The Streets of Liverpool, Part 1

Liverpool, The City where I was born and lived as a child, 3 miles out of the city.

Photos from City Council and put together by Colin Wilkinson

St. George's Hall 1906

Some time ago I came across a couple of books containing photographic records of Liverpool in a second hand book stall

I certainly find them fascinating so will do some posts over time

The most noticeable thing is the contrast between the slums and the more affluent areas

I have to say that I was not aware of the existence of such slums when growing up and am quite shocked at some of the photos 

The history of Liverpool can be traced back to 1190 when the place was known as 'Liuerpul', possibly meaning a pool or creek with muddy water, though other origins of the name have been suggested. The borough was founded by royal charter in 1207, but Liverpool remained a small settlement until its trade with Ireland and coastal parts of England and Wales was overtaken by trade with Africa and the West Indies, which included the slave trade. The town's first wet dock was opened in 1715 and Liverpool's expansion to become a major city continued over the next two centuries.

By the start of the nineteenth century, a large volume of trade was passing through Liverpool. In 1830, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway was opened. The population grew rapidly, especially with Irish migrants; by 1851, one quarter of the city's population was Irish-born. As growth continued, the city became known as "the second city of the Empire", and was also called "the New York of Europe". During the Second World War, the city was the centre for planning the crucial Battle of the Atlantic, and suffered a blitz second only to London's.

From the mid-twentieth century, Liverpool's docks and traditional manufacturing industries went into sharp decline, with the advent of containerisation making the city's docks obsolete. The unemployment rate in Liverpool rose to one of the highest in the UK. Over the same period, starting in the early 1960s, the city became internationally renowned for its culture, particularly as the centre of the "Merseybeat" sound which became synonymous with The Beatles. In recent years, Liverpool's economy has recovered, partly due to tourism as well as substantial investment in regeneration schemes. The city was a European Capital of Culture in 2008.

The Docks and Overhead Railway

Lord Street 1908

American Tram 1900

Johnson Street 1935

Hill's Place, Wavertree, 1934

Burlington Street 1934

Dale Street 1908

New Quay 1908

The Floating Landing Stage on the River Mersey 1925

Children playing in sand pits in Whitney Gardens

Liverpool Overhead Railway 1946

Enjoyed many a ride on this line as a child

Fire Station 1906

Liverpool's last Tram 1957

Lord Street 1908

Church Street 1925

The city was second only to London for the amount of bombing that took place and I have vivid memories from childhood of seeing whole streets flattened by the air raids during the night. I remember very well the warning sirens and the all clear when the planes had returned to Germany.

Go here to see a modern transformed city, especially the waterfront

I can do lots more posts on times gone by in Liverpool so have titled this one part 1.