The BBC expressed interest in the history of number 68 Fern Grove and having done the research, it seemed a shame to waste the data.

Slaters 1869 directory has no mention of Fern Grove in Toxteth. Indeed prior to 1880 the Lodge Lane area (one end of Fern Grove is in Lodge Lane the other is Hartington Road ) was largely open fields with little development.  This began in the 1880s, however and housing began to encroach.  The Lodge Lane Wesleyan Methodist Church not far away was started in 1883,  and St Bedes, at one end of Fern Grove must have been contemperaneous as this was completed in 1886 just a year after the Wesleyan church.

The 1881 census for Fern Grove shows that at least part of it was built in 1881, and it shows an interesting mix.  The houses found so far seem to be either larger ones with large families and a servant or two, and the owner or head-of-house is usually an employer.  The other side shows smaller properties and a subtle difference in occupations. This difference between the sides is borne out by the 1905 map which clearly shows villas and large houses on one side, and smaller, but still substantial houses on the other.  I get the idea that this is an upper working class or lower middle class area.  These are workers but they are educated people and many are employers rather than employees.  There are several things to note: - number 68 is not there yet, the Grove is not fully developed, and at number 22 there are 18 houses in construction, although for some reason the census has 22 listed on the ODD side of the road.

The Kelly's directory for 1881 for Liverpool does not contain Fern Grove and it may be that they have not picked it up, or that it was not built in 1880 when the data might well have been collected.  If there were no tradesmen as such there, it may have been missed out on purpose since it this particular directory is very trade orientated.

Kelly's 1894 shows 68 as being occupied by William Edward Taylor living there, no occupation or further clues

The next time I can check is the 1911 Gore's directory shows a fully mature and developed Fern Grove.  This places the buildings between 1881 and 1911, a wide window, but I think it safe to assume that the 1880s would have seen most development.  From this Gore I can work out that the low numbers are at the Lodge Lane end, the high numbers at Hartington Road.  Maple Grove comes in the odd side listing, so the odd numbered houses are on the north side, the same side as St Bedes church. Number 68 is therefore the last but one house before Hartington Road on the side opposite the church.  I get the feeling that there is a slight erosion of the status of the occupants, but there are still some high status occupations there and the houses are nice enough that the Lord Mayor's secretary is still a resident (at number 31).  The occupant at number 68 is very interesting as he was chaplain to Toxteth Park Workhouse, you can find that on the maps (map 2h) just the other side of the cemetery, it later became Sefton General Hospital (where I was born).

The 1938 Gore shows what I would suggest is a decline starting ( I am just trying to reflect the changes in status and jobs that are happening). It looks now as if it is mainly tradesmen, plumbers, joiners, decorators etc. The merchants don't seem to be there now.  Number 68 has been split up, there is a William Henry Kersey a clerk living there but also Mrs Constance Kersey listed in here own right with the note ; 'apartments'.

Electoral Rolls for 2003 shows that most of Fern Grove still stands
Odd numbers 1- 55,
Even numbers 2 - 70

(but with 4 - 12 missing)