Strawberry Field

Strawberry Field was a Salvation Army children's home in Woolton, a suburb of Liverpool, England.HistoryOverviewThe earliest reference to the gothic revival mansion 'Strawberry Field' dates from 1870, when it was owned by one George Warren, a wealthy shipping magnate. On an 1891 Ordnance Survey map the building and its grounds appear as the plural 'Strawberry Fields', although this had changed by the 1905 survey. In 1912 it was transferred to another wealthy merchant whose widow sold the estate to the Salvation Army in 1934. It opened as a children's home on 7 July 1936 by Lady Bates in the presence of General Evangeline Booth, daughter of the Salvation Army founder. With a capacity of up to forty girls, boys under 5 were introduced in the 1950s. Later still, older boys also became resident.Strawberry Field was recognised by Nikolaus Pevsner in his 1969 survey of the buildings of South Lancashire. However by then the building was increasingly unfit for purpose. By 1973 the structural problems, including dry rot, meant that it was more cost effective to demolish the building and replace it with purpose-built children's home. This new home provided three family units, each accommodating 12 children. The driveway entrance to the building was moved further west along Beaconsfield Road, meaning that the gateposts bearing the name 'Strawberry Field' were no longer used. Throughout the 1970s and beyond however, this disused entrance and its gates became a mecca for Beatles fans from around the world. As a result the gates continued to be painted bright red, and the painted nameplates were also maintained.