Watercolour of Mother Redcaps, Wirral by John Hobson Nicholson

This is a good watercolour of Mother Redcaps by John Hobson Nicholson (1911-1988). The Wirral Coastline has an interesting and dark connection to Pirates and Smuggling. The centre of it all was a place on the banks of the River Mersey called Mother Redcaps. But who was Mother Redcap? The name sounds like it belongs in a fairy tale of a sweet dear old little lady, a loving friendly grandmother who would take in waifs and strays to look after those in need…Far from it, Mother Redcap whose real name was Poll Jones was a guardian of treasures and loot for the Smugglers that haunted the Wallasey coastline. Every smuggler who had gained there prize along the coastline would evade capture by running inside tunnels and caves with their loot. Legend has it that there are hidden tunnels all over Wallasey and they are all connected back to Mother Redcaps. Mother Redcap became the person to go to and was well known for being trustworthy in allowing contraband and loot to be stored within the building and hidden tunnels beneath the Inn, but this service was for a fee and a cut of the profits! Mother Redcaps was a small fortress that is a legend in its own right. Mother Redcaps was turned in to a Café and sadly later fell in to disrepair and demolished in the 1970s. The area is now occupied by a nursing home; but a stone archway still remains. Stop and look next time you are passing along the promenade for Old Mother Redcaps! Source: Tony Franks-Buckley All this history is captured in this wonderful watercolour painting by local Isle of Man artist John Hobson Nicholson (1911-1988). Professionally cleaned, reframed and presented in top showroom condition.