Dovedale Towers, Penny Lane/Dovedale Road, Toxteth, Liverpool 18. 2007 photo.
As Grove House it was in existence by 1826 when it was owned by Thomas Webster.
It was about the only house in Penny Lane.
At that time the ancient lane probably wasn't named.
By 1832 it was owned by William Kay who died there in 1846 - he was 71.
The house was then put up for sale, when the address was given as Penny's lane.
It was probably called that in the 1841 Census, when it appears as Pennis lane, presumably a mistake by the enumerator.
It was again put up for sale in 1858 and the address was still given as Penny's lane.
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So, if Penny Lane wasn't named after the infamous James Penny, a well-known slave trader, then who was it named after?
I can't think of another well-known Liverpool person called Penny.
The surname Penny was very rare in Liverpool.
If you check the 1820s directories (obviously after James Penny died) there's never more than 5 Pennys listed, and only a couple were "Merchants".
Slavery was finally abolished in the UK in 1833.
In 1853 (Gore's Directory) a broker (John Baron of Baron & Grey) lived at Grove House (now Dovedale Towers) - he had his office in Old Hall Street.
A broker is another name for a merchant.
Dovedale Road was laid out in the front garden.
It seems to be newish in 1905.
Dovedale Towers was originally known as Grove House, and over the years had been an art gallery, a home for sick children, an orphanage, a Russian embassy, and a guest house.
This was the period when Queen front man Freddie Mercury was in residence.
He is not the only famous musician with links to the venue though as it was when the venue was known as St Barnabus’s church hall where Sir Paul McCartney was a choir boy and later played here with the Quarry Men and subsequently became a major venue on the Mersey Beat scene.
Source: "Good Taste", October 2017.
Renamed Dovedale Towers (Hotel) in January 1967.
Regular Dinner Dances were held.
It also functioned as a guest house and Freddy Mercury rented a room there in 1969.
Original research by Philip G Mayer.
Dovedale Towers, Penny Lane/Dovedale Road, Toxteth, Liverpool 18. 2007 photo.
As Grove House it was in existence by 1826 when it was owned by Thomas Webster.
It was about the only house in Penny Lane.
At that time the ancient lane probably wasn't named.
By 1832 it was owned by William Kay who died there in 1846 - he was 71.
The house was then put up for sale, when the address was given as Penny's lane.
It was probably called that in the 1841 Census, when it appears as Pennis lane, presumably a mistake by the enumerator.
It was again put up for sale in 1858 and the address was still given as Penny's lane.
Scroll down.
So, if Penny Lane wasn't named after the infamous James Penny, a well-known slave trader, then who was it named after?
I can't think of another well-known Liverpool person called Penny.
The surname Penny was very rare in Liverpool.
If you check the 1820s directories (obviously after James Penny died) there's never more than 5 Pennys listed, and only a couple were "Merchants".
Slavery was finally abolished in the UK in 1833.
In 1853 (Gore's Directory) a broker (John Baron of Baron & Grey) lived at Grove House (now Dovedale Towers) - he had his office in Old Hall Street.
A broker is another name for a merchant.
Dovedale Road was laid out in the front garden.
It seems to be newish in 1905.
Dovedale Towers was originally known as Grove House, and over the years had been an art gallery, a home for sick children, an orphanage, a Russian embassy, and a guest house.
This was the period when Queen front man Freddie Mercury was in residence.
He is not the only famous musician with links to the venue though as it was when the venue was known as St Barnabus’s church hall where Sir Paul McCartney was a choir boy and later played here with the Quarry Men and subsequently became a major venue on the Mersey Beat scene.
Source: "Good Taste", October 2017.
Renamed Dovedale Towers (Hotel) in January 1967.
Regular Dinner Dances were held.
It also functioned as a guest house and Freddy Mercury rented a room there in 1969.
Original research by Philip G Mayer.