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MARKET TOWNS OF LANCASHIRE (from SDUK Penny Cyclopedia)

Liverpool in 1839

LIVERPOOL, a municipal and parliamentary borough and seaport of Lancashire, stands on the right or east side of the estuary of the Mersey. The etymology of the name Liverpool is, according to the popular belief ; derived from the name of a bird called the liver or lever, which was said to frequent the site of the town, great part of which was formerly a marshy pool, which was filled and emptied with the flowing and ebbing of tide. In conformity with this popular tradition, the corporate seal of the town bears the figure of a bird, which however, as there represented, is of a species wholly unknown at the present day, if indeed, as is much doubted, such a bird ever existed. The name of the town has also been derived, and with at least an equal appearance of probability, from the Welsh words LIer pwll, signifying "place on the pool" and it is certain that anciently the whole of the estuary of the Mersey, as far up as Runcorn, was called Lyrpul, Lyrpool, or Litherpool. In confirmation of this etymology, it may be observed that the name of Liverpool is pronounced 'Lerpool' by many of the country-people who live in the neighbourhood.

No mention is made of Liverpool in Domesday-book, though it contains the names of several places in the vicinity, and also the grant of all the parts between the Ribble and the Mersey to Roger of Poictiers, by whom it is said the castle of Liverpool was built. This was probably the origin of an English town and port which are now second in commercial importance to London only. An act was passed in 1659 for demolishing the castle of Liverpool, on the site of which St. George’s church now stands.

In 1173 the town received its first charter from Henry II, a mark of royal favour occasioned by the importance of the place as a means of communication with Ireland. A second charter was received from John in 1207 ; and a third, constituting it a free borough for ever, was obtained from Henry III in 1227. The town flourished under the privileges thus granted. During the civil war it held out for twenty-four days against the army under Prince Rupert ; at the expiration of that term the place was taken, and many of the garrison and inhabitants were put to the sword. Until the close of the seventeenth century Liverpool was a chapelry attached to the parish of Walton, but at that time it was made a separate parish, the population of which was about 5,000 souls. In 1650 it is said there were only fifteen ships belonging to the port. Towards the middle of the next century three docks were constructed for the convenience of the shipping employed in the African and West Indian trades. The chief exports were then, as at present, furnished by the manufacturers of Yorkshire and Manchester, and consisted of hardware’s, cutlery, and woollen goods. These were shipped in slaveships to the coast of Africa, where they were bartered for Negroes, who were conveyed to the West India plantations; the ships returning thence loaded with sugar and rum. In 1764 more than half the African slave-trade was carried-on by the merchants of Liverpool. That trade has happily ceased since 1806, and this town has obtained an ample compensation for the loss in the rapid extension of the cotton manufacture, which having its principal seat in Lancashire and the adjoining county of Cheshire, Liverpool has become the port where the great bulk of the raw material of the manufacture is received, and whence the exports of manufactured goods are chiefly made to all parts of the world. Still more recently, and specially since the employment of steam-vessels for the conveyance of merchandise, this port has enjoyed a very large proportion of the trade between England and Ireland, for the prosecution of which it is peculiarly well situated. This intercourse having been placed upon the footing of a coasting-trade, and no entries of the goods conveyed being required by the custom-house, it is not possible to give any accurate account of its extent. Some idea of its importance may however be formed from the following statement of the quantity and value of animals and agricultural produce brought into Liverpool from Ireland in the years 1831, 1832, and 1837, compiled by the managers of the steam-vessels engaged in that trade :-

1831
1832
1837
Quantity
Value
Quantity
Value
Quantity
Value
Cows (number)
90,715
£907,150
69,624
£765,864
84,710
£1,365,360
Calves (number)
4,169
£2,990
1,694
£10,164
316
£711
Horses (number)
296
£5,920
679
£13,580
3,414
£68,280
Mules (number)
243
£3,645
29
£290
319
£2,552
Sheep (number)
134,762
£235,834
74,260
£129,955
225,050
£450,100
Lambs (number)
25,725
£25,725
24,077
£24,077
24,669
£22,202
Pigs (number)
156,001
£585,005
149,090
£484,543
595,422
£1,488,555
Eggs (crates)
2,506
£50,120
4,097
£81,940
 
 
Wheat (quarters)
277,060
£831,180
338,649
£948,217
 
 
Oats (quarters)
380,679
£532,951
325,720
£309,434
 
 
Barley (quarters)
21,328
£37,324
14,486
£24,626
 
 
Rye (quarters)
613
£920
213
£320
 
 
Beans (quarters)
8,452
£16,904
7,927
£12,683
 
 
Peas (quarters)
1,724
£3,448
1,233
£1,973
 
 
Malt (quarters)
6,850
£17,125
6,009
£15,023
 
 
Meal (loads)
149,816
£187,270
169,817
£203,780
 
 
Flour (sacks)
93,154
£209,596
177,252
£407,680
 
 
Bacon (bales)
13,099
£65,495
10,771
£64,626
 
 
Pork (barl. & half barl.)
15,480
£45,300
13,595
£41,430
 
 
Beef (tiers. & barls.)
7,580
£30,728
9,044
£41,142
 
 
Hams (hhds)
590
£11,800
817
£19,608
 
 
Butter (cwt)
5,754
£11,508
10,348
£21,731
 
 
Butter (firkins)
258,087
£645,217
992,830
£775,999
 
 
Butter (half do.)
19,217
£24,021
15,861
£21,412
 
 
Lard (tierces)
465
£3,720
693
£6,583
 
 
Lard (firkins)
4,542
£6,813
10,800
£17,820
 
 
TOTAL £
 
£4,497,708
 
£4,444,500
 
£3,397,760

The returns for 1837 include only seven of the twenty-six articles enumerated in the previous years, but as regards some of those seven exhibit a very important increase.

The number and classification of houses in the borough, assessed to the poor-rate in 1834-5, were as follows:-

64 houses
at £3
£192
153
at £4
£612
628
at £5
£3,140
3,337
at £6
£20,022
3,303
at £7
£23,121
2,795
at £8
£22,360
1,755
at £9
£15,795
2,026
at £10
£20,260
1,056
at £11
£11,616
1,372
at £12
£16,464
2,450
at £13
£31,850
949
at £14
£13,286
461
at £15
£6,915
761
at £16
£12,176
220
at £17
£3,740
576
at £18
£10,368
351
at £19
£6,669
296
at £20
£5,920
6,132
above £20
£247390
TOTAL HOUSES 28,685
 
£471,896
1,092
Warehouses
£118,616
3,425
Breweries, workshops &c.
£129,865
 
 
 
GRAND TOTAL 33,202
 
£720,377

No considerable town in England has received greater improvement during the past half-century than Liverpool. Before that time the streets were narrow and inconvenient, and the buildings were wholly devoid of architectural beauty, but successive alterations have given to the town an amount of commodiousness and elegance not to be met with in any other commercial port in this country. This altered condition has been produced by the exertions of the corporation, in whom is vested the property of a great proportion of the houses. As the leases of these have progressively fallen in, they have been renewed only on the condition of expending the sums necessary for the required embellishment. The value of the corporation estates is estimated at three millions of money, and the annual income derived from rents and dock-dues has of late increased to upwards of £320,000. A great proportion of this income has been devoted to the improvement of the town, including the building of churches, hospitals, and other charitable and public edifices. The sum expended in these objects including the cost of widening streets, between 1786 and 1838, is stated to have amounted to £1,668,500. The disbursements of the corporation have so far exceeded its income that it has incurred a considerable debt, and in October 1832, when a Report was made on the subject, the amount of its outstanding bonds was £792,000.

The most important public buildings are the town-hall, the Exchange buildings, and the custom-house. The building of the town-hall was begun in 1749, but was not completed in its present form and extent until near the end of the last century. The interior was accidentally burnt in 1795, and restored, with many improvements, at an expense of £110,000, The ground-floor of this building contains the council-room, several committee rooms, the mayor's, town clerk's, treasurer's, and town-surveyor's offices. The principal story is approached by a very handsome staircase, and contains a very fine suite of rooms, which are magnificently furnished. The saloon is 30 feet 6 inches long and 26 feet 6 inches wide. The two drawing-rooms are respectively 32½ feet and 30 feet long, and 27 feet wide. The large ball-room is 89 feet long, 41½ feet wide, and 40 feet high ; the second ball-room is 61 feet by 28, and 26 feet high and the banquet-room, in which the mayor receives his guests, is 50 feet by 30, and 25 feet high. The whole of these rooms communicate with each other. The staircase is lighted by means of a dome with lateral windows : the height from the floor of the building to the centre of the dome is 106 feet. The staircase is ornamented by a colossal statue of Canning, by Chantrey, and surmounting the dome is a colossal figure of Britannia.

The Exchange buildings form with the town-hall three sides of a quadrangular area, which is used by the merchants of Liverpool as an Exchange. This quadrangle is 197 feet long from north to south, and 178 feet wide; it therefore contains 35,066 square feet, which is more than twice the size of the recently destroyed Royal Exchange of London. The buildings which form the west side of the area are occupied as offices by merchants while the east side comprises a news-room, 94 feet by 52 feet, which is frequented by the merchants and brokers, and an underwriters room above, of somewhat smaller dimensions. The architecture of the two wings harmonises with that of the town-hall. In the centre of the area is a bronze monument, erected in honour of Lord Nelson. This monument, which is executed in bronze, consists of a marble basement and a circular pedestal, supporting figures emblematical of Nelson’s principal victories. The statue of the dying admiral rests one foot on a prostrate enemy, and the other on a cannon ; and he is receiving upon his sword a naval crown from Victory.

The custom-house, in which are also contained the dock offices, the excise-office, and where it is intended shortly to place the post-office and the office for the distribution of stamps, is situated on the site, now filled up for that purpose, of the old dock. The land on which it stands, valued at £90,000, was given by the corporation, which also undertook to expend £175,000 in the erection of the building under an agreement with the government, by which, in consideration of £150,000 to be paid by annual installments of £25,000 each to the corporation, the latter was bound to make over the property to the government at the end of twenty years. The extreme length, measuring from east to west, is 466 feet 8 inches. The principal front faces the north, and in the centre there is an octostyle Ionic portico, with columns of five feet diameter; and at each end are projecting wings, each of which is 94 feet wide. The basement is used for storing bonded goods ; the west wing is occupied by different offices of the custom house and the centre contains the long-room of that establishment and the approaches to other parts of the building. The east wing contains the excise-office and the dock offices, and will also afford accommodation for the post office and the stamp-office. The long-room is 146 feet in length 70 feet wide, and 45 feet high, and is surmounted by a dome 50 feet high : the passages and staircases of the wings are lighted by means of two smaller domes. The height of the rooms in the principal story is 20 feet, in the second story 21 feet 6 inches, and in the attics 14 feet 8 inches.

Liverpool contains 28 churches, some of which are handsome modern buildings ; besides numerous chapels and meeting-houses, belonging to the Roman Catholics and various denominations of Protestant Dissenters. The church dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the tutelar saint of mariners, according to the Romish calendar, is the oldest place of worship in Liverpool, having existed as a chapel-of-ease under Walton parish before the town became a separate parish ; it stands near the river, at a short distance from the town-hall. The body of the church was rebuilt in 1774; and the tower, which fell down in 1810, has since been rebuilt in good style : it has a peal of twelve bells. Many of the churches were built with the funds of the corporation, but others have been erected at the cost of private individuals under private acts of parliament. The town contains many buildings devoted to charitable purposes. The workhouse, which is one of the best managed in the kingdom, is almost like a little town : it will accommodate about 1,800 people ; a fever hospital belongs to it. The infirmary, originally opened in 1749, was rebuilt on a better site in 1824 at the cost of £27,800. It contains 234 beds for male and female patients. The lunatic asylum which is capable of accommodating sixty patients, is a neat and commodious building, with spacious cells and day rooms, and furnished with warm baths. The foundation stone of this asylum was laid in January 1829, and the building was erected at the cost of about £11,000. A building previously used for the same purpose is now used as a barrack. Besides these there are two smaller hospitals, two dispensaries, and an infirmary. The Blue-coat School, established in 1709, has accommodation for 250 boys and 100 girls, who are educated, boarded, and clothed gratis. There are also charitable schools for the blind, and for the deaf and dumb, two corporation free-schools, and numerous other schools supported by different denominations of Christians. The Mechanics' Institution in Mount Street is built on ground given by the corporation, and cost £11,000. The theatre, or lecture-room, will contain 1,200 persons ; it was publicly opened during the visit of the British Association at Liverpool in 1837. Attached to this institution are schools, in which, for very moderate charges, boys receive an education according to the station which they are intended to occupy. There is no town in the kingdom which, in proportion to its size and population, is better provided than Liverpool with scientific and literary institutions. The Royal Institution, formed in 1814 by Mr, Roscoe, by shares or subscriptions of £100 each, was opened in 1817, and in 1822 the subscribers were incorporated by royal charter. The building has a frontage of 146 feet, and contains numerous spacious apartments, among which is a lecture-room, capable of accommodating 500 persons. The second and third stories of the building are occupied by the Museum of Natural History, which is the largest and most valuable in that part of the kingdom. The institution likewise possesses many valuable paintings ; casts of the Aegina Marbles and the Phigaleian Frieze, and an extensive collection of philosophical apparatus. Courses of lectures are given on literature, on the various branches of physical science, and on the different branches of medical knowledge. There is also a grammar-school attached to the institution. The Literary, Scientific, and Commercial Institution was set on foot in 1835, by a few young men engaged in commercial pursuits, and already contains a library of 2,200 volumes. It is supported by an annual subscription of £2 from the members, for which they have the advantage of a news-room, lectures on various literary and philosophical subjects, and classes for the acquisition of languages and other branches of learning. The Medical Institution, recently built at the cost of about £3,000, contributed chiefly by members of the medical profession, contains a museum and library, and comprises various halls and committee-rooms, and a theatre capable of holding 500 persons.

The borough gaol is a large building, on the plan recommended by Howard ; it has been principally used for the confinement of debtors. The County House of Correction at Kirkdale stands within the limits of the borough ; it contains more than 400 cells, and is calculated for the reception of 500 prisoners. This establishment was formerly situated at Preston, and was removed to Liverpool because the largest proportion of the prisoners being furnished from its population, a considerable expense in their conveyance would by that means be saved to the county.

The market-places in Liverpool are upon an extensive scale : St. John's Market, which stands in the centre of the town, covers a space of 1¾ acres, being 550 feet long and 135 feet wide, the whole under one roof, supported by 116 pillars. Meat, poultry, fruit, and garden vegetables, are daily sold in this market, but the principal market-days are Wednesday and Saturday. The fish-market is on the opposite side of the street in which Saint John's Market stands. There are several smaller market-places in different parts of town.

The principal places of public amusement are : - the Theatre, on the east side of Williamson Square ; the Royal Amphitheatre, in Great Charlotte Street ; the Liver Theatre, at the top of Church Street ; the Wellington Assembly Rooms, in Mount Pleasant ; and the Rotunda, in Bold Street. There are also a large and well-stocked botanic garden at Edge Hill and a zoological garden in Derby Road.

Several cemeteries on a large scale have lately been made on or near Liverpool : that of St. James, which is formed out of an old stone-quarry, contains the statue of Mr. Huskison, who is interred there.

The town is plentifully supplied with water by a company connected with the corporation, formed in January, 1800, incorporated by act of parliament, and by a second company, which brings its water from the village of Bootle, about three miles from the town to the north. The streets and shops are well lighted with coal-gas, supplied by two companies which make handsome returns to the proprietors.

The growth of the town will be seen from the following statement of its population at different times, from the end of the seventeenth century:-

Years

Population

Years

Population

1700

5,714

1770

35,600

1710

8,168

1777

34,107

1720

11,833

1790

55,732

1730

12,074

1801

77,708

1742

18,000

1811

94,376

1756

18,500

1821

118,972

1760

25,787

1831

165,221

By the Municipal Corporation Act (5 & 6 William IV, c. 179), the council consists of a mayor, 16 aldermen (one for each of the sixteen wards into which the town is divided), and 48 councillors, one-third of whom are elected every year, those who vacate their office being eligible for re-election. The mayor is a justice of the peace during his year of office, and for one year after. The aldermen serve for six years : one-half are elected every three years. The council thus constituted has the right, under a private act of parliament passed in 1835, of nominating persons to fill corporate offices, and is empowered to make laws for regulating the police of the town, of the docks, and of the port generally, for lighting and watching the town, and for the suppression of disorderly and immoral practices. General sessions of the peace are held four times in the year, in which the recorder, who is appointed by the crown, presides as judge. The assizes for the hundreds of Salford and West Derby, forming the southern division of the county, are held in the town. Liverpool is a parliamentary borough, sending two members to the House of Commons. The right of voting rests in the householders occupying premises of the annual value of £10 and upwards, and in all free burgesses not receiving alms. The number of persons registered as electors in these two classes, in 1836 and 1837, respectively was

 
1836
1837
Householders paying rates
10,252
10,715
Freemen
3,197
3,175
 
 
 
 
13,449
13,890

The number of actual electors is not so great as is indicated by the registers, because some names are entered in both capacities. The number who gave their votes at the general election in 1837 was 9,091, of whom 6,670 were householders, and 2421 were freemen.

The living is a rectory, divided into '"two medieties - the new church of St. Peter, and the parochial chapelry of St. Nicholas."

The progress of Liverpool as a commercial port may be traced from the receipt or customs duties during the last 100 years, which has been as follows:-

Years
Customs Receipt
Years
Customs Receipt
Years
Customs Receipt
1733
£92,466
1800
£1,058,578
1829
£3,315,041
1750
£215,961
1805
£1,766,370
1830
£3,562,114
1755
£202,367
1810
£2,675,766
1831
£3,599,206
1760
£248,312
1815
£2,360,967
1832
£3,925,062
1765
£269,435
1820
£1,488,072
1833
£3,733,132
1770
£231,994
1824
£1,984,522
1834
£3,846,306
1775
£274,635
1826
£3,087,651
1835
£4,272,847
1780
£188,830
1827
£3,308,804
1836
£4,450,426
1785
£680,928
1828
£3,180,503
1837
£4,351,496
1795
£469,438
 
 

The growth of the trade of Liverpool has been further shown by the number of vessels unloaded in the docks, and the amount of dues collected on the same. The number of ships unloaded and amount of dues collected in each of the years ending 24th of June, 1837 and 1838, were : -

 
Ships
Dock Dues
1837
15,038
£191,330
1838
14,820
£161,843

The course of the trade of the port is shown by the following statement:-

INWARDS
OUTWARDS
British
Foreign
British
Foreign
Ships
Tons
Ships
Tons
Ships
Tons
Ships
Tons
Europe, generally
548
81,739
471
78,517
587
92,385
502
86,208
Africa
96
24,069
5
469
93
21,867
1
92
Asia
133
47,718
 
 
125
48,639
1
463
British North American Colonies
328
146,588
 
 
328
123,288
0
0
British West Indies
197
51,930
 
 
219
58,733
0
0
Foreign West Indies
12
2,298
2
401
39
7,921
18
4,647
United States
161
64,841
504
233,258
134
65,904
486
228,304
South American States
210
47,944
3
743
210
50,749
4
839
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SUB-TOTAL
1,685
467,127
985
313,388
1,735
469,486
1,012
320,553
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fisheries, viz. :-
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Greenland
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Channel Isles
9
715
1
59
26
3,090
0
0
Isle of Man
246
16,411
1
87
211
11,824
0
0
Irish Trade
3,339
466,230
0
0
2,728
372,067
0
0
Other Coasters
5,002
440,326
0
0
4,746
410,659
0
0
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TOTAL
10,281
1,390,809
987
313,534
9,446
1,267,126
1,012
320,553

It will be seen from this statement that very nearly two-fifths of the tonnage inwards and outwards are engaged in the trade with the United States of America, and that of the shipping so engaged nearly four-fifths are under a foreign flag. It will be further observed, that the intercourse with Ireland is about equal in amount to that kept up with every port in Great Britain.

Liverpool has benefited more than any port in the kingdom (London alone excepted) from the application of steam-power to navigation. Steam-ships of the first class proceed to and arrive from Dublin daily. With Drogheda the intercourse is kept up four times a-week ; with Belfast three times a-week ; with Waterford, Newry, and Londonderry, twice every week ; with Glasgow daily ; with the Isle of Man, Beaumaris, Bangor, Menai Bridge, and Carnarvon, as frequently ; and throughout every day the Mersey is enlivened by steam-vessels, conveying passengers to and from the towns and villages on the opposite side of the river.

The inland trade of Liverpool is much assisted by means of canals, the most important of which in extent is the Leeds and Liverpool canal, 128 miles long. The Mersey and lrwell navigation served until the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester railroad for the conveyance of bulky and heavy goods to and from Manchester. The Duke of Bridgewater's canal connects the Mersey with Birmingham and Staffordshire, and, joining the Grand Trunk canal, thus perfects the communication with London. The trade with North Wales, through the western part of Cheshire, is carried on by means of the Ellesmere canal ; and the river Weaver navigation connects Liverpool with the salt district and the heart of Cheshire. The modern adaptation of iron railways for the rapid conveyance of goods and passengers was first brought into practical operation by the Liverpool and Manchester railway, which was opened for use in September, 1830. The traffic upon this line from that time to Midsummer, 1836, since which date such particulars have not been made public, was as follows :

 
Merchandise
Coal
Passengers
 
Tons
Tons
Number
From 16 Sep to 31 Dec 1830
1,433
2,630
71,951
From 1 Jan to 30 Jun 1831
43,070
2,889
188,726
From 1 Jul to 31 Dec 1831
65,488
8,396
256,321
From 1 Jan to 30 Jun 1832
72,601
29,456
174,122
From 1 Jul to 31 Dec 1832
86,842
39,940
182,823
From 1 Jan to 30 Jun 1833
96,457
41,375
171,421
From 1 Jul to 31 Dec 1833
98,247
40,134
215,071
From 1 Jan to 30 Jun 1834
104,356
46,039
200,676
From 1 Jul to 31 Dec 1834
106,380
53,298
235,961
From 1 Jan to 30 Jun 1835
113,647
55,444
205,741
From 1 Jul to 31 Dec 1835
116,982
60,802
268,106
From 1 Jan to 30 Jun 1836
117,617
68,893
222,848
 
 
 
 
TOTAL
1,023,120
449,296
2,393,767

From these figures, which do not include great numbers of cattle, sheep, and swine conveyed from Liverpool towards the interior of the country, it appears that in less than six years there were conveyed upon this railway nearly two million and a half of passengers, and but little short of a million and a half tons of merchandise and coals. Exactly one century before the opening of this line, the town of Liverpool contained only one carriage, and no stage-coach came nearer to the town than Warrington, the traffic being then principally carried on by means of pack-horses. In 1760 there was only one stage-coach between Liverpool and London, and the journey required four days : the first mail-coach to London began to run on the 25th July, 1785. Now that the time required for the performance of this journey has been reduced, by means of the Grand Junction and Birmingham railways, to a ride of ten or eleven hours the number of passengers must be reckoned by hundreds of thousands in the year, an alteration which adds another and an effective element towards the continued growth and prosperity of Liverpool.

It appeared from the annual bills of mortality printed at Easter, 1838, that the number of baptisms in the town and vicinity during the year was 10,145, the number of marriages 3,017, and of burials 9,979. Of the births and baptisms, there were belonging to the :-

Established Church 6,273
Roman Catholics 2,917
Presbyterians 116
Baptists 64
Independents 128
Unitarians 25
Methodists 107
Friends 13
Jews 33
other Dissenters 469
TOTAL 10,145

Of the deaths in the parish, 6,875 in number, there were : -

Of persons under 2 years old 2,483
Of persons between 2 and 5 years old 822
Of persons between 5and 10 years old 312
Of persons between 10 and 20 years old 255
Of persons between 20 and 30 years old 563
Of persons between 30and 40 years old 579
Of persons between 40 and 50 years old 534
Of persons between 50 and 60 years old 445
Of persons between 60 and 70 years old 435
Of persons between 70 and 80 years old 308
Of persons between 80 and 90 years old 123
Of persons between 90 and 100 years old 13
Of persons 100 years and upwards 3
   
TOTAL
6,875