Mystery behind 80-year-old graffiti on Wirral’s World War One hangar solved

Jan 2 2013 by Linda Foo Guest, Bromborough and Bebington News

THE mystery behind an 80-year-old graffiti on a World War I hangar has been solved.

Back in July, the Wirral News reported about graffiti revealed whilst work was carried out to replace the roof of the Hooton Park site.

It reads ‘Robert Walters, Aged 19 years, February 9th, 1932’. And next to it an address: ‘2 Bk Grosvenor St, Ellesmere Port, Wirral’.

Robert Walters’ son Bob read the article and contacted The Hooton Park Trust, who look after the site.

In 1932, Mr Walters was working as an apprentice joiner with local firm Hughes and Alans, who closed down eight years ago, and was presumably carrying out repairs to the trusses.

Mr Walters, who would now have been 99, passed away 10 years ago.

Bob, who lives in Ellesmere Port, said: “My grand-daughter saw the article and told me about it. As soon as I read it I knew it was my dad, but I looked for something my dad had written to compare the handwriting to make sure.

“He never mentioned he had worked at the hangars, but I knew from the graffiti date and address it was him.

“Since then I have visited the site and the woodwork there is fantastic, I imagine my dad had done repairs to it.

“After working as an apprentice, he was called up for National Service and served in World War II in North Africa.

“He was in the Royal Engineers. At some point he broke his back and was shipped home. He was in hospital with a plaster cast for 18 months.’’

Christine Thomas, administrator for the trust, added: “The graffiti is a little unique gem, high up in the eaves of the hangar, about 80ft high. We tell visitors about it, and the article in the Wirral News will be included in our history display.”