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Reid's Farm Part 2

A popular subject for early railway artists?

The Liverpool & Manchester Railway (L&MR) opened in 1830 and Reid's Farm was an early stopping-place, first appearing in fare schedules in 1831. The first part of this post looked at how Reid's Farm got and lost its name, subsequently becoming known as Barton Moss (which I take to be a subset of Chat Moss in the context of . . .

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October 18, 2017

The Athenaeum

Library and newsroom on Church Street

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The 19th century saw Liverpool evolve from its mainly mercantile phase into a city with higher aspirations. That is not to say that convenient access to the latest news was without merit so it was natural that the Athenaeum evolved into a hybrid newsroom-cum-library. Hitherto the need for news had been furnished largely by provision . . .

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March 02, 2017

The Dispensary

Healthcare for the poor of Georgian Liverpool

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Role

The Dispensary was the place for the urban poor to go if in need of out-patient medical advice or treatment. It replaced and enhanced the service previously provided by the parish apothecary, the Dispensary having its own house apothecary plus medical staff.

While the service was free, patients had to be . . .

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February 26, 2017

Dale Street Redux

A large repository of C19th Liverpool sketches

British Museum FTW

It's always fun to find a new source, not least when it's a book written 200 years ago that triggers the search. Americal pioneer chemist and science educator Benjamin Silliman visited London in 1805 and was impressed by what he found at the British Museum (BM) if not by the rushed nature of the visit.

. . .

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February 22, 2017

Mona's Isle

An early railway advert at Crown Street station

Hidden gems

The artist and scene painter Isaac Shaw left us a portfolio of interesting prints of the early Liverpool & Manchester Railway (L&MR), including one of Crown Street station:

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I will return to talk about the picture at a later date but Shaw kindly included an interesting detail on the righthand . . .

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February 06, 2017

Newton

Trying to make sense of a mysterious painting

View of Manchester and Liverpool Railroad taken at Newton 1825: a mystery wrapped in an enigma

Charles Calvert's painting of trains passing at Newton-le-Willows (or Newton-in-Makerfield as it was more likely known at the time) has been widely reproduced despite obvious defects in perspective with regard to the train on the right. . . .

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February 05, 2017

Clayton Square

Birthplace of modern railways?

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The birthplace of modern railways?

Any number of places might claim to be the birthplace of modern railways but one that doesn't generally feature is the Clayton Square office of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway Company (L&MR) which opened in Liverpool some 190 years ago. This was before the company had track, . . .

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February 02, 2017

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