OVERDALE (continued):

Owners and Occupiers

1885-1903
The Rev. William Davies B.A. (c.1841-1893) was 3rd Minister of Wool ton Congregational Church from 1867 to his death in 1893. He was a student at Lancashire (Independent) College and, in Woolton, was a very popular minister and the inspiration for the founding of the Village Club. At first he was living as a lodger with John Foulkes, the joiner at 20 Church Road; later with his wife Sophia Grant Davies at 116 Allerton Road - see Directory for 1884. But in 1885 Mr & Mrs Davies moved into their new house, as owner occupiers: R.V, £42.10.0d. The Minister died in June 1893 and was buried at St Peter's, Woolton. His widow went on living at Overdale until 1903.

1905-1911
Walter Poulsom, a Stevedore with an office in Tower Buildings, was the next owner and occupier, paying rates from 1905. He was probably the son of William Poulson, Stevedore, Mayor of Bootle 1880-81, and inventor of grain elevators. The Rates Book for 1911 shows a R.V. of £68.

1912-1952
Sydney Dickens Grundy (c.1879-1947) an Underwriter (Elder Dempster & Co.) and sometime Chairman of the Liverpool Underwriters Association came here in c.1912. In Woolton he was Chairman of the Liverpool Convalescent Home and is remembered for his regular donations to the Woolton Swimming Club. He died in 1947, leaving £35,610, and the funeral service was at St Stephen's, Gateacre, he was buried at Halewood. (His brother lived at "Overdale" in Wambo Lane, Gateacre). His widow, Mary Fletcher Grundy went on living at Overdale to her death in 1952.

THE LODGE OF HILLCLIFF

From the combined evidence of map and census we date the building to the years between 1846 and 1851.

Architectural description
Stylistically this little lodge, which has been very much altered, is strongly Classical. But its Classical incorrectness from the planning stage with a pediment over a window, rather than the front door, on to the details of that pediment (compare with Greek Lodge, Knolle Park) are a reflection of a date in the late 1840s, by which time designers were not so concerned with scholarly correctness. (Before recent alterations the stucco retained ruled masonry lines).

continued . . .