The Crookhey Hall Estate

Illustrated Particulars with Plan and Conditions of Sale. By Direction of W.H.Bird, Esq., of Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Extracts from the Plan.

Described as being 'The Very Attractive Freehold Residential Sporting and Agricultural Estate' known as the Crookhey Hall Estate in the Parishes of COCKERHAM, HOLLETH and FORTON, convenient-sized Stone-built MANSION of CROOKEY HALL, standing in including the well laid out Grounds, with a picturesque two-storied Lodge, and about two miles of Brown and Sea Trout Fishing in the River Cocker.

It comprised, as described 'TWENTY AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS, FULLY LICENSED INN, SMALL HOLDINGS, COTTAGES AND ACCOMMODATION LANDS, LORD OF MANORSHIP OF COCKERHAM, the whole extending to about 3282 Acres, Producing an Annual Rent Roll of £5010.

The Estate was to be offered for Sale by Auction, as a whole, in Blocks, or in separate Lots (unless previously disposed of privately ), by Mr. T. E. Birkbeck of Messrs. Procter & Birkbeck Auctioneer and Surveyors.  The Sale was to take place at the Town Hall, Lancaster, on Wednesday and Thursday the 21st and 22nd of July, 1926 at 2 p.m. precisely each day.

The General Notes, Particulars of the First Day's Sale (Lot 1), also the photographs of the exterior and interior of the Hall give an insight into life as lived by the occupants of the Hall in the early 20th century. This information is reproduced for your interest.

A Brief History. A. Hewitson in his book 'Northward' which was first published in 1900 gave a brief history and description of the Hall at that time as being situated three-quarters of a mile from Cockerham village, southward. He said it was, and I quote, "In 1874 Colonel Bird began the erection of Crookhey Hall, on a site above and a short distance north of Crookhey House, and it was completed in 1878. Crookhey Hall is a fine, large building, in the Elizabethan style of architecture. Fronting it there are beautifully laid-out grounds, about five acres in extent; northeast, at a convenient distance, there are capital stables, &c; contiguous to the mansion excellent gardens and conservatories are located; whilst, on the south side, park lands, with an area of about 50 acres, give a picturesque completeness to the place. The mansion occupies the crown of a gentle eminence, and it commands excellent views of the north-eastern hills, the Fylde region, and the sea off Fleetwood. Colonel Bird and his wife (nee Isobel Eveleigh Wyndham, of Clearwell Court, Gloucestershire) take a steady interest in all that concerns the welfare of the district in which they reside.

Entrance hall

The sale documents of 1926 do not give a history of the Hall or of its owners but it is understood that the mansion was built in the 1870's who by Colonel Charles Henry Bird and designed by Alfred Waterhouse also designed Manchester Town Hall and the Natural History Museum in South Kensington.

Col. Bird's father, William S. Bird came from Boston Massachusetts. His mother was Elizabeth Gardner of Crookhey House, Cockerham. Col. Bird was known as a well-respected and charitable gentleman and squire of the village, he was noted for his generosity to the poor and needy. It is understood that he married late in life with no issue. Col. Bird died in 1909, his wife Isabel in 1924, they are buried in the family vault with his parents in the churchyard at Cockerham (against the churchyard wall at the east end of the church). The estate then reverted to his distant relatives in America.

Drawing Room

It is understood that in 1926 when the estate was auctioned, the Hall was not sold, and was eventually rented to the Henriques family and on their departure, to the Carringtons of East Lancashire. On the departure of the Carringtons the mansion lay empty for a few years. In 1941 the City of Liverpool Education Committee took over the Hall as an evacuation centre for mentally handicapped children. Later, in 1946 Liverpool City Council purchased the Hall for £5700 and for almost 50 years it was used as a Special Residential School for boys.

The Hall, now a Grade II Listed Building was sold by public auction in 1990 for £1,005,000. It has been restored and adapted to the needs of the children presently attending this co-educational school. children referred from various education authorities from a radius of 30 miles, and who are in need of special care and training.

References:

(1) A. Hewitson, Northward p 94
(2) The Guardian Series reports of various dates.