Aerial view 1930s
Great George Street 1976: showing The Clock public house and Henry Willis’s organ works
Great George Street 1976: showing Rushworth & Dreaper’s organ works and the David Lewis Centre
Looking at the aerial photograph, it is hard to believe that so little of the area has survived (with the obvious exception of the Cathedral). Most of the architecture is not particularly distinguished, apart from the Jacobean-style David Lewis Hotel (as it was known then). I have touched on this street before but have revisited some of my colour transparencies from the 1970s and they struck a chord: almost literally because the photographs show two great Liverpool companies in their death throes. One of the city’s less well-known industries was organ building and the organ works of both Henry Willis and Rushworth & Dreapers have been captured before demolition. For those with long memories, the pub on the left in the second photograph is The Clock.
It is easy to point the finger at planners and politicians, but the removal of this mix of Georgian and Victorian houses, shops and institutions happened at the nadir of Liverpool’s fortunes. The ring road, later to be aborted, blighted whole chunks of the city and the clearances went ahead anyway. The result is a soulless stretch of road from the Park Road/Parliament Street junction to Duke Street. The recent renovation of The Florence Institute in Mill Street only emphasises what was lost when the architecturally superior David Lewis building was demolished (along with Doctor Duncan’s original South Dispensary at the foot of Upper Parliament Street.
Great photographs as ever Colin. Thank you for sharing them.
Have you any idea which Brewery the
Has anyone any idea which Brewery the `Clock’ was tied to?
The Clock was tied to Tetley Walker at one point.
I worked for Henry Willis nearly 25 years (started early 1973). The factory inside Great George Street had a mezzanine floor with a glass roof supported by ornate iron pillars, old belt driven machinery and a lead smelting shop in the back yard. The offices are above the main door in picture 2. Not long after starting with Willis’s they then moved to Lark Lane “The Old School” facing Maranto’s.
The clock was a Walker’s pub i think.
hi coline great pics are ther any pics of kings gardans off mill st l pool8
Hi Peter,
I will have a look – just give me a couple of weeks.
My Granmother got married from 35 Great George Street in 1923. Her father’s occupation on her wedding certificate was mechanical engineer. I am lead to believe that they also had an ironmongers shop at same address.
Is there anyway of finding out if this is correct? And what was the name of the shop?