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LIVERPOOL - ENGLAND
Liverpool is a city in Merseyside in north west England, on the north side
of the Mersey estuary. The city was traditionally part of Lancashire.
Introduction
Liverpool is governed by Liverpool City Council, one of five councils within
Merseyside. The population of the city in 2002 was 441,477, the surrounding
Merseyside conurbation has a population of 1,362,026. Liverpool is the
second largest export port of the England. Though not as pre-eminent
as a century ago, Liverpool still possesses some manufacturing base. In the
year 2008, Liverpool will become the European Capital of Culture .
Liverpool is internationally famous for being the city where the Beatles
came from.
Liverpool runs directly into Bootle in Sefton, and Huyton in Knowsley. It
faces Wallasey and Birkenhead across the River Mersey.
Inhabitants of Liverpool are officially known as "Liverpudlians", but more
commonly known as "Scousers". They are noted for their distinctive accent,
called Scouse. In London and elsewhere Liverpudlians are sometimes known as
"Mickey Mousers" (from Cockney rhyming slang Scouse - Mickey Mouse).
Sometimes Liverpudlians are called "whackers", as in "watcha whacker!".
There are three tunnels under the River Mersey: one railway tunnel, the
Mersey Railway Tunnel, and two road tunnels, Queensway Tunnel and Kingsway
Tunnel. There is also the Mersey Ferry, made famous by the song Ferry Cross
the Mersey by Gerry and the Pacemakers. In fact the song is now played on
the ferryboats themselves every time they prepare to dock at Liverpool.
In 2001, Speke Airport was renamed Liverpool John Lennon Airport, in honour
of the late Beatle John Lennon. The airport's logo consists of a sketch that
Lennon had drawn of himself, and the words "Above us only sky", lyrics from
his legendary song "Imagine".
Liverpool has a train system called Merseyrail, the sections in the city
centre are mostly underground. The lines terminate at Southport, Ormskirk,
Kirkby, Hunts Cross, Ellesmere Port and Chester.
Liverpool has two universities - the University of Liverpool, and Liverpool
John Moores University. The latter is one of the polytechnics given
university status in 1992 and is named after the owner of the Littlewoods
retail group.
Liverpool has a vibrant artistic life. Several pre-Raphaelites are among the
important paintings of the Walker Art Gallery. With more to be found in the
Sudley and Lady Lever Galleries. The Tate Liverpool gallery houses the
modern art collection of the Tate in the north of England. The Liverpool
Biennial is a festival of arts held (as the name implies) every two years.
The festival generally runs from mid september to late november and
comprises three main sections; the International, The Independants and New
Contemporaries although many fringe events are timed to coincide.
A flourishing orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra performs
in its own hall, the Philharmonic Hall. The city also became well known for
the Liverpool poets, of whom Adrian Henri and Roger McGough are among the
best known. The city is also home to several successful theatre companies -
The Everyman & Playhouse as well as The Unity Theatre.
The city's daily newspaper is the Liverpool Echo. BBC Radio Merseyside,
Juice 107.6 and Radio City as well as Magic 1548, which are both based in St.
John's Beacon which dominates the Liverpool skyline, all broadcast to the
city.
Liverpool has two Premier division football clubs - Liverpool F.C. at
Anfield and Everton F.C. at Goodison Park. Over the water at Tranmere are
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
In 2003, Liverpool became European Capital of Culture for 2008 and started a
£750 million regeneration of the city centre. In addition to the money being
invested in the city centre, a tram system is being developed, which will
hopefully complement the city's train and bus services.
History
In 1190 it was known as 'liuerpul', meaning a pool or creak with muddy water.
The origins of the city are usually dated from August 1207 when Liverpool
was proclaimed a borough and a port. Initially it served as a dispatch point
for troops sent to Ireland. For four centuries, Liverpool was relatively
unimportant. In the middle of the 16th century the population of Liverpool
was only around 500, and the area was regarded as subordinate to Chester
until the 1650s. A number of battles for the town were waged during the
English Civil War, including an eighteen day siege in 1644.
The name "Liverpool" is thought to come from a corruption of Elver Pool due
the the large numbers of eels in the River Mersey
Liverpool Castle was built in the 13th century and was removed in 1726.
In the 18th century, as trade from the West Indies was added to that of
Ireland and Europe, Liverpool began to grow. The first wet dock in Britain
was built in Liverpool in 1715. Substantial profits from the slave trade
helped the town grow and prosper. Liverpool's Black community dates from
this period and grew rapidly, reaching a population of 10,000 within five
years. By the beginning of the 19th century, 40% of the world's trade was
passing through the docks at Liverpool.
Liverpool expanded significantly in the nineteenth century and a number of
major buildings were constructed (St. George's Hall, Lime Street Station
etc.). Liverpool was granted city status in 1880.
During the first part of the twentieth century Liverpool continued to expand,
pulling in emmigrants from Europe.
It has been claimed, that Adolf Hitler stayed in Upper Stanhope street in
Liverpool, with his sister, in the 1910's; although there is little evidence
to support this.
The population of the city exceeded 850,000 in 1930. During World War II
there were eighty air-raids on Merseyside, with an especially concentrated
series of raids in May 1941 which interrupted operations at the docks for
almost a week. Although only 2,500 people were killed, almost half the homes
in the metropolitan area sustained some damage and 11,000 were totally
destroyed.
Significant rebuilding followed the war, including massive housing estates
and the Seaforth Dock, the largest dock project in Britain. However, the
city has been suffering since the 1950s with the loss of numerous employers.
By 1985 the population had fallen to 460,000. Declines in manufacturing and
dock activity struck the city particularly hard.
96 Liverpool fans died or were severely injured in the Hillsborough disaster
at a football game in 1989. This had a traumatic effect on people in both
cities, and resulted in legally imposed changes in the way in which football
fans have been accommodated in football stadiums since. A similar outpouring
of grief and shock occurred in 1993 when two year-old James Bulger was
killed by two ten year-old boys, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson.
The city has emphasized its cultural attractions, winning the accolade of
European City of Culture for 2008. Capitalising on the popularity of the
1960s pop group The Beatles and other groups of the Merseybeat era, tourism
has also become a significant factor in Liverpool's economy.
Important landmarks and buildings
The built environment of Liverpool (over 2,500 listed buildings) is the
inheritance of high-minded public spirit since the later 18th century,
largely with Dissenter impetus, that has resulted in more public sculpture
than in any UK city aside from Westminster, more listed buildings than any
city apart from London and, surprisingly, more Georgian houses than the City
of Bath.
In 2004 Liverpool was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the
justifcation is Liverpool importance in the development of world trading
system and dock technology.
Amongst its superlatives: Liverpool has the largest panel of stained glass
in the world (in Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral), the largest brick
building in the world, and the first enclosed integrated dock system in the
world. The Anglican Cathedral has the longest nave, largest organ and
heaviest and highest peal of bells in the world. Architects well represented
in Liverpool: Giles Gilbert Scott, Peter Ellis, Harvey Lonsdale Elmes, and
John Foster. Sir Edwin Lutyens is represented by the completed crypt of his
projected Metropolitan Cathedral, which was built to a simpler design by
Frederick Gibberd.
Albert Dock
Bluecoat Arts Centre
Cunard Building
Lime Street Station
Royal Liver Building
Liverpool Cathedral (Anglican)
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King (Roman Catholic),
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Liverpool University
Merseyside Maritime Museum
Museum of Liverpool Life
Oriel Chambers design by Peter Ellis.
The Philharmonic Dining Rooms
Pier Head
Port of Liverpool Building
Quiggins
St. George's Hall
St. Luke's Church
St. Nicholas's Church the seafarers church
Stanley Dock Tobacco Warehouse
The Beatles Story
Walker Art Gallery
William Brown Library
Theatres
Everyman
Philharmonic Hall
Playhouse
Royal Court
Empire
Neptune
Unity
Famous Liverpudlians
The Beatles - John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Sir Paul McCartney and George
Harrison.
Jean Alexander - She played Hilda Ogden on the long-running soap opera
Coronation Street.
Arthur Askey - Comedian.
Beryl Bainbridge - An acclaimed writer, nominated several times for the
Booker Prize.
Tom Baker - Actor and eccentric, famous for his portrayal of the lead role
in Doctor Who in the 1970s and 80s
Kenneth Bigley - A man beheaded in Iraq.
John Birt former Director General of the BBC.
Cilla Black - Singer and entertainer, and until recently, presenter of the
long running T.V. show Blind Date.
Tony Booth - Actor and father of Cherie Booth.
Charles Booth - Known for his surveys of poverty.
Kim Cattrall - Actress.
Craig Charles - Actor and comedian, played Dave Lister in Red Dwarf and
currently hosts Robot Wars.
Anne Clough - Early Suffragette in the 1800s.
Ken Dodd - Comedian and singer, well-loved for unique traits such as buck
teeth, frizzy hair and tickling stick (as well of course for the 'diddy
men').
Terrence Davies - Film director.
Robbie Fowler - A footballer who moved in mysterious ways his wonders to
perform, talented enough to become known as 'God' to the Koppites that
filled the Kop End at Anfield Stadium, home of Liverpool F.C. He left in
2001, moving to Leeds United for £11 million pounds, and then in 2003 to
Manchester City, where he continues to play.
William Gladstone - Four times Prime Minister with many notable
achievements.
Sir Richard Glazebrook - Physicist.
Tommy Handley - Comedian.
Jeremiah Horrocks - Astronomer who calculated that the distance between
Earth and the sun was 59,000,000 miles--- though well short of the actual
distance of 93,000,000 miles, his estimate was more accurate than any other
calculations of his time.
Brian Jacques - Bestselling author of the Redwall series of children's
fantasy books.
Wayne Rooney - Footballer, who plays for Manchester United and England. He
holds the honour of being the England's youngest ever goal scorer.
William Roscoe - Poet whose popular work was translated into French, German,
and other languages.
Leonard Rossiter - Actor who played the infamous Rigsby in the T.V. series
Rising Damp, as well as many other roles.
Willy Russell - Playwright.
Adrian Scott Stokes - Artist known for his landscape paintings.
George Stubbs - Artist known for his paintings of horses.
Peter Sissons - News Reader.
Jimmy Tarbuck - Father of Liza Tarbuck and comedian.
Olaf Stapledon - Author.
Banastre Tarleton - A dashing and distinguished British cavalry officer
during the American War of Independence. He was often so agressive that it
gave the appearance that he offered "No Quarter" to American troops. He
firmly gained this reputation at the Waxhaws where his men crushed and
inflicted very heavy casualties on an American force. His actions at the
Waxhaws earned him the name "Bloody Ban" and made him one of the most hated
men in the southern colonies .
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