The rapid expansion of Liverpool in the late 18th and early 19th century saw the wealthier merchants and professionals move eastwards from the city centre, taking possession of the new housing being built around Rodney Street. Naturally, where there were people, there were churches and in a very small area (probably little more than a square kilometre) the different denominations built their places of worship: St Andrew’s on Rodney Street, the Church for the Blind and St Philip’s on Hardman Street, St Catharine (Abercromby Square) and St Mark’s on Duke Street to name but five. Of these, only St Andrew’s survives, although in a desperate state. Two other churches are featured here, both photographed in 1875:
Myrtle Street Baptist Church
The church stood on the corner of Hope Street and Myrtle Street, on a corner site which is now a car park (facing the Philharmonic pub). A Nonconformist church, it had as its preacher Hugh Stowell Brown, who was so popular that the church had to be expanded to seat his growing congregation (Howell Brown conducted the funeral of John Hulley – see earlier post re. Liverpool Olympics). The church itself was greatly admired although James Picton was a bit sniffy about its style of architecture: ‘not up to the demands of the age in ecclesiastical structures.’ Design by WH Gee and opened in 1844. It did not see its centenary and was demolished just before the Second World War. The stone clad building to the right has recently been demolished.
Catholic Apostolic Church, Catharine Street
Many people reading this blog will have seen the shell of this church, which was finally pulled down in the mid-1990s and replaced by a block of flats. It stood on the corner of Catharine Street and Canning Street and was a building that stood out from its brick built neighbours (what I presume was the prebytery still survives and looks somewhat out of place clad in rather unsympathic stone). Picton again was critical of the church’s external dimensions but the church had a fine interior by all accounts.
Hi Colin,
Many thanks for posting your photo of the Catholic Apostolic Church, Catherine Street, on your blog. I live in the block of flats which have been constructed on that site and part of the lovely ornate stonework of the windows is incorporated in the grounds.
There is a photograph on the wall in Peter Kavanagh’s pub which shows the church on fire (I think in the 1950′s), and the barman told me it was the only one in existence (presumably of the church on fire). I have tried many times to find out some information about the church or even a picture of what it used to look like, but had no luck until now!
Your blog site is very impressive. Thanks again. June.
I have made two or three attempts over the years to research the Catholic Apostolic Church, with only limited success as they seemed vary wary of talking to outsiders. However, I did make contact with the caretaker of this building in the early 1970s and she put me in contact with a man (I must have his name filed somewhere) who seemed to have a status similar to churchwarden in the Church of England. At that time there was still a service held on Sunday afternoons (maybe once a month by then) and I attended one. There was a goodly sized congregation who came from all over the north west and north Wales. The CA Church allowed itself to die out, bit by bit, as the prophecies that led to its foundation seemed not to have been fulfilled: an amazing piece of total honesty which has never ceased to amaze me, a (now retired) Church of England vicar. The church in Caroline Street was destroyed in an arson attack not very long after my visit. I asked my contact then what they were now hoping for. “Resurrection”, was his (to me) rather moving reply. He told me that no records had been kept there, which I rather doubted, but I did find an account of the opening. It was in the Liverpool Central Library and was taken from a local newspaper of the time (Liverpool Echo, maybe). Hope this helps.
Bernard Clark
Can anybody explain to me what the Catholic Apostolic Church was? I don’t begin to understand it. It clearly wasn’t a Catholic Parish Church. My aunt, who grew up in the area doesn’t even remember it.