Manchester - Old Engraving

This image shows the centre of early nineteenth-century Manchester.

This was an exciting time as the Liverpool to Manchester railway opened in 1830 - the very first inter-city railway.  Manchester had already grown tremendously, but the influence of the railways was a contributing factor to transform it even further.   In 1801 there was a population of around 88,577, by 1831 the population had jumped to  205,561, and thirty years later it was 398,611.

From "Great Britain Illustrated" (London : 1828-1830).

Drawn by William Westall, A.R.A.   Engraved by Elias Benjamin. 

Published by London: Charles Tilt, 1830

London - Thames Tunnel - Old Engraving



London - Thames Tunnel.  1834

This image is taken from an antique print of the Thames Tunnel - the first such tunnel to be built underneath a river.  Previous attempts had been made to tunnel under the Thames in 1799 and 1805, but both ventures failed.  Marc Brunel spearheaded another attempt in 1825 which, after numerous delays due to fire and flooding, was completed in 1843. 

To help finance the project visitors were charged a shilling a time to walk under the river and witness the construction.   Around 600 to 800 visitors made the descent every day.
  

The original plan was for horse drawn carriages to go underneath the Thames, but the long delay in completing the tunnelling meant there were no funds left to make the extensive ramps for each entrance.  It remained a pedestrian route and a tourist attraction until 1869 when it was converted to a train line.

The image is set within an engraved border with a City of London boat on top, columns on either side supported by classical figures, and tunnelling tools beneath.

Engraved by Henry Winkles (1800-1860).  Drawn by William Tombleson (fl.1824-1846). Originally published in "Tombleson's Views of the Thames and Medway" by Tombleson & Co., London 1834.

Find out more about this important area in our self guided River Walk from Rotherhithe through to Tower Bridge on www.obelisktours.com

Liverpool - Mersey - Old Engraving

Liverpool from the Mersey 1829

This is one a series of images drawn from the River Mersey which capture a bygone Liverpool.

The original engraving included this comment:  "Commencing at the Ship-Building yards, and ending at the Herculaneum Pottery."

Liverpool built its own ships for 200 years.  Canadian shipbuilders, with their ample supply of wood, soon overshadowed their output, so many Liverpool merchants had Canadian ships.    The need for dock space on the Liverpool coastline eventually pushed shipbuilders over the river to the Birkenhead side where shipbuilding continues to this day.   The last large Liverpool ship was built in 1899.  

The Herculaneum Pottery was established in 1793 and continued to trade until 1841. They had a group of about forty potters and named their little settlement Herculaneum after the Italian city which, like Pompeii, was destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

Drawn by S.Austin, Esq.  & Robt Wallis, Direxit

Published by Fisher Son & Co., London 1829.

We have a series of tours of Liverpool available.  There is a FREE tour of the Pier Head, another tour around the cultural heart of the City, a tour of Albert Dock,  plus two LDS tours.   Find out more details on www.obelisktours.co.uk

London - St Paul's - Old Engraving

The original print reads: "St. Paul's Cathedral, The Western Front"

Drawn by J. Archer.  Engraved by B. Winkles for Winkles's Cathedrals.

Published Oct 1, 1835 by Effingham Wilson, Royal Exchange.

This impressive frontage is included in our FREE tour around the precincts of St Paul's Cathedral. 

"This FREE circular tour around St Paul’s precincts includes some of the history of the Cathedral (although does not go inside), but its main focus is to explore the Cathedral precincts bringing to life statues, archways, gardens, buildings and hidden corners.

Emerging from the shadows of history are memorials to the Blitz, John Wesley, and Thomas Becket.  We discover the founding of the YMCA, the home of the book burners, the extinction bell, and St Paul’s Cross.   Other curiosities include an ancient misplaced archway, a vanished market and a 150 million year old statue!"

Find it on www.obelisktours.com