Flaybrick Memorial Gardens Flaybrick Memorial Gardens (formerly Flaybrick Cemetery) is Wirral's finest Victorian cemetery. Opened on the 30th May 1864 it is the final resting place of many of Wirral's famous and interesting people. Set in 26 acres of landscaped gardens containing a great variety of memorial architecture with inscriptions relating to events both local and world-wide it makes an interesting and different way to study Birkenhead and Wirral's social history. From large family vaults to public graves all levels of society are buried there. Designed by Mr Edward Kemp curator of Birkenhead Park, Flaybrick has many fine examples of mature trees, some of them quite rare. As part of the development of Flaybrick new species of trees are being added every year to create an arboretum. With many of the trees having identifying labels and other interesting shrub areas it makes for a pleasant stroll even if social history is not your interest. Part of the cemetery has been developed into a summer flowering meadow to help attract even more species of butterflies and other insects. Management of other parts of the cemetery has been changed to encourage the wildflowers that naturally occur, and wildlife oasis are being created. With it's diverse bird population, mammals, insects and wildflowers, British nature is well represented thus giving another reason to visit. Since no new graves are permitted in Flaybrick Cemetery the name was changed in 1994 to Flaybrick Memorial Gardens. Some to the more interesting personages who are buried there include Alderman Frederick Smith, father of the illustrious F.E. Smith who became Lord Birkenhead and (some say) the greatest of all Lord Chancellors. An obelisk commemorates Charles Thompson whose Mission (still operating in Hemingford Street) helps the poor and underprivileged. A headstone with a Celtic cross marks the grave of James Cochrane whose ironworks built the Resurgam, the world's first submarine. Another grave holds the remains of Dr Arthur Doodson who devised the tide prediction machine (a sort of manual computer) at Bidston Observatory which prepared the tidal charts for the 1944 D-Day landings in Normandy. There is the story of the hapless Lock Ah Tan, a greatly respected member of the Chinese community in Birkenhead, who, in a fit of rage, killed his wife and two daughters. He was defended by the legendary Marshall Hall who pleaded insanity. It was to no avail and Lok Ah Tan was found guilty and hanged in Walton Gaol. His family is buried in Flaybrick. The most intriguing tale is that of Isaac Roberts FRS, a pioneer in celestial photography, who was the first man to photograph anything outside the earth's own galaxy. His striking granite monument, bearing astronomical symbols and designs, is arguably the finest in Flaybrick. But there are many others, all with a tale to tell. The address for Flaybrick Cemetery/Memorial Gardens is: Tollemache Road, Birkenhead

Do you know anything about the descendants of Charles Thompson of Hemingford St Mission fame? The reason I ask is that, as a child, I lived across Ben Nevis Rd from Hugh Thompson and his wife. I believe Hugh was the son (or perhaps nephew?) of Charles Thompson. In any event, when we were little boys, my brother and I went to the Mission quite often and called Miss Annie Thompson, who ran it in the 40's and 50's, "Auntie Annie". Regards. __________________________________________________________________ David N. Burton 95 Thatcher Drive Winnipeg, MB, CANADA R3T 2L6 Phone: (204)-269-8774 EMail: DN_Burton@UManitoba.Ca "These are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others". Groucho Marx. __________________________________________________________________