Situated on the Wirral Peninsula, across the River Mersey from
Liverpool, is the town of Birkenhead. It can trace its origins back to
the twelfth century when a Benedictine priory and Mersey ferry were
established here. Later, as a result of the Industrial Revolution, it
expanded and prospered with the shipbuilders Cammell Laird, the docks
and the Mersey Railway connecting Birkenhead and Liverpool. The town was
the location for Britain's first street tramway and the world's first
publicly funded civic park, which was designed by Joseph Paxton and is
now a Grade I listed landscape. Birkenhead's other architectural
highlights are to be found in Hamilton Square with its many Georgian
residences. In Birkenhead Reflections, local author Ian Collard has
brought together a fascinating collection of historic and modern
pictures that are individually merged to reveal how the town has changed
over the decades. Each of the 180 pictures combines a recent colour view
with the matching archive scene. Through the merged-image effect,
readers can see how streets, buildings, industries, the port and aspects
of everyday life have transformed with the passing of time. This
evocative visual chronicle, which ingeniously reflects Birkenhead past
and present, will appeal to residents and everyone with links to the
town.
