Court Hey Park can be traced back to 1783 when it was a large farmer's field near to Roby Farm and part of Lord Derby's vast estate. Many of the fields in the area ended in ‘Hey’ such as ‘Big Darling Hey’ and Kitchen’s Hey.

Not too many people know about the myths about the park - having the deepest well in Europe - and a plague stone near the Childwall Valley entrance.

The land was acquired by Robertson Gladstone (1805-1875) who was elder brother to the four times British Prime Minster William Ewart Gladstone.

Robertson Gladstone married Mary Ellen Heywood-Jones in January 1836. Mary Ellen was the daughter of Hugh Jones, a successful banker and Elizabeth Heywood. After the marriage, a grand Mansion house was built in what was now a sixty acre estate. The Mansion was originally sited at the end of a long sweeping drive ending near where the circular car park and play area is in present day Court Hey Park. The Mansion was a large L shaped sandstone house along with servant’s quarters, stable buildings and cobbled court-yard, ornate rose garden and a lodge at the corner of the lane in the north west of the estate. The entrance to the drive has been re-aligned but the original gate posts and part of the enclosure wall can still be seen near Roby Road.

Robertson Gladstone was a very large man. Tall, portly and assertive in manner Robertson became known as a man who would actually intervene in street brawls – as he was also a Magistrate he would have the law on his side. He was also a very successful businessman and purchased many properties in the city. Robertson was a vigorous councillor on Liverpool City Council. He became Mayor of Liverpool in 1842 -3. He was also president of the Liverpool Financial Association.

Robertson also became a Director of the Liverpool to Manchester railway, which opened in 1830. When the railway was renovated it was necessary to replace the stone sleepers used for the track. These sleepers had once been traversed by the famous Rocket steam engine and the newer heavier locomotives were damaging the track. The Gladstone family purchased the stones and used them to line the edge of the main driveway leading toward the stable buildings and they are still there today. One can actually see the holes and indentations made for the metal ‘fish’ plates securing the rail.

Robertson and Mary Ellen had six sons and two daughters all born at Court Hey, Broadgreen (as it was known then before boundaries changed).

John. Born in 1838
Mary Ellen. Born in 1840
Arthur Robertson. Born in 1841
Hugh Jones. Born 1843
Robertson. Born 1844
Walter Longueville. Born 1846
Anna Maria Heywood. Born in 1848
Richard Francis. Born in 1849

Robertson’s wife Mary Ellen was frequently ill and more often pregnant than her sisters-in-law, having had twice the number of children compared to them.

None of the sons ever married.

Both daughters did marry however and both weddings were held locally followed by lavish parties lasting many days and on one occasion all 70 members of estate staff were treated to a dinner and dance by the family. On the 16th of February 1860 their eldest daughter Mary Ellen married her third cousin Robert Gladstone (the dock is named after him) at the parish church of Childwall. On the 14th of December 1870, Anna Maria, the youngest daughter of Robertson and Mary Ellen married Edward John Thornewill at Childwall Parish Church.

The death of his beloved wife Mary Ellen who died aged 51 on the 28th of September 1865 was a dreadful blow to Robertson, from which he would never really recover. She had been ill for a long time and it was a very distressing period for the entire household. After her funeral, she was placed with her young son John in the family vault in St. John’s Churchyard, Knotty Ash, right next to her parent’s grave. On the gravestone Robertson had the verse “But the fruit of the spirit is love, Joy, Peace, Long Suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, and Faith. Meekness, temperance: against such there is now law.” inscribed on the gravestone. He would miss the walks they used to take in the rose garden after dinner when they would discuss family and the events of the day and he would never again be able to enjoy listening to her playing the piano just for him.

Robertson at 62 years of age decided to end his long service on Liverpool Corporation in 1867.

Shortly after five o’clock in the afternoon on the 23rd of September 1875 aged 69 Robertson gradually and peacefully passed away in the presence of his sons, his daughter and his distraught brother William Ewart Gladstone to whom he was devotedly attached. His brother was extremely distressed as were his surviving sons.

As a magistrate, Robertson had been active and energetic and frequently sought out places which required police inspection, and directed the attention of the authorities to their better control. In all sanitary matters he took a deep interest and he was a campaigner for better dwellings and sanitary arrangements for Liverpool. He was also an opponent of capital punishment.

His mortal remains were consigned to the family vault in the churchyard of St. John in Knotty Ash. Local newspapers stated that there had been no events in the neighbourhood for such a long time that has caused so much universal regret as the death of this lamented gentleman, and the great esteem in which he was held was shown by the large number of persons of all types of political and religious opinion, and of almost every grade of society who assembled at the graveside to pay the last tribute of respect to his memory. The morning was a bleak, cold and rainy but this did not deter thousands from proceeding to Knotty Ash and Court Hey to take part in the last solemn ceremony. The funeral cortège left Court Hey shortly before eleven o’clock.

Around the gates and grounds of Court Hey were groups of men and women, of whom Robertson had been a ‘most considerate friend’. All of them wore some mark of mourning for their deceased benefactor. As the sad procession passed along, heads were bowed and uncovered and many were moved to tears by the thought that one whose face was so familiar, and whose large heartedness and manly advice had so often been hope and encouragement, would never be seen again among them.

The hearse containing the coffin was drawn by four horses and the chief mourners followed in eleven carriages and following them twenty four more carriages with more friends and relatives. Many people followed the procession on foot; the blinds of all the houses lining the route were drawn down. Thousands of people had assembled outside the church were the service was to be conducted by the Revd. G. J. Banner, Vicar of Roby. His brother William was especially saddened. After the service and internment many wreaths were placed on the grave. Many businesses in Liverpool showed their respect by closing during the time of the funeral, the Town Hall closing until half-past one.

Walter was the last surviving son to live at Court Hey Mansion. In 1907 Walter gave an organ to All Saints Church in Childwall dedicated to his parents and his uncle William. This organ is still used in the church and the inscription can still be seen. All of his brothers had died and Walter lived until 1919 – just after the end of the First World War The Mansion was left to a nephew - Arthur Steuart Gladstone, the son of Walters’ eldest sister, Mary Ellen. He lived down South on his own estate and eventually arranged an auction to sell off all of the contents of the once grand Mansion house.

Arthur then sold the house and estate soon after to J. Bibby and Sons Ltd for £19,907.

1919 onwards.