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Welcome to Formby History Page

Formby VE Day 80th Anniversary Celebrations – Formby Remembers.
Thursday 8th May 2025 marks 80 years since VE Day – Victory in Europe Day – when the Allies formally accepted Nazi Germany’s...
Formby Bubble
Mar 211 min read
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History of Formby Police Station which was opened in 1894 on a piece of land bought for £100
Formby Police Station at number 34 Church Road Formby was opened on the 13th October 1894. Back in 1892 the County Council purchased a...
Formby Bubble
Mar 162 min read
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Volunteer Heritage Researchers Needed in Formby
Are you passionate about local history? The Sefton at 50 Hearts of Gold Project is looking for volunteers from Formby to help uncover...
Formby Bubble
Jan 281 min read
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The Boxing Day 110 years ago to the day that Formby Village United for Soldiers Heading to WWI and played a Football Match on Wicks Lane
Football match took place at Wicks Lane in #Formby on Boxing Day John Phillips remembered the Christmas Formby welcomed soldiers set for...
Formby Bubble
Dec 26, 20242 min read
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Confusion and disappointment at the removal of Muriel Sibley's Blue Plaque in Formby
The Formby community was recently taken aback by the removal of the blue heritage plaque dedicated to Muriel Sibley, a beloved local...
Formby Bubble
Jun 25, 20243 min read
1,837
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At Last! A Heritage Centre opens in Formby - The Attic
Formby has never had its own Museum , though maybe that is not surprising. It is a small community and for much of its history it was...
Formby Bubble
Nov 7, 20233 min read
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Blue Plaque raised for one of Formby's most respected artists, the late Muriel Sibley
After a long time planning a suitable tribute for Muriel Sibley to honour her wonderful contribution in the late 20th century to...
Formby Bubble
Oct 27, 20233 min read
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Formby High School Reunion - ALL previous years invited in a day of events on 28th October 2023
Join us for the ‘Formby High School Reunion’ with ALL previous years invited to reconnect with old friends This Reunion has been arranged...
Formby Bubble
Oct 9, 20232 min read
1,280
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Formby Police Station was opened in 1894 on a piece of land bought for £100 and built for just £2000
Formby Police Station at number 34 Church Road Formby was opened on the 13th October 1894. Back in 1892 the County Council purchased a...
Formby Bubble
May 22, 20232 min read
493
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Formby is getting its own Museum and are asking for help to decide a name for it, any suggestions?
Formby is getting its own Mini Museum thanks to Formby Civic Society and the Imagine Formby volunteers. The ‘soon-to-be-opening’ Formby...
Formby Bubble
Nov 8, 20221 min read
1,140
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Award winning Formby historian, Joan Rimmer has released a delightful new book Formby Folk Tales
The ever amazing, award winning Formby historian, Joan Rimmer has brought out a delightful new book with Harold James called Formby Folk...
Formby Bubble
Apr 27, 20221 min read
1,352
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George Formby was named after our wonderful town - New book called ‘Northerners’ by Brian Groom
George Formby senior (1875-1921) was among the best-known of Lancashire's rich seam of music hall comedians, born into poverty in...
Formby Bubble
Apr 22, 20221 min read
415
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St Peter’s Church 275th Anniversary Celebrations - Formby Church marks major milestone in 2022
This year, St Peter’s Church on Green Lane, Formby is celebrating 275 years since the consecration of the current building in 1747. The...
Formby Bubble
Mar 15, 20222 min read
275
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Can anyone help with the location of this photo?
Dear Formby Bubble: I wonder if anyone can help. We think this photo of our Lancashire Constabulary horse boxes taken in about 1981/2 is...
Formby Bubble
Mar 7, 20211 min read
527
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The Boxing Day of 1914 on Wicks Lane in Formby when Formby XI played football with the King's Re
Football match took place at Wicks Lane on Boxing Day John Phillips remembered the Christmas Formby welcomed soldiers set for the...
Formby Bubble
Dec 26, 20182 min read
346
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A Yule Log and Plum Pudding in the Round Tower - Formby Lighthouse
We all love the traditions and tales of Christmas Past, whatever our age. Just consider the enduring popularity of Charles Dickens’ ‘A...
John Phillips - Formby Civic Society
Dec 25, 20184 min read
422
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Formby Christmas Tree was originally in Duke Street Park
Looking through the Formby Civic Society archives we were able to find this photograph that appeared in the Formby Times showing a Mrs....
John Phillips - Formby Civic Society
Dec 24, 20181 min read
378
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The Boxing Day of 1914 on Wicks Lane in Formby when Formby XI played football with the King's Re
Football match took place at Wicks Lane on Boxing Day John Phillips remembered the Christmas Formby welcomed soldiers set for the...
Formby Bubble
Dec 26, 20172 min read
95
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A Yule Log and Plum Pudding in the Round Tower - Formby Lighthouse
We all love the traditions and tales of Christmas Past, whatever our age. Just consider the enduring popularity of Charles Dickens’ ‘A...
John Phillips - Formby Civic Society
Dec 25, 20174 min read
103
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Formby Christmas Tree was originally in Duke Street Park
Looking through the Formby Civic Society archives we were able to find this photograph that appeared in the Formby Times showing a Mrs....
John Phillips - Formby Civic Society
Dec 24, 20171 min read
133
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A wonderful song about the whisky from the Pegu shipwreck on Formby beach has been released
Most people have heard and even seen the shipwreck on Formby beach known as the Pegu. The Pegu was owned by the Henderson line and...
Formby Bubble
Sep 17, 20172 min read
536
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Our Formby is a stroll through Formby's past on Wednesday 15th June in Hightown
Our Formby is an entertaining and informative stroll through Formby’s past, with slides, songs, chat and humour presented by the...
Formby Bubble
Jun 13, 20171 min read
115
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Formby Teasers - Do you know what this building was on Victoria Road?
Do you remember where and what this building was in Formby? Answer: This was a Bank on Victoria Road in Freshfield. The bank was a sub...
Formby Bubble
May 4, 20172 min read
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How the National Trust came to Formby in 1967
On Wednesday 12th April, the National Trust celebrated its 50 year association with Formby – only a short time after announcing an...
John Phillips - Formby Civic Society
Apr 22, 20175 min read
537
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Formby Lawn Tennis Club was founded in the 1880's and still going strong today!
Formby Lawn Tennis Club was founded in the 1880’s when the construction of a railway line between Liverpool and Southport transformed...
Formby Bubble
Apr 4, 20172 min read
186
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Formby Teasers - The Slowboat
Do you remember the Slowboat? One of Formby’s many takeaways, serving Cantonese and Peking style dishes, but where was it? Behind the...
Formby Bubble
Mar 29, 20171 min read
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The Queens Cinema in Formby, originally named 'The Picturedrome' in 1912
This drawing by Muriel Sibley conveys something of the sleepy atmosphere of a suburban cinema in the late 1950’s. This is the Queen’s,...
Formby Bubble
Mar 29, 20172 min read
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What and who is Formby Civic Society?
You may well have heard of the Formby Civic Society yet not know what it does or who it is for. It is for anyone living in or connected...
John Phillips - Formby Civic Society
Mar 29, 20172 min read
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Native American History comes to Formby
A brand new course on Native American history comes to Formby on Friday 21st April, at the Dove Centre, on Formby Station. The Course...
Formby Bubble
Mar 25, 20172 min read
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Young Tom Bailey - A Formby Boy in WW1
Young Tom Bailey - A Formby Boy in WW1 It is so easy to look at faded or grainy photographs of WWI soldiers and not see them as the real...
Formby Bubble
Mar 22, 20176 min read
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Devils Hole in Formby - What is it? Have you been there?
The Devil’s Hole blow-out (Grid Reference SD278054) has been a popular recreational attraction for generations of local children and is a...
by Philip H. Smith and Patricia A. Lockwood
Mar 21, 20174 min read
4,259
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The Boxing Day of 1914 on Wicks Lane in Formby when Formby XI played football with the King's Re
Football match took place at Wicks Lane on Boxing Day John Phillips remembered the Christmas Formby welcomed soldiers set for the...
Formby Bubble
Dec 26, 20162 min read
193
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Did you Know, Counting down to Christmas.
“Happy Christmas Everyone!” During the past year I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to the reminiscences of Formby people, and writing...
Ann Crowther
Dec 25, 20164 min read
78
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A sign on Freshfield Dune Heath will be unveiled to commemorate 75 years since Woodvale opened
Sign tells story of brave airmen There will be a celebration of war and peace at a Merseyside airfield which has been reclaimed by...
Formby Bubble
Dec 2, 20162 min read
170
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The First Lifeboat Station in Britain
Photo by: ntprints.com The remains of the first lifeboat station in Britain, on Formby Beach. The world’s oldest lifeboat station is...
Formby Bubble
Nov 18, 20161 min read
1,257
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Did you know that Formby has its own Tapestry?
Did you know that Formby has its own Tapestry? Well, it may not be as grand as the Bayeux Tapestry and to the purists it is more an...
Formby Bubble
Nov 4, 20161 min read
148
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The BP petrol station on the Formby bypass was in a film with Norman Wisdom in 1969....
Q: This photo was taken whilst filming in Formby in 1969 but, where was it and what film were they filming? Someone very famous is in...
Formby Bubble
Oct 21, 20161 min read
402
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How The Formby By-Pass Was Opened In 1938
We have written in this column about ‘the past’, such as a fortnight ago when we looked at Chapel Lane in 1901. Perhaps, when we think...
John Phillips, Formby Civic Society
Oct 14, 20164 min read
924
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Discovering Formby's Past
DID YOU KNOW?......... Memories of growing up here in the Seventies My son, now in his late forties, was recently home for a few days. He...
Ann Crowther
Oct 13, 20163 min read
561
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Discovering Formby's Past
DID YOU KNOW?......... A Royal visit to Formby These photographs, taken on a little Brownie Box camera, are of a visit to Formby by the...
Ann Crowther
Oct 5, 20162 min read
171
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A Walk Down Chapel Lane In 1901
Now that autumn is upon us, we can look back over the summer – and one sunny afternoon I particularly enjoyed was in mid-August. As part...
John Phillips, Formby Civic Society
Oct 5, 20164 min read
370
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Memories of growing up in Formby in the Seventies
My son, now in his late forties, was recently home for a few days. He has lived in London for nearly thirty years, but retains a deep...
Ann Crowther
Oct 3, 20163 min read
757
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The International Historic Motoring Awards 2016
Following the incredible event that took place on Ainsdale Beach in March this year, the Sir Henry Segrave's Sunbeam 'Tiger' has been...
Formby Bubble
Sep 30, 20161 min read
15
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Do you know the link between 'Ashurst' and Duke Street Park?
Walking down Duke Street towards Formby railway station, you pass Duke Street Park on your left and may have memories of time spent there...
Formby Bubble
Sep 23, 20162 min read
568
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Ravenmeols Heritage Trails Officially Opened
Sometimes it is difficult to explain to others just what a local group like the Civic Society in Formby actually does. Indeed, there are...
Formby Bubble
Sep 22, 20164 min read
372
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Discovering Formby's Past - Riding for the Disabled
Part 1 The Brewery Lane Riding School begun by Tom Bowler in 1941 still flourishes today and, like many businesses launched during the...
Ann Crowther
Sep 22, 20168 min read
138
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'Formby Past' with Joan and Dougie
To The Brook Straight down Bull Cop and out over the field, Hop over the style, our happiness sealed, With jam jars and fishing nets and...
Formby Bubble
Sep 22, 20161 min read
91
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Join CITiZAN at Hightown Submerged Forest to record it's prehistoric past.
CITiZAN, the community archaeology network will be at the submerged forest at Hightown on Saturday and Sunday, September 24th and 25th,...
Formby Bubble
Sep 8, 20161 min read
40
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Sad news of the Death of Gordon Roberts
Gordon and Patricia with Kim It is with great sadness that we have to report the passing of Gordon Roberts earlier this week. Our...
Formby Bubble
Aug 25, 20162 min read
224
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Celebrate the opening of Lunt Meadows Nature Reserve
Lunt Meadows is a large (90ha) area of arable farmland next to the River Alt on the northern edge of Liverpool. The Environment Agency is...
Formby Bubble
Jul 19, 20161 min read
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