I’ve always wanted to visit the bombed-out Church of St Luke’s in Liverpool but it was pouring with rain every time I went. Added to that, it wasn’t always possible to get inside due to closures or scaffolding. Our time finally came this year when Stephen and I found ourselves with an hour to spare before we met my cousin at Lime Street Station.
We were back in Liverpool earlier this month, 43 years to the day after we left. I don't come back as often as I used to, but leaving never gets easier.
I’ve often mentioned my fascination with the Church of St Luke, the bombed out shell of a church that still stands in Liverpool. When I was in Liverpool a couple of weeks ago, I thought I owed it to my blog readers to make a turn there and take some photos for you.
After our visit to the new Quiggins Centre we continued to walk down Renshaw Street and soon the outline of the church became visible.
%2001%5B3%5D.jpg "Church of St Luke (bombed out church in Liverpool) 01")
%2002%5B2%5D.jpg "Church of St Luke (bombed out church in Liverpool) 02")
Something about this church haunts me. I am interested in war, of course, and the devastation that occurred in Liverpool and London during the Blitz but this goes beyond that.
I think it is the idea that the sense of devastation after a war can be so absolute that there is simply no sense in rebuilding or even tearing down.
We’re simply left with painful, hurtful and permanent reminders of just how much has been lost.
%2007%5B4%5D.jpg "Church of St Luke (bombed out church in Liverpool) 07")
And over the years, those people who could remember what it was like before all the devastation and destruction move on. Until no one alive can remember what it was like before or even what it was like during the war and all the suffering and loss.
%2009%5B3%5D.jpg "Church of St Luke (bombed out church in Liverpool) 09")
Does the Church of St Luke still have stained glass windows in that place? Does it have shiny, brown, wooden pews and does it still smell of prayer books and polish? Does the afternoon sunshine cast rainbows of light across the floor?
%2012%5B3%5D.jpg "Church of St Luke (bombed out church in Liverpool) 12")
%2008%5B2%5D.jpg "Church of St Luke (bombed out church in Liverpool) 08")
I’m so lucky to have my father to tell me all of the war stories that he can remember. Of course, he was only born the year the war ended in 1945 but he tells me of what a hero my grandfather was.
Of how he was in the navy and how he travelled the world and fought in the major operations. (I must remember to start taking notes!)
I guess it goes to show how little people appreciate their heritage, as the Church of St Luke is on the English Heritage Buildings at Risk Register. How sad.
Postcard update: I am the worst person on Earth for actually getting off my backside and going to the post office. So, I can confirm that I still have to post postcards for Rose, Matt and Martyn. Christina, Kathy, Ivanhoe and April still need to send me their postal addresses! Come on ladies… I’ll have to donate the postcards to the rest of the internet if you don’t reply! Email your address to missus dot emm at gmail dot com.
Like a phoenix rising up from the flames, it looks like the Quiggins Centre in Liverpool has been revived. Quiggins was a quirky little shopping centre made up of loads of little alternative, counterculture shops. Every time I visited Liverpool in the nineties and beyond, my stepmum and I would go along to Quiggins. Of course, being a Doc-wearing, black-clad coffin kid, Quiggins was the ideal place for me back then and I absolutely loved it.
Quiggins Entrance, originally uploaded by Paul Holloway
Quiggins was under threat of closure for years and years. I don’t quite understand the legalities of what happened but I believe that some greedy land developers wanted the land that Quiggins was on and it was eventually closed in July 2006. We had heard that it had reopened and were looking for it when we visited in December but we weren’t successful. Imagine our happiness then when we saw the following sight on Thursday morning:
Grin @ Quiggins
See that t-shirt at the top left? The black, long-sleeved one? I would have looooved that back in the day, before Trinny and Susannah told me not to wear clothing with high necklines.
Isn’t it just quaint and kooky?
On the first floor, there is a vintage dress shop and a dress designers. I really like that black mini dress on the right. What a pity I’m not as teeny weeny as I used to be!
Grand Central Hall used to be a Methodist Church and the main hall was amazing. They were currently building more shops in the main hall but at one stage, I looked up and was so glad that I did.
It’s not a great shot but the photo on the bottom right shows what the hall looked like in its former glory. Having little stalls and shops there definitely changes the look of the building but if they can maintain some of the features like the organ and the ceiling then it will all be worth it. I’m also hoping that they will refurbish the gallery and allow people to sit upstairs again.
It was good to see the old Quiggins traders again. I didn’t buy anything on that day but seeing as I usually hate shopping and shopping centres, it was good just to browse and to enjoy it! (Oh, I know I’m a grumpy so and so but seriously, Amazon was launched with me in mind!)
Go to Liverpool, visit Quiggins!
Quiggins Centre, Grand Central Hall, Renshaw Street, Liverpool.
I have to be honest. I'll be happy once I've finished uploading all the pictures and stories from our road trip in December. We just saw so many wonderful things and I want to remember it all!
The last stop on our trip to Liverpool was the Merseyside Maritime Museum. This is a massive museum actually comprising several different exhibitions and attractions and if you were spending more than a few hours in Liverpool, then I would recommend that you set aside a whole morning here.
First things first - it was a cold day that day and we had been traipsing around for hours. So our first stop was for some rich hot chocolate with cream. Yum!
We then went to see the Titanic, Lusitania and Forgotten Empress exhibition. This was really, really interesting.
Figurehead from HMS Hastings / items salvaged from the Titanic / apron worn by Titanic survivor
Click pictures for bigger photos
I stood looking at that apron for a really long time. A person had been wearing that apron and had escaped the sinking Titanic and was taken to safety. I found it really touching in a way I can't explain. 1,517 people died on the Titanic as there were not enough lifeboats. More men died as women and chldren were taken to safety first. The band continued to play music as the ship went down and none of them survived. The captain of the Titanic went down with his ship. Most of the people that died in the Titanic were third class passengers and staff. There were 706 survivors.
I knew some of these stories before but I hadn't previously known anything about the RMS Lusitania. This story really shocked me. This luxury liner was torpedoed by a German U-Boat in 1915 during World War I. More passengers died in this disaster than in the Titanic because so many of the passengers were in their rooms or were hit directly by the torpedo. 1,198 people died that day and over a half of those were children.
The next part of the complex that I visited was the International Slavery Museum.
This is a rich and complex exhibition detailing the slave trade and the history of racial oppression round the world. There is a lot of material on modern day slavery and human trafficking as well. I didn't take any photos during the exhibition (except for the above) but I spent a lot of time there absorbing the wealth of information. I do think the ISM is badly placed in the Merseyside Maritime Museum as I believe it should be a destination in and of itself but I imagine that this is one way of making sure that people visit and that they get people through the door.
The last part we looked at before we went was the Seized! exhibition which is a fantastic exhibition about the type of items that people try to import into the country. Very interesting!
It was getting late by then and suddenly it was time to go. There is so much we didn't get to see including the Tate Liverpool and the bombed out Church of St Luke.
Dockside living / The Pillar of Friendship installation
Click pictures for bigger photos
We did get to walk through Liverpool One on the way back to the car. This is a trendy new dockside-living and shopping complex. We dreamt of one day living in those swanky apartments (one day after The Puppies have gone on to the big dog kennel in the sky) and we admired the Pillar of Friendship installation on Paradise Street.
All in all, it was an awesome day and I can't wait to go back to my beloved Liverpool sometime in the near future.
Next on our tour of Liverpool was the Pier Head. The Pier Head is definitely my favourite part of Liverpool and it has some of the best architecture in the world (once again, my fascination with old buildings comes up. It's not my fault I spent much of my working career as a property manager housed in a listed building, is it?)
The Pier Head is a small strip of land with three magnificent old buildings facing out over the Mersey River. This is where you will catch the ferry made famous by the Gerry and the Pacemakers song, Ferry Across the Mersey.
Most days we would catch the Merseyrail under the Mersey and come out at Hamilton Square, then we would catch the ferry back. On this particular day though, it was very cold and we had loads to do so we settled for lots of photos instead!
The Royal Liver Building, The Cunard Building and the magnificent Port of Liverpool Building
(click on the pictures for larger shots)
The Royal Liver Building was built between 1908 and 1911. "Liver" in this instance is pronounced "laiver". It houses two Liver birds on top of the buildings. These are the fabled birds that look after the city of Liverpool and the story goes that if they were ever to fly away, then the city of Liverpool would cease to exist. They are not the only Liver birds in Liverpool but they are the biggest and most famous. The two Liver birds on the Royal Liver Building face in opposite directions - one of the birds faces inwards towards the city of Liverpool and the other faces the Mersey River.
Many of you will know the Liver birds from the Liverpool Football Club crest of course. I would post a picture but that would just ruin my blog. (I'm a proud Everton supporter).
The Cunard Building was built between 1914 and 1917 as the headquarters for the Cunard Line, the shipping company that owned the Lusitania. I'll talk about the Lusitania more in my next post about our visit to the Merseyside Maritime Museum. My brother worked on the fourth floor of the Cunard Building from 2006 to 2008 when I convinced him to rather come and live in London with us. Looks like that worked out for him as he is earning twice as much now than he was in Liverpool!!! In any event, I would absolutely love to work in an old building like the Cunard Building and I think he is very fortunate. He says they often popped over to the Royal Liver Building for lunch in one of the restaurants. Can you imagine that?
The Port of Liverpool Building was built between 1903 and 1907 and was designed by Sir Arnold Thornley following an architectural competition in 1901. It is an absolutely exquisite building with the most intricate details and finishings. Actually, after reading the details about it on the Liverpool World Heritage website, I now know that I have to go inside the building if I truly want to appreciate it.
During the Blitz in 1941, a bomb exploded in the basement of the Port of Liverpool Building. The cost of the restoration project that began after the war far exceeded the original cost of constructing the building!
Liverpool was so badly affected in the Blitz of World War II and these memorials to sailors from the Merchant Navy are also located on the Pier Head.
The Buildings of the Pier Head and the art deco George's Dock Ventilation with the rear of the Port of Liverpool Building and the Royal Liver Building in view
(click on the pictures for larger shots)
Finally we tear ourselves away from the old Pier Head and walk on up to the Albert Dock. On the way we are reminded of just how much this magical city has to offer.
Previous post: Road Trip (North): Liverpool part 1
So after planning our route for the day, we headed straight down into Mathew Street to see the club where The Beatles first played back on 21 February 1961.
The Cavern Club today has been designed to resemble the original club as closely as possible and it still functions as a live music venue. The bar staff absolutely did not even bat an eyelid as we walked in with our cameras and took some pictures. That's okay - I've stopped for drinks there before so I know I haven't always just been a camera-wielding flash-tourist.
The Beatles aren't the only famous band to have played at The Cavern or to have hailed from Liverpool so I took the opportunity to snap the Wall of Fame and a nice young man that was sitting there. (That is Mister Emm for those who don't know).
The Cavern is attached to the boutique arcade, Cavern Walks. They have a Vivienne Westwood store there and they had a sale on. Unfortunately, spending £350 on a cardigan is not my idea of a bargain so we moved on swiftly. It is worth walking through Cavern Walks to get a picture of the Fab Four in action though.
Next it was time for a visit to the pier head. Just as well as it was shaping up to be a stunning day. I'll have to update about that on the weekend though - it is definitely time for bed!
I can't believe it has been a week since I last updated and I apologise for that. I've been sick with an incredibly sore throat and an irritating cough that doesn't let me get much sleep. 'Fed up' and 'exhausted' are the terms that would best describe me right now. The worst part is that this is all caused by the remaining dregs of the flu virus and nothing can be done for it except to treat the symptoms. My Dad is suffering from the same thing and wasn't even able to watch the match at the pub today! Big shout out to my Dad then and I hope we both get better soon.
On 27 December we went to my favourite city on the whole planet - Liverpool. From the time I was about 18 months old until just before my 9th birthday, we lived in St Helens which is a town situated right inbetween Manchester and Liverpool. We moved to South Africa in 1982 and I cannot begin to describe how much I missed 'home'. The city of Liverpool reached mythical proportions in my mind as I dreamed time and time again of returning to England. There was always the danger of a Great Gatsbyesque experience and that when I eventually did return in 1989, it would somehow disappoint. But it didn't.
I wish I was back in Liverpool, Liverpool Town where I was born.
There ain't no trees, no scented breeze, no fields of waving corn
But there's lots of girls with peroxide curls and the black-and-
tan flows free,
With six in a bed by the old pierhead and it's Liverpool Town for me.
- From "I Wish I Was Back in Liverpool" by Stan Kelly and recorded by the Dubliners
It's incredibly hard for me to put into words what it is about Liverpool that I love so much. There is something for everyone there with the history of the Beatles, museums, galleries, music, pubs, the heavy shelling in WW2, the pierhead and the stories of Irish immigrants, trade and commerce and the incredible strength to carry on. For me personally, Liverpool was the town that my Dad and I walked around time and time again as we visited all of the pubs and got to know each other again as adults. Hopefully some of the photos in these next couple of posts will communicate my love for this city and explain my glee at it being a nice sunny day that day.
As you come out of Lime Street Station, you see St George's Hall, one of the finest examples of neoclassical architecture in Europe. (I was told that it was the biggest but I can't find a link for that online). St George's Hall is part of the World Heritage Site at Liverpool and it is a Grade I listed building. As a former property manager, perhaps I find this more interesting than most people!
The hall has just been restored and was reopened in 2007. Apparently it is amazing inside but we didn't see anything to suggest that it was actually open to the public that day.
Liverpool was the European Capital of Culture 2008 and the city really caters towards tourists. There are sign posts and map boards everywhere and a street vendor gave us a tourist map for free! Liverpool has also really changed since last I was there and it was difficult to decide what to show my in-laws. In the end we decide on taking the Beatles tour and then heading down to the pierhead and the Albert Dock. We came back up through the brand new Liverpool One district before going home but unfortunately did not make it to St Luke's Church this time. St Luke's is a bombed out shell of a church that still stands in the centre of Liverpool - maybe I can go back in the summer and do a bit of a WW2 tour.
Well, all of those exciting travels will have to wait for during the week as I am about to fall asleep right now!!
%2011%5B8%5D.jpg "Church of St Luke (bombed out church in Liverpool) 11")
%2015%5B5%5D.jpg "Church of St Luke (bombed out church in Liverpool) 15")
