CLIFF COTTAGE (continued):

Owners and Occupiers:
We have no information about who was living here before 1841, and from then to the 1880s we can only surmise. From the 1841 census it seems possible that 'Woolton Hill Cottage' can be identified as Cliff Cottage, that John Dennison was the owner and that Charles Holland age 30, a clerk, was living here with John Roskell, 30 an agricultural labourer, Mary his wife 30, female servant, Isabella 9 & Hannah 3 months; and Elizabeth Taylor 30, also a servant. In 1851 we identify the house as 'Dennison's Cottage' and Peter McFarlen 53, gardener, his wife Harriett 42, both born in Scotland, and their son Robert Alexander 16, born in the Isle of Man, were living here. The cottage is not named in 1861 but we suggest the occupants were John Bouskele 60, gardener born in Urswick and his wife Elizabeth 52 - possibly the John Bouskele age 8, the 'visitor' at Dennison's House on census night was a grandchild? Again in 1871 the cottage is not named but we think John H. Coates 30, a gardener born in Preston was living here with his wife Ann and three children. The 1881 census names it as 'Dove Park Cottage' the occupant being Thomas Lomax 24, domestic gardener born in Tuebrook. Turning to the L.W.L.B. Rates Book in 1883 we find the name 'Johnson' as occupier of both this and Reynolds Park Lodge - perhaps not surprising as the Johnsons had 10 children! In 1884 it seems to be occupied by George Stanley. In 1885 Mr Thornely became the owner and received permission from the L.W.L.B. to make 'alterations'. By 1886 the name 'Cliff Cottage' appears for the first time, it was occupied by 'Roskell' and the Rateable Value was £6 15s 0d. In 1889 Cliff Cottage, now down as a 'house and garden', the occupant shown as 'M. Roskell' and the R.V. was £17 - so the extension had been built. Not until 1891 does the Rates Book get the name of the occupier correct as Mrs Martha Roscoe - James Thornely' s mother-in-law - for whom the addition was built, including a second staircase. The oral tradition survives that the purpose was for Mrs Roscoe to be able to 'have some peace away from the children' at Baycliff, and she was still there in 1900. After some years standing empty and with the R.V. reduced to £10, from 1905 James Tomlinson, gardener was here to 1916. In 1917 Joseph Blundell, blacksmith and his wife Jessie lived here as caretakers, looking after Baycliff for the Rathbones; and from 1921 until after 1936 Joseph Penlington gardener was the occupier. His daughter refers to Cliff Cottage as 'the Quarry Gate House' - a clue, perhaps, to its original purpose?

Between Cliff Cottage and Reynolds Park Lodge is a deep disused stone quarry protected on all sides from public access. We have not yet found out who worked it or when, but there are traces of a series of niches in the rock along the north face similar to those in the 'Cathedral' Quarry in Quarry Street which date from the 1870s. This was Marsh's 'Dell' - see The Story of Woolton Vol.1 (1930) pp 72-3.

continued . . .