ABBOTS LEE (continued)
The house was requisitioned by the War Dept during the war and in 1948 it was bought by Liverpool Corporation, since when it has been in use as a school.

NEWSTEAD built c.1818 ?

Architectural description - small low-proportioned double-fronted house, now roughcast; with painted stone quoins, stone cornice gutter with fascia, string at upper sill level and plinth. Window openings have plain architraves with plinth blocks and the lower windows have moulded labels with carved bosses. Sash windows to the first floor lack glazing bars, both windows on the left are now blocked and the ground floor, window on the right is a replacement. Front porch notable for decorative cast iron work. The slate roof is low pitched with stone copings on gables. To the right an addition (post 1848) in a matching style, to the left a half octagon bay with hipped roof and finial.

Stylistically - the house is very like vernacular houses of the suggested date, but the refinements of the cornice gutter, the plinth blocks to architraves and especially the moulded labels with carved bosses as well as the general proportions suggest that the house was architect designed. Intriguingly there is a record of the architect Thomas Rickman (1776-1841), designer of St George's, Everton 1813-14 (as well as houses in Everton etc.) having designed in "Gateacre, Lancs, house for John Bibby, 1816", which has not yet been identified. Can this be the house?

Owners and Occupiers - possibly John Bibby born c.1773 had the house built. He made a personal appearance in the L.W. Manor Court in 1842 but does not appear to be in the 1841 census. The 1851 census shows the occupiers to have been Mrs Mary Taylor, aged 45, a Provision Merchant born in Sale and her two daughters aged 5 and 2 born in Liverpool.

In 1859 Edward A. Pitcairn Campbell B.A., Curate of Childwall Church had moved into the house from Childwall where he had been living since c.1852. In 1861 we find that he was 42, had been born in Paris c.1819 and that his wife was Harriet, aged 28 from Rock Ferry. They had a daughter Ellen age 2 born in L.W. and 4 servants. By 1871 the Rev. Mr Campbell, now aged 53, was no longer curate (his father the Rev. Augustus Campbell, Vicar of Childwall had died the previous year). They now had a second daughter Rose age 7 and still 4 servants.

continued . . .