Birkenhead History Society launches Wilfred Owen Trail

Nov 19 2008 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

Wilfred Owen

WILFRED Owen’s links to Wirral are being celebrated with the launch of a history trail marking the places that shaped the war poet’s formative years.

Birkenhead History Society and Birkenhead Institute Old Boys have teamed up to design the Wilfred Owen Trail, which starts at Birkenhead Central Library.

Owen was born in Oswestry but came to Birkenhead with his family in 1897, attending Birkenhead Institute before the family moved to Shrewsbury when he was 14.

He died on the banks of the Oise-Sambre Canal in France on November 4, 1918 aged 25 – days before the end of World War One.

The trail, which marks 90 years since Owen’s death and the end of the war, will be launched at a meeting of Birkenhead History Society at the Williamson Art Gallery tomorrow night.

Rob Wood, of Birkenhead History Society, said: “Wilfred Owen’s family came to Birkenhead because his father was appointed station master at the old Woodside Station, which was quite a title in those days. He started at Birkenhead Institute in 1900.

“The man is a legend but he’s never been recognised much in this town.

“We decided we wanted to take it up and do something here and what better way to do that than by marking the various places associated with Owen?”

The trail, which includes images, some of Owen’s poems and a biography, begins with the memorial plaque and Wilfred Owen stained glass window in Birkenhead Central Library on Borough Road.

Mr Wood said: “Then it goes to Whetstone Lane where Birkenhead Institute was, then the first house he lived in, which was in Elm Grove.

“It also covers the other houses the family lived in, on Wilmer Road and Milton Road.

“A similar trail was compiled over 20 years ago by Norah Christall but we decided to update and relaunch it because it was no longer available.”

Tomorrow’s meeting starts at 7.30pm.