January 2009 Archives

THE Liver Building bells are part of the soundtrack to our city - marking each and every hour of the near-century since the first of the Three Graces was constructed.

So perhaps it would come as a surprise to learn that there are no bells sounding when the clock strikes at all, just a series of piano strings played through an amplifier.

For a demonstration, you can tune into TV historian Adam Hart Davis's new series, How Britain Was Built, which features Newcastle, Bristol, Edinburgh and, of course, Liverpool.

I RECEIVED an intriguing email from Dave Lovett in response to my blog post Have You Heard of the Superintendent Steward Club?"

He writes: "I noted on your blog that Valerie Stern is looking for information concerning Henry Brown, who happens also to be my great-grandfather.

Someone makes their feelings about the weather clear in this picture from January 1992. Code: zz220192weatherlookback.jpg

To order this or any other Photo of the Week, call 0151 472 2549, quoting the relevant picture code, or click here to buy online.

WIRRAL Heritage & History Fair is inviting history groups to take a table at this year's event - taking place at Wirral Museum (the old Birkenhead Town Hall) on Saturday March 14.

There are no charges for visitors to the fair but groups selling items are being charge £10 per table. To book contact Simon Petris on 0151 644 7863 or simon.petris@btinternet.com

I'M STEPPING outside the safety of Liverpool into the Land of the Pharaohs for this blog post, but it does have a strong connection with the city.

In Edwardian times, an archaeologist at the University of Liverpool led digs to Egypt,
uncovering many significant finds and greatly expanding our understanding of how ordinary people lived in ancient times.

This cannon barrel from 1812 was uncovered on Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, in april 1966. Code: zz081106cannon.JPG

To order this or any other Photo of the Week, call 0151 472 2549, quoting the relevant picture code, or click here to buy online.

ON WE RECENTLY ran a feature in the Daily Post about the Hallwood brothers, the models used for the statues featured on the Queen Victoria Monument in Derby Square.

George Hallwood (1877-1951) was a wrestler and was joined by his brother James (1876-1948) in shows at local theatres, where they would show off their bodies in nude, or near-nude, poses by a water feature. They also appeared in demonstrations of athleticism, dancing and acrobatics with popular local boxers and, at one time, they toured America in vaudeville shows.

THESE group photos, which I found among a box of old family ones, might be of interest to anyone who has ancestors from the Childwall/Gateacre/Hunts Cross area.

Maybe you can spot a relation among the line-up or know more about the organisations featured.

WAGS, 1947 style, with (from left - right), LFC wives Mrs Albert Stubbins, Mrs Billy Liddell, Mrs Eddie Spicer and Mrs Phil Taylor and baby Lyn. Code: tmc290507lookback.jpg

To order this or any other Photo of the Week, call 0151 472 2549, quoting the relevant picture code, or click here.

ONE of my New Year's resolutions is to scan the six boxes of old family photos that have been sitting in my parents' loft for the past 20 years and form a photographic family tree.

I'll keep you up to date with how I'm getting on - and ask for help with any mysteries I come across - as I go along. I would love to hear from you if you're in the middle of a similar project.

In the meantime, I thought the New Year is a good time to share some useful genealogy links. We ran a series on the subject in the Daily Post last year and it's still up-to-date and worth having a look at. It includes lots of good links to other sites.