I could do something web-based of course, or maybe serialise chapter by chapter, which would give a sense of acheivement and let the knowledge out there far quicker. Could always look at a book publication later. Cab't make up my mind but at the minute I'm veering back away from doing as a book. Partly because I'm really enjoying the knowledge and researching again, and as this project is for my own pleasure, I'd far rather share that knowledge. Shall continue to ponder...
Hmm... recently re-pondering whether a full on book is the way to go with my Abercromby research right now. While there's nothing in the world like the feel of a wonderful new book, and distribution and publicity etc can't be beaten from from a good publisher, when you have a full time job on the side, realistically I'd be talking a couple of years before it came out.
I could do something web-based of course, or maybe serialise chapter by chapter, which would give a sense of acheivement and let the knowledge out there far quicker. Could always look at a book publication later. Cab't make up my mind but at the minute I'm veering back away from doing as a book. Partly because I'm really enjoying the knowledge and researching again, and as this project is for my own pleasure, I'd far rather share that knowledge. Shall continue to ponder...
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Don't forget that the Life and Limb exhibition at number 19 Abercromby Square is open on LightNight, Friday 15th May, 5pm - 9pm. Some lovely local history as well as civil war and medical history www.facebook.com/lifeandlimb
Just been for my Sunday morning history constitutional and this time decided that Falkner Square deserved a visit. Its always been a mystery to me quite why accepted wisdom is that ‘Falkner’s Folly’ failed because it was ‘too far out of town’. To be is doesn’t really add up (it is about two minutes’ walk from Abercromby Square, at a time when walking that distance was nothing, and the wealthy elite would often have been in carriages anyway). It’s a beautiful spot, and I suspect timing and politics are the real reasons.
When the Mosslake Fields were being planned, it’s quite interesting to look at land and leasowners, and other developments. Where Falkner had land leading from current Myrtle Street out to his namesake square, the owners from what was to become Abercromby included the Hollinsheads, William Roscoe, and the powerful Earle family. Before the houses were built, Roscoe had opened his amazing Botanic Gardens at the head of Oxford Street, the fashionable Wellington Assembly Rooms were built, and the early investors included the influential Gladstone clan. By the time the first residents moved in around 1820, the route up Oxford Street was already highly fashionable, with a trip to Roscoe’s Gardens an essential for any discerning visitor to Liverpool, and the impressive and luxurious gardens and houses something to be admired. Once the early fashionable residents had moved in ( John Deane Case, Robert Gladstone, Charles Pole, William Earle) the next generation of merchant princes ( The Ripleys, The Doerings) wanted to share the neighbourhood, rather than live in the ‘other square’. Once Abercromby Square was fashionable, it’s desirability became self fulfilling, whereas the slightly later Falkner Square, arguably more beautiful, arrived at its peak once the Botanic Garden had moved. The surrounding streets (Canning, Huskisson), also very beautiful, meant slightly less exclusivity for the very wealthy, several of whom had already planned to move again, out to more rural estates and away from Town. In terms of timing it is such a shame the nearby Anglican Cathedral came later, as visiting Falkner Square now, it’s hard to see why you would choose Abercromby over it. I’ll admit my knowledge of the history of Falkner and his square isn’t extensive at the moment, something I think I shall need to address as I try to understand more of why this area developed as it did, and indeed whether my musings above are accurate ( and that’s all they are today, idle musings). We’ll see… Happy to say all going very well on other projects, so I'll finally get back to some of my writing up of my book soon. Yey :-) Just thought I'd post a little pic to ponder in the meantime. I went for a wander down to the bottom end of town today, and is is my wont, I like to see how things have changed since the time the Square was born.
A particular fetish ( no, not that sort of fetish!) is looking at the topography and seeing how we built around it. The pic is from the mouth of the Mersey tunnel, and you can see the slight downhill slope towards the river. This was the original course of 'the pool', the river that led down to the Mersey and which made Liverpool possible as a harbour. The river of course, had one of its sources in ( you guessed it) Abercromby Square. Technically the Moss Lake or Smithdown Fen at the time, control of the stream, to power water mills, caused a 'turf war' between the landowning lords, and the temporary blocking by dam of this during the arguments had a direct effect on the flow of 'the Pool', influencing the silting up which arguably prompted the building of the first docks. If you believe the histories of the time, and they are fairly convincing, it was arguments over control of what was to be become Abercromby Square which kickstarted the birth of Liverpool as a port of influence. Food for thought! |
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