough save it being demolish today? am wonder are any historical blue places marker to that? (don't think the council world approve look how Liverpool over the mersey milks it everyday?
Fascinating, what a shame this has gone :(
I once found a token for the New Brighton Tower in a garden in Central Drive Port Sunlight. Still got it somewhere.
What an utter travesty. This incredible structure should have been saved and would have done wonders for the area's tourism today. A classic example of short sightedness all too common in the UK. I had no idea that that astonishing tower and the amazing, beautiful building surrounding it even existed. Thanks for this fabulous video and history lesson. I loved it, but it made me sad and angry too!!
Thanks Jeff
Brilliant video, I remember the ferry to New Brighton from the Pier Head.
No connection to Liverpool or New Brighton but bloody hell what a superb video.
Absolute shame on so many fronts, it would be like showing today's youngsters an abandoned and demolished Alton Towers in a hundred years time...gone forever...bit like Morecambe fair and Southport pleasure land n zoo...great stuff..keep it up.❤️
Thanks Ian. More to come
Great video. Many thanks. Brought back memories for me from the 60s. My auntie's family lived just up the hill, and we went there for a holiday weekend - even though we only lived up the road in Birkenhead, it felt like a million miles away. I distinctly remember being addicted to the "hook a duck" in the fairground. Wonderful times.
My Grandfather took me one cloudy afternoon in the very early 50's. I could do whatever I wanted. I went on one ride, round and round. But then I discovered the fishing for ducks thing. That's all I did, lugging presents for everyone as we walked along the prom to get home. I asked my grandfather how much we had spent and he said "a pound." Now, that included candy-floss and whatever treats I had had. Age 5 and those ducks just kept dragging me back because I had to get presents for everyone. My Dad took me there around the same time just to go to the zoo and to see an elephant. He put a peanut on my palm and instructed me to put my arm straight out. The elephant took his peanut treat. I didn't flinch. Great place. I was forbidden to ever go there on my own. But I'd wander along the prom and not tell a soul where I had been. Penniless, but enjoying every minute.
I'm from the Midlands, just returned from our first visit to New Brighton. Loved this video, such a pity it's all gone now.
Thanks
My Mum and Dad met in the Tower Ballroom in New Brighton. I remember my Mum saying about the figure eight roller coaster too.
Never heard of this before and so pleased i know about this now. Would loved for this to have still been around today. Many thanks for sharing.
What an amazing video, I accidentally found the tower while looking at old maps and got my hopes up that it might still be there when I read that the tower had gone and the building remained and then was heartbroken to find it had all gone, thank you for finding such amazing old photos and bringing it to life.
Thanks for watching
Fascinating. I knew about it and I'm glad you have done this and filled in a lot of detail. Well done!
I have just subscribed to your channel. It was recommended to me by a work colleague. This video is amazing. I hadn't even heard of the New Brighton Tower!
Awesome! Thank you! And welcome aboard
Hi Darren, You missed a reference to 'Tommy Mann's' Railway which ran along the base of the Roller Coaster alongside the promenade. Great attraction to a 5 year old - and the apprenticeship for a railway enthusiast.!!
Yeah I forgot to mention it.
i’m an exiled scouser and used to visit New Brighton regularly with my dad in the 60s and 70s. I’ve lots of good memories of going over on the ferry and the funfair. I still make a point of going there whenever I’m in Liverpool. It’s changed a great deal and the tower area is almost unrecognisable, but I’ve still got a soft spot for it.
One of my (now very old) aunts used to go dancing at the Tower Ballroom in the 1940s and my mum and dad used to go over when they were going out in the early 50s.
I recall the fire well and New Brighton seemed to go into a rather sad and slow decline afterwards.
Someone else might have mentioned it, but there was also a miniature railway at promenade level which ran from the funfair south easterly in the Seacombe direction, initially between the roller coaster and the promenade and then looped back on itself in a cutting. The remains of the cutting may still be there.
Great video. Thanks for doing it.
Thanks mate. Yeah theres more than I covered. Might need a part 2 one day.
New Brighton is a shell of what it used to be. Just shops and luxury flats that very few people can afford. Sad really.
Hi Darren, sad, sad state of affairs that it's all completely disappeared. I honestly never knew there had been a tower complex there. My involvement with Merseyside began in 1980's and only the lido and some entertainment venues existed. Work colleagues/neighbors never spoke about the old days there. Fort Perch Rock, the Napoleonic war fort jutting out into the Mersey was accessible to invited groups only as it was in private ownership then. There is/was an aviary built into the wall of the cafe in Sefton Park (Liverpool). Oh happy days. Cheers DougT
Sefton Park, eh....
Was born there, 58, in the hospital, then slid away into a filing cabinet , from where I was later lifted n adopted.
@@suzyqualcast6269 Nice one Suzy, Cheers DougT
great video, such a shame it wasn't still here today must've been epic for the few that got to use the tower... can only imagine !!
Absolutely fascinating Darren, you excelled again mate. I just love stuff like you do on your channel. I could watch and get nothing else done !!!
See you when you're here ( in Blackpool ) Fantastic, what a privilege it is to live in a country with so much brilliant and inspiring history...
How sad. Never heard of this place before. What a brilliant video. Well done. So good to keep history alive Darren. Thank you
Ted Corry, Thanks Darren for the memories. I was in the Fire Service 1962 to 1969 and was on duty when there were 2 major incidents of fire at the Tower. If you have a look at photos of those fires I am the fireman on top of the Turntable ladder on the left operating from the top car park the operator was the late jack Clements. The TTL on the right was from Birkenhead. I still have photos of that fire and the Newspaper cuttings. I also attended a fire in the Love boat ride at the base of the tower and was trying to chip a hole in the wall of the waterfall when that part collapsed. Travelled to the ground on a piece of concrete unharmed but lost my axe which was never seen again. I emigrated to New Zealand in September 1969 to serve in the Fire service in Dunedin fore 28 Years.
Thanks for the memories William. I wonder if the Axe is still there somewhere buried.
I grew up in New Bo. Great place and great people. I travelled the UK and no better place than the Wirral.
Thanks for watching
Glad you've highlighted this. I live on Victoria Road which is right opposite where the pier used to be. So sad that both the pier, tower and outdoor baths are all gone.
Yeah such a sad state now from what it once was.
Wow what an interesting video. Thank you for taking the time to make this.
Excellent video. Love gems like this. You also present them in such an insteresting way. Still loving the fade in/out of then and now pics. Brilliant work, more on this sort of theme would be great!
I live on the Wirral too, walking along the Prom there is a regular thing for me on my days off....the dock where the red cranes are in your video is where I work. My mum use to tell me of her days as a teenager growing up there and her dancing days in the Tower Ballroom during WW2.
An amazing place.
Amazing Darren. I walked past the site of this tower today during a lovely walk and never even knew this existed! Keep it up!
We used to go to New Brighton quite a lot and catch the ferry 'cross the Mersey or just go on a cruise around on The Royal Iris. Last time I went was probably 1962 or 63 and I remember that cable cars taking us up to the roof of the building. That's about all I can remember of New Brighton. Nice video though, well done.
A lot of work went into this video! Many thanks!
You're very welcome!
I remember experiencing it all as a small child, sadly only two or three times before it burnt down, but it was a magical place and I will always remember the excitement I experienced walking up the hill to those large yellow entrance gates! Thank you for the memories!
I was born in Wallasey and as a child spent many years walking around the area heard my mum an gran talking about the tower a few times wasn't till I saw the video it reminded me it does hold a lot of history for most of my family are from Wallasey and went to new Brighton a lot my mum was a folk singer she played in the pubs when she was younger they met at the golden Guinea on new Brighton front dancing till the wee hours on the weekend ( I think my mum worked there as well)it was love at first sight apparently my mum was hairdresser and my dad was a charted surveyor he left and went on to advertising working In Liverpool my mum used to met him off the ferry when she finished work and drive him home in little hillman imp were ever we moved too we always came back we had too we still sent the dentist there and my gran and granddad lived in Wallasey till they both were semi retired and went to I've in Moreton it's a place I will never forget and somewhere that I loved as a young kid I miss it as now most of the family that I spent time with there are gone now but I still have so many great memories
Good memories. Thanks for sharing
My Grandparents used to go dancing in the Ballroom.. They spent many happy times there.. Thanks for the excellent info! really beautifully done!
A really interesting video to watch. Maybe if the tower had survived New Brighton could have overtaken Blackpool as the number 1 seaside resort of the North west, shame that we will never know.
Glad it's not like Blackpool tbh what a shithole that is 🤣
Fascinating! Absolutely fascinating!
What is not appreciated enough is that the Tower Concert Hall played a significant contribution in promoting new Classical Music in the first decades and half of the 20th Century.
This was due to the first Music Director-Conductor (Sir) Granville Bantock who realised that as his orchestra was paid from the general takings at the entrance he could be adventurous in his programming.
He therefore introduced the first performances in the UK of major European composers who were grateful to him. Most notably Richard Strauss and Jean Sibelius who actually dedicated his Third Symphony to him. Bantock also introduced his own major compositions and those of other British composers too. For this he repalced Elgar at the Birmingham Conservatoire.
Hi there was also a miniature railway which run also run just behind the railing which was also run by Tommy man's the grounds also had a banked race track and held a few championships great loss only got to go there few times as I was born in 1963 maybe a part 2 on towergrouds ?
There used to be a car racing track in the 70s on the tower grounds, have a look into it, used to go when I was a kid, great fun
This is sadder than Raikes Hall, not to mention other Victorian / Edwardian places of leisure and entertainment such as White City in Manchester and indeed Crystal Palace.
Nice to see someone else paying respect to a massive tower, gone before I was 'aware' but known by my Dad and family, , who were from Wallasey.
I DO remember the slotties at the Golden Goose in the 60's however... Then later, when I took my children out to Perch Rock, (zG. Goose having vanished to become a go kart track that they were to short to go on).
Nice One fella ! 😉, and thank you.
Great work again Darren! I spent a time in the Wirral in the mid to late 2000s in Bebington but had no idea that the tower, buildings and attractions ever existed!
Yet another excellent and fascinating video. One reason the Tower isn't entirely forgotten is the that conductor and composer Granville Bantock (1868 - 1946) was musical director there from its opening until September 1900. He used the concerts to perform some of his own compositions and also promoted other British composers of the period. So it's great to put that work into context at last.
Thanks 👍
Like the drone camera views 👍
How could they pull that down…..
This is brilliant. Thanks so much for creating this, it’s hauntingly beautiful 🙏
Live in West kirby but brought up in wallasey ,really love new brighton,very very good video
New Brighton had lots back in the day, I didn't know it had a pier as well as a Tower I did visit a few months back it was brilliant, there were loads market stalls all set up along the from and a really good atmosphere but the stuff you have shown it used to have is amazing, maybe one day some of it will come back, who knows....
The pier was still there in the 60s and I used to swim under it.
Great video I remember the tower grounds from the 60,s as a youngster and even when I visit it these days I still try to visualise how it looked back then 👍
Brilliant video of a tower I knew nothing about. Sad that the whole project is no longer available for locals to enjoy. I’ve subscribed to further enjoy your work Darren, clearly a gifted and informative fellow. Best Wishes to you.
Thanks David. Welcome aboard
I remember as a 6-7 year old seeing a burnt out building which I presume was the tower building. The glory days of New Brighton. I remember going to the stock car racing by there
Fascinating. I never knew about this. We've so much in this country.
Thanks David
Used to walk with my mum from the ferry to visit an Aunty in New Brighton and I remember the fairground.
Brilliant video. Keep them coming 👍
Thanks mate
amazing video you should do Eastham woods and Eastham ferry there used to be a zoo etc there still remains a bear pit from the zoo inside the woods
Yes. There was direct competition between NB and Eastham as to which was to be the resort on the Mersey. Eventually New Brighton won out, and the rest is history. In fact it's all history now!
Absolutely wonderful piece of work, thank you so much for taking such pains over the meticulous detail. Superimposing old photographs over the modern landscape is a brilliant touch to help bring it truly alive. I would add mention of the Tivoli Theatre which stood at the foot of Egerton Street next to the Tower Grounds, a hugely popular palace of varieties in its day where luminaries such as Lily Langtry, Marie Lloyd, Sophie Tucker and later Gracie Fields, George Formby and Ken Dodd all performed. A block of flats now stands on the Tivoli footprint but the architect thoughtfully included a round turret in the design as a salute to the old theatre that was alas demolished in the 80s. Thank you for your passion and presentation, a joy to watch though tinged with great sadness that a place which brought happiness to millions of day trippers and holidaymakers wasn’t saved for future generations. The Tower, like Liverpool’s Overhead Railway, would be beloved icons today. Keep up the great work reminding us of lost treasures.
Thanks. Glad you liked it
Yet another superb film teh effort you put inti these is incredible, teh BBC could do well to take these and broadcast them! Great work
Amazing video. It's great the way you merge the old pictures into the exact spot today. Lots of great information. Lived here all my life but born after the ballroom fire.
Thank you for your extensive research and filming of this incredible video. Your the best. Cheers Darren!
Great video, very interesting,a shame that their is nothing left 👍👌😀
This is brilliant. I had no idea this even existed. You've spent so much time putting this together. Fascinating. Thank you.
You're very welcome!
Those were the times when everyone would holiday in the UK instead of travelling to warmer places. So many of those UK resorts have been in decline since air travel became the norm. The world has turned and they will never be revived. Thanks for bringing back a few memories. As 8 year old kids we walked from Birkenhead library to New Brighton following the yellow bus route over the four bridges at the docks and on to the fairground where we were ripped off by one of the booths "Win any prize you want". "off the bottom shelf"
Very Interesting. I’d not heard of that attraction before. I’ve spent a bit of time on the south Wirral but that’s all. Amazing how some areas change so quickly and ancient ruins can be around for millennia
Brilliant video how different it looks now is just amazing. Can you imagine the amount of money all that could of brought in? But hey ho eh? Everytime I read that a fire was "unknown" it makes you think that it was done on purpose so they would have to demloish it.
I'm sure fires make the demolition job cheaper. Amazing how many old factories on land set to be converted into retail parks have large unexplained fires.
Very enjoyable and brought back some memories. Earliest was about 1947 and day trip from our home in Bredbury near Stockport. Still remember this little sprog falling in the swimming pool fully clothed. 1956/7 went to watch my local team Hyde Utd play New Brighton in FA Cup qualifying game. We lost 4-1. Remember being amazed at the size of the stadium and all the terraces being grassed.
Never even knew about this.. Great video, wish the tower still remained.
You and me both!
"Destroyed by a large fire, the cause of which was unknown". That's the kind of announcement we OFTEN hear on Wirral...! See the piers, bathing pools, art schools, et al.
And here in Yorkshire too
That was such an interesting history lesson you have given today, I really enjoyed it. I knew other towers similar to Blackpool were planned, but I didn't know any had been constructed. Such a shame it's demise as it could today have been one of the go to destinations for the North West. I look forward to your next video.
And I thought Scarborough was bad for loosing buildings and attractions New Brighton has lost everything. Sad really and this is a well put together documentary about it.
Yes it has. Pier, tower, pleasure gardens, funfair, ferry stop, lido, theatre and all sorts.
Very good video Darren I walked round that area last year on a walk and was trying to find out where everything was you’ve really helped. I love that sort of thing looking at old photos then going to see the spot today and see how much it really has changed. Thanks as always look forward to many more of your videos.
I had no idea about this. Excellent video - really informative.
Thanks for watching
Another brilliant video. I've always wondered what happened to the tower. Didn't realise it had a stunning ballroom as well. Love the photo fades!
Having moved to the Wirral last year. It is sad seeing what happened.
spent many days with family and fiends in the 60s and 70s here. great memories!! thanks.
Brilliant video. So many people dont even know about new brightons tower. The victorians certainly knew how to build.