Liverpool, where memories are all that is left.

[Farmer John]

That title is a little pessimistic, or is it?

http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/...-final-warning

It is 50 years since I was last in Liverpool, give or take a year or two, but it is not good to think of it's history and importance being forgotten when another 50 have passed.

[tony allen]

if you did come back you would not be able to find you way around .its now like the birth of a new city altogether some places are still iconic ,the rest would open your eyes.almost all the old pubs have gone .the leeds /leverpool canal now crosses in front of the liver and cunard building into the albert dock.trips up the ship canal into salford and the trips to llandudno are back on again. everything in front of lime street station has gone showing how good its looks .a must visit is to both cathedrals,albert dock new museum,maritime as well and the wlliam brown street to see the refurbished art gallery and old museum.thats just a taster .and for shops Liverpool 1.and to see the cruise ships hard up against the pier head is a site to behold .more and more are coming in each year .getting top marks for passengers . cheers

[tony allen]

absolute rubbish want do they want the city to do .stay like it was 25 years ago or 100 years ago when the pier head was built ..they are living in the past .there is no fleets of ships using the old docks .they were left to ruin, at last the are doing something with the land around and building apartments around while keeping the water feature there,and the views across the mersey into north wales from them in the wintertime is spectacular. it is once more a vibrant city that deserves its status back as forward thinking city of the future

[Farmer John]

I can't really make much of a point about this, but development is good, old docks that are derelict are very sad places. I also think that having a full sized cargo ship as a preserved thing is unlikely to be financially feasible. On the other hand, a city that has forgotten it's heritage and lost any flavour of the things that made it so great would be very sad.

[woodend]

I was given a wonderful book called 'LIVERPOOL ONE' , the story of the design phase of the new Liverpool. There are some excellent photos in it and it is well worth a looking at. Since then I have visited and must admit i am quite impressed.

[BobClay]

My first time in Liverpool was in 1965 doing a fireman's training course by the Shipping Federation office on Pier Head. Stayed for two weeks in the 'Sailor's Home' (which looked a bit like the Tower of of London.) Being from the West Midlands Liverpool was my 'pool' city.

I have to say while I agree with the nostalgic memories of the city I was there last year visiting the museums and gazing up at the sky scrapers where the Shipping Federation had once been and I was pretty impressed with how the city had pulled itself up out of the darkness of the 80's.

But it's history should not be ignored and incidents like the Planet Lightship aren't helping any.

[Lucy Knight]

My first visit to Liverpool was in 1975 for a weeks firefighting course at Garston fire station. I stayed in Lord Nelson Hotel in Lyme St by station along with some others from Shell Tankers. Taxi driver looked a bit surprsed when myself and another Shell one stood by station and asked for a taxi to Lyme Street unaware we were standing in Lyme Street.

It was a very good course,but not really catering for woman re the attire one had to wear. They gave me size 9 wellboots, far too big and also had to wear huge thick fire tunic with large yellow plastic waterproofs over trousers and yellow waterproof jacket on top. The sizes were meant for large men. I'm vertically challenged so they didn't really fit. The weather was really hot at that time, a heatwave, and I roasted in that attire. There was some sort of fire service industrial action on at the time and the regular fireman were playing rounders in the yard when we emerged in the mornings. There would be a chorus of quack quack, quack quack and roars of laughter as I waddled across the yard in the oversized wellies and dressed in yellow, with the others on the course.

In 76 I was sent back by Shell again to Liverpool but this time staying in St George's Hotel, a little more upmarket for a few days ships medical course. A doctor and nurse ran the course in one of the suites there. Slide shows of diseases the men could catch and practicals injecting oranges, taking blood pressure and how to stich etc.

I was later to go via Liverpool for joining and leaving a couple of times at exotic ports like Ellsemere Port and Stanlow. Got sent to Lord Nelson Hotel to stay in again! convenient for the Lyme Street station station though.

I dont know whether there was a bar named after Maggie May in Lyme Street.

The lyrics for that famous Liverpool seafaring folk, called Maggie May or Maggie Mao sometimes can be googled. The song is set in Lyme Street about a sailor returning from sea and youtubes of it being sung can be googled.
(Not to be confused with the different song Rod Stewart sang of same name).

[Dave McGouldrick]

Joined Ocean Fleets in 1970, and for the 3 years I worked for them, there was an awful lot of demolition/clearance work going on with re-routing of roads etc. A couple of years later when I joined a Mavroleon tanker, there were big improvements. The next and last time was on the Eurodam about 5 years ago. Looks to me ( purely as a visitor) that all the effort and money spent was worth it.

[Farmer John]

India Buildings, for many a real memory reviver, is possible going to have a future, but at what cost?

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/...dings-13543513

[Lucy Knight]

There was mention of above in Private Eye 17 June.

There is a good tour of Liverpool on you tube.
Covers dock and Maritime museum. Think I spotted red painted Planet Lightship in long shot of docks.

Liverpool tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlttX7x5qHo&sns=e

When Planet was towed away a piper on docks played
Leaving of Liverpool.

One aspect of Liverpool which won't be forgotten are the Folk songs. I first heard ones e.g. Leaving of Liverpool sung in pub on Dartmoor at Princetown called Plume of Feather about 15 miles North of Plymouth and frequented by many Merchant Navy cadets and those back from sea taking their tickets.


Folk songs
In my Liverpool home followed by Leaving of Liverpool are accompanied by changing shots of Liverpool every few seconds.
Verse about Cunard with appropriate photos.
Also a verse about the two religions and shots of their holy meeting places Amfield and Goodison Pk. ( Interesting if you sailed with one from either denomination, especially if one was the Capt pulling rank over the issue and seeing a blue Everton scarf left hanging up in view by first trip cadet on room inspection). Came in radio room after. "That's provocation. He does it once more it's going down toilet next time"

In my Liverpool home and Leaving of Liverpool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UubzsdC8nec&sns=em

Another well known traditional folk song is

Liverpool Judis have got us in tow.

https://youtu.be/Dtmzv2dV0cA


Can't leave out what some call Liverpool's unofficial national anthem sung by Spinners.
Begins please rise for national anthem.

https://www.acousticmusicarchive.com...-chords-lyrics

You tube about 1960s folk scene in Liverpool showing Seekers playing back then

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ92emElb3Y&sns=em

[Gordon Steel]

Originally Posted by Lucy Knight

There was mention of above in Private Eye 17 June.

There is a good tour of Liverpool on you tube.
Covers dock and Maritime museum. Think I spotted red painted Planet Lightship in long shot of docks.

Liverpool tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlttX7x5qHo&sns=e

When Planet was towed away a piper on docks played
Leaving of Liverpool.

One aspect of Liverpool which won't be forgotten are the Folk songs. I first heard ones e.g. Leaving of Liverpool sung in pub on Dartmoor at Princetown called Plume of Feather about 15 miles North of Plymouth and frequented by many Merchant Navy cadets and those back from sea taking their tickets.


Folk songs
In my Liverpool home followed by Leaving of Liverpool are accompanied by changing shots of Liverpool every few seconds.
Verse about Cunard with appropriate photos.
Also a verse about the two religions and shots of their holy meeting places Amfield and Goodison Pk. ( Interesting if you sailed with one from either denomination, especially if one was the Capt pulling rank over the issue and seeing a blue Everton scarf left hanging up in view by first trip cadet on room inspection). Came in radio room after. "That's provocation. He does it once more it's going down toilet next time"

In my Liverpool home and Leaving of Liverpool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UubzsdC8nec&sns=em

Another well known traditional folk song is

Liverpool Judis have got us in tow.

https://youtu.be/Dtmzv2dV0cA


Can't leave out what some call Liverpool's unofficial national anthem sung by Spinners.
Begins please rise for national anthem.

https://www.acousticmusicarchive.com...-chords-lyrics

You tube about 1960s folk scene in Liverpool showing Seekers playing back then

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ92emElb3Y&sns=em

Lucy, brought back lots of memories of the dockside pubs and nightlife of 70's Scouseland but you missed out Liverpool Lou!!!! Gordon

[Lucy Knight]

Gordan. As you said I left out Liverpool Lou. No offence to Lou. Sri

Here is label for youtube the folk song below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-REP3WPY6I&sns=em

May as well throw in the others too.

Liverpool folk song Johnny Todd
(With photos) you tube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m_ysiV4uVY&sns=em

I wish I was back in Liverpool by Dubliners

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-REP3WPY6I&sns=em

Folk song Jamboree played in Liverpool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ92emElb3Y&sns=em

My old man's a Scouser

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atQ-Js0uMlU&sns=em

Liverpool Lullaby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mwPuardvZU&sns=em

One that was sung in many folk song venues in 70s

Fiddlers green.

It is about the legendary land where seafarers go after they have crossed the bar.

When Shell came around the college I was at Spring 74 to sell their company to those on the R/Os courses this song was played on the film they showed with a man in his oilskins leaning over a rail looking into the sunset and musing he wouldn't be anywhere else. It was my favourite folk song and I emded up putting on an application and ended up at Shell Centre a short time later for interviews, testsmedical etc.. It's got a lot to answer for!!

As I walked by the dockside one evening so fair
To view the salt waters and take the salt air
I heard an old fisherman singing a song
Oh, take me away boys me time is not long

Wrap me up in me oilskins and jumper
No more on the docks I'll be seen
Just tell me old shipmates, I'm taking a trip mates
And I'll see you someday on Fiddlers Green

Plus several more verses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zviVCHO2_8k&sns=em

And lastly this early seventies folk song was one that was written by a £10 pommie accountant that emigrated from Scotland aged 25 for Aussie in 1969 and became folk songwriter and performer Eric Bogle.

This song and the beautiful lyrics certainly would have been appropriate when the ships arrived at Port of Liverpool.

Safe in the harbour at last

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=josjdS5Rj2w&sns=em

Lyrics

Have you stood by the ocean on a diamond-hard morning, And felt the horizon stir deep in your soul; Watched the wake of a steamer as it cut through blue water, Been gripped by a fever you just can't control?

Ah, to throw off the shackles and fly with the seagulls, To where green waves tumble before a driving sea wind; Or, to lie on the decking on a warm summer evening, Watch the red sun fall, burning beneath the earth's rim.

But to every sailor comes time to drop anchor, Haul in the sails, and make the lines fast; You deep water dreamer, your journey is over, You're safe in the harbour at last; You're safe in the harbour at last.

Some men are sailors, but most are just dreamers, Held fast by the anchors they forge in their minds, Who in their hearts know they'll never sail over deep water, To search for a treasure they're afraid they won't find.

So, in sheltered harbours they cling to their anchors, Bank down the boilers and shut down the steam; And wait for the sailors to return with much treasure, That will fan the dull embers and fire up their dreams.

But to every sailor comes time to drop anchor, Haul in the sails and make the lines fast; You deep water dreamer, your journey is over, You're safe in the harbour at last; You're safe in the harbour at last.

And some men are schemers who laugh at the dreamers, Take the gold from the sailors and turn it to dross; They're men in a prison, they're men without vision, Whose only horizon is profit and loss.

So when storm clouds come sailing across your blue ocean, Hold fast to your dreaming for all that you're worth; For as long as there's dreamers, there will always be sailors, Bringing back their bright treasures from the corners of earth.

But to every sailor comes time to drop anchor, Haul in the sails, and make the lines fast; You deep water dreamer, your journey is over, You're safe in the harbour at last; You're safe in the harbour at last.

[Gordon Steel]

Lucy, Nice one. Had a few songs on my travels from the early 70's most though are non repeatable!!!
Learned a few in the Nelson at Bramley Moore as we frequented it when bringing Silver sand from Antwerp for Pilkingtons. Us being Scottish didn't help much as nobody could understand what we were singing about but knew the tunes. Haven't been back since 1974 and have been told it has massively changed. Gordon