The city of Liverpool is famous throughout the world. This once small
fishing village was transformed into a mighty commercial powerhouse,
seen by many as the second city of the British Empire. Over the
centuries her influence grew and her population soared. Town planners
were forced to draw up designs to accommodate the town's increasingly
diverse demographic. Humble terraced properties were laid out for the
thousands of labourers in the region's core shipping industry, while
luxurious town houses were constructed for the region's wealthier elite.
Vast brick-built warehouses were raised for the storage of goods and
imports, while merchants from far and wide took up shop on many of the
city's bustling high streets. Hotels, taverns and theatres appeared on
nearly every corner to impress the weary traveller, and an array of
parks, monuments and public buildings adorned the urban landscape for as
far as the eye could see. Sadly the twentieth century cast a grave
shadow over Liverpool's good fortunes and the city lost its old allure
and prestige. The Second World War cost the city dear, and many of the
most awe-inspiring buildings were lost in the carnage or demolished in
the name of progress. This book steps back in time and rediscovers
Liverpool's lost buildings and remembers the forgotten architectural
heritage that once embellished this impressive maritime metropolis.
