This symmetrical Italianate mansion, Crofton, was built c.1876-8 for Alfred Holt, engineer, shipping magnate and founder of Blue Funnel Line, by Rhind and Banner and was one of the most elegant mansion houses in South Liverpool. It was used during the Great War as an Auxiliary Hospital and as a convalescent recovery home for women in 1922 to relieve the congestion in the General Hospital. It was built to his own design in order that he could live close to his brother who had bought Sudley house nearby. Here from the upper tower, Mr Holt would have had commanding views of the River Mersey, able to watch the arrival of his ships from journeys to the Far East. Once horse-drawn carriages would have gently journeyed along the driveway to the elegant finely carved entrance pier of the stucco-finished house in grand Italianate style. House servants and stablemen would have been on duty to tend to the needs of the family and their guests.
In the 1911 census, 81 year old Alfred is shown living at Crofton, Tudley Road, Aigburth, with his 34 year old son Alfred Holt who was a Doctor of Science. Alfred senior is shown as married but his wife is not listed at this abode but there are seven servants shown here.
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| The Redevelopment |
The days when Liverpool was the premier port city of the British Empire have, like Crofton, faded into the annals of history. However, in 2014 The Pervaiz Naviede Family Trust bought the Crofton Estate from administrators for £4.2m hopefully restoring it to its former glory. There will be 11 apartments contained in the Mansion house with 'The Mews' and The Stables' converted into houses. There will also be 3 period cottages, 'Brookfields', Crofton Lodge' and 'Crofton Cottage' as well as a new build detached house 'New Lodge' plus other houses set in the 2.5-acre estate.
see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2022/06/historic-liverpool-dwellings-croxteth.html
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