Building for the past

Click on any image to view them all  in 'Lightbox' (TM)

For a quick search whilst on this page press Ctrl +F (Windows) or Alt+F (Mac) and enter the street/place you are looking for.

Buildings of industry, leisure, retail, education, prayer, transport and refuge

A lot of the history captured below is with thanks to private contributions from the likes of Joe Devine, Ken Roberts, Martin S and Philip G. Mayer. Thank you to all who contribute to this page and the site.

AN INDEX TO WHICH PHOTOGRAPHS ARE ON THIS PAGE IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

Arden House, Bevington Bush: The Foundation stone was laid on 21st June 1898 by Thomas H. Ismay and it was opened by the Earl of Derby on 11th January 1900 as the Bevington Bush people's home. It was requisitioned by the admiralty in November 1941 and was sold to the Salvation Army in November 1945 as a hostel and renamed Arden House. It is shown here from Bevinton Bush which is off Scotland Road, the pub is the Wellington. The last picture shows it during demolition in 1986. (Pictures by Joe Devine, history by Philip G. Mayer with thanks).

The Ann Fowler refuge for women stood on Netherfield Road South for many years, a daily sight out of our classroom window for those that attended St. Gregory's on Prince Edwin street. Captured here by the records office and Joe Devine, interior shots can be found

It was demolished in the 1980s, the new refuge for 35 women now standing on the old site of the Shakespeare theatre on Fraser Street.

Beaufort Street School, Dingle. As was and now delapidated but listed.

Daisy Street School, Kirkdale. Sandwiched between the 'flower' streets, it contained its own integral swimming baths in the basement. New housing now stands here. Pictured by Ron Formby.

Bishop Goss/St.Joseph's senior school, Cazneau Street. The door lintels still show the engraved 'Boys' and 'Girls' seperate entrances. 11 years olds graduated to here from the attached junior school before St Gregory's was opened nearby in the 1960s. The little shop on the left was owned and run as a sweetshop by local resident, Kitty Carter, for many years, the adjacent pub is the Denbigh Castle. Everton Brow school on the junction of Netherfield Road was demolished in the 1990s, the area now being grassed over. SFX school on Salisbury Street contains ornate brickwork and a fantastic church, the first bult after the reformation.

Roscommon Street school stood on most of the North side of the street from Portland Place to Langrove Street. It was being used as an adult education centre just before its demolition in the 1990s. Tiber Street school is also shown here as a magnificent building. The remains of St. Augustines Church, Gt Howard Street can be seen bottom left, being used by a pallet firm. The b&w pic shows Holy Cross church and presbytery on Gt Crosshall Street in the mid 1980s whilst St. Deiniols C of E, Upper Parliament Street (where services were held in Welsh) now accommodates a 2nd hand furniture salesroom.

CENTRAL TOWERS. Stanley Abattoir, Prescot Road. Ogdens Tobacco factory, off West Derby Road. Vernon Pools HQ which became the Paradox nightclub in the late 80s and Kirkdale Homes, Rumney Road (now demolished)

TATE & LYLE

John Wright & Co. had a sugar refiners in Liverpool from about 1809. In 1859, Henry Tate, a successful grocer in Liverpool joined the firm as a partner. Realising sugar meant money, he set up his own refinery in 1862 relocating to Love Lane, Vauxhall in 1872. Expansion meant that he amalgamated with Lyle's of Greenock in 1921. Production at Love Lane peaked in 1972 @550,000 tons and stood at 300,000 per year when the factory finally closed. It was claimed the reason for closure was a surplus capacity in cane sugar refining caused by the common agriculture policy (cap) of the E.C. It closed on 22nd January 1981, the local community newspaper, the Scottie Press, being the first journal to cover the on-going saga from March 1980.

The 3 ugly sisters chimneys at Clarence Dock power station. The 3rd chimney was added in the mid 1950s, the whole plant having closed and been demolished by 40 years later. Also seen here from Gt Howard Street is Bibby's animal feeds and oil factory. Built in a style familiar in Chicago, it was designed by W. Aubrey Thomas whose famous Liverpool buildings include the Royal Liver Building, Tower Buidling, State House and the original Blacklers. Industry in this area has been replaced by housing, retail and car show rooms.

Who, currently aged over the age of 40 hadn't been to Blacklers Department store. The basement contained those household gadgets and gizmos that once bought, often remained in the kitchen drawer unused. During the wartime blitz when the original 1908 store was destroyed, the basement was used for something very different as it was deliberately flooded and used for reserves to fight the city centre blazes. Christmastime was always special as Blacklers was famed for having one of the best Grottos in town, that and it's famous Rocking Horse made it a child friendly store. Sadly a downturn in business resulted in its closure, most of the ground floor is now used as a Wetherspoons pub.

Three city centre scenes showing the beloved Ribble buses. St. John's shopping precinct is shown on Elliot street complete with St. George's Hotel and Concourse house across Lime St. The next two shots show a ribble turning into Bolton Street to its Skelhorne Street depot, so often a starting point to far flung days out like Crosby. (thank you to Philip G. Mayer for having the presence of mind to record such scenes - see his flikr  here.

T.J. hughes, a long time resident of London Road is decked out for Christmas 1986. With stiff competition from more central department stores such as Blacklers, Lewis's, George Henry Lee's and Owen Owen, it's amazing that it has seen them all off. St. Martin's indoor market, Great Homer st formed part of the busy Saturday market day where crowds throng the area for bargains. It was demolished last year as new buildings go up as part of project Jennifer. Probe record shop in Rainford Square is set in my memory as though it were yesterday. Always smelling of incense and frequented by the most colourful of characters during the punk and new romantics era, it wasn't without its own resident one in the form of dead or alive singer Pete Burns who worked behind the counter selling rare and imported vinyls and picture discs.

Ssssh, it's library time!

Christian Street library, built on the site of the circus/Adelphi theatre. Everton Library, St. Domingo Road followed by those in Kensington, Wavertree, Old Swan and Woolton with Wavertree baths thrown in for good measure.

Bluecoat Chambers in School lane is built in the Queen Anne style, heralding from 1716. It is the oldest building in the city centre, the grade 1 listed building formerly being a school for the poor. The arts, crafts and studio space to the rear was once used by Liverpool sculptor, Herbert Tyson Smith. The Blackburn Assurance Chambers on the corner of Dale and Fontenoy street was built in 1932 in the art deco style, see this.  On the corner of Islington Square and Shaw street is the home of what was the country's first NSPCC. It now houses a doctors surgery and yellow fever vaccination clinic.

Another art deco offering situated on the corner of Smithfield st and Tithebarn st is used by the JMU, it also features the head of Neptune on high. Derby Lane, Old Swan is the next port of call for what used to be the old fire station. The Conservation centre bounded by Whitechapel, Crosshall st and Victoria st was the former goods depot for the Midland railway Co. The last pic is of Hargreaves building on the corner of Covent Garden and Chapel st, complete with ornate head carvings.

Coleman's fireproof depository, established in 1875 was the place for storing your valuables in Victorian times. It still stands on the corner of Park Road and Northumberland Street. The phone number says 699 park which is a mystery as there was no exchange called park? Next up is a retail warehouse in the Devon Place/Falkland St area to the rear of London Road. This has lay empty for well over a decade. One of many JMU annexes is situated in Gt Crosshall street next door to Avery weighing machines head office.

Cross Keys House, Moorfields. Once home to Yates Wine Lodge and shipping offices, the derelict building was used for an 'art' installation featuring a revolving outer wall called 'Turning the place over' by Richard Wilson. Pics by Ron Formby.

Foster House and Steers House sat up high on Canning place on the site of Liverpool's old dock which Thomas Steers designed during his time as Liverpool's 1st dock engineer from 1710-1750. Foster House which housed the councils housing department was named after John Foster Jnr, architect of the Huskisson memorial which sits in Cathedral Gardens. Mercer Court, set back from the Strand was used by the council's libraries department during the 1970s.

Newington Buildings in Newington off Renshaw Street dates from 1847 and underwent restoration in the late 1970s. Victoria Street G.P.O. was scalped of its ornate roofline during its renovation into the Met Quarter which is Liverpool's designer shopping mall. Swainbanks furniture storage depot on Fox Street, Liverpool 5 was once a leather tannery.

A war reminder in Chapel Street in view of the Citadel/Western Approaches where the longest battle of WWII (the Atlantic) was directed from under Derby House at Exchange flags. The Stanley Dock tobacco warehouse, the largest brick built structure in the world which stored it wares direct from ships and barges in the adjacent dock. The ground floor currently houses a heritage market on a Sunday. The building is grade II listed. The last photograph shows the Royal Sun alliance/Liverpool Echo building (known to some as the sandcastle) under progress of construction on Old Hall street.

Join the club. The grade II listed Florence Institute, Mill St seems to have been ungoing restoration forever. Once a favoured boys club in the Dingle area and known to all as the Florrie, it was financed by Bernard Hall, a West Indies merchant and former Lord Mayor, as a memorial to his daughter Florence who had died 2 years earlier aged just 22. It was designed by Cornelius Sherlock, architect of the Walker art gallery and Picton library, however he died one year before its completion in 1889 so the overall building work would have been overseen and completed by one of his partners, Herbert Keef. The Gordon Institute which opened in 1886 is thought to be Britain's oldest surviving purpose built boys club, today it serves as the Kirkdale community centre, being based on Stanley Road. Just a mile further along Stanley Road in the direction of Bootle stands the Bankhall Girls institute. Opened in 1889, since 1974 the building has housed the Rydal youth centre and so keeps the tradition going.

Every day life.........

Carl's kiosk stands next door to the Vauxhall Vaults public house on Vauxhall Road. A favourite amongst locals who take a hangovered stroll there on a sunday morning to collect the newspapers and read about their teams efforts the day before. John Gianelli's chippy stood on Little Italy's Christian Street in the shadow of the Gerard Gardens tenement development. Cotters barbers and the Ah The Chinese laundry on Soho street meant that the locals could get a haircut, shave and a starched shirt in no time and look dapper that night.

Everybody needs good neighbours.....Ma Daley's pet shop stood as a neighbour to the United Powers public house on Tithebarn Street for many years. This was at a time when you really could ask 'How much is that doggy in the window'. Max the barber on Gildart Street stood next to The Monument public house off London Road throughout the 70s and 80s. The smallest house in England stood on Wavertree High Street until being incorporated into the neighbouring Cock & Bottle public house. Here, we also see the first residents of Kirkby moving into their luxurious newtown abode.

CIVIC SPLENDOUR

Previously described by better people than me of being of a neo classical design, worthy of Athens or Rome, the best architecture anywhere.......view on......

In 1836 a committee was formed from Liverpool citizens with a view to erecting a building suitable for the performance of secular music. This was due to objections raised about current festivals being held in St. Peter's Church, Church street. Nearly £25,000 was raised and as at that time, an assize courts were required in the city, the Corporation decided to take over the financing of the building and held a seperate competition for the design of each building. Harvey Lonsdale Elms, only 23 years of age won both competitions detailing a project which would see both needs covered under the same roof. Elmes was never to see the work completed, dying only 10 years later, some said from the pressures of his mammoth task. Work was set about on the site of the old infirmary and lunatic asylum in Lime Street. The foundation stone was laid on 28th June 1838 and it was completed and opened in 1854. It has 16 Corinthian columns encasing the main grand entrance, its main structure being built of Derbyshire stone and is one of the finest neo classical buildings in the world, having been based on ancient Greece.

The idea for a city museum was founded in 1850 and originally the Duke Street newsroom built in 1801 served this purpose. Three years later donations were received and a plot of land was earmarked on the north side of Shaw's Brow. MP William Brown (later Sir) provided the money for the building and on 18th October 1860 the Museum was completed and officially opened. The day was made a general public holiday but it was not until exactly one year later with all its exhibits in place that the public were let through its magnificent doors. The next piece in the jigsaw of one of the most architectural important streets in the whole of Liverpool was the city library. The Brown library section was the first to be erected, its foundation stone being laid in 1857, its opening taking place in 1860. The Picton library, founded by Sir James Allanson Picton was the first purpose built public library in Great Britain. Designed by Cornelius Sherlock, it has 12 Corinthian stone pillars on its semi-circular frontage. Opened in 1879, it was the first public building to have electricity installed. The Wellington Column was the next structure to be completed in the area in 1863. It is Liverpool's tallest monument and the only one to contain a spiral staircase. The 15ft high statue of the Duke of Wellington is said to be cast from the guns and cannons captured at the battle of Waterloo. At the base of the columns three giant steps is the board of trades standard measurements table marked out in iron pegs. The overall height of the structure is 147 feet. Constructed in 1875, the Steble Fountain named after Colonel R.F. Steble came next, at the west side of the columns base. Steble was Liverpool's Lord Mayor at the time he presented it to the town. The figures around its base represent the four seasons, the fountain being operated from the aforementioned St. George's Hall.

The Great North Western Hotel is situated on the East side of Lime Street facing the St. George's Hall. Designed by Alfred Waterhouse it was built on the site of the Lime Kilns that gave Lime street its name and was completed in 1867. The Lime kilns were removed to what is now LimeKiln Lane in the Vauxhall district after doctors from the nearby infirmary complained about the smells it emitted. It was renovated in the last decade and now accommodates 246 JMU student flats. The Walker Art Gallery was a gift to the city by brewer and Lord Mayor to the city, Sir Andrew Barclay Walker in 1873. The foundation stone was laid on 28th September in that year by HRH Duke of Edinburgh on the site of the Townsend Mill in Mill Lane, the lane still being in existence today. It was finally completed and opened on 6th September 1877 by Prince George, later the Duke of Kent. Its opening was also observed as a public holiday, a fine array of buildings now dominating William Brown Street, the pavement being laid out with Yorkshire stone. In 1882 Sir Andrew added an extension of five rooms at his own expense. It was renovated and further extended in October 1933 but its most unusual purpose came into command six years later when the building was occupied by the Ministry of food during WWII. It was July 1951 before the gallery re-opened to the public. Apart from its magnificent high ceilings in each room, one of its most striking features are the statues of Michaelangelo and Raphael that adorn the entrance. The County Sessions Court and Technical College at the East and West end of the street respectively were comparative late comers in 1887 and 1901, however, nothing has been lost in those extra years, It being almost impossible to tell which came first or last.

Undoubtedly, one of the most famous skylines in the world, and still everchanging today. Sailors past and present have recorded that upon seeing Liver birds, they know they are home to Liverpool. out of the Mersey's 68 mile stretch, this is the gateway to the Irish sea and beyond.

The Port of Liverpool building (top right) was the first of the 3 graces to be completed in 1907. At a cost of £250,000 it was the long standing home of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board until their relocation to Seaforth. It has a grand marble and wood interior with a central circular foyer encased by a magnificent staircase which rises 220 feet to its dome. The floor is of a hand crafted terrazzo marble compass, the two stone statues at the entrance represent commerce and industry. The Royal Liver Building foundation stone was laid on 11th May 1908, the building opening on 19th July 1911. It was built on the infilled George's dock which was named after King George III and was one of the first buildings in the world to use reinforced concrete. Aubrey Thomas was its architect who built the 322ft structure from grey Aberdeen granite, its purpose, to serve as the headquarters for the Royal Liver Assurance Co. It has four clock faces, three on the western tower facing north, west and south and one on the eastern tower (city side) facing into the city. The numbers on the clock are neither figures nor Roman numerals, but simply blocks. In keeping with the King George connection, the clock named the great George, which is actually bigger than that of the houses of parliament's, was set ticking at the precise moment that King George V was crowned at 1.40pm on 22nd June 1911. On top of the two massive towers are the 18 feet high liver birds, the legendary cormorants which are the emblem of the city of Liverpool. The Cunard Building was, for 125 years the headquarters of the Cunard Shipping line. The smaller of the 3 graces, it took 3 years to build, being completed and opened in 1916.

The Pier Head was always a summer hive of activity with people passing the time of day, taking a rest and watching the world go by, listening to the speakers at 'speakers corner' on watching the ferries from the rooftop viewpoint. The Pier Head was also a long time destination for the trams and buses, the buses used to park diagonally into their respective bays, the Crosvilles would line nearby Mann Island. These early 1970s shots show the contruction of the Atlantic Tower Hotel (now the Thistle) and the Royal Sun Alliance/Echo office building. St Nic's church features prominently as it has done since the beginnings of Liverpool. The old floating roadway can also be seen as can another local landmark, Tower Buildings. Pics thanks to Martin S.

The Overchurch heading across the water, Cammell Laird shipbuildings can be seen in the background. The Mountwood in its red, white and blue livery. A 70s view of the Princes landing stage, commonly known as the Lanny.

Princes Dock, looking South towards the Liver. The first picture shows the dockside sheds, the next picture shows the metal stanchion stumps left in the ground after removal of the sheds, the last picture taken in July 07 shows what it is like now, the old Riverside station railtracks still present in the cobbles.

NancyO captured a snowy scene of the Princes dock area and sheds of yesteryear. Surprisingly, in the shadow of the new multi million pound cruise liner terminal, dangerous structures still exist alongside Princes dock with warnings to keep off.

Pure architectural genius greets your eye no matter what angle you observe the Anglican Cathedral from. Built from dark pink sandstone quarried locally, the foundation stone was laid on 19th July 1904 by Edward VII. The designer was 21 year old Giles Gilbert Scott. He supervised the building of the structure for 56 years until his death in 1960 and was knighted by King George V at Knowsley Hall prior to his death. The completion of the building was undertaken by Frederick Thomas. Buried under the foundation stone is political literature of the day, interesting reading today i'm sure. The Lady Chapel was the first portion to be completed in 1910 but it took two world wars to slow its steady progress. A feature of its construction was that once a portion was started, it was completed down to its finest detail before the next part was commenced. In 1924 it was partly consecrated at the eastern section in the presence of King George V and Queen Mary but it was not until 25th October 1978 that it was officially completed and consecrated with Queen Elizabeth II in attendance. Built on St. James Mount which was originally a pleasure ground called Mount Zion, it has a fantastic array of record breaking architecture and features. It contains the biggest gothic arches ever built, the largest gothic vaults in the world, has the highest (219ft) and the heaviest (31 tons) ring of bells in the world. It also houses the world's largest organ, commissioned at a cost of £3,000,000. The organ, built by Henry Willis & Sons (as was the St. George's Hall organ), and Lewis & Co. Ltd has 145 speaking stops and nearly 10,000 separate pipes. One of the magnificent stained glass windows contains 18,000 sq ft of glass, the spacious interior well being capable of accommodating a congregation of 3000. The central tower, called the Vesty tower is 330 ft high but actually stands at 466 ft above sea level giving excellent panoramic views making it one of the largest cathedrals in the world. This was Pope John Paul II's first port of call during his historic visit to the city in May 1982. The mini Greek Doric temple in the Cathedral grounds is the mortuary chapel which once oversaw the burials in the cemetary below. To the North, along the appropriately named Hope Street is the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. Built on Mount Pleasant which was formerly Martindale Hill, the Catholic Cathedral is built on the site of what was the Brownlow Hill workhouse. The original attempt at this Cathedral got under way in 1856 but stopped no sooner had it started. It was on 5th June 1933 that the foundations were laid, Edwin Lutyens crypt containing the chapel of Relics, Our lady of Dolours and Crucifixion being the only part that was built before WWII blighted any further progress of the grand building that was to be housed there. It was 1958 before it was decided that the elaborate design could not be funded and modifications would have to be implemented. A year later, Frederick Gibbert, a protestant, designed what was to be the third attempt at the Catholic Cathedral. Bold in design, it was finally consecrated on the feast of Pentecost, Whit Sunday 14th May 1967. It contains some of the finest modern stained glass windows in the country. The lantern tower contains 16 vertical windows and produces ever changing interior lighting and colour depending on the position of the sun in the sky. The crown of thorns are not only represented by the spiked roof but also by the shining metal tubes which hang beneath the central tower. The high altar is a 19 ton single slab of white marble shipped from Yugoslavia. Outwards from the altar is seating for a congregation of 2,700. Outside the Cathedral are two concrete triangular structures encasing four bells named Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Pics with thanks to Martin S.

On the right track......

Two views of Central Station from Ranelagh Street. Also a view of the disused Riverside Station near Princes Dock at the pier Head.

Harland and Wolfe, builders of the Titanic at their Belfast shipyard also had an engine spares depot on Strand Road and the Dock Road in Bootle. Wilson King had a massive grain silo that for many year overlooked Sefton Street on the South Dock Road.

Gradiose St. Domingo House was built by George Campbell, a West India Merchant, sugar refiner and privateer who named it and funded it after a prize captured in San Domingo. He became Lord Mayor of Liverpool in 1763. After changing ownership and being rebuilt over the years, the mansion was finally sold to the council and demolished in the mid 1930s for something a lot less elegant but equally important and required at the time, Sir Thomas White Gardens council tenement block. Part of the original sandstone wall of the mansion can still be seen on Penrose Street. Norton Street ventilation shaft/chimney is shown on the next picture, revealed as delapidated warehouses which hid it for many years, were demolished in the late 1980s. The chimney, which can still be seen behind the coach station, served the Waterloo tunnel line which runs from the docks in an easterly direction to Edge Hill station. The black clad and glass building towering above on the opposite side of Norton Street was built as the Midland Bank but it now used by the JMU. The next photo shows part of the Hartleys Jam factory on Long Lane, Aintree.

Ello ello ello, three bridewells of yesteryear. Athol Street, Kirkdale, Collin's bridewell off Duke Street and the combined Police and Fire station on Westminster Road, Kirkdale that became the old bill public house and function room.

Cornwallis Street salt water baths off Duke Street. Woolton baths and Woolton village hall in the quaint little sandstone haven which seems a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre madness.

One of Liverpool's most famous art deco buildings. The original terminal building at Speke, Airport, Liverpool 24. Built in 1938, a favourite pastime of many including school trips was to watch the planes from the viewing platform. Upon the relocation of the airport a mile or two further south, the building was sold and converted to the Marriot hotel.

The Albert Dock contains the largest collection of Grade I listed buildings in the country. Built by Jesse Hartley as fireproof warehousing for the wealthy shipping merchants, they fell into a state of what seemed like disrepair in the 1970s after conventional shipping methods were outdated by containerisation resulting in the new Seaforth terminal being built. After the Toxteth riots of 1981, Government ministers set about funding the de-silting of the dock system and now the city's Maritime museum is housed there as well as bars, restaurants, cafes and retail outlets. It is a major tourist attraction and sees a number of tall ships and seafaring events.The first pic shows the pumphouse, Foster & Steers house form the backdrop.

Hear, Hear Brother. The Transport & General Workers Union (TGWU) building was originally on the corner of Christian Street and Islington facing the Wellington public house (known as Cassons) It was demolished in the early 1970s, a new one replacing it almost opposite. Also shown on the 2nd picture is the Transport House boxing club, Barney's sweet shop and Peppers public House.

Stand up boy!!! Some of these educational establishments remind me of Tom Browns schooldays or the film 'If '. SFX school on Salisbury Street, The Liverpool Collegiate, now converted into flats and the University building on Pembroke Place take centre stage here. Magnificent architecture.

St. Augustines church once stood on this sandstone rocky outcrop in the grounds of Whitley Gardens, known to locals as Shaw Street Park. For the last few decades a single story nursery block (now disused) was located here.

Exchange Station, Tithebarn Street. One time, for a long time, the terminus for the northern line as the elevated line took you over the arches along Gt Howard Street. Upon closure, the facade was saved and Mercury Court created, housing offices and the George Stubbs bar. Brougham Terrace council offices was once where Births, deaths and marriages were registered, usually via a quill pen in a ledger. The Quaymasters house and offices at the Albert dock later housed Granada T.V. studios for the 'this morning' programme, this building currently being used to plan the new museum of liverpool life which is being built at Mann Island as is due to open in the next few years.

Beetham House, Tithebarn Street. There is so much classic architecture in Liverpool's city centre, mainly centered on the business quarter of Dale, Victoria, Castle and Water Street but there are little unsung gems like this to be found all over the place. The Sandcastle early 70s effort towers above the 1930s art deco dock road tunnel exit. Behind is the ultra modern Beetham Tower. Stanley Dock in the heart of the Eldonian Village is being dredged here, the whole canal system is currently being extended afront the 3 graces and will lead into the South docks.

Take your seats ladies and gentlemen.

Comedy, Tragedy, Music says the famous line under the bust of the bard himself. The Shakespeare theatre on Fraser Street first stands derelict and then was gutted by fire one weekend in 1976. The HQ of the Paramount picture house can also be seen in the middle photo behind the Simon snorkel.

A close up of the Paramount offices and in the neighbouring street, Camden St, stood the Gaumont picture house (as oppossed to 'cinema' and always cheaper than the nearby Odeon) The Gaumont in its latter years became a snooker hall. The Empire theatre in Lime st has played host to many plays, pantomimes, musicals and mainstream group concerts. The legs of man pub was demolished on the corner of Lime st and London Road and Coal st was built across as the Empire was expanded a few years ago.

The ABC/Forum. Another fine art deco example. Here it is showing the last picture on Lime street - Casablanca. Another concert venue in the event of the city not having its own arena until the Echo arena is completed at the Kings dock is the Royal Court Theatre on Roe street. It is the only remaining structure on the whole block that saw the old St. John's market replaced by the current precinct. The David Lewis theatre (1906-1980) built as a hostel, was a fine building that stood just to the South West of the front of the Anglican Cathedral.

The No.9 tram passes the Casino cinema on Prescot road around 1933 as 'Everywoman's man' starring Max Baer shows. The next shot shows the same establishment some 51 years later. The Astoria stood proud on Walton Road, the halfway house now being renamed the new halfway house after a short spell as Dickie Lewis's.

The Curzon cinema, Prescot Road, Old Swan (1936-1960) and The Carlton (1932-1982) were both designed by architect A.E. Shennan. Of an art deco multi layered design it is a must that these should be preserved. The Carlton went under the name, The ABC Tuebrook between 1963-80.

The Commodore on Stanley Road opened in 1930 and with 1,966 seats was Liverpool's largest cinema at the time. After closing in 1968, it spent 14 years as a Mecca bingo hall before becoming Coyne's funeral directors then a car salesroom and now Armadillo storage and packaging. Woolton picture house opened in early 1928, closing only in 2006 before a campaign to save it saw it re-open on 29th March 07.

The Cameo Cinema, Webster Road, Wavertree. Infamous for a double murder in 1949 for which George Kelly and Charles Connolly were convicted after arrest by Chief Inspector Herbert Balmer and his team. Despite having alibis and the main prosecution evidence coming from untrustworthy sources, Kelly was hung for murder and Connolly was given 10 years for robbery. The sentences were subsequently quashed as unsafe in 2003, both men being pardoned.

Liverpool Stadium, Bixteth Street was built on the site of St. Paul's Church and was opened in 1932 as a replacement to Pudsey Street stadium off London Road. It held bouts until 1985 but was also used for wrestling, pop concerts, mass meetings, circuses and bingo. It was demolished in 1987. Dating from 1904 and famous during the 1970s and 80s as the UAB or Leece Street labour exchange building, this fine structure was demolished as part of a proposed road widening scheme in 1995 which also saw St. Lukes under threat for a while before sanity finally prevailed.

Greenberg's uniform outlet was housed in a fine building on Park Lane and was for many years a local landmark.(thanks to Marky). Dingle Tram sheds on Ullet Road were opened in 1898, Liverpool's first electric tram route. Extended in 1938 it closed in 1965 and sold to the Corporation housing department. Demolished in 1993, new housing now stands on the site. Central Hall, Renshaw St, was opened on 5th December 1905 as the Charles Gerrett memorial hall. During its life it has held concerts, organ recitals, film shows, mass gatherings, religious services, been a licenced premises and was home to Quiggins shops and stalls during 2007.

Jubilee Hall (later, Our Lady's Parochial club) Burlington Street as captured by Harry Ainscough in 1967 and kindly sent to me by Mike Murphy. James Nugent, philanthropist, temperance advocate and social reformer (b 3/3/1822 at Liverpool d 27/6/1905 at Formby) purchased the building for Temperance meetings and concerts in memory of his golden jubilee as a priest. The inscription set in stone said 'league of the cross'. The citizens of Liverpool on 5/5/1897 presented him with his portrait which hangs in the Walker Art Gallery. A year after his death, a bronze statue of him was erected in St. John's Gardens in commemoration of his life as an Apostle of Temperance, Protector of the orphan child, consoler of the prisoner reformer of the criminal, Saviour of fallen womanhood, friend of all in poverty and affliction, an eye to the blind, a foot to the lame and the father of the poor.

Another couple of pictures from the Vauxhall area, taken by Ron Formby. Tillotsons carton factory on Commercial Road and The Gem cinema, Vescock Street (a former converted factory) which later became St.Silvesters Parochial club as seen here.

Thanks again to Philip G. Mayer (author of 'A tram ride to Dingle' for kindly allowing a number of his photographs to be used on this page.

The Granada Cinema, Dovecot. Another designed by A.E. Shennan. Opened in 1932 - Closed 1961. The Graphic Cinema on Boaler Street opened in 1922, was renamed the Cosy in 1932 and closed altogether in 1958. It is probably the smallest purpose built cinema in liverpool. The Bedford, together with the Futurist and The Kensington (all still standing) were Liverpool's first purpose built cinemas. The Bedford, amazingly currently under threat can be seen here with its original 1910 facade (on the right of the photo), the waiting room (on the left) was added in 1924. To put this into perspective, there are less than 10 original frontages still in existance in the whole of the UK. Thank you to Philip Mayer for his wealth of information on this subject.

L.F. Briggs building, Rachel St, dated at 1900. Bootle Central Fire Station at Strand Rd, Bootle became Flames nightclub during the 1980s. Bushell's Buildings, Springfield, housed a cork merchants before becoming a warehouse for E.A. Clare around the corner on St. Anne Street.

FORE!!!! Art Deco splendour in the leisure world of Golf. The 19th hole clubhouses of Childwall (1938), designed by renowned Cinema architect Alfred Shennan and Royal Birkdale (1935), the first of it's kind in this design which was by George Tonge, also of the Grade II listed Garrick Theatre, Southport. With thanks to Ray Physick (author of 'Played in Liverpool')

The Students Union building within the University complex off Mount Pleasant which houses a theatre and function Hall with a bar decked out in an art deco style. The County Sessions House flying swastikas as the backdrop for a film scene being shot in William Brown Street. The lone ventilation shaft for the under Mersey railway at Mann Island has been relieved of its neighbours for the time being, new ones have moved onto this site now in the shape of apartment blocks clad in a black granite finish, and thew new X shaped museum.

What lad didn't have a dinky or Meccano set (or wanted one). This photo by Neville Bond is pretty much what was left of the site on Binns Road in 1989 as closure struck. The see more, visit Wes Dalefield's fantastic The Meccano History Site !

(Right) The Rialto Cinema on the corner of Upper Parliament Street and Princes Road in the aftermath of the Toxteth riots in the summer of 1981 as captured by Philip Mayer (author of A tram ride to Dingle). Eerily, many scenes of the riot have since been played to the soundtrack of that summer's No.1 chart blockbuster, the very apt 'Ghost Town' by the Specials. It was the only purpose built cinema in Liverpool to also incorporate a dance hall.

Barclays Bank, Moss Street/Prescot Street as seen in 1991, it ceased trading as a bank a year later. Harper Street Bridewell was part of the Prescot Street police station and was used in the filming of 'Boys from the blackstuff'. The Art Deco Co-op building on London Road is now Borden House students accommodation.

Herbert Rowse, builder of some of Liverpool's most magnificent art deco 1930s buildings built the Philharmonic Hall on the site of the previous ornate one dating from 1849 gutted by fire.

Left: Imperial Chambers, 62 Dale Street. The interior during the 1980s looked like time stood still but it is now renovated to living accommodation - where isn't? Above: Art Deco, Tarleton St.

St. Mary's, Edge Hill as seen from Irvine Street and across its cemetery at Towerlands Street. St. Monicas, Fernhill Road in Bootle is also a fine architectural specimen.

The Pier Head area December 07: The Blitz & St. Nics. The Liver in all her glory, some shots including her surrounding monuments. Tower Buildings alone and complete with some old and new (St Nics from yesteryear, the sandcastle and the Atlantic Tower, now the Thistle, from the 1970s and the ultra new Beetham and Unity towers) Albion House, designed by the same architect of and in the style of the Scotland Yard Building was the HQ of the White Star Line. It was from the top balcony that the news of the Titanic's sinking was relayed to the crowds below in April 1912. In the 1980s, the whole ground floor was taken up by the shipping line, Lamport & Holt.

Sat 19th Jan 08. Wet, grey and murky. Pictured from the roof of St. John's precinct aka the top level car park. St. George's Hall and Plateau and the Great North Western Hotel, now student accommodation incorporating the Head of Steam public House. Spin around 180 degrees to see the Holiday Inn (formerly the St. George's Hotel) Right: Looking up Richmond Street towards the 'Radio City' tower.

THE STANLEY DOCK TOBACCO WAREHOUSE is bounded by Regent Road, Saltney Street, Gt Howard Street and Stanley Dock itself. The biggest brick built structure in the world, it would easily fit St. George's Hall inside it.

Either they  had forgotten to take it down or they're leaving it up for the following Christmas, but you could visit santa's grotto here anyway. Bridges spanning the buildings were colourfully painted at the time the photographs were taken. The 1900AD dock offices at the Regent Road end. The idea is to give the market a Camden, London feel. Also seen here is the lower warehouse section on the North side of Stanley Dock, the only existing dock which is landside of the dock road.

The O five one cinema at the junction of Brownlow Hill and Mount Pleasant. This became a night club of the same name and is currently called 'Sunrise' - very fitting as it doesn't let out until 6am. The home of Joseph Williamson, 'The mole of Edge Hill'   has had its facade retained, seen here on Mason Street, supported by steelwork. Petony's Building, dating from 1878 can be found on St. James Place.

The one time entrance to one of Liverpool's Zoos, this one being situated at Rice Lane but not to be confused with Rice Lane farm which is on the junction with Hornby Road. You can make out a bird and monkeys in the ornate plasterwork above the mobility centre sign. The Swedish church on Park Lane was once fronted old business properties on Cornhill. New apartments now form part of its neighbourhood.

Five photographs with thanks to K.G. Rose of 4 long lost cinemas and a fabulous theatre. The Atlas can be seen in 1971 sandwiched between the Plough and Stanley public houses on Rice Lane, Walton. The Plaza, Allerton Road was also captured the same year. The Hippodrome seen in August 1970 stood on West Derby Road between the Gregsons Well public house and Brougham Terrace, a builders yard now takes occupancy on this site. The magnificent David Lewis theatre (pictured earlier on the page) was just south of the Anglican Cathedral and is seen here in 1977, just 3 years before its demolition. The Majestic stood on the corner of Daulby Street and Prescot Street and is photographed here in 1970. All this property including the green building behind was cleared to make way for the Royal Hospital.

Get yer cozzies on...........

Burroughs Gardens baths in the Vauxhall area pictured in the mid 1960s. It was to here that many of the local tenement boys and girls would flock in the summer for a cool down. These bathing houses usually doubled as Wash-houses too and many prams, used for carting the laundry for washing would be parked outside or just in the foyer. Margaret Street baths, Everton was up by the Aubrey Street Water tower and is seen here in 1973. This is where we'd be bussed from our RCSM school, St. Gregory's, Prince Edwin Street during the mid 1970s. On more than one occassion though I can remember us having to walk to it up the hill which ate into our double lesson period which didn't bother me too much as I couldn't swim. My overiding memory of it was that it was freezing and you wouldn't dare get out of the water for a pee and in fact it was probably due to this that eventually warmed the water up a bit. A feature of these Victorian baths was that the changing cubicles or lockers were alongside the water. During one lesson we were informed to bend over and touch our toes when leaving our lockers and fall into the water when hit on the backside with the pump (our term for the slipper as it was the teachers old baseball pump). This was because of a misdemenour back at the school where a 5-a-side goal net was damaged. My problem was my locker was up by the 6ft end of the pool but my protests fell on deaf ears as I nearly drowned. The last pic, also from 1973 shows where I did eventually learn to swim just after leaving school, Westminster Road baths.

Soho Street school founded around 1848 was relocated to here at 62 St. Anne Street in May 1869 when Brother Tertullian and five of his colleagues oversaw the teaching of 150 boys. It ended up as the Judges Lodgings for the nearby St. George's Hall sessions until closure for that purpose in May 1922 when they moved out to Newsham Park. This fine old property on the corner of Mansfield Street finally succumbed to demolition in 1972 when photographed here.

Crawford House, Upper Warwick Street, 1969. This was the home of the Lancashire and Cheshire territorial army corps. Tillotsons packaging factory, known locally as 'Tillys' was based on Commercial Road, Kirkdale and along with the nearby British American Tobacco plant was a large employer in the area. Here it is shown in 1982 during its demolition.

With best regards to Tricia at the Rotunda College who kindly let me have access to photographs in their archives, taken by Miss L.E. Thomas. A link to the great work done by the Rotunda is here .

Six views of Liverpool Royal Infirmary as seen from Pembroke Place and Ashton Street in 1992. Designed by Alfred Waterhouse who consulted with Florence Nightingale, it was completed in 1889, this area had included medical practises and the lunatic asylum previously. Waterhouse also designed the University's Victoria Buildings on Brownlow Hill. The Infirmary was extended from 1909 to 1911 in a sympathetic gothic style, finally closing in 1978 and lying idle for 16 years before Liverpool University took over the running of it.

Mill Road Maternity Hospital in 1992 showing the main building and departments to the side and rear. There were more Fagan deliveries made here than the local pizza man makes to our street. Built as a workhouse when changes were made to the poor law of 1834, three years later land was purchased off West Derby Road by the newly formed West Derby Union to build the West Derby Union Workhouse. A lot of the poor were sick and new buildings were added in 1852 between Hygeia and Horne Street to cater for these. It was rebuilt as a workhouse hospital in 1891, the 700 bed structure costing around £100,000 (£6M at 2002 values). Badly damaged during WWII air raids, it re-opened in June 1947 as a specialist Maternity Hospital closing in 1993 with the opening of the new womens hospital on Upper Parliament Street, Toxteth in 1995. For a full overview see here.

One of the University buildings on Brownlow Street seen from Dover Street in 1991. It carries the names of famous people and stands on the site of the lunatic asylum. Top left is a Methodist Chapel on Chatham Street in 1992. Top right is a Wesleyan Chapel from Grove St/Myrtle Street, seen in 1991, demolished in 1996. Bottom Left is St. Saviours in 1991 and bottom right is the derelict St. Stephens, Crown Street, pictured from Bamber Street in the same year.

The Harrison Jones school, West Derby Street - demolished in 1989. A disused bank on the Corner of Brunswick Road and Radcliffe Street as seen in 1992. The remains of the trustees savings bank on the corner of West Derby Road and Walker Street pictured in 1992.

Bootle Hospital, Derby Road, Bootle. These imposing red brick buildings in an otherwise industrious area not far from the docks are now used as part of Mast Laboratories. Built on a plot of land donated by the 15th Earl of Derby and opened by him on 10th April 1872, the buildings carry the Bootle coat of arms and motto 'Respice, Aspice, Prospice'. Costing £4,200 to contruct, Bootle borough hospital was the first voluntary hospital in England to provide an ambulance service.

(Left) The Seaforth Palladium (1913) on Seaforth Road is one of Liverpool's three listed cinemas. (Right) St Nicholas pro cathedral on Copperas Hill in 1967 as captured by Harry Ainscough. Built in 1850 and served by Fr. Nugent it stopped serving as the pro cathedral upon the consecration of the Metropolitan cathedral in 1967 and after closure in 1972 was demolished a year later.

It's 9th April 1977 as K.G. Rose captures the closure of the liverpool Exchange Station. Just as remembered fondly by many with the shops, kiosks and taxi rank, the last special leaves heading north past the Bibbys factory and the 3 ugly sisters power station.

The construction of the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.

Carried out between 1963 and 1966 on the site of the old Workhouse. The site is bordered by Brownlow Hill and Mount Pleasant. The third attempt at this project, it was officially opened on the feast of pentecost in 1967. Built on Lutyens crypt from three decades earlier, scaffolding encompasses the pillars in 1963 which take the 12 concrete beams giving the structure its wigwam shape.

The 2nd tier goes up in the shadow of the Anglican Cathedral, itself still under construction and would be until finished in 1978. Here we can see the arched templates and the scaffolding around the concrete structure that would house the 4 bells named Matthew, Mark, luke and John.

By 1965 the lantern starts to take shape, the bells are lifted into place and the crane is dismantled from within to reveal the final showpiece in 1966.

THE OLD LIVERPOOL AIRPORT TERMINAL

Further to the pictures seen earlier on this page. This is the terminal building as now (May 08). Apron side is now a massive car park with splendid views of the art deco hangars and a number of small planes, also giving a good view of planes taking off and landing at JLA. The original cast iron down spouts carry an aeroplane motif.

Two photographs showing the fantastic Sailors Home which was perched on the corner of Canning Place and Paradise Street. The left hand picture was taken in 1906, the other, in 1948. It was demolished for no apparent reason, the site laying empty and surrounded by hoardings for years. Some of the discarded stonework was only recently recovered and stored for safe keeping. The famous wrought iron Pooley gates which contain an image of the liver bird currently reside in the midlands at the home of their manufacturers awaiting an affordable approach by Liverpool city council. Another building lost which should never have been.

Built c.1717 to house a school for poor children, this moved to new premises in Wavertree in 1906, but the building was preserved as an arts centre owing to its cultural significance, and has survived the growth of the city around it. The workshops to the rear once housed famous Liverpool sculptor, Herbert Tyson Smith.

The oldest building in the heart of Liverpool city centre is Bluecoat Chambers, built in the Queen Anne style. It was recently refurbished and opened in the summer of our capital of culture year.

The new and futuristic Liverpool Echo Arena. Already it has proved to be a valuable asset to Liverpool and along with its conference centre is booked up for years to come.

(Below)A model of St. John's beacon and precinct with surrounding areas showing how it was proposed to look when created in 1963 by John Mills of the town planning department.

World cup Willie and all that........

The first four pictures are taken from a Welcome to liverpool 1966 visitors guide as Goodison Park hosted games between Bulgaria, Brazil, Hungary and Portugal with such players as Pele and Eusabio gracing the turf. Showing the Walker Art Gallery, Museum, Airport and Speke Hall, the Corpy were clearly making the most of their assets though surprisingly not up to speed on the significance of the Cavern club just yet - that only took them about another 20 years or so. The last pic shows the very first Ford Anglia to roll off the Halewood production line and was housed in the basement transport section of the Museum.

The old St. John's market

When opened to the public in 1822, this was the first covered general food market in Great Britain. (Right) in 1963, traders consist of Lodges, Kenneth Acock, M. Hazeldine, The Biscuit Barrel, Wallasey Produce and Scott's. 

The hall ran the length of Gt Charlotte Street, an overspill of fruit and veg stalls were situated on Queens Square near the Stork Hotel.

Cleanup time brings a deserted food hall.

This picture is from the Festival of Britain year of 1951 showing the patriotic Union Jack flag and bunting

The Harold Davies baths entrance and interior as pictured in 1958. The baths in the Dovecot district were named in honour of the Alderman who was chairman of the Liverpool baths committee. They are seen here under demolition too.

St. Josephs church, Grosvenor Street, together with its presbytery and club. The next picture shows the fantastic interior after restoration in 1958. Sadly, deterioration of the roof during the 1970s, coupled with falling congregations led to its demise and demolition in 1979. The school attached, although known as St. Joey's was actually called Bishop Goss. Here, the infants section can be seen. The iron fire escape was removed around 1971 whilst I was in the juniors which was the newer building seen in the same picture. The fourth picture is a painting presented to Mr Tommy O'Keeffe after the last service at the replacement church which was sited niside the old infants school. I lived in the block of flats on the left, at No.16 Grosvenor Street from 1990 to 1993.

Many 11+ failures from Bishop Goss, St. Anthony's, The Friary (and a smattering from Holy Cross) would move up to the big school which was St. Gregory's on Prince Edwin Street. This was built in 1967 which meant that the likes of St. Joey's life as an infants to seniors school, would come to an end. Seen here is the lower school which incorporated the woodwork rooms and gymnasium as well as mainstream classrooms. You can actually see the wallbars of the gymnasium through the large windows on the left. In the 1980s, the school became Campion and closed its doors in 2007, the future of the building being now uncertain.

Johnson Brothers cleaners and dyeworks in Mildmay Road as seen in the early 1990s before part of it was demolished. Thousands of Bootle locals have worked in this establishment for more than a century and it is a major landmark on the skyline.

Riversdale Technical College outside the navigation and engineering block on Riversdale Road, Grassendale. In the distance is the radio and electronics block. Apartments now stand on this site after the demolition of the whole college in the 1990s. Right is the engineering workshop where students from all over the world once studied navigation and maritime engineering.

Old Swan tech. Broadgreen Road.

Pics of this being demolished lower down the page.

Old property on Broadgreen Road, Old Swan and (right) Cardinal Godfrey R.C.High School, Breckfield Rd South taken on 11.9.1972.

The one time premises of L. Keizer Co. Ltd, St. Anne Street. With a datestone of 1876, the grey slabs either side of the steel shutter say 'Wedding Equipages, Broughams, Phaetons, Private Omnibuses, Wagonettes. Funeral Carriages and all requisite. Appointments of a Superior Description.

A Merchant House at 34 St. Anne Street where i'm informed a certain Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert once stayed, affording the owner the privelege of casting their likeness above his doorway.

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT

Hope Hall, Hope St 1959. The Futurist, Lime St 1938 and The News Theatre (later The Jacey then the Blessed Sacrement - Holy Shrine) pictured here in Clayton Square in 1947.

The original Cavern club, Mathew St pictured in 1973. The Playhouse and the Forum.

The interior of The Shakespeare Theatre, Fraser Street L3.

The Stadium at St. Paul's Square off Bixteth St.

Hanson's Sports & Social Club Cabaret & Disco pictured in 1983 when my family, friends and I frequented it. Tony Silver was the resident dj with his Marilyn Munroe lookalike girlfriend, Liz Pugh. The Hanson's dancing girls (aka the barmaids) also did a turn on stage as a full house was guaranteed each weekend. Midway through the night, the lights would come on for bingo for the oldies, we would pile down to the pool tables or watch Match of the day, oh the taste of those pasties and chips from the little serving hatch.

A B&W blast into the past. A fully lit Royal Liver Buidling. St. Peters Church, Church Street in 1919 including a stern looking fellow. I wonder if a funeral was going on inside. The first public wash-house in Upper Frederick Street. Renshaw Street German church as pictured in 1931. Last but not least, war damage to the Queen Anne style Bluecoat Chambers, School lane.

TOWER BUILDINGS

These first three photographs date from 10.5.1907, 17.6.1907 and 26.11.1907 respectively and show the old Tower Buildings at Prison Weint undergoing demolition. Designed by James Picton on the site of the original Liverpool tower in 1846 they contained Shipping and insurance offices. An advertisement hoarding for the Star Theatre proclaims a showing every evening at 7.30.

These next two photographs show the present Tower Buildings under construction on 13.3.1908 and then on 14.8.1908. Designed by W. Aubrey Thomas in the same year as his other most famous building, The Royal Liver Assurance Buildings, other buildings of his include New Zealand House, Water Street (c1893), State House, 14 Dale Street (1903) Hanover House, Hanover Street (1913), The Owen Owen buildings, Clayton Square, Nos. 81-89 Lord Street and 28 Gateacre Brow. Tower Buildings was one of the first steel framed buildings to be erected in the country. In the latter part of the 20th century, this building contained many Shipping Companies and Freight Forwarding agents and even a carpet showroom at its ground floor. Ma Boyles Oyster Bar is located at the North East corner of the building. It has recently been converted to luxury apartments for the private market.

Some photographs from 1941 depicting war damage to our eminent buildings.

The Customs House at Canning Place minus its roof and including an internal shot of the blitz damage.

The City Museum at William Brown Street was destroyed as next, we see the planning in the Citadel, Derby House, Exchange flags for the war's longest battle, the Battle of the Atlantic, also known as the Western Approaches.

Many churches were decimated. St. Lukes (top left) has been left as a ruin to remind us. St. Mary's Highfield Street (top right) was razed to the ground, you can see the chimneys of Highfield Gardens tenements behind. A blander, more modern replacement of the 1950s has even since been demolished. St. Michael's, Pitt Street was a local landmark towering above the original Kent Gardens until the luftwaffe raided. St. Nic's, the sailors church at the foot of Chapel Street wasn't spared either. Here, we see the North Aisle and Chancel. Lastly we see Mossley Hill church in August 1940.

Youth Clubs were a big part of growing up for many and this picture of the Rydal which was on Great Homer St almost facing Paddy's Market near Lawrence Gardens takes me back there, even though my visits were limited to probably only a dozen or so. I remember false partition walls painted black and structured maze like to form corridors with mirrors on them to give a feeling of disorientation whilst making your way through them. A downstairs area also existed which is where that very maze might actually have been. Another club we went to was the Manny club in Mansfield Street just facing the four squares. For us from Gerard Gardens it was just a scoot through the subway under St. Anne street then you were there. They had a big inflatable which everyone dived on, one of the first bouncy castle type of thingyos i'd ever seen, we're talking about 1976, I remember the Drifter's 'There goes my first love' being out at the time.

Two photographs from 29th June 1927 which show the Greek Orthadox church in Princes Road with its landmark domes. Across Berkley Street, the Rialto is under construction. This would be burnt down during the Toxteth riots in the summer of 1981.

Myrtle Street childrens infirmary on 8th June 1907. Myrtle Street eye and ear infirmary on 11th June 1906.

The Royal Hippodrome theatre at the beginning of West Derby Road near Brougham Terrace. This was previously the Henglers Circus. The Gaumont picture house on Camden Street was originally The Trocadero.

The 'Blackie' congrgational church on Gt George Street in 1950 looking just that, black with the city soot. A Hansom cab taxi rank heads Nelson Street near where the Chinese Arch now sits. Across Nelson Street sees a 1976 view of what is often referred to the Scandinavian hotel though that was situated behind this building which housed Europleasure camping supplies. This picture was taken by Edward Chambre Hardman.

Sacred Heart Church and its Hall in Hall Lane taken from the Coach & Horses pub on the corner of Low Hill and Kensington - 1949.   Lister Drive Baths is seen next. Still in situ, it has been re-invented into a tropical fish aqua centre.

What was the Liverpool G.P.O. (General Post office) Situated on Victoria Street and flanked by Sir Thomas Street and Stanley Street. The upper floor together with its towers and turrets were removed and it was gutted and remodelled as 'The Met Quarter' shopping arcade with designer fashions.

Aigburth Hall seen here in the first instance in 1908. Aigburth Hall Avenue runs down the side. John Alexander Brodies, Liverpool city engineer was the hall's last resident and in 1935 it can be seen undergoing demolition which was completed a year later.

Highfield Military Hospital nurses home as part of Broadgreen Hospital.

Lee Hall, Lee Park in 1956.

A little bit of olde worlde amongst the city centre bustle and concrete, glass and steel. Pleasant Street board school, long since abolished but still looking good from the front and rear after a recent revamp.

St. Peter's church, Seel Street which is now the Alma De Cuba bar restaurant.

The Royal Mail sorting depot at Copperas Hill. The possible closure of this means it's time to get a shot of this very bland building.

The new Odeon Cinema at the Grosvenor, Liverpool 1 development. This view is when approached from College Lane.

The end of an era, the end of a famous city landmark. Barely four decades old, Concourse House finally bit the dust in January 2009 as part of the modernisation and public realm area which will front Lime Street station. It was of course modernisation 1960s style which saw a row of Georgian properties and the Royal public House pulled down in the name of progress which doesn't seem to last much longer than half a generation these days with lots of 60s architecture biting the dust. Note the yellow duck marine tour bus taking sightseers around the city centre on this overcast Saturday morning, it's actually one of two WWII landing crafts enjoying a new lease of life. 

A couple of evening shots one snowy, miserably February weekend. The John Moores Uni, always known just as the Technical College in decades gone by. This was taken from the foot of Leeds Street looking South down Byrom Street.

St. Anne Street Police Station. They knocked our old blocks down in Holly Street to build this. The blocks were very similar to those at Eldon Grove in the mock Tudor style. Why do we only mock Tudor? :o) To think there was plenty of land that lay wasted for a couple of decades just to the left of this picture, those blocks would surely have been saved in this day and age.

The very 1960s Royal Liverpool Hospital which fronts onto Prescot Street but is seen here from Pembroke Place/West Derby Street/Crown Street junction showing the wards which face out southwards. Another part of the building also lies nearer Low Hill including the incinerator block and its chimney. (Feb 09)

The New Adelphi Cinema on Rose Place replaced the old Adelphi on Christian Street. This was bombed during WWII. The Eros on London Road went under a number of different names from 1911, The Electra, Alhambra, Kings, Essoldo, Curzon, Tatler and Classic before retiring into oblivion as a blue movie cinema before being closed down in 1981.

The Art Deco Carlton on Green Lane, Tuebrook and the Abbey on Church Road, Wavertree hail from 1932 and 1939 respectively and although still standing, have long since lost their cinema status.

Some churches of old..............

St Nathaniels stood on the North side of Upper Parliament Street from 1869 until 1993. Milner House can be seen in the background on this photo.

St. Ambrose was situated near the top of Prince Edwin Street. Built in 1870, it was demolished in 1961. Heights on Netherfield Road South form the backdrop here.

St Marks on Upper Duke Street was a large brick built imposing church. Established in 1803 and lasting 110 years, it was replaced in 1913 by the warehouse that now houses a Chinese Supermarket, just around the corner from Berry Street.

St Johns church stood on open land to the West of St. Georges Hall in what is now St. Johns Gardens so could be viewed openly from three elavations. Designed and built in 1783 by Timothy Lightoler on a heath, it closed for services in 1898 and was demolished just a year later.

St. Pauls in the square of the same name between Pall Mall and Old Hall Street was erected in 1769 when a well to do area. Later on, warehousing and industry took over as the area became a Welsh stronghold who attended their own chapels and it was loast in 1931 and Liverpool Stadium, Bixteth Street was built on its site.

St. Michaels in Upper Pitt Street hails from 1816 and was a fine structure overlooking Kent Square. It was damaged by enemy action during May 1941, being demolished five years later.

Renshaw Street Unitarian Chapel (1811-1899) is seen here with the Shaftsbury Hotel in the background to give you some idea of its location. Central Hall was built on its site and the rear gardens to this chapel still exist on Mount Pleasant as Roscoe Gardens.

St. Philomons stood on Windsor Street from 1872 until 1958, a newer replacement now exists further along the street.

The Church of the Holy Innocents, Myrtle Street was the church to the accompanying orphanage, hence its name and the name of Orphan Street where that too once stood. It was built in 1854 but demolished in 1934, Myrtle Gardens tenement block being built on its site, in fact the blocks main courtyard being its exact site.

St Georges Church possibly occupied the most romantic site in the city. Formerly being the site of Liverpool Castle at Derby Square, it was designed by the first dock engineer, Thomas Steers in 1726 and closed for services in 1897. The steeple was built on the in-filled moat unlike the rest of the structure and had to be rebuilt due to subsidence during its lifetime. It was demolished in 1899, a bad year for churches, as there are three that were demolished in that year in this section alone. The Victoria monument was built on its site just after her death in 1901.

The Church of Our Lady Immaculate on St. Domingo Road, Everton by Edward Pugin actually started life in 1856 as a chapel for the proposed Roman Catholic Cathedral. That idea never came to fruition as we know and although the building was listed, it didn't prevent its demolition in the mid 1970s. Part of Sir Thomas White Gardens tenement complex can be seen behind it here.

St. Timothy's church on Rokeby Street as viewed from Everton Brow. The corner of John F. Kennedy heights can just be seen as the Piggeries High rise are constructed on William Henry Street. The steeple of SFX church up on Langsdale Street can be seen in the middle distance.

St. Annes Church, Richmond as it was called gave rise to St. Anne Street's name. Bounded by Great Richmond Street and Rose Place, it was demolished in late 1970, the tenements seen here beyond it were refurbished and sold off privately.

Everyone knows this building on the Netherton/Bootle border as the National Girobank or the Giro. It is now the Liverpool HQ for the Alliance & Leicester bank which itself has just been taken over (2008) by Spanish concern Santander who also own the Abbey National.

Looking up! The Playhouse theatre, Williamson Square with the Radio City tower overlooking it.

Pete price, compere to the Shakespeare Theatre looks forlornly at its shell following the 1976 fire.

A little bit o' Bootle

Looking across Oriel Road rail tracks from Millers Bridge to Bootle's civic centre. The Town Hall has its clock tower and the free library and museum is situated next door. The second pic shows the corner with Balliol Road.

A close up of the Town Hall and the free library and museum dating from the 1800s.

The civic buildings in Trinity Road hold the inscription 'Bootle cum Linacre Public offices. The second photograph shows Balliol Road baths.

The former St. Judes school house in Oakes Street off Daulby Street in the London Road area. Dating from the 1800s, the church stood on Hardwick Street on what is now the Royal hospital. This building, like time stood still in the middle of new developments, is currently used as a gym. Oakes Street housed a Jewish Cemetery from 1802 with burials until 1836 until the Corporation bought the land in 1902 for the widening of Boundary Place. The bodies were exhumed in re-intered in Broad Green Jewish Cemetery in 1904.

Easter Saturday 2009 in the William Brown Street area. Michaelangelo and Raphael as ever, watch the world go by beyond them.

Bootle Strand takes shape in the 1960s as seen from what is now Washington Parade.

The former Women's Hospital, Catharine Street. The architect was Edmund Kirby & Sons and it opened on 21st June 1932. Yet another fine building in Liverpool 8, it closed in 1995 but at least survives as apartments.

On 14 October 1926 the foundation stone of a new hospital building in Catharine Street was laid by the Lady Mayoress of Liverpool. The new building was to house the amalgamation of the Women's Hospital, Shaw Street with the Samaritan Hospital for Women, Upper Parliament Street. The latter hospital had been opened in 1895 in Upper Warwick Street and had operated at various addresses until 1900 when it settled at premises in Upper Parliament Street. In the early 1920s plans to merge the two hospitals were at an advanced stage. The new Women's Hospital in Catharine Street, at first known as the Liverpool and Samaritan Hospital for Women, was opened on 21 June 1932 by the Duchess of York.

In 1985 the Women's Hospital came together with the Liverpool Maternity Hospital and Mill Road Maternity Hospital under the control of the Liverpool Obstetric and Gynaecology Unit. This became an National Health Service Trust in 1992 and changed its name to the Liverpool Women's Hospital NHS Trust in 1994. In 1995 the three hospitals' services were merged and moved to a new site where the new Liverpool Women's Hospital was officially opened in November 1995. Below is a pic of the Hospital in 1937.

The Sir Alfred Jones memorial Hospital, Church Road, Garston which is currently under threat of closure and demolition (April 09)

Sir Alfred Lewis Jones (1845 - December 13, 1909), British ship-owner, was born in Carmarthenshire.

At the age of twelve he was apprenticed to the managers of the African Steamship Company at Liverpool, making several voyages to the west coast of Africa. By the time he was twenty-six he had risen to be manager of the business. Not finding sufficient scope in this post, he borrowed money to purchase two or three small sailing vessels, and started in the shipping business on his own account. The venture succeeded, and he made additions to his fleet, but after a few years' successful trading, realizing that sailing ships were about to be superseded by steamers, he sold his vessels.

About this time (1891) Messrs. Elder, Dempster & Co., who purchased the business of the old African Steamship Company, offered him a managerial post. This offer he accepted, subject to Messrs. Elder, Dempster selling him a number of their shares, and he thus acquired an interest in the business, and subsequently, by further share purchases, its control. In 1901 he was knighted. Sir Alfred Jones took a keen interest in imperial affairs, and was instrumental in founding the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

He acquired considerable territorial interests in West Africa, and financial interests in many of the companies engaged in opening up and developing that part of the world. He also took the leading part in opening up a new line of communication with the West Indies, and stimulating the Jamaica fruit trade and tourist traffic. He died on the 13th of December 1909, leaving large charitable bequests. A memorial statue dedicated to him stands afront the Royal Liver Buildings at the Pier Head.

The G.E.C. English Electric /Napiers plant on the East Lancs Road at Gillmoss as pictured by Chippie for all our yesterdays.

This old property in Ford Cemetery can be found as you enter near the old yard off Sterrix Lane. A fantastic website has been put together here  showing the plan/layout of the cemetery and detailing the interments from the 1850s up to 1989 with photographs of the older markers.

St. John's House in St. John's Lane looks splendid these days doesn't it with it's Dr. Duncans pub and Tso's restaurant catering for locals and tourists alike. However, back in 1979 it was a gutted shell looking very sorry for itself. Under one of the country's very first Work Experience Programmes implemented by the then recently elected Maggie Thatcher, my best friend and I, along with around 30 other 16-18 year olds were directed to here from the local careers office, ours being situated under the nearby Fontenoy Gardens tenement complex. The idea was that we would be assembled into groups of five or six, to work with the half dozen or so tradesmen such as Gordon, the Electrician, Dezzie, the joiner, Steve the builder (not Bob) on the Kango and Charlie the painter and decorator to name but a few. Eric, Nicky and Terry were the bosses that oversaw the renovation but Chris and I were seconded to Bob Williams who owned the little art gallery that was then situated in the bottom room on St. Johns Lane as you look at the building. And so, the ceiling is our little cisteen chapel, our masterpiece. I remember the orangy colour being called Oasis and the blue was called wedgewood, we also had to buff up those expensive looking ceramic tiles which were caked in dirt. The other poor lads such as Martin, AJ, Ryano, Dale, Ian, Stan, Alan, Frank et al had to endure the great outdoors, scaling scaffolding, pointing brickwork, digging drains, shoveling sand and old bricks, re-tiling the roof etc etc. It all came to an abrupt end though after about six months due to some financial irregularities, but we'd had a laugh.

All the big department stores such as Lewis's, Blacklers and TJ's had their toy sections but for specialised must haves there was no place better than Hobbies in Basnett Street. Pictured here (left) just how I remember it like time stood still, it stocked Subbuteo, airfix kits, air guns, plastic animal zoo and farm sets, Soldiers of every infantry, Jigsaws, board games, Dinky, Matchbox and Corgi vehicles, Action man - you name it, they had it.

Right: St. Johns precinct in 1969, still under construction as the St. Georges Hotel completes the complex. Concourse House is only new too as the whole area is revamped.

Longmoor Lane fire station in Fazakerly on 7th November 1930. Millbrook College on Bankfield Road which was Millbank when I went on day release there in the late 1970s. Our lunch times were sometimes spent in the nearness of the Jolly Miller pub. Well, what else could you do?

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, The new Cathedral, The Catholic Cathedral, Paddy's Wigwam - so many names and so many angles at which to photograph it from too.

Further to the photos shown earlier on this page. AndyD kindly supplies a couple of colour pics relating to the fire that devastated the Shakespeare Theatre on Fraser Street, Liverpool 3, one sunday in 1976. I don't know if they ever saved his bust or the ornate lettering and masks. The emergency vehicles are parked on Islington and you can just make out the vertical 'Pickwicks' nightclub sign above the police jeep.

3 different era. Bombed out Lewis's in 1941. Stanley Abattoir in 1959. St. Johns Beacon and dereliction 1974.

The Pier Head area Spring 2009 style. The new museum and ferry terminal building, canal and landscaping making it as desirable as ever.

No introductions required here.

Another one by Peter Leeson and again, another that needs no introduction.

Inside the Walker Art Gallery showing the majestic staircases leading to the first floor with its circular gallery as well as inside one of the rooms. For the history on this building, see earlier up the page.

The 21st June 56, the height of summer and the underground car park to the new Exchange Flags buildings is under construction. You can measure the depth of this against the Nelson Memorial which stands isolated in the middle of the void. On 11th November 1955, the next photograph was taken from Clayton Street to record the war damage inflicted upon the Picton Library as restoration work got under way. It was re-opened in 1958.


The splendour of the Anglican Cathedral is seen in all its finished glory elsewhere on this page but here are some photographs charting its progress as it grew large on the city's landscape during the 40s and 50s.

The earliest known pictures of the site of the yet to be built Anglican Cathedral which predate 1904, possibly by just a few years. The Greek like Oratory can be seen on the left, the picture taken from the end of Rodney Street. St. James cemetery has been taking internments throughout the 1800s, the Chaplain's house seen here atop as well as houses on St. James Road, the oratory this time being on the right as it's pictured from Hope Street.

Woolton Quarry supplied the red sandstone for the Cathedral as well as many local buildings in Woolton. The depth of the excavations is seen next as the vaulted space dwarfs one of the wagons used to cart away all the debris from the site. Next is a classic view up Nile Street at the work in progress.

Two views showing the emerging cathedral's dominance over the city skyline. In the left photo we see the Customs House at Canning Place in the foreground, in the right hand photo we see the David Lewis building.

The most severe winter on record to date held up progress from January to March in 1940 and then came the May blitz in 1941. A direct hit on the home of George Siddall, engineer to the dean, resulted in the death of himself, his wife and child. The blast was so powerful it shattered doors and stained glass in the Cathedral but direct hits were also taken by the mega structure during the course of that month. Pickford's haulage contractors were used to ferry the Great George bell from the John Taylor bell foundry in Loughborough. At over 16 tons, it is second only to Great Paul, housed in St. Pauls Cathedral. Here, it is seen arriving on St. James Road in 1951.

Hello, Hello, Hello, what's all this then. Looks like some old police station pics.

A couple with thanks to Johnny Blue. Crosby police station before making way for Sainsburys so it's shelves now instead of cells. Seaforth Road police station is also no longer, a new block of apartments stand there now.

Anfield Road Police Station in 1972 showing it from Harrow Road towards Clapham Road. The obligatory 70s/80s Jeep in evidence m'lud.

Can you guess where? No, it's not Letsbe Avenue, it's Childwall Valley Road station in Belle Vale which was 'D' Division, taken in 1976.

The Pier Head Police Station, anyone remember it? Just along from the sweet shop with its long counter where Sandy Bromilow always used to sit. This was taken in 1970. Next we see the Canning Place HQ under construction as seen from Park Lane in 1980.

Lark Lane Station in 1969. This was 'C' Division. Allerton Road Station is seen next on 3rd May 1971.

Eaton Road cop shop near the junction with East Prescot Road - 1974. Walton Station 'E' Division is seen next which was situated at 85-89 Rice Lane.

Westminster Road Bridewell as seen from Rockley Street in 1973. As with all stations built in this style around the same period, such as Old Swan and Allerton, they came as a package with adjoining Fire Stations as the plod were then called fire bobbies and did both.

Quarry Street Police Station, Woolton - 1971. Undergoing demolition in Tuebrook is West Derby Road Station for road widening into a dual carriageway. A new one was built behind this at Orphan Drive.

Liverpool & Bootle Constabulary / Merseyside Police Training School at Mather Avenue pictured in 1971. It is here where intense training of the bending of the knees as they say Hello, Hello, Hello is undertaken as they clasp their hands behind their backs ala Dixon of Dock Green style. 'What's goin' on ere then' and 'Let's be avin' you' said in a Cockney twang even though they're scousers is another art form.

Seven photographs with thanks to Tony Hogan who snapped the demolition of Old Swan Tech on Broadgreen Road.

The Co-op on the corner of Prescot Road and Queens Drive which has since been Garfields and The Navigator public house.

English Martyrs Church on School Lane, Litherland and across the main boulevard of Church Road is St. Philips on Orrell Road.

Lister Drive power station off Green Lane and Old Swan glass works which was an old established and large employer in the community until a law suit in London resulted in its demise. The Glass House pub which was erected nearby reminds us of the industry.

Old Swan water tower once supplied the township with its own supply. The Premier cinema on Prescot Road lost its frontage and later became the premier public house.

West Derby railway station in June 1969.

The Bronte Youth and Community Centre on Bronte Street has lain in the shadow of the Bullring tenement development since the early 1970s at least when I knew it. Thousands of the local children will have passed through its doors with facilities such as pool, table tennis and football available. What the girls did, I just don't know so perhaps someone can enlighten us :o)

The entrance, the foyer shop and the main staircase to the upper floors.

Our band rehearsal requirements saw us stumble upon Vulcan Studios, an old Victorian warehouse on the dock road which has had some of its rooms converted to be noise friendly. 

Some pics of our set up in there have been posted on the 'Our Band' page of this site but here are some of general interest as this old building has lost none of its original charm with old winching gear, chains, curved stairwells, cast iron posts, heavy duty tiled floors and bevelled brick ceilings still on view.

Wapping goods station, Kings Dock Road. I bet they didn't know back then it would end its days as a car park.

Edge Lane Hall and Highfield House.

St. John's Precinct - 1980, in its original design and layout just prior to undergoing a major refurbishment.

Joseph and his amazing technicolour dreamcoat is being played out at the Royal Court theatre as a beer delivery takes place at Quinns which was formerly The Sportsman. A sign on the pedestrian bridge tells us that St. Johns temporary market is in place at Queens Square car park whilst refurbishments go on.

Further down Roe Street, apart from the bank, Habitat store (scene of the devastating fire of the mid 70s) can be scene, further down is City pets and if you went around the corner, the Cunarder pub would be there.

Some names from the past include Treasure Island, Foster Brothers and Radio Rentals.

Top Rank function suite and ballroom is later to become Romeo & Juliets and Rotters nightclub. There was an escalator inside the club up to its entrance. I went there in 1978 to the 2nd Beatles convention having attended the inaugral one at Mr. Pickwicks a year earlier. My better half was a Rotters regular in the early 1980s despite being underage.

Escalators galore including the double tier duo when the original top floor of the market was open. In the days before the glass security doors which are present now, you could walk through the precinct at night window shopping, access was also required for the Moonstone pub.

Crosby baths in the 1970s, much loved and remembered by all who dived from the top board and even by those who didn't like me.

Waterloo Tunnel was a rail line hailing from the 1800s which ran from Waterloo goods station (where Costco and ToysRus now is), up to Edge Hill Station. In fact the line was extended to Riverside Station at the Pier Head and the section running Eastwards to Edge Hill from the Byrom Street cutting (pictured here) was actually called Victoria Tunnel. I once walked this section in the late 1970s with a few friends, getting in the tunnel entrance at Pall Mall and looking up at Fontenoy Gardens at this cutting. Back then you couldn't see the ground as it was littered with bedsteads, old bike frames, prams, cushions, parts of three piece suites and anything else to be discarded. At Norton Street near to the coach station there is an air/smoke release vent.

A FEW OLD HOSPITALS OF THE PAST

The John Bagot Hospital bites the dust pictured here on 25th February 1974. It's distinctive tower is one of the last parts to go, seen here in the shadow of the heights on Conway Street. The rear of the hospital lodge is also seen.

The last views from the steep, handrailed Havelock Street and also from Netherfield Road North.

Mill Road Hospital photographed during the May Blitz of 1941.

It's the 10th January 1972 and pictured here is Olive Mount Children's Hospital, Old Mill Lane, Wavertree.

A set of hotographs taken on the 7th January 1974. Just one week into the new year and Harry Ainscough is making the journey across the Pennines again to snap in and around our very photogenic city. St Pauls eye hospital is the subject this time. Here we see the outpatients dept including the telephone exchange towering above it.

The women's and men's wards respectively.

Waiting to be seen to at the casualties department then awaiting your medication at the pharmacy. The old joke used to be. What was there before St. Paul's eye hospital? Answer: A site for sore eyes. Oh well.

This pic was taken near the day ward, also captured are some of the kitchen staff.

St Peter's Church, Church Street in the early 1900s. The one time Pro Cathedral had a magnificent interior as can be seen. Woolworths, later Top Shop and now the new walk through development stands on its site with a pavement mounted Maltese Cross to signify its whereabouts.

The building known for many years as Kensington Market stands on Prescot Road just past the Sheil Road junction going out of town. A blaze saw the market close a few years back but in the lack of any new develoment planned, the building still stands. The side view looking West is from Lockerby Road.

The market covered quite an expanse of land. Seen here from Lockerby Road and also the gutted interior.

The ornate Everton Library on the junction of St. Domingo Road and Beacon Lane. St Domingo takes its name from San Domingo, read about the privateer who captured his treasure there and Built St. Domingo House there. Beacon Lane takes its name from the Beacon which stood nearby on this high ground. Also pictured is the library's ornate entrance columns and foundation stone tablet as well as one very old and well worn road sign.

Central Station bookstalls and then later, its demolition. Pics courtesy of the Liverpool Echo.

The three photos above are of Bibbys in February 1988. Later that year in June, demolition commenced as seen below. For other photos of Bibbys and the wasteland left after its demise, please see the 'Down by the docks' page.

J. Bibby & Sons Ltd was a well known company to us townies as it was a constant supplier of corn for those who liked to keep pigeons or 'micks' as they were better known. As a result, the area around Bibby's with it's little side streets with overhead gantrys and passageways was a haven for pigeons and lads from the area would go down there, throw them some corn then wait until they got near enough then dive over them with their parka coats. The spoils would be examined for fleas or lice by lifting their wings and spreading them out then brought back to the tenements, ringed (a ring put on their legs for idenification purposes) then kept in a loft on a back veranda. A big white circle or X whitewashed onto the adjoining wall would be the birds homing point. The area around Bibbys always smelt strongly of oils and animal feeds.

Some more blues and twos.................

Allerton Road Police and Fire Station on 24th October 1930.

The City crest has been added over the middle doorway as well as the training tower by the time this shot was taken on 3rd May 1971. Next we see Hatton Garden which was the city centre fire station for many years where appliances raced from to fires at the like of Hendersons and St. Johns Precinct.

Longmoor Lane fire station, Fazakerly on 24/10/30 and Banks Road, Garston on 27th January 1975. The latter are now converted to, yes you've guessed, apartments.

Westminster Road Police/Fire station captured in March 1976 with a couple of Panda cars outside. The nifty little Mini Cooper S series were painted in a light blue with white doors, some had the rooftop Police sign whilst others didn't as can be seen on the photo. The last shot shows Canning Place fire station on 13th November 2005 shortly before it was due to be demolished to make way for the new Grosvenor Liverpool 1 shopping development. It was an often criticised bland building of concrete with partial tiling more worthy of public toilets.

Liverpool Prison, Hornby Road (originally known as Walton Gaol) was constructed in 1855 to replace a much older and more cramped establishment in the centre of Liverpool.

The prison was the site of 62 judicial executions, from 1887 to 1964. The last execution at the prison was that of Peter Anthony Allen. He and his accomplice Gwynne Owen Evans were convicted for the murder of John Alan West in April 1964. They were simultaneously hanged on 13 August 1964; Allen was hanged at Walton Gaol, and Evans at Strangeways in Manchester.

Walton Prison aerial views dating from 1922 and 1949.

Christian Street mens reading rooms pictured in 1928 when newly opened. The reason for its good attendance was it was directly linked by the telephone to the labour exchange. It later became the local children's lending library, mostly frequented by the children from the surrounding tenement develoments across the road and on nearby Soho Street. In the 1980s it became the local community centre before, like its neighbouring housing, falling into the hands of the bulldozer.

St. Margarets church on the corner of Belmont Road and West Derby Road pictured in 1965. It is seen elsewhere on these pages, notably the post war black and white scenes of West Derby Road and no doubt seen by many readers as they've passed by it on the bus or in the car, it's the one with the funny green roof. My dad actually worked on it as a brickie but below is an exterior and interior photograph of the original St. Margarets which was there until the 1960s though those below are dated from 1890.

The disused Co-op bakery at 210-220 Walton Road as captured just before decontruction on 5th August 1966.

Allerton Library.

The brand new Byrom Street Polytech in 1958 including its impressive main entrance hall and staircase.

The Liver Buildings towering above the Pier Head rest garden.

Nautical catering college on Canning Place stood between the then Moat House Hotel and the Sailors Home.

Speke Bus Garage on the left and above, Gillmoss Bus Garage on the East Lancs Road.

Austin Rawlinson Swimming Baths in Speke and Storrington Avenue Fire Station.

1929 and two buildings in Water Street, both designed by Herbert J. Rowse begin to take shape. Martins bank building and India Buildings are seen here from Fenwick Street.

The classic Owen Owen warehouse building that was situated on St. Anne Street was sadly destroyed by fire. Ironically, the new city fire station now stands on its site.

EVERTON WATER TOWER - AUBREY STREET.

A cracking pic from Margaret Street by Joe Neary exacta on Flickr and some night scenes by me.

A 12 feet deep cast iron tank sits raised on pillars befitting of a cathedral. Info with thanks to Joe Neary.

Lister Drive baths, now a fisheries and pet centre and also on the corner of the same street at the junction of Green Lane, the long disused Carnegie Library.

N.E.M.S. Whitechapel. The North End Music Stores owned by the Epstein family and originally starting life as a furniture shop on County Road would become world famous in the 1960s due to the Beatles connection. It was in the offices above here that they signed thier managerial contract with Eppy and it was in the downstairs shop that was later in Rumbelows where I bought my first 7 inch vinyl single.

PIER HEAD BUS STATION DEMOLITION IN 1990

A SERIES OF PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN SHOTS BY JOHN HARRISON AND KINDLY DONATED TO THE LRO

Left: St Benedicts, Heyworth Street was situated on its West side between Rupert Lane and Kepler Street and is seen here on 3/7/67. Above: Ogdens - Imperial Tobacco Works off the city centre end of West Derby Road.

The Royal Northern Hospital which stood on the corner of Great Howard Street and Leeds Street and in the South end of the city in Dingle, the Royal Southern Hospital in Caryl Street.

Walton Prison, Hornby Road in 1930 and 1974 respectively. Built in a castellated fortress and foreboding manner to appease locals, the outer walls with a rounded escape proof top were added later. Pics with thanks to Colin Wilkinson.

Benson Street car park. In the 1970s this was used as the dole signing on office.

CENTRAL GARDENS, Liverpool City Centre is a classic tenement design from the 1920s but in the 21st Century. They have flats running alongside each other, entered via staircases to a landing.

Myrtle Street Boys and Girls Orphanage buildings. These and the Church of the Holy Innocents were built on the former Botanic Gardens site and street names in the area still reflect the history of the Gardens and the Orphanage. Myrtle Gardens were then built on the site of these in the mid 1930s. (Colin Wilkinson)

The gravestones as a memorial to dozens of children who died at the Myrtle Street orphanages and whom are buried within St. James cemetery that was laid out in the quarry to the East of the Anglican Cathedral.

The grave lined passage down into the cemetery from the north end.

Huskisson's mausoleum once housed the statue on the MP who was the first man to be killed by a train when mown down by Stephenson's Rocket at Edge Hill during the Rainhill trials. Next is the stone lodge built by John Foster. Next is evidence of the steep quarry walls which now form the graveyard and last, the fresh water spring.

The original steps at St. James Road and the remains of part of the road that once fronted the Anglican Cathedral flank this photograph of the magnificent building as seen from the cemetery.

Childwall Library closed it doors for the last time in early August 2010. The building is to be demolished sometime within the next few months.

Hahnemann Hospital of alternative medicine, Hope St in 1934 including one of the wards.

A: Arden House, Ann Fowlers Womens Refuge, Ah Thi Laundry, Anglican Cathedral, Athol Street Bridewell, Albert Dock, ABC Cinema, Astoria Cinema, Albion House, Atlas Cinema, Arena, Aigburth Hall, Abbey Cinema, Alfred Jones Memorial Hospital, Anfield Road Police Station, Allerton Road Fire and Police Station, Austin Rawlinson Baths, Allerton Library,

B: Beaufort Road School, Bishop Goss School, Blacklers, Bluecoat Chambers, Blackburn Assurance Buildings, Burroughs Baths, Bankhall Institute, Brougham Terrace, Beetham House, Bedford Cinema, Bootle Fire Station, Bushells Buildings, Barclays Bank Buildings, Bootle Hospital, Blackie, Bootle Town Hall, Bootle Library, Bootle Museum, Balliol Road Baths, Bootle Strand, Belle Vale Police Station, Bronte Youth Club, Bibbys, Byrom Street Polytech, Benson Street Car Park,

C: Clarence Dock Power Station, Christian Street Library, Conservation Centre, Colemans Depositary, Cross Keys House, Cotters Barbers, County Sessions House, Central Station, Cornwallis Street Baths, Collegiate, Casino Cinema, Curzon Cinema, Carlton Cinema, Commodore Cinema, Cameo Cinema, Central Hall, Cozy Cinema, Childwall Golf Club, Co-op Buildings, Crawford House, Cardinal Godfrey School, Cavern, Customs House, Citadel, Childrens Hospital, Concourse House, Crosby Police Station, Crosby Baths, Canning Place Fire Station, Co-op Bakery Walton, Central Gardens, Childwall Library,

D: Daisy Street School, Duke Street Bridewell, David Lewis Theatre, Dingle Tram Sheds.

E: Everton Library, Exchange Station, Empire Theatre, Echo Arena, Eros Cinema, English Electric, Exchange Flags, Eaton Road Police Station, English Martyrs Church, Edge Lane Hall, Everton Water Tower,

F: Florence Institute, Ferries, Forum Cinema, Futurist Cinema, Ford Cemetery.

G: Gordon Institute, Gianellis Chip shop, Granada TV Studios, Gaumont Cinema, Greenbergs, Gem Cinema, Grand Cinema, Graphic Cinema, Greek Orthodox Church, GPO, Giro, Gillmoss Bus Garage,

H: Holy Cross, Hargreaves Buildings, High Street Wavertree Smallest House, Harland & Wolfe, Hartleys Jam Factory, Holiday Inn, Hippodrome, Harrison Jones School, Harold Davies Baths, Hope Hall, Hansons Club, Highfield Military Hospital, Holy Innocents Church, Hobbies Toy Shop, Highfield House, Hatton Garden Fire Station, Hahnemann Hospital,

I: Ice Rink, Imperial Chambers, India Buildings,

J: Jubilee Hall, Judges Lodgings, Johnsons Dyers Bootle, JMU, John Bagot Hospital.

K: Kirkdale Homes, Kensington Library, Kirkby Newtown, Keizers Buildings, Kensington Market.

L: Liver Buildings, Landing Stage, Liverpool Airport, Littlewoods Buildings, Leece Street UAB, LF Briggs, Liverpool Zoo Entrance, Lister Drive Baths, Lee Hall, L1 Shopping Centre, Lime Street Station, Longmoor Lane Fire Station, Lewis's, Lark Lane Police Station, Lister Drive Power Station, Liverpool Prison.

M: Met Quarter, Ma Daleys Pet Shop, Max's Barbers, Mersey Ferries, Metropolitan Cathedral, Meccano, Mason Street Dwelling, Majestic Cinema, Margaret Street Baths, Mill Road Maternity Hospital, Mossley Hill Church, Myrtle Street Childrens Hospital, Millbank/Millbrook College, Museum Of Liverpool, Mast House, Martins Bank Building, Myrtle Street Orphanages,

N: Newington Buildings, North Western Hotel, News Theatre, New Adelphi Cinema, Nautical Catering College, Nems, Northern Hospital,  

O: Ogdens, Old Swan Library, Old Swan Fire & Police Station, Our Ladys Club, O-Five-One Cinema, Old Swan Techincal College, Our Lady Immaculate Church, Old Swan Glass Works, Old Swan Water Tower, Olive Mount Hospital.

P: Probe, Port of Liverpool Building, Pier Head, Princes Dock, Paramount Pictures, Prescot Street Bridewell, Philharmonic Hall, Petonys Building, Plaza Cinema, Playhouse Theatre, Pleasant Street School, Picton Library, Police HQ, Police Training School, Premier Cinema, Pier Head Rest Garden, Pier Head bus station and roof viewpoint,

Q: Quarry Street Police Station.

R: Roscommon Street School, Ribble Bus Station, RSA Building, Royal Liver Building, Riverside Station, Royal Court Theatre, Royal Birkdale Golfclub, Rialto Cinema, Radio City Tower, Royal Infirmary, Roman Catholic Cathedral, Riversdale Technical College, Rydal Youth Club, Royal Mail, Royal Liverpool Hospital, Renshaw Street Chapel.

S: SFX School, St Augustines Church (2), St Deinils, Stanley Abatoir, St Johns Precinct, St Martins Market, Steers House, Swainbanks, Stanley Dock Tobacco Warehouse, Sandcastle Building, St Georges Hall, Steble Fountain, St Nicholas Church, St Domingo House, Speke Airport, Stanley Locks, Shakespeare Theatre, St Silvesters Club, Students Union Building, St Marys Edge Hill, St Monicas Bootle, St Johns Beacon, Swedish Church, St Saviours Church, St Stephens Church, Seaforth Palladium, St Nicholas Pro Cathedral, Sailors Home, St Johns Market (Old), St Josephs Church, St Gregorys School, St Anne Street Merchant Houses, Stadium, St. Peters Church (2), St Lukes Church, St Marys Highfield Street, St Michaels Pitt Street, St Anne Street Police Station, Sacred Heart Church, St Nathanials Church, St Ambrose Church, St Marks Church, St Johns Church, St Pauls Church, St Philomons Church, St Georges Church, St Timothys Church, St Annes Church, St Judes School, St Johns House, Seaforth Road Police Station, St Philips Church, St Pauls Eye Hospital, St Margarets Church, Storrington Avenue Fire Station, Speke Bus Garage, St Benedicts, Southern Hospital, St James Cemetery,

T: Tiber Street School, Tate & Lyle, Three Ugly Sisters Chimneys, TJ Hughes, TGWU Buildings (2), Tillotsons, Tarleton Street Art Deco, Tower Buildings, Titanic Memorial, Trustees Savings Bank, Technical College, Tuebrook Police Station, Telegraph House.

U: University Buildings.

V: Vulcan Studios, Vernons.

W: Wavertree Library, Woolton Library, World Museum, Walker Art Gallery, Wilson King Silo, Westminster Road Baths, Woolton Baths, Woolton Village Hall, Woolton Picture House, Westminster Road Bridewell, West Derby Station, Wash House (Upper Frederick Street), Wellington Column, Womens Hospital, Walton Police Station, Wapping Goods Station, Waterloo Railway Tunnel, Walton Prison, Walton Co-op Bakery

Z: Zoo Entrance.

Home