Historic Liverpool Dwellings - Lowlands

 

Lowlands at 13, Haymans Green, is a beautiful Grade II-listed mansion set in a rare Victorian city woodland garden. It was built in the Italianate style by the successful architect and builder Thomas Haigh who lived at No. 6 Gambier Terrace, not far from his busy office in Bold Street. It was 1844 and, as Liverpool's docklands continued to expand, the town was thriving with seemingly endless business opportunities and at the age of 39, Thomas was financially sound. He and his wife, Jane, wanted healthier surroundings to raise their five children, away from the smoky town centre where life expectancy was just 19 years due to the terrible conditions endured by a large part of the population, forced to live in damp overcrowded cellars and court housing where disease spread easily.
Looking for a site away from the hazards of the town they found a suitable site in Haymans Green situated in leafy West Derby Village. Leasing two adjacent plots of land from Lord Salisbury, Lord of the Manor of West Derby, enabled the Haighs to build an impressive house  with enough room for a splendid woodland garden. In 1846 they moved into their new home, a striking mansion, no doubt something of a status symbol as its light and airy 38 rooms would have impressed Haigh's potential clients as much as his family and friends. Jane Haigh would bear a further four children here. By 1861, they had relocated to Gambier Terrace, Toxteth Park and another family had moved to the newly-built house. In fact two other families then lived there – the Dunns and the Tappenbecks – until the most distinguished resident moved in. He was Thomas Randles Withers, a Victorian grandee, connoisseur and social benefactor who supported the Children's Infirmary and the Blue Coat School. He and his family would remain here for many years after building a substantial extension. He was chairman of the Liverpool Stock Exchange in the late 19th century and being also a top stockbroker, had many contacts among the city's movers and shakers – the real-life Forsytes. His father Richard, also a former chairman of the Stock Exchange, lived in a nearby mansion – appropriately called Uplands (which still exists, as a nursery). Thomas Randles Withers died in 1899, leaving a widow and nine children aged between five and 20. Mrs Margaret Withers was the last resident at Lowlands and passed away in 1930.

At that time many of West Derby’s historic mansions were being torn down to make way for housing. Alderman Ernest Cookson, who lived next door, recognised the importance of Lowlands and bought the house with its lovely garden, saving it from demolition and development. Lowlands was used by the Inland Revenue for offices following bomb damage to Liverpool’s India Buildings during World War Two. After the Revenue moved out, Alderman Cookson sold Lowlands to the West Derby Community Association for a very reasonable price in 1957. Part of the attic floor was converted for use as the Pillar Club where many of the 'Mersey Sound' groups played in their early days. They included the early Beatles (then the Quarrymen), Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Searchers, Hollies and Billy J. Kramer, with the Beatles manager Brian Epstein also a visitor once. George Harrison frequently visited Lowlands as a teenager playing with the Les Stewart Quartet and he honed his guitar skills there. Another house in Hayman's Green, Number 8, was home to the Casbah Coffee Club which was also a meeting place for The Beatles and other groups. George Harrison has said that he first heard of the Casbah when he was at Lowlands.

The old mansion had a rather strange and eerie feel during the daylight hours, however when darkness fell the mansion had a rather a formidable atmosphere. Over the years there has been many ghost stories attached to this mansion, with some local residents refusing to step foot in the city gardens yet alone the house. There has been many ghostly apparitions witnessed here, looking out from the upper window, ghostly whispers have been heard throughout the building. The house now is a substantial and well-preserved example of the type of a mid 19th century Villa built for Liverpool's elite merchants. It has not been altered much inside and still has an opulent staircase and stairs alongside its 1960s decorative finishes and fixtures. Home of the West Derby Community Association, when they started planning the restoration of the historic building, an inventory was made of the contents and they found that the vast, rambling place had many secrets including sealed doors and mysterious unused rooms. They also discovered films along with the original camera, projector and editing equipment in excellent condition amongst piles of books, reports, equipment and furniture which show amongst other things local people and Danish guests at Lowlands. Lowlands has now reopened after a £1.2 million renovation and refurbishment supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and other major charities and individuals. The magnificent building has been returned to its early Victorian appearance and features authentic external and interior colour schemes. In addition, the mansion has been brought up to 21st century standards with a lift and other facilities for disabled people.

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2022/10/historic-liverpool-dwellings-otterspool.html