Restoration Project

HLF funded Project Manager, Annette Birch writes the restoration journal…………

Architects: Owen Ellis

Main Contractor: Mather & Ellis      Tombstones: Manor Monumental Company Ltd

Monday 14th May 2012

The keys are handed over! As members of the Deane Road Cemetery Committee arrived at 12.00 noon the architect Neil and Site Manager Richard were checking final items, activity was apparent as the last panes of glass were being fitted – they had finally arrived at 8.00am that morning! So it’s over to the volunteers now as Mather & Ellis drive away. Everyone was in total agreement that we’ve had a splendid contractor on board and in fact it was sad to see them go! If you’re interested in becoming involved, look out for more information of the volunteer recruiting day on Sunday 10th June.

Friday 27th April 2012

The restoration on site is almost finished and excitment mounts as handing over the keys to the Deane Road Cemetery Committee is drawing nearer. The contractors have had a few delays over the last month, with wet weather hindering painting and deliveries of key items slow. We’ve now power and water will hopefully follow soon. Saul is delighted at the progress by Manor Monumental Company Ltd in righting the fallen tombstones!

Monday April 8th 2012

The new building takes shape and the views from the scaffolding of the sedum roof and restored tombstones are impressive.

Wednesday 28th March 2012

The Committee visits the cemetery to review progress as tombstone restoration continues with the new foundations.

Wednesday 21st March 2012

Manor Monumental Company Ltd making swift progress with their specially made lifting and drilling tackle. Views from up on the scaffolding reveal the archway lettering and restored stone work and the garden area taking shape.

Monday 6th February, 2012

With only 7 weeks to go the cemetery restoration project is on target to be completed at the end of March 2012, weather permitting! Today the Site Manager met with the architect to confirm the details of the gates to the new building, view samples of yorkstone flags and inspect the excavation work for the new path.

Neil & Richard discuss the gate plans

Please forgive the gap in information during the time when the website was unavailable, we will be filling in some details in due course!

Meanwhile………………..

Saul Marks, project Chairman writes…….’Here we aim to give our followers regular updates on how the restoration project is getting on.’

19th July 2011

Yesterday, we held interviews for the Activity Plan Manager’s job, which is the second post funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund grant. This person will be working to realise all the exciting activities planned for the cemetery during and after the restoration works. We interviewed eight candidates and will be announcing the new appointment soon, subject to approval by our HLF monitor.

11 July 2011

It now seems things are happening so fast that even the webmaster can’t keep up with events!
We are pleased to have appointed Owen Ellis Architects a consultants following the interviews held on 23 May. The team led by Neil Hutchinson has already done some fine work in re-designing the visitors’ centre and arranging various meetings.

The applications for our post of Activities Plan Manager have now closed and we will be interviewing candidates next Monday (18 July). The post is funded as part of the HLF grant and is the second of three positions created under our application to them (the first being Project Manager Annette Birch, who is doing a fantastic job!).

On Sunday 5 June, we held our first arts and photographers’ open day, which is one the planned activities in our Activities Plan. The aim is to encourage local artists and photographers to use the cemetery for inspiration and give them a tour at the same time. We had a promising turnout and the event was repeated yesterday, on 10 July, with an even better turnout.

On Friday (8 July), our own Louise Baldock’s work for the project was featured in the Jewish Telegraph, and the article is now available here. You really should read it to understand just how much work Louise does.

This morning, we’re off to a meeting with Glyn Marsden, the Conservation Officer for Liverpool City Council, to discuss the proposals to renovate the entrance archway, the gates, gateposts and railings. So, it’s all happening and it’s difficult to keep up!

23 May 2011

We held six interviews today for the consultants to help us implement the restoration work at the cemetery. After an exhausting day which included being caught in a drenching shower at lunchtime and the ceiling of the neighbouring room collapsing during the last interview, we have arrived at our provisional choice of consultant. This will be passed by our friendly HLF monitor on Wednesday and we hope to announce the appointment that afternoon or the following day. Watch this space…!

20 March 2011

I’m excited to report that I’ve been contacted by a lady in Israel who’s descended from the Hart/Simmons/Edwards family, a number of whom are buried at Deane Road. Although she’s not a direct Deane Road descendant herself, she has masses of information about the family and is happy to share it. She has also told me that another of the collateral lines of the family contains a certain minister named Rev Lewis Phillips (1881-1977). Rev Phillips was one of the minister at LOHC from 1917-47, holding a number of positions; I had no idea he was related to this family or, indeed, anyone buried at Deane Road! The biography of the Hart/Simmons/Edwards family has been duly updated.

9 Feb 2011

Louise, Lisa, Annette and I had a very long and productive meeting today with our new HLF monitors, setting out the schedule of monitoring through which they will oversee the implementation of the project. They remain encouraged by our level of organisation and we’re pleased with their enthusiasm and interest.

22 December 2010

I am pleased to announce that we have appointed Annette Birch of Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, as our project manager. We very much look forward to working with her over the next 18 months.

21 December 2010

It’s been an incredible few days in the history of our beloved cemetery. On 2 December, we were told that the HLF had approved our Stage 2 bid for £494,000, in order to complete a full restoration of the entrance archway, gates, railings, boundary walls, tombstones and pathways, the development of a visitors’ centre and major landscaping works to the areas where there are no burials
On 17 December, just hours before the latest snowfall, we held a press photocall at the cemetery, which included HLF staff, one of our patrons, Luciana Berger MP, and various committee members.
Yesterday, we interviewed seven people for the job of project manager. This person will help us appoint contractors to carry out the physical restoration of the cemetery and oversee their work. Despite the treacherous conditions, we interviewed seven great candidates and will be announcing our decision soon!
After the interviews were over, we headed to The Egg, a vegetarian restaurant in Liverpool city centre, for our second annual end-of-year meal.

Friday 27th April 2012

The restoration on site is almost finished and excitment mounts as handing over the keys to the Deane Road Cemetery Committee is drawing nearer. The contractors have had a few delays over the last month, with wet weather hindering painting and deliveries of key items slow. We’ve now power and water will hopefully follow soon. Saul is delighted at the progress by Manor Monumental Company Ltd in righting the fallen tombstones!

Monday April 8th 2012

The new building takes shape and the views from the scaffolding of the sedum roof and restored tombstones are impressive.

Wednesday 28th March 2012

The Committee visits the cemetery to review progress as tombstone restoration continues with the new foundations.