Calderstones Mansion House, Saturday 15th November

On Saturday 15th November, 10 Brothers, with wives and friends were priviledged to receive a guided tour of Calderstones Mansion, Calderstones Park, Liverpool by Richard MacDonald, Heritage Reader, of the Reader Organisation, who are the new tennants of the Mansion. A fascinating and informatative tour for about two hours introduced the group to the history and interior of the building. Whilst all are long term residents of Liverpool, a wealth of local history was given, which was unknown to most. An excellent tour and all wished the Reader Organisation success in their efforts to refurbish the Mansion as an international flagship project for shared reading. Our thanks to President Charles Boulton for arranging the visit.

A Brief History.

Calderstones Mansion House, Calderstones Park Liverpool was built in 1828 for Joseph Need Walker, a lead shot manufacturer. It is a ‘restrained neo-classical’ ashlar mansion of three floors with a separate and extensive stableyard and coach-house which was originally set in 93 acres of parkland. In 1875 the house and estate were acquired by Charles McIver, co-founder of Cunard Line, for £52,000.

In 1902 the McIver family sold the estate of Liverpool Corporation who transformed it into a public park, they soon acquired the adjoining estate of Harthill and established the current 126 acre park.

The Grade II listed building became the offices of the Liverpool Corporation Parks and Gardens department and in the 1940s part of the house was transformed into a self-contained flat for the Assistant Head Gardener. The 1940s also saw a neo art-deco open-air theatre was constructed at the back of the house, designed by Sir Lancelot Keay.

The for most of the 20th Century the mansion housed a tea-room and cafe and was regularly used for wedding receptions, parties and other functions. In the 1970s the house became council offices and remained that way until 2012.