In 1973, I spent the summer working in a warehouse in Manesty’s Lane, off Hanover Street. I was fortunate to grab a last view of the interior of the Sailors’ Home (see earlier post). It was a sad sight; abandoned and neglected, waiting for demolition. The building had been deemed a serious risk under the strict fire regulations, which insisted on a thirty minute fire safety limit between floors of a building. This was understandable after the horrendous fire at Henderson’s store in 1960 in nearby Church Street, in which eleven people lost their lives. Fire regulations were tightened up but the Sailors’ Home was an open void and any attempt to fire-proof it would have posed an intolerable financial burden for a building that no longer served its original function. At the same time, the plot was sold in anticipation of a government department relocating to Liverpool. That did not materialise but demolition had already been completed and the end result was a hole in the ground for the next thirty years. Here, for the record, are two interior photographs of what was lost.
Very fine, Colin. Excellent photographs. A great loss for Liverpool when the Sailors Home was swept away. It never should have happened. The galleries remind me of those in the Peabody Library here in Baltimore. See http://lisagoldresearch.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/peabody-library.jpg
Chris
Lovely shots of the interior Colin. The design on the railings are also incorporated in the Pooley gates. I’m currently involved in getting the Royal Iris back to Merseyside, but a concerted effort to have the gates returned are in the pipeline. The buyer who wants to purchase the Royal Iris is also interested in the Pooley Gates after I showed him some of my shots. Problem with the gates as you probably know, isn’t the cost, it’s Sandwell Council.
Thanks Dave – let me know how I can help publicise your campaigns.
Thanks for the post. I am very happy with the level of response (the blog is just one month old). I think more added value responses will come in time. The purpose of the blog is to create a dialogue about photography and Liverpool – but I am more than happy if it goes off at tangents. There is a lot more to come!
Amazing, thanks once again Colin. We’re all indebted to you for sharing these fantastic images with us.
“Hello, This blog is very interesting and enjoyable to read. I am a huge fan of the subjects talked about. I also enjoy reading the feedback, but notice that many individuals should remain on topic to try and add value to the originalblog post.” in google and you’ll see what I mean.
Fantastic shots Colin. Thanks once again.
Dave
Thanks for the comment, Dave. The blog is now four months old – so is getting a regular readership. Obviously the more comments the better – it makes for a livelier site – but all posts are welcome. I have eliminated all suspect posts – not always easy to see spam.
What was the Sailors Home used for and how long?
Hi Caroline,
The Sailors’ Home was a hostel for seamen. It was modelled on galleys, like a ship, with individual cabins on each landing. It had a life of almost exactly one century from 1852 until the early 1960s.