Sunday, 6 November 2011

Liverpool's coastline before the construction of Jesse Hartley's docks



Dear Sir/Madam, 
I have been looking for information on Liverpool's coastline before the construction of Jesse Hartley's docks - in order to study the development and reclamation of land. I have found old, drawn maps but cannot relate them back to the present day streets/urban situation. Do you have any suggestions as to how I can go about finding accurate information about the development of land along Liverpool's coastline?
Thanks very much in advance.
Ting

3 comments:

  1. Dear Rob,
    I suggest The changing face of Liverpool, 1207-1770, published by the Liverpool Archaeological Society in 2007. This includes reproductions of some of the early maps, which show the relationship of the streets to the waterfront anyway), but also some modern reconstructional plans of “Medieval Liverpool”; “Tudor, Early Stuart and Commonwealth Liverpool”; “Later Stuart ... Liverpool” and “George I – George III Plan of Liverpool”.

    I hope this helps, but we don’t know where Ting is from or whether she/he has access to this book.

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  2. There's a great map of the central city area before the docks on p56 of Peter Aughton's People's "Liverpool: A People's History" (http://amzn.to/rzD9YR) which covers as far north as Union Street. There's also a more modern, if slightly hard to read, map on the Pool Project website: http://www.poolproject.co.uk/constructionsite/gallery/liverpool1.html

    Martin Greaney

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  3. Hi Rob

    I suggest Ting starts with the Allott Jones map. It appeared as a detachable map in the rear pocket of the Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire & Cheshire, 1930 (from which the attached was photographed; selective close-ups are much easier to read). Shown in blue is the original bank of the Mersey superimposed onto a 20th century O.S. map. There are also hand-drawn maps by Charles Okill which accompany an article by Stewart-Brown on the Pool of Liverpool. The LRO has two copies of the 1930 Transactions: one has had the all the maps stolen, the second they therefore keep restricted. If Ting makes an appointment to visit the Sandhills site (archives@liverpool.gov.uk ; 0151 233 5817) he should ask to see the copy with the maps!

    Best wishes

    Graham

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