Guide to the Industrial Heritage of Merseyside - updates, revisions and errata
It is inevitable that the new Guide to the Industrial Heritage of Merseyside will become out of date. The most significant change is that in July 2021, UNESCO removed Liverpool’s status as a World Heritage Site. All references to the World Heritage Site in the Guide to the Industrial Heritage of Merseyside should now be amended to ‘former World Heritage Site’.
Four of the ten storage bunkers at the former Royal Ordnance Factory in Kirkby have been demolished (page 20). The site of the Vulcan Motor Works in Southport is a housing estate (page 72). The editors are grateful to those members who have provided corrections and additional information. If anyone has spotted any further errors or an entry which has recently changed, please let MIHS know.
Page 7, line 7: The Mersey Docks and Harbour Company was known as the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board from 1857 to 1971.
Page 20, K5: When the Royal Ordnance Factory closed in 1946, it became the Kirkby Industrial Estate. It was not called the Knowsley Industrial Estate until the late 1990s. The bunkers are located on Draw Well Road (not Drawell Road). Four of the ten original bunkers were demolished in Autumn 2020 including those in the photograph. An archaeological survey was carried out prior to demolition (Phelps, A 2020 Historic Building Survey Report,Knowsley Industrial Park, Draw Well Road, Knowsley, Merseyside Oxford Archaeology North, Lancaster [https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/eh_monographs_2014/contents.cfm?mono=1089008 ]
Page 22, line 9: should read "centred" not "centered" (except for American readers).
Page 24: Not indicated on the map are: L1.6 (Manchester Dock), L1.11 (Hartley Swing Bridge), L1.16 (Duke's Dock), L1.17 (Wapping Dock Basin). Their positions can be determined from the grid references.
Page 30, L1.14: On line 6 in the entry, Ripley should be replaced by Steers. A new book Bluecoat, Liverpool - The UK’s first arts centre, edited by Brian Biggs (Artistic Director of Bluecoat) and John Belchem (Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Liverpool) has been published by the University of Liverpool Press in 2020. It provides a convincing case for the Bluecoat being built by Thomas Steers shortly after he completed the Old Dock in 1716.
Page 34,L1.25: Herculaneum Dock was filled in early 1980s (not 1990s), and was used as a car park for the 1984 International Garden Festival.
Page 44,L2.4e: Stanley Dock Tobacco Warehouse The area of floor space should be 36 acres (14.6ha).
Page 44, L2.4h: Revised entry for the Sugar Silo: Tate and Lyle’s former sugar silo was built in 1957 and in use until the mid 1970s. The reinforced concrete parabolic arch provides a huge unrestricted floor area and has a capacity of 100.000 tons of unrefined sugar. It is the only substantial remainder of a trade that lasted over three centuries.
Page 49, L5.12: Most of the wide dual carriageway reservations in Liverpool were used for trams, Walton Hall Ave, Edge Lane Drive, Utting Ave. etc.. However Queens Drive, the long dual carriageway between Walton [SJ 365945] and Allerton [SJ 395882], never had a tramway.
Page 49,L5.9: The Lamb Hotel wasn't a 'coach stay' as it was well off the turnpike road; there were only short journeys to Woolton and Garston, as roads were bad. There is a story about a press gang visit, but it's an urban myth. Also, Dilworth's horse buses operated 1830 to 1890, not in the 20th century as mentioned.
Page 56, L7.11: The Overhead Railway was 7 miles 160 yards long at its longest, not 9 miles as mentioned.
Page 72, S3.6: The Vulcan Motor Works was demolished in July 2020. A comprehensive archaeological report has been published in the Industrial Archaeology Review (Miller, I. & Stitt, L. 2021 ‘The Vulcan Works, Southport; The Archaeology of an Edwardian Car Factory’ Industrial Archaeology Review v43 [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03090728.2021.1885878])
Page 86, SH3.2: The Grade II listed Ravenhead ‘Windmill’ was damaged by high winds in Autumn 2020. It was reported in poor condition and its future is uncertain.
Page 94, SH5.6: The Hall Street Bus Depot - St Helens Corporation buses were taken over by MPTE in 1974, not 1986, which was when the depot was closed by MPTE.
Page 100, SH 7.4: Taylor Park is listed Grade II for its historical interest. Full details of the park’s history are given in the list entry on Historic England’s website (https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1001632). The quarry (page 85, SH 2.8) is designated Grade II because it lies within the park.
Paragraph. 按此處以編輯.
It is inevitable that the new Guide to the Industrial Heritage of Merseyside will become out of date. The most significant change is that in July 2021, UNESCO removed Liverpool’s status as a World Heritage Site. All references to the World Heritage Site in the Guide to the Industrial Heritage of Merseyside should now be amended to ‘former World Heritage Site’.
Four of the ten storage bunkers at the former Royal Ordnance Factory in Kirkby have been demolished (page 20). The site of the Vulcan Motor Works in Southport is a housing estate (page 72). The editors are grateful to those members who have provided corrections and additional information. If anyone has spotted any further errors or an entry which has recently changed, please let MIHS know.
Page 7, line 7: The Mersey Docks and Harbour Company was known as the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board from 1857 to 1971.
Page 20, K5: When the Royal Ordnance Factory closed in 1946, it became the Kirkby Industrial Estate. It was not called the Knowsley Industrial Estate until the late 1990s. The bunkers are located on Draw Well Road (not Drawell Road). Four of the ten original bunkers were demolished in Autumn 2020 including those in the photograph. An archaeological survey was carried out prior to demolition (Phelps, A 2020 Historic Building Survey Report,Knowsley Industrial Park, Draw Well Road, Knowsley, Merseyside Oxford Archaeology North, Lancaster [https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/eh_monographs_2014/contents.cfm?mono=1089008 ]
Page 22, line 9: should read "centred" not "centered" (except for American readers).
Page 24: Not indicated on the map are: L1.6 (Manchester Dock), L1.11 (Hartley Swing Bridge), L1.16 (Duke's Dock), L1.17 (Wapping Dock Basin). Their positions can be determined from the grid references.
Page 30, L1.14: On line 6 in the entry, Ripley should be replaced by Steers. A new book Bluecoat, Liverpool - The UK’s first arts centre, edited by Brian Biggs (Artistic Director of Bluecoat) and John Belchem (Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Liverpool) has been published by the University of Liverpool Press in 2020. It provides a convincing case for the Bluecoat being built by Thomas Steers shortly after he completed the Old Dock in 1716.
Page 34,L1.25: Herculaneum Dock was filled in early 1980s (not 1990s), and was used as a car park for the 1984 International Garden Festival.
Page 44,L2.4e: Stanley Dock Tobacco Warehouse The area of floor space should be 36 acres (14.6ha).
Page 44, L2.4h: Revised entry for the Sugar Silo: Tate and Lyle’s former sugar silo was built in 1957 and in use until the mid 1970s. The reinforced concrete parabolic arch provides a huge unrestricted floor area and has a capacity of 100.000 tons of unrefined sugar. It is the only substantial remainder of a trade that lasted over three centuries.
Page 49, L5.12: Most of the wide dual carriageway reservations in Liverpool were used for trams, Walton Hall Ave, Edge Lane Drive, Utting Ave. etc.. However Queens Drive, the long dual carriageway between Walton [SJ 365945] and Allerton [SJ 395882], never had a tramway.
Page 49,L5.9: The Lamb Hotel wasn't a 'coach stay' as it was well off the turnpike road; there were only short journeys to Woolton and Garston, as roads were bad. There is a story about a press gang visit, but it's an urban myth. Also, Dilworth's horse buses operated 1830 to 1890, not in the 20th century as mentioned.
Page 56, L7.11: The Overhead Railway was 7 miles 160 yards long at its longest, not 9 miles as mentioned.
Page 72, S3.6: The Vulcan Motor Works was demolished in July 2020. A comprehensive archaeological report has been published in the Industrial Archaeology Review (Miller, I. & Stitt, L. 2021 ‘The Vulcan Works, Southport; The Archaeology of an Edwardian Car Factory’ Industrial Archaeology Review v43 [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03090728.2021.1885878])
Page 86, SH3.2: The Grade II listed Ravenhead ‘Windmill’ was damaged by high winds in Autumn 2020. It was reported in poor condition and its future is uncertain.
Page 94, SH5.6: The Hall Street Bus Depot - St Helens Corporation buses were taken over by MPTE in 1974, not 1986, which was when the depot was closed by MPTE.
Page 100, SH 7.4: Taylor Park is listed Grade II for its historical interest. Full details of the park’s history are given in the list entry on Historic England’s website (https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1001632). The quarry (page 85, SH 2.8) is designated Grade II because it lies within the park.
Paragraph. 按此處以編輯.
Our Latest Publication JOURNAL 6
A Tainted Legacy?... Fawcett Preston & Co. Ltd, (1860 – 1865) Peter Norris writes
about Liverpool foundry’s involvement in the American Civil War.
Skew Arch Bridges in Merseyside and Beyond Maurice Handley provides a
detailed explanation of types of skew arch bridge and a local gazetteer.
The Willis Branch Railway Peter Snow – a history and updated description of an
early branch line on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.
Trafford Mill Roy Coppack - the medieval and post-medieval history of a water mill
on the River Gowy in Cheshire.
Cable Making at Helsby – Origins and Early Years Malcolm Verity investigates the history, ownership and activities of a Victorian company in Cheshire
A Tainted Legacy?... Fawcett Preston & Co. Ltd, (1860 – 1865) Peter Norris writes
about Liverpool foundry’s involvement in the American Civil War.
Skew Arch Bridges in Merseyside and Beyond Maurice Handley provides a
detailed explanation of types of skew arch bridge and a local gazetteer.
The Willis Branch Railway Peter Snow – a history and updated description of an
early branch line on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.
Trafford Mill Roy Coppack - the medieval and post-medieval history of a water mill
on the River Gowy in Cheshire.
Cable Making at Helsby – Origins and Early Years Malcolm Verity investigates the history, ownership and activities of a Victorian company in Cheshire
JOURNAL 5
Watches Clocks and Pots: Following the fiftieth anniversary of the Society in 2014, Alan Smith reminisces about the early days of the Society and his experiences
whilst working for Liverpool Museum.
The Lancashire Watch Company: An Unrealised Dream Dave Griffiths, formerly at
Prescot Museum, contributes a thorough history of a Prescot watch factory.
Cheshire’s Forgotten Salt Makers: Sea Salt Production on the Wirral Landscape historian, Anthony Annakin-Smith, writes about a little known early post-medieval sea-salt boiling works in Wirral.
‘Rich Seams’: the 19th century Mines Inspectors’ maps of coal mining in Rainford
Maurice Handley analyses coal mining maps, a spin-off from the recent highly successful Rainford Roots community archaeology project.
A Merseyside Manufacturing Dynasty: Origins and history of Francis Morton & Co. Ltd.
Malcolm Verity investigates the activities of a Victorian Liverpool Ironfounders.
Watches Clocks and Pots: Following the fiftieth anniversary of the Society in 2014, Alan Smith reminisces about the early days of the Society and his experiences
whilst working for Liverpool Museum.
The Lancashire Watch Company: An Unrealised Dream Dave Griffiths, formerly at
Prescot Museum, contributes a thorough history of a Prescot watch factory.
Cheshire’s Forgotten Salt Makers: Sea Salt Production on the Wirral Landscape historian, Anthony Annakin-Smith, writes about a little known early post-medieval sea-salt boiling works in Wirral.
‘Rich Seams’: the 19th century Mines Inspectors’ maps of coal mining in Rainford
Maurice Handley analyses coal mining maps, a spin-off from the recent highly successful Rainford Roots community archaeology project.
A Merseyside Manufacturing Dynasty: Origins and history of Francis Morton & Co. Ltd.
Malcolm Verity investigates the activities of a Victorian Liverpool Ironfounders.
This new series of Merseyside Industrial Heritage Society Journals are the first for many years, The Journals cover areas of industrial history and industrial archaeology on Merseyside from MIHS member’s private research, MIHS projects and guest contributors.
Journal 4 Published Autumn 2014 All journals available from Malcolm Verity malcolm.verity1@btinternet.com
THE NORTH WESTERN SOCIETY FOR INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY - Some early recollections
David Thornton
JOHN HARRIS - A short biography of NWSIAH’s first chairman
GETTING STARTED - The early years of the Society
Adrian Jarvis, Paul Rees and John Crompton
Edward Paget-Tomlinson - an appreciation from Adrian Jarvis
Industrial Archaeology - a Liverpool student's eye view
Carol Whittaker
Archaeological Activities - a personal recollection
Roy Forshaw
THE CANNINGTON SHAW NO. 7 BOTTLE SHOP, ST HELENS
David Singleton (Revised by Maurice Handley)
WILLIAM GOSSAGE AND THE WIDNES SOAP INDUSTRY
Peter Reed (Revisited by Malcolm Verity)
William Gossage - The Mystery of the Two Portraits
Malcolm Verity
Journal 3 published April 2014
HENRY MARCUS - LIVERPOOL EXCURSION AGENT Susan Major
This article on is based upon research done for Susan’s PhD dissertation on two Liverpool heroes, Henry Marcus and Charles Melly.
LIVERPOOL’S VANISHING GASHOLDERS John Horne
John is an MIHS member and a Chartered Engineer, recently retired after spending much of his career in a senior capacity in the gas industry.
RELICS OF THE STORETON TRAMWAY Rowan Patel
Originally from Birkenhead, Rowan is a postgraduate student at the University of York with a keen interest in the Industrial Archaeology of the North West.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF GARSTON Bernard Brett
This article was originally published in the NWSIAH Journal of 1987 and is reproduced as a tribute to Bernard, who died in 2012 after being a supporter of NWSIAH and MIHS over very many years.
THE GARSTON BOTTLEWORKS H B Griffiths
Mr Griffiths is a former Finance Director and Company Secretary of the Garston Bottle Company Ltd.
SOME EARLY NEWCOMEN ENGINES IN THE AREA AROUND PRESCOT Maurice Handley
Maurice is a member of MIHS and of the Merseyside Archaeology Society and also has a keen interest in geology.
HEWITT & BOOTH - PIPE CLEANER MANUFACTURERS OF WALLASEY Hilary Hewitt
Hilary is the son of Charles W Hewitt, who with his grandfather founded Hewitt & Booth in 1919.
JOURNAL 2 published February 2012
Pooley: Engineers and Weighbridge Manufacturers of Liverpool - Rob Jones
Rob Is an MIHS committee member and our Newsletter editor. He Is active In tram restoration In Birkenhead.
BUILDINGS RECORDED ON HILBRE ISLAND - Roy Forshaw
Roy is a MIHS Committee member and is surveying the island to record the historical remains and historic finds.
HARRY FOOTNER -POSSIBLY THE ONLY RAILWAY ENGINEER TO HAVE A FOSSIL NAMED AFTER HIM - Maurice Handley
Maurice is a member of both MIHS and the Merseyside Archaeology Society and has a keen interest in geology. He has a Diploma in Landscape Interpretation from the University of Liverpool.
WIRRAL POSTCARDS - John Ryan
John is a long-serving member of MIHS with an extensive collection of old postcards, generally with an industrial theme. He has generously loaned some examples from his collection for reproduction here.
JOURNAL 2010
The contents of the first Journal in this series, published September 2010, are listed below. To obtain more details, or to purchase a copy, please visit our
website, www.mihs.org.uk.
AHEAD OF OR BEHIND ITS TIME? THE MANCHESTER & LIVERPOOL LIGHTNING EXPRESS RAILWAY- Adrian Jarvis
Adrian is a retired keeper and curator at National Museums Liverpool and is now based at Liverpool University and has been chairman of MIHS.
GETTING TO WORK: THE RAILWAY AND PORT SUNLIGHT - Graham Gladden
Graham is a retired industrial chemist at Unilever in Port Sunlight.
EARLY INDUSTRIES AND TRADE IN LIVERPOOL AND ENVIRONS 1500-1750 -Christine Longworth
Christine is a retired Curator of modern antiquities at National Museums Liverpool and as well as her consultation heads the group researching on
Hilbre Island.
BOURNE’S TUNNEL - RAINHILL’S OTHER SKEW BRIDGE- Maurice Handley
Maurice is a member of the MIHS and the Merseyside Archaeology Society and also has a keen interest in geology.
THE PIONEERING WATERWAY - Peter Keen
Peter is a founder member of the Sankey Canal Restoration Society.
REMNANTS OF THE COASTAL SALT REFINERY ON THE RIVERS MERSEY AND DEE - Roy Forshaw
Roy is a Building Surveyor and can be found helping or hindering with his trowel or tape measure on various archaeology projects.
Journal 4 Published Autumn 2014 All journals available from Malcolm Verity malcolm.verity1@btinternet.com
THE NORTH WESTERN SOCIETY FOR INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY - Some early recollections
David Thornton
JOHN HARRIS - A short biography of NWSIAH’s first chairman
GETTING STARTED - The early years of the Society
Adrian Jarvis, Paul Rees and John Crompton
Edward Paget-Tomlinson - an appreciation from Adrian Jarvis
Industrial Archaeology - a Liverpool student's eye view
Carol Whittaker
Archaeological Activities - a personal recollection
Roy Forshaw
THE CANNINGTON SHAW NO. 7 BOTTLE SHOP, ST HELENS
David Singleton (Revised by Maurice Handley)
WILLIAM GOSSAGE AND THE WIDNES SOAP INDUSTRY
Peter Reed (Revisited by Malcolm Verity)
William Gossage - The Mystery of the Two Portraits
Malcolm Verity
Journal 3 published April 2014
HENRY MARCUS - LIVERPOOL EXCURSION AGENT Susan Major
This article on is based upon research done for Susan’s PhD dissertation on two Liverpool heroes, Henry Marcus and Charles Melly.
LIVERPOOL’S VANISHING GASHOLDERS John Horne
John is an MIHS member and a Chartered Engineer, recently retired after spending much of his career in a senior capacity in the gas industry.
RELICS OF THE STORETON TRAMWAY Rowan Patel
Originally from Birkenhead, Rowan is a postgraduate student at the University of York with a keen interest in the Industrial Archaeology of the North West.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF GARSTON Bernard Brett
This article was originally published in the NWSIAH Journal of 1987 and is reproduced as a tribute to Bernard, who died in 2012 after being a supporter of NWSIAH and MIHS over very many years.
THE GARSTON BOTTLEWORKS H B Griffiths
Mr Griffiths is a former Finance Director and Company Secretary of the Garston Bottle Company Ltd.
SOME EARLY NEWCOMEN ENGINES IN THE AREA AROUND PRESCOT Maurice Handley
Maurice is a member of MIHS and of the Merseyside Archaeology Society and also has a keen interest in geology.
HEWITT & BOOTH - PIPE CLEANER MANUFACTURERS OF WALLASEY Hilary Hewitt
Hilary is the son of Charles W Hewitt, who with his grandfather founded Hewitt & Booth in 1919.
JOURNAL 2 published February 2012
Pooley: Engineers and Weighbridge Manufacturers of Liverpool - Rob Jones
Rob Is an MIHS committee member and our Newsletter editor. He Is active In tram restoration In Birkenhead.
BUILDINGS RECORDED ON HILBRE ISLAND - Roy Forshaw
Roy is a MIHS Committee member and is surveying the island to record the historical remains and historic finds.
HARRY FOOTNER -POSSIBLY THE ONLY RAILWAY ENGINEER TO HAVE A FOSSIL NAMED AFTER HIM - Maurice Handley
Maurice is a member of both MIHS and the Merseyside Archaeology Society and has a keen interest in geology. He has a Diploma in Landscape Interpretation from the University of Liverpool.
WIRRAL POSTCARDS - John Ryan
John is a long-serving member of MIHS with an extensive collection of old postcards, generally with an industrial theme. He has generously loaned some examples from his collection for reproduction here.
JOURNAL 2010
The contents of the first Journal in this series, published September 2010, are listed below. To obtain more details, or to purchase a copy, please visit our
website, www.mihs.org.uk.
AHEAD OF OR BEHIND ITS TIME? THE MANCHESTER & LIVERPOOL LIGHTNING EXPRESS RAILWAY- Adrian Jarvis
Adrian is a retired keeper and curator at National Museums Liverpool and is now based at Liverpool University and has been chairman of MIHS.
GETTING TO WORK: THE RAILWAY AND PORT SUNLIGHT - Graham Gladden
Graham is a retired industrial chemist at Unilever in Port Sunlight.
EARLY INDUSTRIES AND TRADE IN LIVERPOOL AND ENVIRONS 1500-1750 -Christine Longworth
Christine is a retired Curator of modern antiquities at National Museums Liverpool and as well as her consultation heads the group researching on
Hilbre Island.
BOURNE’S TUNNEL - RAINHILL’S OTHER SKEW BRIDGE- Maurice Handley
Maurice is a member of the MIHS and the Merseyside Archaeology Society and also has a keen interest in geology.
THE PIONEERING WATERWAY - Peter Keen
Peter is a founder member of the Sankey Canal Restoration Society.
REMNANTS OF THE COASTAL SALT REFINERY ON THE RIVERS MERSEY AND DEE - Roy Forshaw
Roy is a Building Surveyor and can be found helping or hindering with his trowel or tape measure on various archaeology projects.
