Liverpool - Custom House - Old Engraving

Liverpool Customs House.  1840

This magnificent building (finished in 1839), served for a century as Liverpool's Custom House, Post Office and Telegraph Office.   

On the 3rd May 1941 the building was bombed by enemy planes.  The damage was extensive and the controversial decision was made in 1948 to destroy the rest of the building.  The building stood opposite the entrance to Canning Dock and the Albert Docks.  Today the site is part of the new One shopping mall.

Drawn by T. Allom.  Engraved by W. Finden.  Circa 1840.

Manchester - Mills - Old Engraving

The cotton mills at Union Street, Manchester, built by Adam and George Murray (1798), were monumental buildings in their day.  Eight storeys high and full of spinning carding and spinning machines they were part of a massive industrial complex.

Union Street (now Redhill Street) was located next to the canal which was a vital trade link in its day for bringing in raw cotton from the Americas, coal for the engines, and for taking out the finished cotton goods.

Drawn by Samuel Austin.   Engraved by J. McGahey.  

The original image had this dedication:  "Cotton Factories, Union Street, Manchester.  To Mr. Murray and Mr McConnel.  this plate is respectfully inscribed."

Produced for W. H. Pyne's "Lancashire Illustrated, from Original Drawings" (London : 1828-1831). 

Published by London: Fisher, Son & Co., 1829.

London - Buckingham Palace - Old Engraving



London - Buckingham Palace, c. 1860

The front of Buckingham Place in the mid nineteenth century from an 1860 print.  The grand archway with the flag flying on top is called Marble Arch which was built between 1827-32.  Originally the plan was to have sculpture all over the arch including a statue of George IV on the top.  Even though the sculptures were created the decision was made to keep the arch simple.  The sculptures found new homes inside Buckingham Palace, in the National Gallery, and the equestrian statue of King George stands on a plinth in Trafalgar Square.   The arch was moved in 1851 to its current location at the junction of Oxford Street and Park Lane (opposite Speakers' Corner, Hyde Park), and lends it name to the area and the Marble Arch underground station.

The image originally appeared in Thomas Dugdale's  "The Curiosities of Great Britain" (various editions between 1838 and 1860.)

Original print was labelled:  "The Queen's Palace, Pimlico.  Middlesex.  The Birth place of the Prince of Wales, born Nov 9, 1841 also of the Princes Royal, born Nov 21, 1840.

Liverpool - River Mersey - Old Engraving



Liverpool - The Mersey 1840



This image is from a series of engravings depicting the River Mersey.  It shows the Port of Liverpool in full swing during the age of sailing ships.    The skyline of Liverpool is dominated in the centre by the parish church of St. Nicholas, and the Customs House to the Right of the picture.

By W. H. Bartlett & J.C. Armytage

Published by Geo: Virtue, 26 Ivy Lane, London, 1840.