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.

Liverpool - Pier Head - Old Engraving

From the engraving of St. Nicholas' Church, Chapel Street, Liverpool, 1829.

Today St. Nicholas Church is landlocked, but this engraving illustrates how the docks once stood immediately outside its front door.  It truly was the Seaman's church as thousands of Sailors and emigrants would attend church here for the last time before setting out on their adventures around the world.

The majority of the nine million emigrants who emigrated from Liverpool left from St. George's Dock and Basin which stood in front of St. Nicholas.   The Royal Liver Building, The Cunard Building, and the Port Of Liverpool building now occupy the site of the old Dock.  The only hint of its existence is the name of the road: George's Dock Gates.

Drawn by G & C. Pyne.  Engraved by H. Jorden.  Published by Fisher, Son & Co., London, 1829

The engraving is dedicated to 'The Rectors The Rev. R. H. Roughsedge, M.A. and the Rev. Samuel Renshaw, M.A.'

This Liverpool Pier Head area can be discovered in greater detail in our FREE tour on www.obelisktours.com