Liverpool: A Potted History

This book tells the story of the town (later city) and port of Liverpool. It begins in 1207, when King John decided to transform the tiny, otherwise unknown fishing hamlet of ‘Lerpul’ into a major base for his planned invasion of Ireland. Soon renamed ‘Liverpool’, the new town continued as a garrison and military harbour for centuries. Then, during the Civil War in the seventeenth century, it was razed to the ground. After being rebuilt it went on to play an important role in the Jacobite revolts of 1715 and 1745. Also, by the eighteenth century, Liverpool was becoming one of the wealthiest mercantile cities in the country, due in large part to its dominant position in international maritime trade and the size of its docks, harbours, and warehouses.

The personal wealth of its merchants and shipowners, and the success and domination of the transatlantic slave trade, resulted in the building of many magnificent private homes and civic buildings, leaving an architectural legacy that remains the envy of the world, though this was also built on massive human suffering and exploitation. Nevertheless, the global maritime trade saw Liverpool continue to grow and prosper, so much so that by the start of the twentieth century it had become the second city and port of the British Empire outside of London. International shipping and trade also brought immigrants from all over the world to settle in Liverpool and create the vibrant, industrial, commercial, and cultural hub that the city has now become.

Without unnecessary detail, but including all the essential facts, this accessible, informative, and entertaining book will transport the reader across the centuries to uncover the fascinating history of the people and places that make up the city of Liverpool.