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Liverpool was a hop, skip and a jump across the border into England from our base in northern Wales at Rowena’s house in Maeshafn, an easy drive through the nearby town of Mold and underneath the River Mersey to get to the center of the city. In Victorian times Liverpool was the richest city in the world and a global maritime hub, so there was plenty of history to explore. The city boasted a huge assortment of museums and monuments – most of them free to visit – and more waterfront drinking establishments that one could poke a stick at. We started our tour of the city with a visit to The History Whisperer exhibition at grandiose Saint George’s Hall. It was a multimedia journey through the trials and tribulations of criminals housed in Saint George’s Hall during its early history. Many of the prisoners ended up being shipped off to Van Diemen’s Land (present day Tasmania), the squalor of their living conditions and petty crimes for which they were sentenced was quite astonishing. We were able to tour the prison cells and beautifully preserved courtroom – which was a frequent shooting set for the famous Peaky Blinders Netflix series – as part of the experience, as well as being able to look upon the stunning Great Hall. The Saint George’s Hall building was an active courthouse and events center for 100 years from 1884 to 1984 but was then mothballed for roughly 30 years before undergoing a ~£35 million restoration during the last decade. Today the building is insured for more than £280 million! The old fellow that toured us through the courtroom and Great Hall was a very friendly chap and a wealth of information on Saint George’s and the history of Liverpool. The multimedia portion of the exhibition was a bit too slow and drawn out for the four of us, but it was memorable to see the Great Hall for sure. Also interesting for the kids to have their first experience with a courthouse, lots of questions afterwards about how the legal process works. Such opulence in the Great Hall, the Victorians sure knew how to live it up!
The Liverpool waterfront was home to a dizzying array of museums, especially the area around the famous Royal Albert Dock. We’d been recommended (thanks Rowena!) to visit the Merseyside Maritime Museum with the kids, a great spot that all of us enjoyed, sailing aficionados would easily be able to kill an entire day amongst the four stories of exhibits. The customs basement level was Max’s hands down favorite, he had so many questions about all the items on display that had been seized by the UK customs force. Some of the contraptions used to conceal various contraband were incredible. It was also quite interesting to see the war trophies of Nazi submarines on display inMerseyside after seeing similar relics displayed as examples of German engineering prowess in the Deutsches Museum a couple of months ago! I think my personal favorite was the portion of the museum devoted to commemorating the Titanic (most of the ship’s crew hailed from Liverpool and the management company was also based in Liverpool). The artifacts recovered from the ocean floor and the stories associated with the ship’s sailing were all quite memorable. We didn’t want to subject the kids to the Tate next door to the Merseyside – we didn’t have time anyway – but if I’m ever back in Liverpool it’s a spot I’d like to duck into…
Pedestrian-only Bold Street – tucked below the commanding Liverpool Cathedral – was a feast for the senses, with stores that could have been plucked right out of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury intermingled with what looked to be some very interesting restaurants and a smattering of hipster drinking establishments. And the art galleries were great, another spot we probably would have picked up some artsy souvenirs if our luggage allowed. If Rowena didn’t have bangers and mash waiting for us back in Maeshafn, Bold Street would have been our dinner spot for sure. Can’t do it all!
Very cool! See any Beattie stuff, too?