This fine structure was built in 1854 for the rich merchant, Joseph Edwards. He was a South American merchant, but little is known about his trade, but he was registered at number 4 Cook Street, Liverpool. He would have made his money and acquired the land to build the grand villa on.

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Looking at the OS map of 1840-1880, Sandfield Tower would come to stand in the centre of the main square field. But not Queens Drive as we know it, originally this road was called Black Horse Lane and would not be named Queens Drive until it’s extension from 1903 to 1927 when the ring road was constructed and completed.  When Joseph Edwards passed away in the property in 1878, it stood empty for a couple of years but it was then owned from 1880-1881 by Miss Alice Houghton who married William Kinsman and they jointly owned the property from 1882-1890. Ralph Lyon Broadbent owned the property from 1891-1900. In 1931, the building was purchased by Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist who gave it a new lease of life! I, Jonathon Wild (Historian and Proprietor of Braygreen) have campaigned to have this building recognised, and somehow restored to its former glory over a twenty-five-year campaign.

I have researched the history of the building with the help from local historian Natalie Jones, and produced my website which is well known and well visited. I have authored a book on the building and have campaigned to local councillors, every Mayor of Liverpool, and been featured in the Liverpool Echo as well as appeared on BBC Northwest over twenty years ago to highlight the plight of this building. Both Historic England and Save Britain’s Heritage are well aware of my campaign. They have been sent a copy of my book. Save Britain's Heritage featured this as their Building of the Month in September 2021!

In 1880, Miss Alice Houghton moved into the property. She was born in 1834 and by 1881, she was listed in the census as the Head of the property. At this stage, the property was still known as ‘Sandfield Park, The Tower’. She lived with her sister, Susan, her stepsister Pattie, a niece, Mary Smith,  and a couple of servants. One wonders whether this was a rented agreement or whether she had purchased the property? It must have been a pretty penny if she had purchased the property without any support from a partner at the time.​ William Nutter Kinsman, unconnected with Sandfield Tower at the time was  born on the 29th July 1829 in Handsworth, Warwickshire. His occupation in 1851 was a Clerk in the Bank of England and by 1856, he was described as a Gentleman of Liverpool and was married in Manchester Cathedral to Eliza Pearson a spinster aged 23 of Yew Bank, Broughton. From 1931 till 1981, the building was used as a Church for the Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist. This is a stunning building and must be saved!