When I look around and see the various changes that have taken place in
this "good old town" I am sometimes lost in wonderment. Narrow,
inconvenient, ill-paved streets have been succeeded by broad
thoroughfares--old tumble-down houses have been replaced by handsome and
costly buildings, while the poor little humble shops that once were
sufficient for our wants have been completely eclipsed by the gigantic
and elegant "establishments" of the present day.
I recollect Dale-street when it was a narrow thoroughfare, ill-paved and
ill-lighted at night. It was not half the present width. In 1808, as
the town began to spread and its traffic increase, great complaints were
constantly being made of the inconvenience of the principal streets, and
it was agreed on all sides that something should be done towards
improvement. The first movement was made by widening Dale-street; the
improvement being by throwing the thoroughfare open from Castle-street to
Temple-court, but it really was not until 1820 that this street was set
out in anything like a bold and handsome manner. Great difficulties were
constantly thrown in the way of alterations by many of the inhabitants,
who had lived in their old houses, made fortunes under their roofs, and
were hoping to live and die where they had been born and brought up.
Many tough battles had the authorities to fight with the owners of the
property. Some were most unreasonable in the compensation they demanded,
while others for a time obstinately refused to enter into any
negotiations whatever, completely disregarding all promised advantages.
The most obtuse and determined man was a shoemaker or cobbler, who owned
a small house and shop which stood near Hockenall-alley. Nothing could
persuade him to go out of his house or listen to any proposition. Out he
would not go, although his neighbours had disappeared and his house
actually stood like an island in the midst of the traffic current. The
road was carried on each side of his house, but there stood the cobbler's
stall alone in its glory. While new and comfortable dwellings were
springing up, the old cobbler laughed at his persecutors, defied them,
and stood his ground in spite of all entreaty. There the house stood in
the middle of the street, and for a long time put a stop to further and
complete improvement, until the authorities, roused by the indignation of
the public, took forcible possession of the place and pulled the old
obnoxious building about the owner's ears, in spite of his resistance and
his fighting manfully for what he thought were his rights; nor would he
leave the house until it had been unroofed, the floors torn up, and the
walls crumbling and falling down from room to room. The cobbler stuck to
his old house to the last, showing fight all through, with a
determination and persistence worthy of a nobler cause. Some few years
ago a barber, also in Dale-street, exhibited an equal degree of
persistence in keeping possession of his shop which was wanted for an
improvement near Temple-street. This man clung to his old house and shop
until it was made utterly uninhabitable..
Dale-street, when I was a boy, was not very much broader than Sir
Thomas's Buildings; in some parts it was quite as narrow, especially
about Cumberland-street end. The carrying trade at one time from
Liverpool was by means of packhorses, long strings of which used to leave
the town with their burthens, attended by their drivers, and always
mustered together in considerable number in Dale-street previous to
starting. This they did that they might be strong enough to resist the
highwaymen who infested the roads at the end of the last century. I have
often heard my father talk of these free gentlemen's exploits, and the
sometimes droll adventures arising from their presence. He used to tell
a story of three volunteer officers going to Warrington by the stage to a
county muster, being stopped by a pretended footpad (a friend in
disguise) the other side of Prescot, and ignominiously robbed of
everything they possessed, even their very swords. I cannot say I
believed the story, because I felt sure no officers, whatever service
they might be in, would have allowed themselves to be so treated. My
father frequented the tavern which stood where Promoli's Bazaar now
stands, and where all the leading tradesmen used to assemble, and he told
us that the three officers were there one night and were terribly
"trotted" about their losses and that they did not altogether "deny the
soft impeachment." There was a good story current in Liverpool, I have
been told, in 1745, touching the doings of Mr. Campbell's regiment which,
when the rebellion broke out in that year, was suddenly called into
active service with orders to march to Manchester, by way of Warrington,
to resist a party of Scots said to be in that neighbourhood. The
regiment marched at night, and of course threw out an advanced guard.
When about two miles this side of Warrington, the vanguard fell back
reporting that they had seen a party of the enemy bivouacking in the road
about a quarter of a mile ahead, and that they could see them quite
plainly lying on the ground, at the sides and in the middle of the road.
A halt was called, and a council of war summoned. Hearts beat quickly in
some hardy frames who boldly advised an onward march, while others were
for retreating until some good plan of attack could be determined upon.
Some were for diverging from the road and continuing the march through
the lanes and bye-ways, so that, if necessary, the enemy could be
outflanked. One bolder than the rest offered to go forward as a scout.
His proposition was eagerly accepted. Away he went, and soon in the
distance a terrible uproar was heard--the volunteers flew to arms, and
waited in breathless suspense. They were surprised, however, to hear the
alarm raised, but no shots fired. The row subsided, when presently the
gallant scout was seen approaching with a prisoner he had bravely
captured--in the form of a fat goose. The fact was that a flock of geese
had got out into the road, and they presented an appearance to the
advanced guard of troops bivouacking. The bold men of Liverpool were
then led undauntedly forward, and it was said that every other man
marched into Warrington with his supper on his knapsack.
The most admirable improvements that the town underwent was when
Lord-street was widened and the Crescent formed, the completion of which
undertaking cost upwards of half a million of money. Castle-street was
narrow, badly paved, and badly lighted at night, as, indeed, was the
whole town. Yet, I recollect there were some people who objected to the
improvements at the top of Lord-street, who clung pertinaciously to the
old Potato Market, and the block of buildings called Castle Hill. The
houses that were erected upon the site of Castle Ditch had the floors of
some of their rooms greatly inclined in consequence of the subsidence of
the soil. There was a joke current at the time that these apartments
ought to be devoted to dining purposes, as the gravy would always run to
one side of the plate!
A great increase has taken place in the value of property in every part
of the town. In Castle-street sixty years ago a house and shop could be
had for 30 pounds per annum. The premises in which Roscoe's Bank was
carried on, and now occupied by Messrs. Nixon, were purchased by Mr.
Harvey who, finding his property remaining unoccupied for so long a time,
began to despair of letting it, and grew quite nervous about his bargain.
On the formation of Brunswick-street, projected in 1786, this handsome
thoroughfare was cut through Smock-alley and the houses in
Chorley-street, and swept away a portion of the old Theatre Royal in
Drury-lane; it then ran down to the old Custom-house yard, on the site of
which the Goree Piazzas and warehouses were erected. Drury-lane was
formerly called Entwhistle-street, after an old and influential family
who filled high offices in the town in their day.
Any one can fancy what Castle-street must have been when the market was
held in it, by filling Cable-street with baskets of farmers' produce, and
blocking it up with all sorts of provisions and stalls, in which the
usual marketable commodities would be exposed for sale.
The introduction of Gas in the town was an immense stride in the march of
improvement; yet there were not a few persons who bitterly complained of
the Gas Company so often disturbing the streets to enable them to lay
down their pipes. Frequent letters appeared in the papers of the time to
that effect. Previous to 1817 the town was wretchedly lighted by oil
lamps which used to go out upon all trifling occasions and for
insufficient reasons. They only pretended to show light at the best of
times. The lamps were not lit in summer nor on moonlight nights. They
were generally extinguished by four or five o'clock in the morning.
The gentry were at one time attended by link-men or boys in their night
excursions. These links were stiff, tarred ropes about the thickness of
a man's arm. They gave a flaring light with any quantity of
bituminous-odoured smoke. In front of one or two of the old houses of
Liverpool I have seen a remnant of the link days, in an extinguisher
attached to the lamp iron. I think there is (or was) one in Mount
Pleasant, near the house with the variegated pebble pavement in front
(laid down, by the way, by a blind man). The link-extinguisher was a
sort of narrow iron funnel of about six inches in diameter at the widest
end. It was usually attached to a lamp-iron, and was used by thrusting
the link up it, when the light was to be put out.
People in those days seldom went out at night without a lantern, for what
with the ruggedness of the pavements and the vile state of the roads it
was by no means safe to life or limb to go without some mode of
illuminating the way.
Gas was introduced in 1816 and 1817. Only one side of Castle-street was
lighted at first. While we now acknowledge the invaluable introduction
of this fluid, when we consider the vast area over which it casts its
pleasant and cheerful beams, and the price we also pay for such an
unmistakable comfort and blessing, we shall not fail to peruse the first
advertisement of the Gas Company with intense interest. With this belief
I insert a copy of it. The rate of charge and the mode of ascertaining
the quantity of light consumed cannot but prove curious to us and rather
puzzling perhaps to understand.
LIVERPOOL GAS-LIGHT COMPANY.
SCALE OF CHARGES per Annum for Burners of various sizes, calculated
for lighting to the hours below mentioned:--
Till Till Till Till Till
8 9 10 11 12 o'Clock.
o'Clock. o'Clock. o'Clock. o'Clock.
One
Argand. l. s. d. l. s. d. l. s. d. l. s. d. l. s. d.
No. 1, 3 0 0 3 18 0 4 16 0 5 12 0 6 8 0
No. 2, 2 14 0 3 5 0 4 0 0 4 14 0 5 8 0
No. 3, 2 2 0 2 14 0 3 7 0 3 18 0 4 10 0
One
Batwing. 2 14 0 3 5 0 4 0 0 4 14 0 5 8 0
Persons who wish to take the Light, may make application at the
Company's Office, Hatton-garden, where their names will be entered
numerically in a Book, and Branch-pipes laid in rotation, the Company
only contracting to fix the pipes just within the house, and to
supply the Light when the interior is fitted up, and made air-tight
and perfect, which must be done by each individual, and approved by
the Company's Engineer.
No extra charge will be made, if the Light be extinguished in a
quarter of an hour after the time contracted for, and on Saturday
evenings the Company will allow burning till twelve o'clock.
The Rents will be collected at the commencement of each Quarter, and
will be apportioned as follows: Two-thirds of the above prices for
the two winter quarters, and One-third for the two summer quarters.
If the Lights amount, by the above table, to 10 pounds per annum, a
Discount of 2.5 per cent. will be allowed; if to 20 pounds, 5 per
cent.; if to 30 pounds, 7.5 per cent.; if to 40 pounds, 10 per cent.;
and if to 50 pounds, 12.5 per cent.
By Order of the Committee,
CHARLES ROWLINSON,
Secretary.
6_th_ _June_, 1817.
Just fancy such a tariff to be in existence at present!
Lord-street, previous to 1827, was very narrow; it was not so wide even
as Dale-street. The houses and all the streets in Liverpool were just as
we see in third-rate country towns, having bowed shop-windows, or square
ones, projecting from the side of the house. I recollect Church-street
and Ranelagh-street being paved in the centre only. Cable-street,
Redcross-street and Park-lane were only flagged in 1821; and nearly all
the houses in these streets were then private dwellings. In
Ranelagh-street the houses had high steps to the front doors. The
porches of the old houses in Liverpool were remarkable for their handsome
appearance and patterns. Many still remain but they are yearly
decreasing in number. I recollect when the only shops in Church-street
were a grocer's (where part of Compton House now stands) and a
confectioner's at the corner of Church-alley. Bold-street was nearly all
private houses, and there were very few shops in it, even some forty
years ago. Seventy years since there was scarcely a house of any sort in
it. I have been told that where the Athenaeum now stands in
Church-street, there was once a large pond on which the skaters used to
cut a figure, and that a farm-house stood at the corner of
Hanover-street. Some houses in Hanover-street will be noticed as being
built out at angles with the street. This was to secure a good view of
the river from the windows. At the corner of Bold-street some ninety
years ago was a milkman's cottage and dairy. Whitechapel, when I was a
lad, was a dreadful thoroughfare. I have seen it deep in water, and
boats rowed about, conveying people from house to house, in times of
flood. There used to be a channel with water running down the centre of
the street, which was considerably lower than it is at present. It was
no uncommon thing for the cellars of all the houses to be filled with
water, and even now, I believe, some portion of the neighbourhood is not
unfrequently rendered damp and uncomfortable. In the cellars under the
Forum, in Marble-street, there is a very deep well which is at all times
full; this well drains the premises. This Forum, about fifty years ago,
was a well-known and much frequented arena for disputations of all sorts.
Many a clever speaker has addressed audiences now passed away. Speaker
and spoken to are for the most part gone. A great change took place some
forty years ago in the locality where St. John's Market now stands.
There was a ropewalk here which extended from where the angle of the
building faces the Amphitheatre, as far as Renshaw-street. There was a
field at one time to the north of the ropery skirted by hedges which went
down the site of the present Hood-street, and round to where there is now
a large draper's shop in the Old Haymarket; the hedge then went up
John's-lane, and so round by the site of the lamp opposite the Queen's
Hotel, along Limekiln-lane to Ranelagh-street. These were all fields,
being a portion of what was anciently called "the Great Heath." It was
at one time intended to erect a handsome Crescent where the cab-stand is
now. The almshouses stood on this ground. Limekiln-lane, now
Lime-street, was so called from the limekiln that stood on the site of
the present Skelhorn-street. Here were open fields, which extended to
the London-road, quite famous for the assembling of all sorts of rough
characters, especially on summer evenings, and on Sundays.
Cock-fighting, dog-fighting, and pugilistic encounters used to be carried
on daily, and scenes of the utmost confusion took place, until public
murmurings compelled the authorities to keep order. It was in the fields
about where the Lord Nelson-street rooms stand, that my grandfather
recollects seeing three, if not four, men hung for being mixed up in the
rebellion of '45. They were hung there in chains for some time, and
afterwards buried at the foot of the gallows as a warning to evil-doers.
There were several mills in this vicinity, one of which was called the
White Mill, and there was a very curious story once commonly current
about it, in the town to the effect that the owner of it had been
murdered by a friend of his who kept a mill lower down the hill.
Whitemill-street is called after this White Mill. The lower mill stood
where Hotham-street is now, which formerly was called Duncan-street. The
mill occupied the site of the Quaker's school, which was pulled down to
make room for the railway yard. When this mill was razed to the ground,
a grave was discovered in the foundation, in which was a skeleton, and it
was freely said that this was the White Mill miller, who had so
mysteriously disappeared some years previously. It was the talk of the
town at the time, and crowds of persons went to the spot to look at the
grave. When the mill in Duncan-street was taken down it was so rotten
that it was razed to the ground in one day. Where St. George's Hall now
stands was the Infirmary. It faced Islington Triangle, afterwards
converted into a market-place, being built round with small shops, having
a pump in the middle. When this market was discontinued in 1848, the
tenants were removed to Gill-street, on its opening in September of that
year. The Infirmary consisted of two wings and a centre; at the back was
a spacious garden or airing ground. On Shaw's Brow lived the potters.
There were upwards of 2,000 persons engaged in this trade, which was
carried on to a very great extent. Pottery in Liverpool was a
considerable manufacture, and it is said that it was Mr. Sadler, a potter
who lived in Harrington-street, that first discovered the art of printing
upon earthenware, through seeing his children stick pieces of printed
cotton fabric on some damaged plates they were playing with. There were
many other large potteries in Liverpool at one period, besides those on
Shaw's Brow. There was one at the corner of Fontenoy-street, of which
Alderman Shaw was proprietor. There was one at the bottom of
Duke-street. This was kept by Mr. Drinkwater, who married Captain
Leece's daughter, after whom Leece-street is named. Pothouse-lane is a
reminder of the old trade. There were other potteries on Copperas-hill.
I do not recollect much about these potteries; but I have heard my father
and mother talk about them amongst their "Recollections." This trade
seems to have departed from this town most strangely. The last remnant
of it was in the works that were in operation down by the river-side near
the present Toxteth Docks. Watch-making has always been a great trade in
Liverpool. The first introducer of it was Mr. Wyke, who lived in
Dale-street, on the site of the present public offices. Mr. Wyke came
from Prescot, and carried on a large trade in watches about the year
1758. Mr. Litherland, the inventor of the chronometer, died in
Church-street. On Mr. Wyke's premises and garden the Gas Works were
afterwards erected, which were removed to Newington some few years ago.
Amongst many others I have seen some very remarkable changes that have
taken place about Bevington-hill. I recollect very well what is now
called "Summer Seat" being gardens, and the view from them to the river
quite uninterrupted. There was near them a house built by a shoemaker
who had made a fortune by his trade; it was called "Lapstone Hall." The
inn called the "Bush" had a bough hanging out with the motto "Good Wine
Needs no Bush." The sailors were very fond of going up to Bevington-Bush
on Sundays with their sweethearts, and many a boisterous scene have I
witnessed there. The view was really beautiful from the gardens. Where
the market stands in Scotland-road there used to be a large stone quarry.
The houses in Scotland-road beyond the market are all of very late
erection. I can well recollect open fields and market gardens
thereabouts, and, indeed, all the way up where Scotland-road now is,
there used to be fields. The Preston-road wound round up Bevington-Bush.
The Everton range looked very pretty from the Kirkdale-road, especially
when handsome mansions began to dot its crest. I recollect along this
road cornfields, meadows and gardens. Scotland-road is a comparatively
newly-formed thoroughfare. Any one turning to the left at the bottom of
Scotland-road, and going to Bevington-Bush will see, in those old houses
on the right hand, of what Liverpool, in my young days, was composed.
Very few specimens of the old town houses are now remaining, so speedily
do they become modernized and altered. I like those quaint old buildings
although they were not very comfortable within, from their narrow windows
and low ceilings, but there has been a great deal of mirth and jollity in
some of those old low-roofed houses in the town, in our great
privateering and slave-dealing times.
I have often heard old people talk about _their_ "Recollections" of the
town. I have heard them speak of Clayton-square being laid out in the
memorable year of 1745. Mrs. or Madame Clayton to whose family this part
of the town chiefly belonged, was the daughter of Mr. Clayton who was
Mayor in 1689, and who represented the town in parliament for eight
sessions. Madame Clayton's house stood near Cases-street. Her garden
was said to have been the best kept and most productive in the town. It
was this lady who started the first private carriage in Liverpool. I
have heard it said that people used to stare at it, as if it was
something wonderful. The streets about Church-street are all called
after the old families. Parker-street was called after Mr. Parker, of
Cuerdon, who married Miss Ann Clayton. Their daughter Jane married one
of the Tarletons. Tarleton-street is named after Colonel Banastre
Tarleton. Banastre-street is named after him also. Houghton-street is
after the old Houghton family. Williamson-square was laid out in 1745 by
Mr. Williamson. Basnett-street was called after the Basnetts, at one
time a very influential family of old Liverpool; Leigh-street after the
Leighs; Cases-street after the Cases. Mr. Rose, who projected many
streets at the north end of the town on his extensive property, seems to
have adopted the poets' names to distinguish his thoroughfares, as in
Chaucer, Ben Jonson, Juvenal, Virgil, Dryden, Milton, Sawney (Alexander)
Pope-street, etc. Meadows-street, Scotland-road, was named after Mr.
William Meadows, who married six wives. His first wife lived two years.
He next married Peggy Robinson, who lived twenty years, and bore him
children; after being a widower a month, he again married. This wife
lived two years. After remaining a widower seven weeks, he married his
fourth wife, who lived eighteen years. After a nine months' single
blessedness he again married. After his fifth wife's death he remained a
widower thirty-four weeks, and at the age of seventy-five, on the 10th of
June, 1807, he married Miss Ann Lowe, of Preston-street. William Meadows
was thought to be a bold man. Maguire-street was named after Mr. Maguire
who kept a shop in Lord-street. Benson-street was called after Moses
Benson, Esq. Bixteth-street after Alderman Bixteth, who is said "to have
been publicly thanked by the authorities for paving the front of his
house with his own hands." Pudsey-street after Pudsey Dawson.
Seel-street after Mr. Seel, who lived at the corner of it.
Wolstenholme-square and street, after an influential family of that name.
Bold-street after the Bolds, who built the first house in it: now
occupied by Mr. Dismore. Colquitt-street after the Colquitts, whose
mansion was converted into the Royal Institution. Berry-street, was
named after Captain Berry, who built the first house at the corner of
Bold-street. Cropper-street after the Cropper family. Fazakerly-street
after the Fazakerlys. Oakes-street after Captain Oakes, who died in
1808. Lydia Ann-street after Mademoiselle Lydia Ann De La Croix, who
married Mr. Perry, the originator of Fawcett's foundry, and the Coal
Brook Dale iron works. Mason-street, Edge-hill, was named after Mr.
Mason, who built and endowed Edge-hill church, and whose mansion stood at
the corner of Mason-street, the gardens of which extended to the bottom
of Paddington. James-street was named after Mr. Roger James, who held
large property in it. Preeson's-row was named after Alderman Preeson,
who built his house and two others of the old Castle materials. Part of
Castle-street is also constructed of the timbers and stones. Old
Peter-street which ran out of School-lane has disappeared.
Crosshall-street was called after the Hall and gardens of the Crosses
which stood on the site of (or about) Manchester-street. Part of
Fenwick-street was called Dry Bridge, a bridge passing over the Old
Ropery, the name of which is perpetuated in that street. Holden's Weint
was re-named Brook-street. Lower Stanley-street was re-named
Button-street, after Mr. Button, who lived to a great age, and saw I
don't know how many king's reigns. The streets of Liverpool seem to have
been named, in some parts of the town, as it were, in classes, as I have
mentioned. Mr. Rose called his new thoroughfares after the poets, and in
another neighbourhood we find the names of celebrated commanders
affording street-titles as in Blake-street, Duncan-street (afterwards
Hotham-street), Clarence-street, Russell-street, Rodney-street,
Seymour-street, Rupert-street, etc. While on the site of the old Botanic
Gardens at the top of Oxford-street, we find Laurel-street, Grove-street,
Oak, Vine, and Myrtle-streets. In Kensington, on the site of Dr.
Solomon's property, we have streets named after celebrated lawyers, and
this locality is jocosely called "Judge's Land." We have streets
thereabout bearing the names of Cottenham, Coltman, Wightman, Patteson,
Pollock, and Coleridge, and there may also be found a Gilead and a
Solomon-street.
By the way, a reference to Dr. Solomon's property, at Kensington, reminds
me of the good stories that were current in Liverpool about the worthy
doctor himself. I recollect one wherein the laugh was loud at the
Custom-house authorities, who had been nicely bitten by a seizure they
had made of some of the doctor's "exports." It was said that a quantity
of "Balm of Gilead," upon which drawback was claimed, had been seized by
the Custom-house people as not being of the specified value to entitle
Dr. Solomon to claim so large an amount of drawback. The doctor was, as
may be supposed, very wrath at his "goots" being waylaid, but he
determined upon revenge. Making up a lot of sugar and water,
well-flavoured with spice, the doctor entered a large case "outward,"
declaring it to be of the same value as the former seized case. The trap
fell, and the Custom-house authorities were caught, to the intense
satisfaction of the doctor, who told them he "vould teach them to seize
his goots!"
Another story is told of the doctor once entertaining a party of
gentlemen at Gilead House (as was often his custom), and towards the
close of the evening, some one began joking the doctor about his "Balm of
Gilead." The doctor bore the jesting very well, and on being told he
ought to let those present taste it, readily consented to open a few
bottles. Now this Balm, I believe, was very good, and was made, it was
said, of strong alcohol or brandy, and the richest spices. The bottles
of "Balm" passed round and were duly appreciated. On the guests
preparing to leave, they were presented with "a little bill" amounting to
about a guinea each for the Balm of Gilead which had been consumed. The
doctor telling them that it was by means of the "Balm" he lived, and
through the "Balm" he was enabled to invite them to partake of his really
bountiful hospitality. Each guest paid his bill, admitting that the
doctor was right, and that they had merited the reproof so properly
administered to them.
The doctor used to drive a handsome team of four horses, and, of course,
attracted a good deal of attention whenever he made his appearance in the
streets. On one occasion the late Lord Sefton, who was through life a
first-rate whip, drove up to Heywood's bank in his usual dashing style.
Dr. Solomon was tooling along behind his lordship, and desirous of
emulating his mode of handling the reins and whip, gave the latter such a
flourish as to get the lash so firmly fixed round his neck as to require
his groom's aid to release him from its folds.
I will now give the derivations of a few more streets, as I have heard
them spoken of by old people; they may be interesting to my readers:
Benn's Gardens was called after Mr. Benn, who was bailiff, in 1697. He
resided in Pool-lane, now South Castle-street; his garden occupied this
locality. Atherton-street was named after Mr. Peter Atherton, who was
bailiff, in 1673. Bird-street was named after Mr. Joseph Bird, who was
bailiff, in 1738; mayor in 1746. In Birch-field resided Mr. Birch.
Roscoe lived here at one time, and it was here he wrote the greater part
of the lives of "The Medici." I recollect a great many fine trees being
in and about this vicinity. Bolton-street was named after John Bolton,
Esq., or Colonel Bolton as he was called. Byrom-street was named after
Octavius Byrom. Chisenhale-street is named after Chisenhale Johnson.
Chorley-street is called after Mr. Chorley, who was recorder of Liverpool
from 1602 till 1620. Canning-street is named in honour of the statesman.
Cleveland-square takes its name from the Clevelands; it was formerly
called Price-square. The Prices were lords of the manor of Birkenhead.
Gildart Garden is named after Mr. Gildart, who was bailiff in 1712, and
mayor in 1714, 1731, and 1736. Gill-street is named after Mr. Gill, who
owned the land thereabouts. Harrington-street is called after the
Harrington family, who once held considerable property in Liverpool.
Hackin's-hey is called after John Hackin, who was a tenant of the More's
of olden time. Huskisson-street is named after the statesman at one time
member for Liverpool. Cresswell-street after Sir Cresswell Cresswell,
also an ex-borough member. Brougham-terrace, after Lord Brougham.
Hockenhall-alley is called after a very old Liverpool family.
Lord-street is named after Lord Molyneux. Redcross-street was so named
in consequence of a red obelisk which stood in the open ground, south of
St. George's Church. This street was originally called Tarleton's
New-street. Shaw-street was named after "Squire Shaw," who held much
property at Everton. Sir Thomas's Buildings is called after Sir Thomas
Johnson, who, when Mayor, benevolently caused St. James's Mount to be
erected as a means of employing the destitute poor in the severe winter
of 1767. Strand-street derived its name from being the strand or shore
of the river. Hunter-street and South Hunter-street, Maryland-street,
Baltimore-street, etc., were named after Mr. John Hunter, an eminent
merchant trading with the States, who dwelt in Mount Pleasant, and whose
gardens extended to Rodney-street.