^>\\s A GENERAL AND DESCRIPTIVE HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND PRESENT STATE OF THE TOWN OF LIVERPOOL, COMPRISING A REVIEW OF ITS GOVERNMENT, POLICE, ANTIQUITIES, AND MODERN IMPROVEMENTS ; THE PROGRF.SSITE INCREASE OF STREETS, SQUARES, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, # INHABITANTS; together with A CIRCUMSTANTIAL ACCOUNT OF THE TRUE CAUSES OF ITS EXTENSIVE AFRICAN TRADE. Tie whole carefully compiled FROM ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS, Authentic Records, and other warranted authorities^ LIVERPOOL, PRINTED BY J. M'CREERY, Houghton Street, AND SOLD BY ALL THE BOOKSELLERS- <7?<* ? PA INTRODUCTION. IT is generally expected that an author should say something to introduce his work to notice, and by some prefatory matter apo- logize for its appearance ; authors of known and approved talents, are seldom deficient in this tribute to popular opinion, because, it may not only give them an opportunity of increasing that reputation the world may have already entertained of their productions, but of securing an advantageous patronage by a well timed dedication. But when a writer, obscure and unknown, indifferent to the praise or censure of the public, and still more regardless of the fleet- ing moments of popular fame, obtrudes him- self on the world, he has little inclination, and less occasion, to appeal to the judgment or patronage of mankind, in support of his performance, or recompense of his labors. The favourable reception of this work, will therefore rest entirely on the merits of the compilation, and the faithful arrangement of the materials, the allowed standard of the historic 568359 . 1S7GLISK LOCli VI INTRODUCTION. historic page ; to accomplish this desirable ef- fect, no pains has been wanting, nor any au- thor neglected, whose writings are known, or even conceived, to convey any remark on the ancient state of the town; the extracts from the public records are such as suffici- ently elucidate its government and policy ; the church register has been carefully exa- mined, and such extracts made, as were thought to contribute to a discovery of its antiquities, while well-founded tradition, and the local observations of the author at differ- ent periods have united, to enable him to make as complete a history of the ancient and present state of the town of Liverpool, as such materials may be supposed to give. On this secure basis, the superstructure is compleated; defects and improprieties can therefore only arise from the composition and embellishment of the artist, whose abilities to the undertaking the impartial reader will determine ; if they should be found to have sufficient merit to deserve the approbation and patronage of the public ; he freely resigns the laurel to the publisher, to benefit and to embellish a second edition. GENERAL and DESCRIPTIVE HISTORY. HISTORY is known to be founded on a general search into the writings of antiquity, the recorded facts of ancient authors, regular chronology, and probable tradition: it is therefore in every man's power, who is able to collect thefe informations, to write a history; but it is not in every man's inclina- tion to write a good one , party or prejudice, for the most part, directs the pen of modern au- thors, who have too often a faction to support, a patron to flatter, or a private interest to serve. Impartiality, which can alone stamp the merit of an historian, can never be expected, while the mind of the writer is influenced by any of these powerful attractions ; yet such is evidently the case in most of the histories of .our own country, as well as in those of all other nations^ A K 2 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. I. If these prejudices prevail in general history, their appearance in provincial descriptions of towns and places may be reasonably expected. The histories of Chester, Birmingham, Liverpool, and many others which have hitherto appeared, are evidently written with a view to please the inhabitants, and are there- fore replete with eulogy and partial panegyric ; nor can such proceeding cause astonishment, when we know they are written by natives, or such as by long residence may be called denizens of the place they describe ; therefore however just and regular the descriptive part in these compositions may ap- pear, the manners and customs of the inhabitants, and real constitutional state, is seldom truly repre- sented j an author in this situation being dependant, is fearful to offend, whence adulation becomes the substitute of veracity, and ensures commendation and protection to the work, not for the merits of the performance, but for the tribute of praise it con- tains. The love of adulation is innate j vanity makes us receive it, while opulence disdains to exa- mine on what principles we are justified to embrace and deserve it. Such historical compilation will un- doubtedly please and gratify the vanity of the inha- bitants, but at the same time mislead the stranger, who, in addition to amusement, expects to receive information from a perusal of the work. The history of Liverpool contained in the fol- lowing -sheets, is written to the whole kingdom, of which the inhabitants of Liverpool are but a part; a natural wish to be acquainted with the most mi- nute incidents relating to the place of their nativity, may perhaps induce them in a more particular man- ner to gratify their curiosity by examining this little '. history, HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 3 history, particularly those who may not have had lei- sure or opportunity to collect such materials as have from time to time been gathered together, to com- plete and render it superior to any thing on the subject which has hitherto appeared ; to accomplish which, no pains have been spared to critically exa- mine every known author who has treated on mat- ters incident to the ancient history of this town, to seek for rational tradition, to search public records, examine various surveys, and from frequent local observation at different periods of time, to discover not only its gradual improvements, but the causes of the rise and progress of its present commerce, and invitation to affluence and prosperity, from a state of obscurity, contempt, and necessity. Whatever may be the imperfections, or how deserving soever of censure the compilation of this history may be thought, it will notwithstanding rise superior to any provincial publication of the kind, by reason of its confirmed impartiality. -The author is neither native nor regular inhabitant of the town. Happy in die ninth beatitude, he has nothing to hope, nor any thing to fear, from the effects of the present publication; but while he therefore can be expected to aim at no partial eulogiums, he would wish to be understood, that in no instance he means to give the most distant offence. He has no private blots to hit, no distinguished virtues to applaud; manners and customs will be taken in a general and collective point of view, without discrimination or latent prejudice, and every endeavour pursued to make the work as, complete and regular as the ma- terials and nature of the history will admit. A 2 There 4 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. There is perhaps no town in England that has so small pretensions to historic description as Liver- pool, or that has attracted the pen of less writers, ancient or modern. The former, in the few in- stances where they notice it, will be discovered to have treated it with great brevity ; and of the latter, the literary catalogues inform us but of one who has made any attempts towards a general history ; and that being so long since as the year 1773, it may reasonably be concluded, however perfect the work might have been at that period, that such various alterations and improvements have since arisen, not only in respect of the town, but of its commerce, manufactures, and public erections, that the matter therein contained can afford, at this time, very little amusement or information either to inha- bitant or stranger. For the greater convenience, and the more im- mediate reference to particulars, this work will be digested and classed under the following sections : First. An inquiry into the etymology, ancient and modern orthography. Second. The situation, climate, soil, river, &c. Third. A comparative statement of the ancient and modern number of inhabitants, their gradual in- crease, &c. Fourth. The dimensions of the town, number of streets, squares, &c* and gradual increase of houses. Fifth, HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL, 5 Fifth. The principal public buildings for the con- veniency of commerce. Sixth. The several erections intended for public worship. Seventh. Public buildings erected and supported by charitable contributions. Eighth. Buildings and institutions of amusement; and recreation. Ninth. Of the public markets, &c. Tenth. A particular account of the rise and progress of the commerce of Liverpool from the year 1730, and the causes of its present opulence, digested in a regular series, from local evidence at different periods during the said term, authen- tic documents, and oral information. Eleventh. The magistracy, government, and inter- nal police. 'Twelfth. A review of the whole, and some general remarks on the circumjacent country. SECTION HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. I SECTION I. An Inquiry mto the Etymology of the Name, its ancient and modern Orthography. HISTORIANS who attempt general or topogra- phical descriptions, commonly employ much time in researches into the etymologies of names and de- rivation of particular terms. This appears in Ice- land, Cambden, Stow, Maitland, and various other authors; it may therefore be expected that those examples should be followed which appear to have already received general approbation. Such investi- gation may perhaps give pleasure to the antiquary, and be pleasurable to the minds of many other readers ; but ancient orthography can be no prece- dent for modern literature, nor can our researches go deep into time for established precedent. It is well known that learning was at a very low ebb at the end of the fifteenth century ; the rules of English orthography were very defective before the art of printing by Caxton in the year 1474, and even then in its infancy ; the monks and writers prior to that time for the most part depended on memory, uncertain tradition, or oral information; provincial dialect was the only standard, and that standard locally arbitrary; an attempt thereforer to trace original orthography must be very limited, and its authority very precarious; but could it even be determined, it becomes no rule or guide to re- gulate or fix the present method of spelling. It is well known that London, according tc tradition and most SEC I. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 7 v most ancient written authorities, has been spelt va- rious ways, while different reasons have been as- signed for countenancing each method, and all of them equally indefinite ; and when search shall be made towards a discovery of the ancient manner of spelling the word Liverpool, and a true etymology be confirmed, it will be no standard or reason for confirming or rejecting the present method, and therefore will be finally more curious than useful. However, for the gratification of the reader, I shall bring forward a few general remarks which have been given by some authors on the original spelling of the word Liverpool. Leland, who made his Itinerary in the reign of Harry VIII. writes it Lyrpole, and Lyverpoole. Cambden writes it Lither- poo/e. Morery, in his dictionary, Leorpool, or Ler- poole, and some ancient writers Livrepol, Lyvetpol, and Leverpole. It is however most probable that these names were merely arbitrary, imposed by the will of the writer; and although there are among the Harleian manuscripts in the British Museum some further information on this subject, they ap- pear Only to determine how the name was spelt in the reign of queen Elizabeth, without any authority for its adoption. One of these (marked No. 2129) contains " Notes taken in the church of Leverpoole, by Randal Holme, Chester Herald" by which it appears it was at that time spelt with e. Two others are marked No. 1549, and No. 6159; the former is entided, " Visitacion of Lancashire, anno 1567, by William Flower Norray" the latter number contains an improvement on the former, written in the year 1598, and spells Liverpool also with e. tf HISTORY OP UVERPOO&. SEC. I. s I am not inclined to introduce any criticisms on the opinion of other writers upon this non-important matter ; but I cannot in this instance avoid remark- ing the unsteady foundation on which a late au- thor*, in his history, raises his opinion and persever- ance in the orthography of Liverpool with e . He says, " In the pedigree of the family of Moore of " Bank Hall, in the manuscripts now in the said " Harleian miscellany, the name is written Lever- (i poole, and afterwards twice repeated Lerpoole; this <( manuscript then, which was written by a person " who at that time travelled through Lancashire, " seems to fix the true orthography of the, name so " early as the year 1567." This method of spelling, according to the above intelligence, is introduced by Randal Holme, the Chester herald, who travelled in the tenth year of Elizabeth ; but on what authority could he fix the true orthography of the name ? for it is notorious that Leland, who made his Itinerary in the begin- ning of Harry VIII. spelt y in the first syllable, which may be supposed the true orthography at that period ; but every evidence seems only to confirm the opinion, that the method of spelling at those times was merely optional. Dictionaries and ortho- graphic expositors were unknown, consequently nei- ther standard nor well founded example could be given. This appears from the conduct of Randal Holme, who could not be ignorant that Leland spelt the town Lyverpoole, Or Lyrpole, and yet he writes it Leverpoole ; while Leland, in like manner, must have known that in the original patent of king John, Enfield. SEC. I. HISTORY OP LIVERPOOL. y John, and in the exemplification of it in the reign of Henry III. it is written Leverpoole. These testi- monies are undeniable evidence that the method of spelling the name of this town, in every instance, must have been merely optional, and varied from time to time with other orthographic improvements. But admitting the evidence should be complete, that the name of this town was originally spelt Le- verpoole, it by no means confirms a necessity that it should be continued at the present day. Shall Li- verpool, in opposition to that of all kingdoms and states in the universe, maintain its original orthogra- phy from the early traces of time ? Is there a city or town in Great Britain that retains the name which existed in the heptarchy ? England has been Bri- tain; Britain has been Albion. Look in the pre- sent orthography of France, and compare it with the writings of Racine, Moliere, or Boileau. Exa- mine the corrections made in the Englifh spelling by Addison, Pope, Swift, and their cotemporaries; they exploded in every instance e final, and expung- ed most of the dipthongs, particularly ou. Who at this time spells author, labor, or honor, with u? yet such was the orthography in the beginning of queen Anne ; and if the reasonings of Mr. Enfield are adduced in support of spelling Liverpool with e, because it was so spelt in the reign of king John, we are justified for the same reason to write in the orthography of the thirteenth century, and the Ian- guage of magna charta. I have dwelt longer on these remarks than my opinion leads me to think the subject deserves; but as the omission might be deemed an historical chasm, they IO HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. I. they are submitted to perusal, from which the reader may draw his own conclusions. The etymology of the name becomes the next subject of inquiry, wherein it will appear that nothing but hypothesis can recompence the search. ** Some suppose (says Enfield) that it might be taken from a sea weed, " now known by the name of liver in the west of " England, or from a species of hepatica vulgarly " called liverwort, often found on the sea coast, and " others suppose that it might be derived from the ** Lever family, which is of ancient date in this " county, and whose pedigree and arms are to be tc found in the Harleian manuscript referred to " above." These supposes remind me of Bays in the Re- hearsal, whose authority justifies me to suppose also ; and perhaps some of these supposes may lead near to the root of inquiry. The legend of the mayor's seal, which gives the impression of a bird, is spelt Leverpool. It is admitted that such was the me- thod of spelling the name of the town at the time the seal was cut, and such is also the method of spelling if in the ancient records; but modern re- finement of language has altered the orthography, and notwithstanding the name is spelt Leverpool on the mayor's seal, it is written Liverpool in all the printed mandates and common ordinances issued from the mayor's court, &c. This, it is supposed x will reconcile the reader to an opinion, that in what manner soever our ancestors may have written the name of the town, the proper method of spelling is- now Liverpool; and a modern author would be justly censured in writing it contrary to the present opinion and custom of the inhabitants. ' The SEC. I. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. II The impression of a bird given from the mayor's seal, and its general crested exhibition on all printed matters issued from his court, may perhaps lead to some probable discovery of the true etymology of the word Liverpool ; for which purpose the leading question appears to be, whether this bird is to be placed in the Utopian ornithology, with the phoenix, or in reality existed ? It is well known that the names of birds, beasts, insects, &c. are seldom clas- sic in the English language, nor does the orthogra- phy of the lexicon remove the arbitrary provincial term of particular things. The same bird or ani- mal, or fish or vegetable, is called by different names in different parts of England ; hence the ne- cessity of a nomenelator for the learned, to convey the proper idea of each species of bird, beast, fish, genus of plant, &c. The Latin term is universal ; an established orthography therein prevails, which neither ignorance, language, nor dialect can alter. If a person should ask for a sparling in London, there is not a fish woman in Billingsgate would offer a smelt ; but was it represented to the learned by the Latin term eperlanns, its genus and species would be immediately conceived. Provincial terms mislead the judgment and pervert the ideas. A tup in Lin- colnshire is a ram in Middlesex. A sparling at Li- verpool is a smelt at London ; and the famous Cam- bridge mallard, the subject of so many songs and celebrated college jokes, is a wild drake in other parts of England ; a bird therefore which in Lanca- shire was called a liver, might in other parts of the kingdom have been as well known under a dif- ferent name; hence it is not improbable that the li- ver was a real bird, perhaps of passage, and either widgeon, teal, easterling. or other species of the wild 12 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL SEC. I. wild duck, which were formerly known to annually resort to these kingdoms in great abundance, and for which large pools and decoys were formed in all parts of the kingdom near the sea coast. It is but a few years since these decoys were numerous in Lincolnshire and Isle of Ely ; and perhaps might have formerly been equally plentiful on the western parts of the kingdom. The lower parts of the town are known to have formerly contained a large inlet or pool of water; such pools might have been used as decoys, or have become the usual temporary residence of the liver at the time of its migrations, and in the infant state of the town distinguished by the name of the Liver' s Pool, or pond, to which place the inhabitants might have applied to pursue and catch them for the use of their families. That these waters were called pools is evident from the term Pool-lane, which name the street still bears leading from St. George's church to the Old Dock, which was originally the main entrance of water from the river Mersey, and formed a large creek or influx, which flowed through the site of Paradise-street, Whitechapel, Byrom-street, and co- vered all the northern grounds in its vicinity where the level was capable of receiving it. The town records furnish evidence of this fact, which inform, that a bridge was built over the pool, the bottom of Pool-lane, where the Old Dock now is; that there was also another bridge in the flow of Paradise- street, and a third still more to the eastward. The said records further say, that large and good boats were accustomed to be built in the upper part of this creek or pool, until a public order was made, u That no more boats should be built at Frog-lane," the SEC. I. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 1 3 the spot of the present Whitechapel and Hay-mar- ket. Small vessels were also built at the lower part of King-street, adjoining Paradise-street; and so lately as the year 1758, the Venus frigate, of 32 guns, was built and launched from a slip which then co- vered the present Barter-street. From this evidence of the town record, the ex- istence of such creek or pool can no longer be doubted. There is also every reason to believe, that certain web-footed birds might at particular periods abound therein, in the same manner as they are- known to do in other parts of the kingdom, and the name of the bird might with great propriety be termed a liver by the inhabitants, while to other parts of England it might be named duck, teal, or easterling; and as the names of towns and other places are frequently known to arise from their proximity to certain remarkable or distinguished places, the situation of this town being immediately contiguous to this pool, might therefore have been formerly known by the name of Liverpool, having originally been a village or hamlet so obscure as to be discoverable only by its situation near the Liver's Pool. But declining all hypothesis, or tiring the reader with repeated supposes, one truth is clear a bird named the liver must either have existed, or have been supposed to exist, or it would not have been placed originally on the corporation seal, the mayor's seal, and exhibited in sculpture ; the im- pression has a strong resemblance to a duck or goose, which is continued as the town crest to this day. It is a known axiom in blazonage, that the atchieve- ment contains nothing but what is believed to have had existence in nature, though supporters are the production 14 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. I. production of fancy. Such are the remarks on the orthography and etymology of the word Liverpool, which, after much labor and investigation, evidently prove nothing. Probable conclusions can only be drawn from reasonings founded on conjecture only; every reader will therefore retain his own opinion on the subject, provided he think it of sufficient im- portance to reward his consideration. SECTION SEC. II. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 1$ SECTION II. Of the Situation, Climate, Soil, River, &c. THIS town is situate in the county palatine of Lancaster, N. W. of the metropolis, distant 204 measured miles, in lat. 53 22' north, long. 2 30' west from London, on the eastern banks of the ri- Ter Mersey, from which it rises by a gradual ascent about three hundred yards. This acclivity extends from the western extremity of the Old Dock to the northern part of the town, whereby the streets in this division are seldom flooded by rains, the waters almost instantly precipitating themselves into the ri- ver; nor are the southern parts, by reason of their similar gradual risings from the river, deficient of the same advantages. The lower parts of the town, on the contrary, are often flooded. The situation of Liverpool, in respect to the circumjacent country, is notwithstanding low and flat, particularly many miles on the north side the ground is a perfect level, and the sudden rising towards the end of Dale-street, at Shaw's-brow, and the neighbourhood thereof, so completely conceals the town from those who ap- proach it, that the traveller seldom discovers it un- til he has almost compleated his journey. Liverpool commercially considered, claims ad- vantages from situation superior to many other trad- ing town in England, particularly to the Streights, and the western parts of the world. Ships when the wind is fair, at about E. S. E. are from the dock, l6 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. II. dock, completely laden, in the main Irish sea and in deep water in a few hours j an advantage neither London nor Hull can boast, the former being obliged to tide it down the Thames, and frequently by the shifting of winds detained at the buoys or the Downs before they can make their voyage, while the latter have a long passage down the Humber to clear the Spurn ; and although the navigation of the Rock and Formby channels, and the Hoyle and Burbo banks, are reckoned by many to make the entrance to Liverpool dangerous, it is not more so than the navigation from Sheerness to the Downs. There are few harbours or mouths of navigable rivers that have not their impediments; but the sagacity and prudence of the inhabitants have provided as much as possible against all acci- dents, by placing buoys and perches at all the most necessary places ; light-hosues are also on every re- quisite spot, particularly at Bidston-hill and Mock- beggar, which directly face the main channel; two are also at Hoyle Lake, and one at the Point of Ayr in Wales, for the conveniency of vessels passing the mouth of the river Dee j there are also high and distinguished land-marks erected at Formby and Bootle, to secure the navigation of all vessels into the river Mersey ; in addition to which, a great number of experienced pilots are in constant readi- ness for the aid of all ships inward or outward bound, whose boats are so well conftructed as to live in all- weathers, and equal in every respect to the Deal boats. These pilots are under strict regulations, are as critically examined as those from the Trinity- house, and chosen by a committee of merchants appointed for that purpose, who seldom fail to give them IEC. II. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 17 them encouragement for any extraordinary exertions of their skill and assistance. For the convenience and more readily informing the merchants what ships are approaching the town, the greatest part of them have signals on poles placed near the light-house on Bidston-hill, in Cheshire, which commands both Formby and Rock channels, the two principal entrances to the river. There are at this time fifty-eight, of which forty-nine belong to particular merchants, the remainder are to distin- guish and shew if the vessels coming in are Green- landers, men of war, or if the vessel is ship, brig, or snow j there are also immediate signals to the town of all vessels seen in distress in either of the channels, that thereby speedy assistance may be gi- ven. The mediod uesd to convey intelligence to the town, so as to inform every merchant of the ar- rival of his ship, is for the masters of the several vessels, as soon as they make the light-house, to hoist a particular signal, which is previously agreed, to denote the respective merchant to whom the ship belongs ; this being seen from the signal-house, in- stantly directs what fta.g to hoist for the information of the merchant on shore; these signals on a clear day may be seen from St. Domingo, Everton, St. James's Walk, &c. by the naked eye as far as the N. W. buoy, and in hazy weather easily distinguish- ed by good glasses from thence, or from any of the lower parts of the town. This is a most eligible and commendable plan, and of greater utility than that of Maker Tower at Plymouth, which is par- tial in its signals, whereas this being general, is what no other part of the kingdom can claim. B PACKETS. l8 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. II. PACKETS. This town is also well situate for a connexion, with Ireland, of which, in addition to its commerce, it has lately availed itself by eftablishing packets from hence to Dublin and Newry; at present the number of these packets is seven, and go from hence almost every day ; they are very well fitted up, have most excellent and genteel accommodations, not only for passengers, but for horses, carriages, &c. and none are better manned, better commanded, nor better conducted ; they are so well constructed for the purpose as frequently to make the passage to Dublin in twelve or fourteen hours. These superior advantages have not only rivalled but greatly reduced the number of passengers from Parkgate, which for many years was the only conveyance to Ireland, ex- cept from Holyhead : at present there is an office and good dock at Nova Scotia, where every infor- mation relating thereto may be had. The passage from hence to Dublin or Newry is more safe, expe- ditious, and certain, than from Parkgate, while the difference of distance from London being only nine miles, the land carriage cannot much increase the expence; and to all the eastern and northern parts of England, Liverpool is certainly not only more convenient but nearer than any other port in the kingdom, Liverpool also, from situation, affords opportu- nity for a general conveyance of goods and passengers to Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Londonderry, and all other parts of Ireland, by means of trading vessels, which are daily coming from these places, or going from hence. Convey- ances SEC. II. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL.. 19 ances can also daily be had to Whitehaven, Lan- caster, Glasgow, and all the north western ports of England ; to London, Bristol, and many ports in the channel : the charge for goods and passengers by these conveyances is moderate, and the accommo- dations comfortable ; but in point of elegance or expedition admit of no comparison with the packets. Such are the general advantages of its situation as a maritime town, exceeded by none in England; and in respect, to its internal connexion with the king- dom, it will be found much greater than may at first be imagined. EASTHAM BOATS. The situation of Liverpool affords a speedy and safe conveyance to Chester, and all parts of North Wales, by means of these boats, which are large, safe, commodious, and strong; they leave the Dry Dock eveiy day about two hours before high water for Eastham, at which place a stage constantly aN tends to carry passengers, parcels, &c. to Chester. The safe way to secure the coach is to take places at the Eastham boat-house on the dock, the day be^ fore they are wanted, otherwise a passenger may be disappointed of an inside place; for without this precaution they will sometimes find them previously engaged. The fare by the coach is three shillings and sixpence, and the boat passage in the best cabin is one shilling, in the fecond, sixpence. One of these boats, for the better accommoda- tion of passengers in wet or bad weather, is securely decked , the other boats, which are three in num^ ber, are for the conveyance of goods, cattle, &c. B 2 These 20 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. II. These boats (as before mentioned) go at stated times, but conveyance to Chester and Parkgate may frequently be had by boats which are constantly passing the river, or in default of such assistance they may be at all times hired at a moderate price. These boats, without regard to tides, will safely convey the passenger to Woodside, the Rock-house, or the New Ferry, from whence he may be con- veyed to Chester or other parts. Private boats may also be hired any time of the day for parties of plea- sure or occasional business. A new cut is making, and will speedily be compleated, from Stanley-house to Chester, and from thence to various parts of Shropshire. This canal, when finished, will greatly facilitate the pas- sage from hence to those parts, which will be still rendered more agreeable by the construction of a very beautiful boat, intended for the purpose of con- veying passengers from this town, not only to Ches- ter, but to all parts of Shropshire within the extent of the navigation. Several additional boats are also intended to work on this new canal for the same purposes. BRIDGEWATER NAVIGATION. Liverpool is also greatly benefited by this well known cut, the first ever attempted in these king- doms, and at the sole expence of the duke of Bridge water. This cut communicates with the Mersey, whereby conveyances become so cheap and convenient to Manchester, and places adjacent, as to be of the utmost importance to Liverpool. The duke, for the better accommodation of the inhabi- tants, SEC. II. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 21 tants, has erected a large and commodious dock and warehouse, the south end of Salthouse Dock, from whence goods are daily forwarded from Liver- pool to Manchester, &c. The importance of this conveyance may in some measure be conceived by the number of craft or vessels employed in this in- land navigation, which at present is forty-nine. In addition to this conveyance for goods to Man- chester, the duke has established two elegant boats for passengers only; these boats may be best con- ceived by those who have seen the barges of the twelve London companies, consequently their ac- commodation must be pleasing and convenient. In fine weather the passage through the water must be very agreeable, not much unlike the track schouts in Holland, the passenger having a prospect of the adjacent country, for the most part beneath him. One of these boats leaves Manchester every morn- ing at eight o'clock, (except Saturday, when it goes off at four in the afternoon) passes Warrington at one o'clock, where several Liverpool coaches always meet it, and about half after two it is met by the Chester coach near Frodsham, and arrives at Run- corn at half past four in the evening. Such is the conveyance from Manchester to these places, and at Warrington stages are always ready to receive passengers for Liverpool. On its return it passes Warrington about one o'clock, and arrives at Man- chester every evening at six o'clock. There are also conveyances to Manchester from Bird's slip on the old navigation, by the river Irwell, to Salford, which go and return daily from that place. On this -na- vigation there are at present twenty-three vessels con- stantly 22 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. II. stantly employed, which have proper accommoda- tions for passengers and goods. LEEDS AND LIVERPOOL NAVIGATION. This is a very fine cut, and opens an immediate communication between this town, Leeds, and Wi- gan. Among other articles of utility, it brings, at a moderate rate, not only the best but the greatest quantity of coals consumed by the inhabitants. This canal terminates on the northern quarter of the town, whereby the expence of carriage of this use- ful article to the houses becomes small. On this canal several packets are passing and repassing to Wigan and parts adjacent, the distance of thirty- two miles, which they perform in about seven hours. The horses employed are not equalled by any in the kingdom on such service; the elegance and con- struction of these packets are great allurements to the passenger; they not only rival, but are in gene- ral superior to those on the Bridgewater navigation ; they sail every morning at eight o'clock to Wigan with passengers and parcels, arrive there about four, return from thence at seven o'clock the next morn- ing, and reach Liverpol at three o'clock in the af- ternoon. The fares are various, according to the distance of places; to Wigan the fare is three shil- lings in the front room, and two shillings the back room ; each passenger allowed twenty-eight pounds of luggage ; if it exceeds, to pay at the rate of one shilling per hundred ; the rates to other parts are in the proportion of every six miles to pay sixpence the front room and four-pence the back room. The present office for these packets is near the canal. The C. II. HISTORY OP LIVERPOOL. 2$ The river Mersey, which flows on the western bank of this town, contributes in a more especial manner to the eligibility of the situation of Liver- pool ; it is the key of its commerce and the source of its wealth ; its proximity to St. George's Channel, and thence te the Atlantic, is so immediate, that it may rather be called an arm of the sea than a river. It is not more than one league from the town round the Rock point, from whence at about three leagues you pass the Rock Channel, are off the Swash buoy in open water, but still in soundings; if the passage is by Formby Channel the distance is about four leagues to the Spit, and in about one league more you are clear of the sands ; so that the greatefl dis- tance is not more than four leagues, which, with a moderate south-easterly wind, will bring a vessel in- to the open sea and on her direct voyage in a few hours, and not liable to be retarded by tides and variations of winds, as is the case in London and many other parts, where the maritime seat of trade is distant from the main ocean. The tides at Li- verpool seldom rise above twenty feet, and are not often lower than eleven; but the inhabitants are greatly indebted to the annual compilation of a very ingenious Tide Table* for every required intelli- gence relating to the time and height of their tides. The depth of water by the best charts appears to be greatest about Liverpool, it being fifteen fathoms in mid-channel, right off the town, and on the Che- shire side of the river about twenty, The water of this river is brackish, and flows from Liverpool in a direction nearly S. E. b. E. to Stanley-house, a distance of about three leagues. Jn * Composed annually by the Rev. Mr. Holden.- 44 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. II. In its progress it is seen to increase greatly in width ; it is not more than thirteen hundred yards from the Fort to Seacombe ferry, but from Eastham house to the opposite shore it is almost five miles ; and from Stanley-house to the opposite shore upwards of three miles ; in this part it begins to flow eastward about a league, when it becomes in conflux with the river Weaver, where it is about one mile and an half wide ; here it begins a serpentine course, in a direc- tion about N. E. b. E. quite up to Warrington, with sufficient depth of water for vessels of mode- rate burthen. In this route several rivers are seen to exonerate themselves into the Mersey from the Lancashire and Cheshire coasts, the principal of which are the Weaver and the Irwell, which flow to Manchester j the former opens a convenient pas- sage for vessels to Frodsham bridge, from whence there is a canal to Northwich and Middlewich, where very considerable salt works are established. On the east side of this river, to the north of the town, a small fort is erected, very ill disposed for its security, and gives little credit to the engineer. Was an enemy to approach, landing could be made at Formby Point, Baxter's, &c. without danger of annoyance ; and the town being entirely open to the north, would consequently be liable to devastation and pillage. Most projections of this kind are to prevent the passage of an enemy up a river, or en- trance to a harbour, whereas this appears to be only meant to salute him on his arrival. The situation of this fort appears of the same security to Liver- pool as the Tower fortifications would be to London if Sheerness and Tilbury were demolished; it how- ever looks very fierce, has twenty-three embrasures, mounts SEC. II. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 1$ mounts fifty-four guns, (twenty-four and thirty-two pounders) which are sometimes fired on rejoicing days. Had a small fort been erected to the northward of Formby Point, and another to the point of the Rock Sand on the Cheshire side, the entrance into the river, or possibility of an enemy making a good landing on the Lancashire coast, would have been entirely prevented; they would have commanded both channels; large ships of war, by reason of their draught of water, could not enter, and conse- quendy give no annoyance to the fort, while frigates and privateers would be effectually opposed, and thereby constandy defeated, in time of war, in their attempts to give any annoyance to the town. The present fort however affords some agreeable conve- niences to the military, having a neat pretty parade, and adds to the number of public erections, to which the taste of the inhabitants appears very par- tial, though little attention seems to be given to si- tuation, or the effect they are intended to produce. On the opposite side to this river, near the Rock Point, is a powder magazine, securely and conve- niently situate, wherein all the powder in home- ward bound vessels is deposited, and from whence those which are outward bound receive it on their departure. This river, in conjunction with the Dee, the Isle of Man, and some neighbouring brooks and ponds, supplies the town with fish of fine quality, in great plenty, and sometimes at rea- sonable prices. The principal are turbot, skaite, or ray, plaice, flounders, (here called flukes) garbin, lampreys. 26 History of Liverpool. set. if, lampreys, silver eels, congo eels, sand eels, salmon, cod, gurnet, whiting, haddock, mackarel, smelt, (here called sparling) mullets, perch, pike, pilchards, sprats, shad, sturgeon, carp, tench, lobsters, crabs, prawns, shrimps, perrywincles, whelks, oysters, cockles, muscles, &c. Herrings, in their season, arrive in large boats, full laden, and are so abundant that they pass in carts through the town, for the supply of the several houses here who cure therrt red, The principal fishery for these herrings is off the Isle of Man. The eels are for the most part salt water, the river silver eel being very seldom seen. Salmon is in general very good, but that which is caught in the river Dee, and called Chester salmon, is reckoned the best, and sells at an ad- vance in price. Cod and haddock are uncommonly large and fine ; mackarel scarce, and generally small, but of remarkably fine flavor; large whiting are scarce, but small ones are sometimes brought in such abundance as readily to account for the want of the others; perch, pike, carp, tench, and other pond and river fish, do not often appear at market, and consequently are not cheap; oysters are in great abundance, but very dear, being often from eight to twelve shillings the hundred of six score; they are principally dragged at Hoylake ; many are also brought from Wexford and Milford ; these at Hoy- lake are so large as to measure on the top shell five and six inches, but though they are large and fine to the eye they have no flavor, and hold not the least comparison to the Pyflet but in similitude of size. This defect of the oyster seems to arise from the want of proper beds; an attempt for this pur- pose was made some few years since a little below the fort, which is still in part to be seen, but from some SEC. II. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 2] some strange cause not carried into successful exe- cution. Shrimps and prawns are in such abundance throughout the year as to be beyond credibility. Turtle is sometimes exposed to sale at the fish- market, of that sort commonly called the chicken turtle, but unlefs you see the head, you sometimes buy the hawk's-bill, or loggerhead, for the green; for these small turtle being generally brought by some of the ship's company, who bring any sort rather than none, are generally poor, exhausted, and want flavor, not having room for change of water, nor proper supply of food on the passage. The callipees are cut in quarters, and sometimes smaller pieces, and generally sold for one shilling a pound ; the very head and fins are sold ; the calli- pache in portions at the option of the purchaser ; but such turtle as are brought in a regular manner, carefully attended, and properly fed on the passage, are exceeding fine, and are always of the green sort. Many of the principal inns and taverns purchase and dress very fine ones for the accommodation of their guefts, but at the fish-market this sort is un- known. Wild-fowl is for the most part exposed at the fish-market; the quantity is small, and the price generally exorbitant. Ducks and teal, sometimes a few woodcocks, snipes, jack-snipes, larks, and other small birds are to be bought, but their appearance is rare. This is also the place for mushrooms in the season, which are very fine, and for the most part in the greatest plenty. CLIMATE- 28 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. II. CLIMATE. The observations of different authors on the ef- fects of external air on the human body at Liver- pool do not appear to agree ; their reasonings are good, and their conclusions seem just ; but when their different opinions are digested, like all other writers of controversy, they generally leave the mind of the reader uncertain and undetermined. Doctor Dobson* has given very sensible remarks on this head, and his observations appear philosophically just; his allusions and comparative statement of the effects of air on the inhabitants of Liverpool, and on that of various parts of the universe, leave the reader in a high opinion of his understanding and experience, but at the same time unable to draw sa- tisfactory conclusions from his elaborate remarks. This sensible author says, that the maritime situa- tion of Liverpool renders the air more temperate than that of many other places; for as the sea is here of a middle temperature, between the heat of summer and the cold of winter, the access of the tides must have a considerable effect in rendering each of these more moderate than in inland situa- tions. These opinions he draws from his observa- tions on the variations of the thermometer for one year, whereby it appears that in the 1772 the mean temperature of the whole year was 54 > an< ^ tnat the variations during the course of the year amount- ed to 50 degrees, varying from 28 to 7 8. From this learned and judicious author I have taken this extract, who concludes that, from the experiments and observations which he has made relative to the soil, waters, and air, and from fourteen years expe- rience # In Vis Observations on the Temperature of the Air at Liverpool. $EC. II. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 29 rience respecting the diseases, he is enabled to draw this general conclusion, " that the drynefs of the " soil, the purity of the waters, the mildness of the " air, the antiseptic effluvia of pitch and tar, the " acid exhalations from the sea, the pregnant brisk " gales of wind, and the daily visitations of the " tides, render Liverpool one of the healthiest " places in the kingdom, in proportion to the num- " ber of the inhabitants." The same author further remarks*, that the variations of the temperature of the sea at Liver- pool are considerably greater than on any other coast, and arise from very obvious causes. A table of these variations was formed from a number of experiments made in the year 1772. From this table it appears, that the temperature of the sea at Liverpool varied during the courfe of the year 32 degrees, namely from 36 to 68, or from 1 5 degrees below to 1 7 degrees above temperature. It likewise appears that the sea, when warmest, was 14 degrees colder than Buxton bath, and 30 degrees below the heat of the human body. During the months of June, July, and August, the sea was nearly of the same temperature with Matlock bath, and in the succeeding months still colder and colder, so as at last to form an extremely cold bath, being only four degrees above the freez- ing point. The * In a paper communicated to the Royal Society, concerning the variation* in the temperature of the Sea at Liverpool. 30 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. II The same latitude in the temperature of the sea will not occur on other coasts, where the shore is bold, the sea deep, and consequently not exposed in so shallow a body to the action of the sun and air. Such are the most particular remarks I have been able to collect as to the salubrity and temperature of the air at Liverpool; it might perhaps have been more satisfactory to the reader could they have been more generally introduced, but the authors who have treated on this subject appear to be very limit- ed. One small volume*, in addition to the pre- ceding, has been written on the air, and the diseases to which the inhabitants of Liverpool are supposed to be liable ; it is a very sensible performance, and the reasonings are philosophically medical; but they do not appear to agree with the author last quoted, who terms it the healthiest situation in England, whereas this author represents it as unwholesome, and a very bad residence to persons afflicted with chronic coughs, catarrhs, consumptions, and asthmas, not only by reason of the quality of the air, but also of the confined and bad disposition of the streets and squares, to which opinion our reason must rea- dily submit. To the latter in particular he ascribes many disorders ; their gloomy and confined situa- tions, and contracted areas, undoubtedly prevent that regular current of air necessary to the health of the inhabitants, which being diverted from a free passage, and confined in a sort of temporary vortex, cause a chilled, damp, and unwholesome atmosphere, which the beams of the sun have little power to ra- rify and disperse, some of them, like the profundity of * Published by Dr. Moss. SEC. II. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 31 of a well, being incapable of receiving its rays Ex- cept in the zenith of a summer solstice. Leaving the reader to draw his own conclusions on the subject, I have only to remark, that doctor Moss appears impartial; he does not write to the town, but to the judgment; and in confirmation of his opinion the following extract from a table of diseases and deaths* may be admitted. This table shews, that in one year 83 persons died of fevers, 358 of consumptions, 20 of apoplexys, 19 of pal- sies, and 19 of asthmas. These are the principal diseases which seem to have influenced the inhabi- tants in the year 1772, (the small-pox excepted) which together make 499, and the bills of mortality shew that the burials in that year amounted to 1 103 ; it is therefore plain that nearly one half of the persons buried in that year died of the above disorders, con- sequently the town must be inimical to the health of persons of that description, however beneficial it may be found to other constitutions. It however does not appear that the climate of Liverpool subjects the inhabitants to epidemic dis- orders, there being neither record nor tradition but of one, which was a fever, that in the years 1651 and 1652 carried off upwards of 200 of the inha- bitants, a very great mortality at that time, when their numbers could not be supposed more than 600. The malady was so great, that it may be said to have been entirely deserted by the inhabitants of its neigh- bourhood, who were so apprehensive of its effects, that provision and other necessaries were brought from * Published by Doctor Bostock in the year 1772. 32 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. II. from the country for their support, and left at Low- hill, a mile above the town, to prevent as much as possible the contagion extending beyond the town limits. The mortality was so great that the dead were not buried in the cemetery of the provincial chapel, lest the exhalations from the bodies should infect the air, and thereby increase the disorder j they were deposited in a lane leading from Bush-lane to the present porter brewery, from which it derived the name of Sick-man's-lane. SOIL. The soil two miles round the town is dry and sandy, which is generally the case in situations close to the sea; the north shore in particular con- sists of barren sands for nearly twenty miles ; but about Kirkdale, and many other parts, there are fine valleys, with rich marie under the surface, affording very fine pasture; the ground in general in the neighbourhood appears to be well adapted for gar- dening, the markets producing all sorts of excellent plants, and every species of other vegetable, in great plenty and perfection. Potatoes, for which Lanca- shire is famous to a proverb, are produced in such abundance ; and the constant quantity required for shipping so great, together with the local con- sumption, makes the demand for this article as- tonishingly great. There is great reason to be- lieve that the mineral productions in the neigh- bourhood of the town are not undeserving enquiry, the face of the earth in many parts bearing strong indication of the subterraneous existence of iron. Perhaps the discovery of good mines might recom- pence SEC. II. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. $$ pense the search of those to whom the lands belong. It is certain that veins of iron ore are in the neigh- bourhood of the stone quarry near St. James's church, there being at this time a mineral spring which passes through the stone in various fissures, wherein one stream is very abundant. There has been an analysis made of this water, which is found to be strongly impregnated with this mineral, and pos- sessing such salubrious qualities as seem to demand greater attention than what has been hitherto given. I cannot better describe the properties and effects of this chalybeate water than in the words of an au- thor*, a medical gendeman, who has thought the subject not undeserving his attention and commu- nication to the public. After enlarging on the properties of mineral " waters in general, and their utility in particular " disorders, he informs, " That the waters of " the Liverpool spa springs or oozes through veins " of that soft yellow stone, in the quarry near St. " James's church, generally used here for build- " ing, which owes its colour to the iron which it " contains. This stone hardens in the air, and " when calcined is of a red colour. There " are springs in this quarry, but none so much " impregnated as the largest; the water trickles " slowly into an irregular bason, (which might " be much enlarged) containing about four gal- " Ions; it is naturally limpid, though frequently " found otherwise; owing to the ochre which it de- " posits on the escape of the fixed air ; and as it is C " exposed - Doctor Thomas Houlston, who published a pamphlet on the properties an & effects of these waters in the year 1773. 34 ' HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. II " exposed to the air and weather, exhibits different " appearances, and different proportions of mineral " contents at different times ; its taste is at first cool " and refreshing, afterwards austere and inky, and " it does not lose the irony taste by long keeping " in open vessels, though it soon deposits a quan- " tity of ochre ; some time after it has been drank " it is found by many to warm the stomach, and " some think they experience from it both a cordial " and lighdy inebriating sensation ; it has no smell, " and will keep a long time without putrefying ; " it is one of those chalybeates which lose least by u keeping, and that part of the iron which subsides " is so minutely divided, that if swallowed, it is " readily re-dissolved in the stomach. " The Doctor, after introducing various accounts of different experiments he from time to time has made, to discover the properties of these waters, and the proportions of fixed air therein contained, draws the following conclusions of their virtues and effects. " This water, (says ae) contains beyond a " doubt iron dissolved, both by fixed air, and by " vitriolic acid : in this latter circumstance, having " the advantage over Tunbridge, and most of our o- " ther chalybeats ; this renders it not liable, like them, " to deposit its metallic principle by keeping, yet the " martial vitriol is so very much diluted, and so mi- rt nutely divided, as to render it at once extremely " beneficial, perfectly innocent, and adapted even to " weak stomachs j there is also a small proportion of " muriatic and earthy salt, but not in such quanti- " ties as to claim any share in the medicinal effects. " It is peculiarly adapted to promote appetite di- " gestion, and to strengthen the tone of the stomach, " impaired SEC. II. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 35 " impaired by excess, or other causes : it gradually " strengthens the whole habit, and hence is excellent " in that weakness which remains after acute diseas- M es, and for those, who, without any apparent cause, " lose their strength, fall away, and are said to be " growing into a weakness; it is useful in the first " stage or beginning of consumptions, and may be M used with advantage, even in the more advanced " stages, if the matter spit up, be good pus, and " there be no considerable degree of fever. " It is of great service in nervous diseases, and in " such as arise from weakness of the system, and re- " ciprocally serves to increase it, as in the beginning " of a dropsy, in the fluor albus, or other seminal " weaknesses, diarhoea and diabetes; it is good to " prevent the gout in the ftomach and bowels ; may " be useful in rheumatisms, and in some bodies, to " remove the causes of barrenness or imbecility : in " general it will be found serviceable in a relaxed " state of the solids, arising from luxury or excess, " inaction, or a sedentary life, or consequent on " some disease ; it will correct a bad habit of body " and promote good suppuration and granulation in " ulcers, and its frequent use will render man less " liable to be affected by cold, damp, or purtrid air, H in epidemical or other causes of disease." These medical and philosophical remarks, while they do honour to the underftanding of the author, serve only to verify the words of the son of Sirach, " Wisdom cries out in the streets, and no man regards it." The quarry still remains in a state of rusticity, the spring is almost inaccessible, no at- tempts have been endeavoured to make it conve- nient 36 HISTORY OF JLIVERPOOL. SEC. III. nient, or in any manner beneficial to fuch of the unfortunate inhabitants as may be willing to use it, nor could strangers be in any manner accommo- dated, who from curiosity or confidence, might be inclined tq come to Liverpool to experience its effects. The situation of Liverpool renders it as clean and decent as any town in England. The decli- vity westward discharges all the water from the streets in that direction into the river. Those on the north, south, and eastern divisions of the town, inclining to White Chapel, Paradise-street, and the circumjacent parts, discharge all their waters into the neighbourhood of those streets, from whence they are conveyed by subterraneous sewers into the Old Dock, whereby the loose soil is gene- rally washed away by rains, which afterwards gives a clean appearance to the town. But notwithstanding this pleasing general ad- vantage, the streets in the lower parts of the town in long and heavy rains, experience great inconve- nience by being the general receptacle and chan- nel of all the waters from the upper parts of the town ; for although the acqueducts or sewers are turned as near the surface of the pavement as is consistent with the security of the arches, the aper- tures through which these waters flow into the docks, are sometimes so much below the surface of the water in the docks, that they cannot discharge their contents, whereby the lower parts of the town are not only flooded, but the waters are many feet deep in the cellars j which, for the most part, are not only long in emptying, but become thereby damp, and SEC. II. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 37 and consequently unhealthy to many persons whose situations in life compel to make them habita- tions. The most violent rains, are, however, never known to produce this effect, unless opposed by an uncommon height of the tides. It is well known that all impending waters must be above, or main- tain their level with that body into which they mean to be discharged, or they will find resistance in their passage ; hence the accumulated water* which should pass by the vent of the sewers, being lower than the waters in the dock, find resistance, and thereby the town becomes flooded to a great height before it can discharge itself over the em- bankments of the dock, where only it can find pas- sage ; and such is the height of the tides at certain times, that even this advantage is not attainable, for the waters of the Mersey will sometimes rise many inches above the surface of the quays, and thereby inundate all the neighbourhood to a great height and extent : it is within memory, that the tide flowed to the custom-house steps, and in the year 1721, the lower parts of the town were entirely flooded by one of these tides, insomuch that the congregation in St. Peter's church, were obliged to be brought away in boats, and the ship Tabitha and Priscilla John Birch, master, from Norway *, at the same time, sailed over the Pier Head into the Old Dock ; nor are such tides to be supposed partial to the Mersey, for a very few years since the Thames so flooded both the palace yards and Westminster Hall, that the lawyers and judges were obliged to be brought away in boats. SECTION * The testimony of this occurrence Is from a very ancient man, now living in the Seaman's Hospital,who was on board the vessel. 38 IST0EY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. Ill, SECTION III. The ancient History of Liverpool, gradual Increafe and comparative Statement of the [ancient and prefent number of Inhabitants. A SEARCH into the ancient history of this town, will explore few traces of antiquity, no vestiges are seen to confirm an opinion, that it was either known to Goth, Vandal, Saxon, Dane or Roman. Mr. Baxter, in his Gloss. Segon. Pontus. inclines to believe it to have been the harbour of the Se- tantii, mentioned by Ptolomy; which, if true, shews that the Romans had visited this place at the conquest; but this opinion is not corroborated by other writers. It is however certain the Romans were at Chester; for the great Wading Street Road, which rises near Dover, is known to have taken a north-west direction through London, Atherstone, and Shropfhire, finally to have passed near Chester, and terminated in the Irish sea; the whole palatinate of Chester, is therefore full of antiquities that con- firm the visits of those conquerors of the universe, and there is every reason to believe, had they been at Liverpool, or thought it in any manner deserving attention, some indelible marks of their abode would have remained, as they never failed to leave behind them some memorial or trophy, in evidence of their conquests. All that can be advanced with any certainty is, that at the Heptarchy it formed a part of the king- dom SEC. III. HISTORY OP LIVERPOOL. 39 dotn of Mercia, but was unquestionably mean and obscure, perhaps for many years wouTd have re- mained so, had not the doomsday book * of William the first, which registered all parts of the kingdom, rescued it from oblivion, by informing that the spot where the town now stands, belonged to Roger of Poictiers; but this leaves us still at a loss, if a town or a village at that time existed, the record proving nothing more, than that a grant of the land from the conquerer was made to one of his people, who the name declares to have been French, and it is well known to have been the practice of the Norman, to make partitions of land amongst the followers of his fortunes, and therefore could not be a partial proceeding by reason of any attractive merit in the spot. This Roger of Poictiers, accord- ing to Cambden, was lord of the manor of Lan- caster, buik a castle here, and made Vivian de Molyneaux (another Frenchman) governor thereof: this will appear in the following extract -j* from that author. " The Mersey fpreading, and presently con- tracting its streams from Warrington falls into the ocean with a wide channel very convenient for trade, where opens to view Litherpool, com- monly called Lirpoole, from a water extending like a pool, according to the common opinion, where is the most convenient and most frequented passage to Ireland, a town more famous for its beauty and populousncss than its antiquity. Its name oc- curs in no antient writer, except that Roger of Poictu, who was lord, as then stiled, of the, honour * "Tliis book i4 now in the Exchequer. *~ Goughs Carnbderu Britan. vol. 7, page 137. 40 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. III. " honour of Lancaster, built a castle here, the " custody bf which has now, for a long time, be- " longed to the noble and knightly family of Moly- " neaux, whose chief seat is in the neighbourhood of " Sefton, which Roger, aforesaid, in the early Nor- " man times, gave to Vivian de Molyneaux. This " Roger held, as appears by doomsday book, all " the lands between the river Ribell and Mersey." This account of Cambden, who wrote about 1586, confirms the government of the castle in the family of Molyneaux so late as the 30th of Elizabeth, and that the castle was built by Roger of Poictiers, and there is great probability he was the founder, as it was the known custom of those times, for every chief or baron to build a castle for the security and defence of his royalties, as well as for the king to erect them, as a defence against the barons. Morery tells us the castle was built by king John, but advances nothing in support of the fact. Leland, fays "the king had a castle here:" all the conclusion therefore, that can be drawn from this diversity of intelligence, is, that a castle was erected by somebody, but by whom, or when, neither his- tory nor tradition can determine. Liverpool pretends to no other building of an- tiquity than a tower, a small remains whereof is now used as a prison in Water-street. Of the first erec- tion of this tower, we have also no certain informa- tion: Seacombe's memoirs of the Stanley family, in- form, that in the reign of Edward the third, about the year 1360, the tower of Liverpool was the property of Sir Thomas Latfram, who presented it, with several other houses and lands, in and near the town, to SEC. III. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 41 to Sir John Stanley, knight, who married Isabell, his only daughter, and heiress of Latham : where- upon Sir John built a spacious house, and fortified it with a strong wall, according to the manner of those times, which, while it stood, was in posses- sion of the earls of Derby. Leland in his Itinerary *, takes notice of this tower (which Cambden has passed over ) his account of Liverpool is as fol- lows, viz. " Lyrpole, alias Lyverpoole, a pavid towne, hath ** but a chapel, Walton, a 1III miles of not far from " the se, is paroche chirch, the king hath a castelet " there, and the earl of Derbe hath a stone-house " there. Irish merchaunts cum much thither as to " a good haven ; after that Mersey water cum- " ming towards Runcorn in Cheshire, liseth among " the commune people the name, and is Lyrpole. " At Lyrpole is small custume paid, that caus- " eth marchaunts to resorte, good merchandise at " Lyrpole, and moch Yrish yarn, that Manches- " ter men do by ther." This account of Leland serves only to corrobo- rate what was before acknowledged, but gives no information of the founder - 3 the memoirs of Sea- combe, however, tell us further, that in the year 1406, Henry IV. granted Sir John Stanley liberty to fortify his stone tower, when mention is made that the area of the whole was 650 yards. If it stood an exact square, one of its sides must have been 25 yards; but we remain in the dark as- to the external figure of the ground ; the only vestiges * Vol 7, page 47.' 4-1 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. HI. remaining is the present gaol in Water-street, and a stone eliptic arch, which forms the entrance to Tower-garden. There is nothing more of antiquity relating to Liverpool, excepting an old cross, which formerly stood at the corner of Pinfold-lane, opposite the Flashes, and reported to have been placed there in commemoration of St. Patrick, who is said to have rested here on his passage to Ireland. The most antient charter of this town was granted by King John, a. d. 1203, but was a borough by prescrip- tion long before that time, -f Henry the third a. d. 1227, confirmed the town a corporation and free borough for ever, for a fine of ten marks, from whence it may be inferred that about this time it was emerging from obscurity. The corporation not having any records before the year 1555, nothing remarkable appears re- lating to this town before the 1 6th century. A pe- tition was however sent by the inhabitants in the year 1571 to Queen Elizabeth, praying relief, against a subsidy imposed on them, in which they stile themselves, u her majesty's poor decayed town of Liverpool :" this seems to confirm an opinion, that at the time, and for many years after it was made a corporation, it was in a flourishing state, but does not shew from what cause the present decay arose, nor does it appear that commerce before this period could f EnfieW, page 9, says a charter was granted by Henry the first in which te is evidently mistaken. SEC. III. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 43 could have contributed much to its benefit ; Leland tells, that "Irish merchants come much thither, and trade for Irish yarn was carried, by the people of Manchester." But that must have been very small. Cambden, who wrote about the year 1586, (whose authority is not always to be depended upon) says, the town in his time, was more famous for its beauty and populousness than for its antiquities ; the town record, on the contrary says, that in 1565, which was only six years before the petition, and twenty-one years before Cambden, that there were only 138 householders and cottagers. Leland, who wrote about the year 1 540, makes it a place of great resort for trade ; an evident disagreement there- fore appears in their accounts. The town record, on which certain reliance may be made, declares it a poor obscure village, of only 138 householders and cottagers; if such was then the number of the in- habitants, the number of houses could not exceed thirty, allowing only five persons to a house ; this number indeed may in some degree be reconciled to the shipping, which from the same authority appears to have been only as follows : viz. 1 vessel of 40 tons, and 12 men. 1 36 10 j 30 8 1 20 7 ! j(> 6 3 I5 j6 2 12 10 2 6 6 12 ships. 175 tons 73 men. r. And 5 Sec town record, page 144, 44 HISTORY OP LIVERPOOL. SEC. III. And belonging to Wallasey i bark of 14 tons and 6 men. 1 of 14 5 1 of . 1 2 3 3 barks. 40 tons. 14 men. The burthen and nature of these vessels deter- mine them to have been coasters, and suited to an Irish commerce, or to the Isle of Man, which might perhaps afford a living to the inhabitants, but could not be supposed to give beauty, popu- lousness, or much merchandize, as represented by these writers, at least according to the idea we con- ceive at this day of those terms ; therefore whatever might have been the former state of the town, we have recorded authority, that in 1565, there was but 15 vessels, which together made up but 259 tons, and employed but 89 men, therefore had opulence or extended traffic ever existed in this place ; very small traces were then remaining. Indeed through- out the whole kingdom at this time, commerce was in too limited a state to afford a town, remote and obscure as Liverpool, any considerable share, had they had vessels for the purpose. From this period we have no guide to the gra- dual increase of the town or inhabitants until the 1 7th century, when it attempted, and made a vi- gorous defence against the royal army com- manded by Prince Rupert, who in the year 1 644, sat down before it. Seacombe, in his memoirs of the Stanley family, gives a veiy descriptive account of the state of the town at this time; which (by the SEC. II. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 45 the following extract from the author) will appear even at that period, to have been small in extent, and in comparison to other parts of England, weak in its defences : I shall give it in the author's own words, together with some remarks on particular inci- dents, as they arise : " This town, in the year 1644, was in the " hands of the common- wealth, under the com- " mand of colonel Moore, who defended it some " time for parliament, against the army of Prince " Rupert, nephew to king Charles I. This Prince, " about 26th June, 1644, sat down before the " town, which at that time was well fortified with u a strong and high mud wall, and a ditch, twelve " yards wide, and nearly three yards deep, inclosing " the town from the east end of Dale-street, and so " westward to the river ; Dale-street end at this " time, east, and south-east, was a low marshy " ground, covered with water from the river, with " which it was connected by that part of the town, ." now called Paradise-street, within which bat- " teries were erected, to cover or guard against all " passage, over or through this water; all the M street ends to the river were entirely shut up, " and those to the town inclosed with strong gates, " defended by cannon. There was also a strong " castle on the south, surrounded with a ditch " twelve yards wide and ten yards deep, from " which to the river, was a covered way, through " which the ditch was rilled with water, and by " which when the tide was out, men, provisions, " and military ftores, where brought, as occasion " required." This castle stood on the present site of St. George's church. " In 46 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. Ill *' In and upon this castle were planted many " cannons, which not only annoyed the besiegers " at some distance, but also covered the ships in " the harbour. At the entrance was a fort of eight " guns to guard that, and to prevent all passage " by the river at low water; in addition to this " security, great quantities of wool was brought u here from Ireland by such English protestants " as escaped the general massacre. With this wool " the besiegers covered the tops of their mud walls, 91 which saved them greatly from the small shot of SEC. III. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 51 years after the siege, it was extended but forty-five yards on the river, from north to south, that being the distance from the north angle of the old church wall, or corner of fchapel-street, to the bottom of James-street ; what might have been the extent to the eastward cannot be truly said, but it could not be large, for we are expressly told in the memoirs, that the town was inclosed from the end of Dale- street, and the length of the town from the west end of Water-street to the east end of Dale-street, the corner of By rom -street, is but nine-hundred yards : had the ground been covered with houses four hundred and fifty yards from thence, southward so as to have completed a square, exactly corresponding with the north and southern extremity of the wes- tern boundary, the whole area would have been but 405,000 yards ; but this ground could not then have been covered- with houses, for in the year 1680, it appears that there were various interstices inclosed and unbuilt, many of them being planted with trees j they must therefore have been much more numerous thirty-six years before that time, and consequently the town consisted of fewer houses. -j- These materials lead to some idea, though an imperfect, one, of the gradual increase of the town, its houses and inhabitants, to the year 1680, when we are again left in obscurity, and receive n authentic information on that head until the year 1765*, when a plan of the town was made by Mr. John Eyes. This leads to some comparative proof of the increase and variation during that interval of D 2 eighty-five * Enfield, page 26, (ays, that the number of houses in 1753 was 37"oo, And of inhabitants about 20,000. In 1760, the number of homes was 4200,. anJ consequently the number of inhabitants about 25,000, but this retutn will appear to depend entirely on his method of calculation. f In the year 1765, Dale-street did not extend beyond Cheapside, and Pres- ron -street. 52 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. HI. eighty-five years. It appears also from this plan, that the town at that time, extended north to the Ladys- walk, the top of Old Hall-street, and from thence southward to Upper Frederick-street ; the dis- tance of these north and south extremeties i5 about 1600 yards j it extended from the river eastward to Preston-street, which measures about 740 yards ; it therefore follows, that if the said line was perpendicular to the end of the north and south line, it would form a square of 1600 by 740, the area whereof would be 1 1 84000 square yards, and such extent may be justly allowed, for though some of the parts so enclosed by the square so formed, would contain vacant ground, yet more will appear to be cut off than is included in the calculation ; it is there- fore to be admitted, that from the year 1680 to 1765, the buildings and streets increased, so as to cover 779,000 square yards, more than were co- vered in the year 1680. This description of the gradual increase of the town, may not be unpleasing to a curious reader, more especially, as the information is deduced from actual surveys, and allowed authorities; I shall therefore proceed to shew the increase since the year 1765 to the year 1790, when a new survey and plan was made of this town, by which it appears, that it then extended north to the end of Great Howard-street, and southward to Parliament-street, then bounded by Toxteth Park; the distance of these two stations is 2700 yards. The boundary westward is the river, from whence the buildings are seen to xtend to Richmond; the distance of these stations is SEC. III. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 53 is 1500 yards; and if the line of St. Ann-street, eastward is extended parallel to the line formed west- ward, it would make a square of 1500 by 2700 yards, the area whereof would be 4,000,000 square yards, by this it appears that the quantity of ground from 1765 to 1790, or in 25 years, covered with buildings and streets, is increased 2,866,000 square yards. Gradual Increase and number of Inhabitants. This being a maritime town, subject to a con- stant influx and reflux of people who are not actual residents, the gradual increase of its inhabitants is not so easily discovered as that of an inland town, where the migrations are few : certainty therefore, must in some instances, yield to hypothesis ; un- fortunately there are no materials, nor records, nor even rational tradition, whereon securely to rest cal- culation; we have indeed authority, that in 1565, the number of householders and cottagers was 138, and that 89 men navigated 15 vessels; admitting, therefore, that poverty and necessity compelled five persons to one of those small dwellings, the town would have contained about thirty houses, this leads to an idea of the probable number of houses and magnitude of the town at this period, which may reasonably be thought proportioned to the number of inhabitants, which is positively declared by the town record to be no more than 138.-1- From this asra there is a total paucity of every authority, which can give the least elucidation to the number of inhabitants until the year 1662, when the See page 43 . 54 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. Ill the first bills of mortality appeared in this town ; which although perhaps imperfect in their returns, may lead to something nearly the truth of the number of in- habitants in that year. By the first of these bills there were only seven marriages, 30 christenings, and thirty one burials.* Proportioning therefore the number of inhabitants to the famous and well known averages of Sir Wm. Petty (which buries every city, town, and village, once in twenty-five years.) The number of inhabitants in 1662, must have been 775; the increase therefore from 1565 to 1662 j or in 97 years was only 637, this num- ber however is not improbable, when the small ex- tent of the town during this interval of time is considered, for though at the attack by prince Rupert, the garrison is represented to be strong and numerous ; we are expressly told, that it was prin- cipally owing to the number of protestants who fled from the Irish persecution, and brought not only arms and ammunition, but also large quantities of wool ; and contributed greatly to the assistance and protection of the Inhabitants *f. From this period inclusive, the number of bu- rials advanced, though slowly, until the year 1 700, as may be seen by the following extract of their number, returned at the end of the following years. Marriages. * In the register office of Chester, is a parish register of Liverpool for the year 1624, from which it appears that there were then only 4 marriages, 35 christenings, and 2 1 Burials. f Seacombe's Memoirs. SEC. III. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. Marriages. Christenings. Burials l662 167O l68o 7 5 3 3 67 IO6 3 1 48 5 1 169O 10 Il6 158 I 7QO 25 132 124 55 It appears from this extract, that the burials in 1 700 were 1 24, and according to the beforementi- oned method of calculation, the number of inha- bitants must have been 3100; and the increase from 1662 to 1700, being only 38 years, was 2325, a very rapid and extraordinary advance ; yet, such augmentation is not improbable, for about this pe- riod the town seemed to feel its increase, to look forward to its own advantages, and augment its con- dition. In 1699, tne Iotn William III. the inhabitants obtained an act of parliament for building a new church, and making the town a parish of itself, distinct from Walton ; for hitherto the town of Liverpool was an appendage only to the parish of Walton, and had only a parochial chapel of ease -f under Walton, but by this act, it was granted, " That from the 24th June, 1699, the town and " liberties of Liverpool should be a distinct parish, " and totally unconnected with Walton. That the " corporation should have the power to build a " new church, a house for the rector, and to raise " 400L by assessment on the inhabitants for that " purpose. That two rectors should be appoint- " ed, one for the new church, the other for the " parochial chapel, who should enjoy the same ec- " clesiastic f The present church of St. Nicholas, t St. Peters. tfi HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. III. " clesiastic benefits as the rector and vicar of " Walton had before enjoyed ; that all parish dues, " &c. should be equally divided between the two " rectors. That the patronage and presentation " to the rectory should be vested in the mayor, " aldermen* and common-council, for the time " being ; and should any dispute arise, the decisi- " on should be referred to the bishop of Chester." The town being thus become a parish, and no longer dependant on Walton, must be supposed more correct in its register than while it was only parochial, and therefore the bills of mortality at, and after die year 1 700, admitted to be nearly the truth. I shall therefore, endeavour to estimate the progressive number of people from that time, on the plan heretofore mentioned to have been pre- ferred by Sir William Petty, with some deviation from his prescribed number of years ; for reasons which immediately follow : to accomplish which, the deaths from 1700 to 1793 inclusive, will from the bills of mortality, be formed into Novenaries. Should I fail in the attempt, I can at least plead in extenuation that I have followed the method pursu- ed by that able and judicious calculator ; repeat- ed experiments, no doubt convinced him, that years singly and progressively considered would not make a return so conclusive as an average drawn from an aggregate number, which number he fixed at nine ; and various trials in different parts of the continent proved, that every city, town, &c. buri- ed itself in about 25 years. But although in the calculation of the last cen- tury 25 years are given as the expectation of life, * it SEC. III. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 57 it must be supposed to have greatly increased at tjje present day, by reason of various improvements and cultivations which are known to contribute to the health of Mankind; extensive forests and woody enclosures, which heretofore covered large tracts of land, have been opened, lagoons, swamps, &c. have been drained, or filled up, and in many places covered with buildings, cities that heretofore had narrow streets, projecting houses, signs and other impediments to that free passage of air necessary to health, are now opened and greatly enlarged, it may therefore be reasonably admitted, that the pro- longation of life may be greatly extended since the days of Sir William Petty. The return of Breslavv in the year 1770, was 26I years, which is an in- crease of 1 1 years on his calculations that are known to have been principally made at Breslaw, and in his time averaged but at 25 years. Dr. Percival in his observations on the state of Manchester, fixes the yearly mortality as 1 to 25 ; Dr. Haygarth, in his remarks on the city of Chester, as 1 to 3 1 ; but these calculations being confined to single years, and to particular places, can convey no fixed rule to govern general conclusions, as will appear from accurate tables and observations, made public by several learned and ingenious writers, who make the proportion of people dying in the several places under-mentioned as follows, viz. * Pais de Vaud, Switzerland, as 1 to 45 Vienna, 1 i i Edinburgh, 1 20 London, Dr. Trice's observat*>ns, &K. 5 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. III. London, as i tO 20 Amsterdam, ] I 22 Rome, ] [ 22 Northampton, ! t 26 Breslaw, 1 *6f Holy Cross, near Shrewsbury, 1 33 Berlin, * i i6| -j* Manchester, -- i 25 J Chester, i 31 | Liverpool, t 27! Notwithstanding these laboured and curious ob- servations convey agreeable intelligence, they can neither be satisfactory nor conclusive in respect to general calculation, opposed to the whole king- dom ; for the principal evidence they give, appears to be nothing more, than that the longevity of the inhabitants of all places, depends on climate and situation. I shall therefore decline all further in- quiries and remarks on the observations and opi- nions of others, and confine my calculation of the number of inhabitants, to the bills of mortality, and probable duration of life of the people of Li- verpool only. In a general lustrum, or scrutiny, taken in January 1790, a return is made of 55^732 persons, then actually residing in the town of Liverpool, (in which scrutiny neither foreigners nor strangers are included.) By the bills of mortality it appears, that the burials in the year 1789, was 11 62; if the said number f Dr. Percival's observations on the state of Manchester. X Dr. Haygarth. U Enfield's history of Liverpool. -$ By Mr. Simmcns, from October 13, 1789, to January 13, 179CX SEC. III. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 59 number of inhabitants is therefore divided by 1 162, it makes the proportioned duration of life, almost 3$i years, which if truly ascertained, Liverpool is the healthiest spot in England ; nor can there be any thing to invalidate the fact, but an error in the bills of mortality, for the scrutiny is known to be perfect, and unless the return of the obituaries for the year 1789, can be proved erroneous, nothing can refute the truth of the calculation. An elabo- rate and learned author,* has however ventured openly to repudiate the attempt, but such opinion shall in no manner divert me from persevering on the- intended plan, and that more especially, being supported by the precedent of the able and correct mathematician before mentioned, from whose ex- ample the burials from 1700 to 1793 inclusive, will be formed into Novenaries, in the following manner : and the number of inhabitants determined by mul- tiplying the burials by ^\, the discovered expecta- tion of life, by the proof before given. From * The Rev. Mr. Enfield, who in his history of Liverpool, frequently vane* much in his opinions, in page 22 fays, " multiplying the annual number of " deaths, by a supposed proportion of the inhabitants, who die yearly, is liable to " objections;" vet in page 29, he commends Dr. Haygarth's proceeding on this principle, in his observations on the city of Chester, which he (Enfield) also says affords some ground to justify his own calculations ; this is clearly saying, that he justifies his calculations on a method liable to objections, but what is still more outre, in page 27, he says, that if 31,400 inhabitants, are divided by 1 191, the annual burials in the town, it will give the proportion of the in- habitants who die annually, which he then makes as 1 to 27 t-ath ; now, with all subordinancy to the mathematical correctness of Mr. Enfield, I venture to affirm, that if the bills of mortality are true, and the said bills are multiplied by the proportioned longevity of the people, the product must be the number of inhabitants; for if 1191 the number of burials before mentioned is multiplied by 27 1 -4th, it will produce (abating the practiona] excefs) 32,400, the known number of inhabitants. $0 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. III. , , r Average Inhabitants _, , , _ burials or , Gradual From ;, XT annual annual ave- . r the No- , . , increale. burials. rage. nenary. 1700 to 1709 1465 163 5461 2361* I709 1 718 2III 235 7^73 2412 I718 I727 2727 303 IOI5O 2277 I727 I736 3658 406 I360I 3451 I736 I745 5213 579 I9396 5795 1745 1754 6999 778 26063 6667 I754 1763 7557 840 2814O 2077 I763 I772 9947 I IO5 37OI7 8877 1772 I781 II853 I317 44H9 7102 I781 I79O I5229 1692 56682 I2563 I79O I793 5087 1695 56782 IOO 53,682 It appears by this table, that in 93 years, the town has increased 53,682 persons; for the said number being added to 3100, the number of in- habitants in the year 1 700, it will exactly amount to 56,782, the number of people supposed to be existing the latter end of the year 1793. The average number of inhabitants in the nove- nary 1781 to 1790, is 56,682, which is 950 more, than according to the enumeration in the year 1790 was known to be then living ; this plainly arises from the increase of burials in the other eight years ; a sufficient proof of what has been before advanced, " that partial calculation cannot determine general " conclusions." But although the bills of morta- lity may be admitted, and believed accurate, to the end * The number of inhabitants being 3100 in the year 1700> as appears in- page 55, the increase in the first novenary becomes 2361. SEC. III. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 6l end of the year 1790, the succeeding years lead to strong suspicion of their irregularity, It is not re- concilable to judgment, that the increase in three years is no more than one hundred, which for ninety years before has given an average increase of 577 per- sons. It appears very extraordinary that for three suc- cessive years, viz. 1790, 1791, 1792, the number of funerals should be exactly the same - r but what more inclines to a probability, or indeed an actual certainty, that the bills of mortality have been irre- gular since the year 1790 ; is the return made, from the 25th March 1793, to 25 March 1794; which appears replete with absurdity and irregu- larity. I would not hereby be understood to reflect on the care and attention of the parish clerks ; I only mean to deprecate the manner in which the obitua- ries are collected. The returns are probably just, but that selection or discrimination is wanting; which appears necessary for the purposes to which they are meant tu be applied ; in consideration whereof, I have here given an exact copy of the said bills of mortality, being the last account pub- lished. TABLE 62 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. Ill TABLE O F BIRTHS, BURIALS, &c. From 25th March 1793, ta 25th March 1794. At St. Peter's, St. Nicholas's, St. George's, St. Thomas's, - - St. Paul's, - - - St. Ann's, - St. James's, St. John's, Trinity, St. Stephen's, St. Catherine's, Dissenter's, Paradise-st. Ditto, Benns gardens, Ditto, Toxteth-park, Baptist's, Byrom-st. Ditto, Matthew.-st. Independent's, Renshaw-st Methodist's, Mt. Pleasant, Ditto, Edrnund-st. Scotch Kirk, Oldham-st. R. Chapel, Lumber-st. Ditto, Sir Tho. Buildings, Ditto, Seel-st. Quaker's Meet. Hunter-st. BIRTHS BURIALS ^ 1 .2 t 228 Males. 190 Females Total Males. Females Total 194 384 156 172 328 620 610 123a 135 J 54 289 279 8 7 *5 3 3 12 47 3i 78 4 25 39 45 46 35 81 IOI 88 189 55 3 7 . 10 14 17. 3' no 69 5* 127 84 86 170 33 27 26 53 726 611 1337 40 19 17 36 6 5 8 '? 42 * 4 11 16 *7 p 20 17 ' 37 3 6 9 4 4 8 7 H 21 16 il 27 1 1 18 , 11 17 17 35 28 .4 <2 6 3 1 4 17 2 3 40 8 5 !3 73 67 140 20 19 39 40 5 9 4 1259 5 | 6 5 1 1 2 1241 2500 1276 1188 2464 846 It SEC. III. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 63 It appears by these bills, that 2464 persons died, from 25 March 1793, to 25 March 1794; if therefore, the number of inhabitants should this year be regulated, in the manner already represented : it will amount to 82,543, whereby the town will have increased in one year, 25,761 persons, which, if not, is so nearly impossible, as to justify a direct contra- diction ; this discordance will be seen plainly to arise from the irregular returns in the bills of mor- tality, which make the burials almost equal to the births ; such an effect can never be supposed to arise from any other cause than the influx of aliens. The interments at St. John's, the usual cemetry for strangers, will in some degree confirm the fact ; it appears by the table that 1337 persons were there- buried, and only 53 persons christened, which makes about twenty-five times more persons buried than were brought to the font, if the same cal- culation was maintained proportioned to the total number of births, which are 2500 ; there would not be a creature existing in Liverpool in twelve months, for it would make the number of inhabi- tants 62,500, which would be 6768 more than the real number, reported, in Mr. Simmons survey to be living in the year 1790 *. On the contrary, the returns in St. Nicholas's, make the births to the burials more than 4 to 1 ; the Dissenters, Methodists, and Roman Catholics, al- though their aggregate births are 365, are proved by these bills, to be of that happy communion, as to * 2500 -\- 25 = 62,500. Ml - . Simmons makes his gross return of inha- bitants 55,732 : which makes the above calculation produce, 6788 inhabitants more than could be existing at this time. 64 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL SEC. III. to have no decrease in their congregation in an entire year ; a similar discordance runs through the whole of. these bills of mortality, indeed there is very little foundation whereon the clerks can securely rest their returns, for in Liverpool, there is but one parish, yet a report is made of eleven, which have neither wards, nor limitations, St. Nicholas, St. Peter St. George, St. Thomas, and St. John, have districts, but they appear in no manner to regulate, or to be connected with the present bills; and until some regulation is therein made, they can afford little other advantage, than a temporary annual amuse- ment. Strangers and inhabitants are at present in- discriminately mixed, the positive obituaries of the latter can therefore never be determined, until a distinction is made between the interments of the one and other. There is perhaps nothing more easy than a true report being made, withouw abating any thing of the external magnificent in-< consistency, of having eleven parish churches to one -f Parish. For let it first be determined, that no person shall be deemed an inhabitant, either as an housholder, or inmate, who shall not have re- sided in t^ie town twelve months. The question at every funeral is readily asked, " if a stranger, or inhabitant is to be deposited ?" and the register easily made according to that report ; and for the. more effectually determining the number of real in- habitants, that annually die, no person shall be buried out of the town of Liverpool, without a certificate first had and obtained from the clerks of the parish ; this would completely determine the annual mortalites to a very great exactness ; and whenever f Terming these buildings, churches is a clerical solecism, they can be no o.ther than chapels, parochial and dependent on the mother church. SEC. III. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 65 whenever so desirable and useful an effect shall be accomplished, and the burials annually multiplied by 33I (the preceding longevity of the inhabitants determined by the calculations 5) there is every rea- son to believe the annual number of persons living will be produced to a very sufficient exactness : and if scrutinies were made for a few years, to discover the truth thereof, it would determine the expecta- tion of life : and thereby be a standard for all future calculations, without the trouble of repeated enu- merations. Such are a few of the loose thoughts on this im- portant subject, which may perhaps lead some per- sons of greater speculation and abilities, to bring to perfection j and in further elucidation of so essen- tial a work, I shall give a scheme of future bills of mortality that appear perfectly formed to answer every expected purpose, by discriminating the inha- bitant and stranger ; this method will always make an annual regular return of the actual number of inhabitants only buried in the town of Liverpool. E RETURN 66 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. III. RETURN OF THE BIRTHS and BURIALS, In the town of LIVERPOOL for the year , viz. PAROCHIAL. EXTRA PAROCHIAL. Inhabitants. Strangers. Inhabitants. Strangers. O h 21 Males. Fern. Males. 3 Fem. 2 Males. 1 Fem. Males. Fem. 2 St. Peter's, 9 4 St. Nicholas's, 3 8 7 3 2 1 3 27 St. George's, i 5 o H 7 O 27 St. Thomas's, ii 6 4 9 3 8 41 St. Paul's, H 2 M 11 2 1 4S St. John's, ii 3 46 19 79 St. James's, IO 4 H 8 14 17 70 Parochial Males, 59 3 2 92 52 34 *7 4 10 310 Extra Parochial Males, 3 Z 34 Females, 27 152 Inhabitants died this yar, 158 Strangers died this year, 310 Totahnumber of burials in the year . I would not be understood by the above attempt, to prescribe rules to the inhabitants of Liverpool ; it is an idea submitted to their opinion, and at the same time, it may be affirmed, that the present me- thod can never return a true number of the mortali- ties of the settled inhabitants in Liverpool, nor of any city, or town in the kingdom, and that more especially which is maritime, must be subject to the greatest defects ; strangers at sea ports being perpe- tually SEC. III. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 6) tually arriving, inhabitants constantly emigrating, and the routine of people in perpetual circulation. But whenever a certain return can be completely effected, the expectation of life may be truly ascer- tained, and the number of inhabitants regularly and annually discovered, but until such regular bills of mortality shall be produced, the calculation I have herein given, and settled at 33I, may claim an esta- blishment. This expectation of life is lower than any city or town in England, and has been proved to hold true proportion between the annual burials and the enumerated inhabitants in 1790 ; therefore whatever attempts may be made to defeat it ; the answer of Ralpho -j~ , " no argument like matter of * c fact is," will be only given to the most formidable opponents : for if the bills of mortality in the year 1790 are believed to be accurate, the evidence is beyond contradiction, that the proportion of lon- gevity to the number of inhabitants in the year 1 790, was as 1 to 33$.. E 1 SECTION f Hitdibras, Canto 3. 68 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. IV. SECTION IV. The gradual Increase and 'Number of Houses, Streets, Squares, sV. and present improved State of the Town. IN the last section was given the gradual increase and present number of inhabitants, together with the dimensions and area of so much of the town as appeared in the year 1790 to be covered, or intended to be covered with houses, and formed into streets, &c. In this section, endeavours will be made to discover the number of houses standing at that pe- riod, and at the end of the year 1793. It appears on inspection that the ichnography of the town, as represented in the year 1790, has not been increased, although many of the streets and houses, then im- perfect, have since that time been compleated. These continual additions and improvements render a re- turn of the number of streets undeterminable : Mr. Simmons, however, in his enumeration or scrutiny in the year 1790, has reported the number of streets, lanes, &c. within the town of Liverpool to be 413, containing 8865 houses, 8148 whereof were inha- bited, and 717 untenanted. On this authority there can be certain reliance, by reason it arises from a personal scrutiny; which also informs, that the number of inhabitants dwel- ling SEC. IV. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 69 ling in the said 8148 houses, was 53,853, which he shews in the following proportions : Inhabitants. 6540 front houses contained 39,118 1608 back houses . . . 7,955 8148 houses contained .... 47,073 1728 cellars contained .... 6,780 Total inhabitants . . . 53,8 ^ The houses are discriminated in the following manner, viz. Inhabited front houses were 6540 Inhabited back houses . . 1608 8148 inhabited Empty front houses . . 529 Empty back houses . . 188 i 717 empty Total number of houses in the year 1790 ..... } 8865 In the above return the cellars seem represented as separate dwellings ; such distinction is certainly unnecessary, and liable to confusion - 3 for the inha- bitants of these cellars are as completely inmates as if they had lodged on the first floor : I shall there- fore consider them in the following calculations as lodgers only, thereby proportioning the number of inhabitants to the 8148 houses, reported to be inha- bited, without any partial regard to the cellars. From 70 HISTORY Of LIVERPOOL SEC. IV. From this scrutiny in the year 1790, the num- ber of inhabitants in each house, may be completely averaged; (or if 53853*, the number of persons who occupied the several tenanted houses, is divided by 8148, the dwellings reported to be inhabited, it will give an average gf 6| persons in one house. On reference to the calculations made in the year 1 773 -f, it is seen, that 54. are given to one house, which de- clares that * of an individual is now given to each dwelling, in addition to what it contained in the year 1773, notwithstanding the inhabited houses are at present 2220^ , more then were occupied at that time. If these calculations in the year 1773 are just, the present augmentation of individuals in each dwelling, clearly arises from the number of small houses not being sufficiently proportioned to the in- crease of the mediocrity, which increase must un- doubtedly be very unhealthy to the inhabitants ; large houses find no inconvenience from six or seven persons in a house, nor would many small ones, were they limited to the averaged number, but the contrary proves to be the fact ; many large houses have not four in family, and many hundreds which do not rent more than 4I. and 61. per annum, have eighteen, or twenty crouded together, from cellar to garret, under one roof; from which it may be just- ly admitted that averages in these instances may serve to amuse, and justify calculation in hypothesis ; but * 1879 Persons in the work-house, &c. are not included in the number oc- cupying houses, which make 55,732. the total number in the scrutiny. f Enfield, page 25. X Ditto, page 25, makes the number of tenanted houses 3928, which sub- tracted from 8148, shew the increase to be 2220. SEC. IV. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 71 but they determine nothing certain as to the real number contained in each house. An attempt to regulate and determine the number of houses in any town or city, can never be per- fect by the means which is generally adopted for that purpose, for though die exact number of inhabi- tants shall be known, and the true average, or num- ber of persons inhabiting each dwelling determined, the number of houses of which a town consists can never thereby be discovered, the search therefore becomes nugatory and indefinite, it can only shew the number of nouses really occupied, but leaves us at a loss as to the number of houses of which a town consists. This fact clearly appears in the re- turn of Mr. Simmons, for if 53%$$ is divided by 64, it will produce 8148, or the number of houses which are inhabited, but not what are contained in the town, which by the survey were 8865. In like manner, although die proportioned num- ber of inhabitants to each dwelling is fixed and cer- tain ; and the number of houses also known, of which a town actually consists ; the number of in- habitants cannot thereby be discovered, a selection can only be produced from those which shall appear to be actually inhabited; a satisfactory account by either of these methods, to produce either of these effects, must therefore be acknowledged rather the amusement of the closet, than contributing to pub- lic and certain information : whereas if the number of inhabitants can first be truly ascertained, and then divided by the number of persons proportion- ed to each dwelling, the inhabited houses in every city and town in the kingdom may be deter- mined JZ HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. IV. mined to a certainty, and in like manner, if the number of the inhabited houses are known and multiplied by the general proportion allowed to each house, the number of inhabitants are readily known. To produce these desirable and indisputably re- quired effects, there can nothing be more certain than the bills of mortality, if a return is accurately made from them, of which clear evidence has been already given in the former Section, wherein the expectation of life is proved to be 33! ; this is a clear evidence, that the health of the inhabitants and climate must have been greatly improved in the last 20 years, for the writer of the history of Liver- pool in the year 1773, makes the expectation of life so high as 24? years, whereby the longevity of the inhabitants has increased nine years. This dif- ference seems very extraordinary, but when a scru- tiny is made into the reverend author's method of calculation, on which he grounds his opinions, our wonder must immediately abate. This gentleman evidently maintains his thesis on the doctrine of supposes ; he supposes three times in one page and finally supposes that the best method of computing the number of inhabi- tants is multiplying the number of births, instead of the number of deaths. In support of this opi- nion he first takes the average of the burials from 1767, to 1771* both inclusive, whicji amounts to 1 1 2 1 , to which he adds 70, buried at neighbour- ing churches and dissenting burial places *, which together Page 25. SEC. IV. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 73 together make 1 1 9 1 , he then adverts to an enume- ration -j, made in the year 1773, which determines 34,407 persons, to be then living in the town of Liverpool. We are also J informed that it was a general rule in this scrutiny, " not to include such members of " families as were abroad at the time it was taken," and yet, he includes 200 supposed to die abroad, thereby increasing his burials from 1191 to 1391 ; which multiplied by 24I produce 34079, being nearly the number returned by an actual scrutiny, this he declares the expectation of life, or that 24I part of the inhabitants die yearly ; when by a very ingenious scholium he presently presumes, that the proportion for Liverpool will not be fixed too low 27*||, This proportion of 24I years therefore, appears to be determined for the express purpose of con- firming his method of calculating the inhabitants by the number of births, instead of the number of deaths, to accomplish which, he brings forward an average of christenings on five years, viz. from 1767 101771, which average amounts to 1098 ; he then supposes Protestants, Dissenters, and Papists, 250, then to complete the required number he again supposes that ^o are omitted baptism. This col- lection of supposes makes together 1398 births, which being multiplied by 24I, make 3425 1, nearly corresponding with the number of inhabitants re- turned f Page 24. + Page 27. Page 30. || Page z6. 74 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. IV. turned by enumeration ; from whence he concludes that the expectation of life is 24I years. It is submitted to superior penetration to discover the cause of this singular method of determining the expectation of life so high as 24I, for that which he approves, and afterwards * recommends, of dividing the inhabitants by the mortalities, would have produced nearly -f 281% years, making a difference of 4^- |, and it is still more singular, he reconciles a probability of the births having been nearly equal to the deaths, from 1700 to 1773, consequently no increase of inhabitants shall have arisen during 73 years, but a uniform equalization shall have been maintained between parturition and mortality, he there proceeds to account for the in- crease of inhabitants from the constant influx of strangers, which he says, not only keeps the town in constant increase, but also supplies the seve- ral vessels with men; this conclusion seems very extraordinary, Liverpool being proverbially known, to be diffident of all strangers except inhabitants, or shopkeepers, who exhibit articles for the indul- gence of fancy, or luxury. Yet the reverend cal- culator says, that 1 200 strangers must have annu- ally arrived 14 years preceding the year 1773, and that to preserve the town in its present state, three or four hundred strangers must come every year and settle among them. I wish it to be understood, that the remarks made on * Page 29. f 34079 the aggregate inhabitants 1191 the number of burials gives 18 6 iorh. Sec Enfield pages 26 and 27. I From 28 6-ioths take 24 1 -half, rem. 82-20ths = 4 2-aoth, or 4 i-ioth SEC. IV. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 75 on this subject do not proceed from a disposition of wanton criticism, but from a necessary search into the causes of the great distinction between the ex- pectation of life in the year 1773, and that which is now given in the year 1794, for if 24! * years are admitted, the difference is nine years ; if 275 -f the difference is J 6^ if 287% the difference is only 4-1% yet the reverend author has determined all these different periods of longevity, and appears to leave the reader to draw his own conclusions from his long collection of supposes . Without any further remarks on the methods pursued by any authors, however celebrated, I shall confine myself to the calculation of 33! years, which has been already proved to allow about 6| persons to one dwelling, which will be made the general divisor to the number of inhabitants deter- mined in the several Novenaries of the last Section, whereby the progressive number of houses and their novenarial increase will be shewn, from the year 1 700 to the end of the year 1793 in the following table. TABLE * Page 27. f Page 30. % Page 26. The same conclusions appear in this instance as the late Sir Robert Walpole formed in the house of Commons, of the late Mr. Addison, who rising three times, and prefacing his speech with the words, " I humbly coneeivtd." Sir Robert at his third attempt, observed to.the house, " this honourable gentleman, has conceived three times, and at last has brought forth nothing." 76 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. IV. TABLE of a Novenary of inhabitants in the town of Liverpool extracted from the last Section, wherein is calculated the number of houses, and their gradual increase, from the year 1 700 to 1793 inclusive, 64 persons being given to each dwelling. Inhabitants. Number Houses. Gradual increase. 1700 to 1709 546l 827 *357 1709 1718 7 8 73 1J 93 366 1718 1727 10150 *S3* 345 1727 1736 13601 2061 5 2 3 1736 J745 19396 2939 878 J 745 J 754 26063 3949 IOIO 1754 ~ 1763 28140 4263 3 J 4 1763 1772 37017 5608 J 345 1772 1781 441 19 6684 1076 1781 1790 56682 8588 1904 1790 *793 56782 8603 IS Total 8133 This calculation manifests the number of inha- bited houses in the end of the year 1 793 to be 8603, being 455 -f more than in the year 1790. The total gradual increase is 8133, which if added to 470J, would make 8603, the number inhabited the end of the year 1793, thereby proving the truths of the calculation. In In the year 1700, the inhabitants are calculated 3100 ; the number of houses were therefore at that time 470, consequently the number of houses at the end of the first nouvenary being 827, the increase was 357. f In the year 1790, the number of inhabited houses was 8148, which added :o 45 5 make 8603. + 1300 - -6 3 -5ths. = 470 the number of houses in the year 1700. j In 1790, the number of houses inhabited were returned 8148. SEC. IV. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 77 In further evidence that the above return is nearly accurate, it appears, that 8588 houses are returned in the novenary, in 1781 to 1790, and by the scru- tiny made in 1790 the inhabited houses are 8148, this makes a difference of 440 houses, which excess is occasioned by 1879 persons returned in work- houses, being considered as housholders, which makes an increase of 284 houses ; the novenary also, gives 56,682 inhabitants in the year 1793, whereas the gross number returned in the year 1 790, was 55,732, this makes a difference of 950 persons, or 144 houses, which together make 428, being only twelve less than the 440, which appeared to be in excess ; the number of houses in the preceding table in the tripatrite from the year 1790 to the end of the year 1793 is 8603, but should calculation be made at the end of the year 1793, singly and independent of the preceding years, the number of houses would be 8949, and the inhabitants * 59,060, but the truth of this computation depends entirely on the returns of the bills of mortality, than which nothing but an actual scrutiny can satisfy inquiry. The boundaries of Liverpool which have been already -f described extend beyond the town in dif- ferent directions, these limits are prescribed in the manner of the ancient Roman terminii, by stones, called by the inhabitants meer stones. The ground lying within the boundaries is called the liberties, the mayor and corporation attended by a great num- ber * In the year 1793, the burials were 1763, which being multiplied by 33 i-half produce 59,060 inhabitants, which being divided by 6 3-5th make 0949 houses. f See Section 2, 78 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. IV. ber of the inhabitants annually ride round them, which is nothing more than a custom pursued in all other parts of England, to remind the inhabitants of the extent of their bounds, and that no encroach- ments are made on their limits ; these liberties from east to west, measure one mile two furlongs, eigh- teen pole, and from north to south two mile four furlongs, twenty-two pole ; the longest line is from the Beacon gutter to the point near Smithdown-lane, which is two miles five furlongs, they contain 1 104 squares of ninety-six yards each side, or 2102 acres, or which nine hundred and eighty belong to the corporation, the rest are private property. This town has lately received many alterations and improvements, in the year 1790 it consisted of 8865 houses, since which time it has greatly in- creased. A very few years since, it was dirty, mean, and the streets much too narrow for the health, or convenience of the inhabitants, in which state it still continues in many parts, particularly to the north east, but a plan has lately been determined, and in part executed, to widen some of the principal streets. Castle-street has been recently compleated, and Dale-street has been widened from the change eastward as a specimen of what is intended ; this plan, when executed, will form a most elegant street about 650 yards in length, terminated in part by the eastern front of the change, which will then be seen, almost immediately on entering the town, Water-street, which faces Dale-street, and extends to the river, is also opened westward, to a corres- pondent breadth, and when finished will make one distinct point of view from the entrance of Dale-street, down to St. George's Dock, but this SEC. IV. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 79 this important and expensive improvement is rather to be wished than expected \ should it ever be ac- complished, the whole arrangement will form as elegant a street as in any town in England, and had the architect of the change, fortunately thrown the front of that building so far back, that it had been on a line with the northern range of these new buildings, it would greatly have improved the per- spective, to which the present projection will be some impediment. Castle-street is a principal and most elegant im- provement, it opens immediately from the change to the south part of the town, having on both sides handsome well built houses ; the western side is a regular range of buildings, and had the eastern side been compleated on a similar plan, it would have added greatly to the uniformity of the whole ; the rents in this street average high, and the shops are large and handsome, and fitted up in such a manner as would credit any of the principal streets in Lon- don, they are also well furnished with great variety of every required commodity for the conveniency or luxury of life, it is well lighted by a regular ar- rangement of lamps on each side, and had the foot pavement been flagged, would not have been ex- ceeded by any street in England, of its height and length, but with all its pleasing allurements, it ap- pears as if placed by accident and not design ; the situation and line .(like other buildings in this town) is without meaning, it has neither eye-fall nor any determined point of view, unless a general prospect of cabbages and potatoes at the bottom thereof can be so called ; the plan tends to no future effect, nor discovers any original design. Looking from the change 8o HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. IV, change to the south, you see nothing but a confused groupe of matter in the vicinity of the green mar- ket, and the disagreeable dirty winding from the opening of Pool-lane to the Old Dock, which exhi- bits an imperfect sight of the tops of a few vessels. If from the bottom of the street the view is taken northward, the impropriety is most glaring, it cuts off at the least, one fourth of the right wing or division of the change, and thereby totally confounds and mutilates all order of perspective, and destroys the effect of a most elegant, magnificent, and pleas- ing vista, which could readily have been supported, had the least attention been given to propriety ; nothing appears so easy as to have removed all these disagreeable impediments, for had the street been widened to the west, so as to have thrown Little Castle-street into the present, the whole front of the change would have been thrown open to view, the elegancy of St. George's church, would have ap- peared, and greatly enriched the perspective, while the obelisk in the market place, would in some small degree have increased the embellishment, and whenever time and wealth should have enabled the corporation to have carried the line on each side of the street so formed through Pool-lane, down to the Old Dock, it would have compleated one of the most noble streets in England ; and perhaps equal to any in Europe, commanding from the exchange a com- plete view of the shipping, and of the whole town south of the Old Dock, which southern situation, by reason of its acclivity, and extent to the very extremity of the town as far as Toxteth Park, would have formed a most open, cheerful, and elegant eye-fall, while from the south side of the town a street of the width, length, and magnitude, would appear SEC. IV. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 8l appear to great advantage, as such improvement would have made the whole south front of the exchange to terminate the prospect. There are no streets of any particular note, nor in any manner deserving remark to the northward of the Old Dock, except Castle-street; the best buildings before the recent rage of modern improve- ment appear to have been southward, in Paradise- street, Hanover-street, Duke-street, &c. but they present little uniformity, they are principally the re- sidence of merchants, built under their own direc- tion and designed more for internal convenience than external elegance; the houses for the most part in these situations, have their entrances offen- sively high, being thus raised above the level of the street, for the convenience of having large and extensive cellaring, this method was formerly pur- sued to afford warehouse room for merchandise, and appears to have been general, for the greater part of the houses of the mediocrity, have also cellars, which give residence to families, and are generally let out by the owners of the houses to many people following trades ; this is certainly injurious to the health of the inhabitants, and to the passenger dreadfully dangerous, many of those cellars project far into the streets, and frequently people unguard- ed in the evenings, and often at mid-day, have been known to break their limbs, by suddenly fall- ing into them ; it is something extraordinary, that in houses of moderate rents the evil continues to this day. The merchants have some years declined this method of building, there being large and ex- tensive warehouses erected in every convenient part F of 8z HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. IVY of the town for depositing merchandize, and many- have their warehouses contiguous to their dwel- lings. The new buildings have furnished the town with plans of many good streets, well laid out, and the houses well designed, but many of them are un- finished, especially those on the north part of the town, there are some good streets in the neighbour- hood of St. Anns, Islington, &c. but many of them are but half built, and of such as are com- plete, several are empty ; indeed the same effect is seen in all parts of this town, there is a degree of magnitude in their attempts, but few of the plans are accomplished, the builders here, as at Lon- don, Birmingham, &c. appear to suffer their avarice to get the better of their discretion, we are however to look forward to time for accomplishing present appearances, but whenever the plans are executed, the head will probably be found too large for the body. There are many squares in this town, but none of them deserving that name, Cleveland- square, is a decent plain assemblage of houses, it measures one hundred yards by forty, making an area of four hundred square yards, in the center of which is a rusticated obelisk, in this square is a weekly flesh and green market, for the accommo- modation of which shambles and benches are constantly standing ; this may be convenient to the neighbouring inhabitants, but contributes as little to the improvement of the square, as it does to the pleasure of the occupiers of the surrounding houses. The next square in this quarter of the town is Wolstenholme-square, which is sixty yards by thirty- one, making an area of two hundred square yards, The SEC. IV. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 83 The next is Clayton-square, which is sixty yards by forty, making an area of two thousand four hun- dred square yards. Williamson-square measures eighty yards by sixty, making an area of four thousand eight hundred square yards ; there is also St. Paul's square, which is formed by the houses that surround the church-yard, and Brook-square, which is nothing more than a little dirty court, there is also an intended Queen's-square, near St. John's church, another called Pownall-square, and Kents-square ; but these are in projection, consist- ing at present of only a few houses. Upon review of these squares, they appear to be a mere assemblage of houses without meaning, many of them are even below mediocrity, a gloomy seclusion greets the entrance, and being seldom frequented by passengers, grass and moss rise in the interstices of the pavement, and give the transcient spectator an idea of desertion and depopulation, that free column of air, necessary to the health of the inhabitants, is impeded by reason of its limited extent, from whence arises a certain stagnation which must produce a damp unwholesomeness con- stantly about the buildings, whereby the best of them can afford neither pleasure to the sight, nor health to the inhabitants. But notwithstanding the great improvements and attention of the inhabitants to the embellishment of the town, it is something singular, that so little regard has been paid to the convenience of the pas- senger, that the foot pavement is not laid with flag- stones, like that of most other improved towns and cities in England; an assemblage or small hard F 2 pebbles, 84 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. IV. pebbles, bounded by a stone curb, is all that is given by way of foot pavement, and these curbs so worn into cavities by the feet of the passengers, (who thereby avoid the inconvenience of the sharp pebbles) that they are not only become very unplea- sant, but in many places dangerous, this still ren- ders the town dirty and disagreeable, especially in the winter, and in rainy seasons. What could induce the neglect of so important an improvement is not easy to reconcile to opinion ; possessed of an open port to furnish a cheap conveyance from Portland and Purbeck, or from various parts of the Hebrides, and other northern islands known to have plenty for such purposes, they had the opportunity of a ready supply, at a much easier rate than any inland situa- tion, nay, their own quarries close upon the town would have afforded sufficient at least for the purpose of paving the principal streets. The acts which passed 21st Geo. II. and that in the 2d Geo. III. for the better preserving the pavement, enlightening and cleansing the streets, and other additional acts, would have authorized a pound rate for that pur- pose, as in other parts of England -, even Castle- street has no other pavement than small square stones, something better than pebbles, how much more elegant would it have been, had it been flagg'd from end to end ; this vile foot pavement is the re- mark of all strangers, and can be only reconcileable to the inhabitants from custom. The town of Liverpool affords no walks of amuse- ment in its vicinity, commerce alone appears to engage the attention of the inhabitants, there is a pretty terrace walk, called St. James's-Walk, at the south end of the town, which commands an exten- sive SEC. IV. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. & sive view over great part of the river, and the adja- cent country, it has convenient benches, a pretty shrubbery, and walks decently kept, for such as are disposed for that amusement ; behind this ter- race is a large stone quarry, which for many years has supplied the town with all the stone required for the several public erections and other purposes ; it is of a yellow cast in its first state, but the colour dis- charges by time, and finally has a very good appear- ance ; the entrance to this quarry is by a subterra- neous passage supported by arches, which has a ro- mantic, but at the same a pleasing effect, there is here a good chalybeate water, which in the opinion of many eminent physicians, who have made ana- lysis of its properties, is not inferior to many of the spaws*. There was also for many years at the north end of the town a pretty walk, called the Ladies- Walk, in which were four rows of trees, and from its elevated situation commanded the river, and all vessels pas- sing to and from the* town, but this place of conve- nient amusement has lately been entirely destroyed for the purpose of making brick, being thought to contain the finest brick earth in the county. No- thing now remains for the amusement of the inha- bitants, in the northern parts of the town, but a sort of terrace, called the Parade, on the banks of the river, to the west of Georges Dock, which in a fine day, affords a sort of mall, or pleasure walk, and would be greatly improved by a row of trees on each side. But Of the properties of this Spaw, mention has been already made in the se- cond Section. 86 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. IV. But amidst the rage of improvement and rapid increase of streets, squares, and erections of useful and ornamental public buildings, there is no secu- rity against the melancholy consequences which may arise from fire, there are engines, and every necessary assistance judiciously and plentifully pro- vided, but the want of water would be too serious- ly experienced if a conflagration extended to many houses, there could be no relief but from the docks, the river, the canal, or from the few pumps which are partially distributed in different parts of the town ; a supply to the well of an engine from any of these places by means of buckets and ma- nual assistance would be very inadequate to the quantity required to extinguish the rage of that ele- ment, when it had once acquired any alarming de- gree of strength. It has been remarked of the taste and genius of the inhabitants of Liverpool, that they extend more to the glare of external splendor and magnificence, than to internal convenience and general utility, there is no ^greater evidence of this truth, than a neglect of the general safety of the town by provid- ing at all time a sufficient supply of water, not only in all cases of danger, but also for the use and con- venience of the inhabitants, a plan for this purpose was in contemplation some years since, and an act * obtained, to enable the corporation to grant to Sir Oleave Moore, liberty to bring fresh water into the town from a fine spring near Boode cum linacre, but was never carried into execution, the advantage which would have arisen to Sir Oleave Moore, when * VIII. Ann. chap. 25. SEC. IV. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 87 when so beneficial a plan had been accomplished, might at that time have been found too small to sufficiently recompence the attempt ; the number of hbuses about the year 1710, when this act was made, was not more than 1 100 *, consequently the tax arising from the inhabitants, would then have produced tdo small an interest on the money neces- sary to be advanced on the part of the projector, who for that reason might have been induced to de- cline his original intention. But if the advantages were at that period so small as tp discountenance the attempt in one person, they appear at this time to be such as would amply re- compence the corporation, or any society who would unite in compleating the work, the expense of bringing this water to town would be .very moderate, a common aquaduct about one yard wide and one, deep, being every thing sufficient to convey the water to a large reservoir in some convenient spot north east of the town, from whence a main, or principal pipe could be laid in almost every street in the town, which would at all times, by means of fire plugs, not only give an immediate supply of water in cases of fire, but by means of small leaden pipes be conveyed into every house in Liverpool, not only for culinary, but every other necessary purpose. Nature, the ichnography of the town, and proxi- mity of the spring, all unite in the invitation to so necessary and advantageous an undertaking, it is a well known axiom in hydraulics, that all waters rise to *Sec page 76. 88 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL, SEC. IV. to a level of their spring, therefore at whatever height north east of the town a reservoir should be con- structed, the water therein contained would, by means of pipes conveyed therefrom, flow to any distance whose degree of elevation shall not be greater than that of the reservoir from which the stream shall issue, and as the southern summit of the town does not appear higher * than the lands to the north east, it clearly follows, that the main principal pipes may be conveyed across the lower lands, and rise to a sufficient height to afford at all times a plentiful supply of water to the inhabitants of the whole southern district, without the assistance of fire, or any species of forcing engine. The inconveniencies which arise to the town from the common supply of water from carts, is so great, that a gallon of wholesome water is not often to be had from the inhabitants of a whole street, in ad- dition to which inconveniency, it imposes a certain tax on every inhabitant, which on examination will appear to be at least equal to what would be re- quired for a supply by the means represented ; for let it be admitted that every house, large and small, shall expend no more than a pail and half of water every day, which would amount to five pence far- thing a week ; but when the great quantities are con- sidered which are used at inns ^and other houses of entertainment, sixpence may moderately be averaged on each dwelling, which imposes an average tax of twenty-six shillings yearly on each house. It may reasonably be supposed, in proportion to the increase of the last thirty years, that before so beneficial a plan * This may readily be determined by any common Surveyor. SEC. III. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 89 plan could be compleated, the town would consist at least of ten thousand houses, the inhabitants whereof at the rate beforementioned, would pay 13,0001. per annum for the supply of water from the common carts. A conclusion may therefore be drawn, that if the inhabitants can be supplied by pipes, with whole- some fresh water, at the same rate which they now pay for a partial assistance from the common carts, they will certainly prefer the former, which will give them a more plentiful and convenient supply with- out any additional expesne, the great question therefore remains, if 13,0001. per annum*, will afford the proprietors a sufficient interest on the money which may be required to complete the un- dertaking. SECTION * If 3000I. per annum is allowed for contingencies and defalcation, by reason of empty houses, &c. the annual return may be settled at io,oook 90 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. V. SECTION V. Of the principal Public Buildings for the conveniency of Commerce. THIS being a commercial town, the public struc- tures which more immediately appertain to trade, demand the first description, the number is few ; the exchange, mansion-house, custom-house, the docks, and the tobacco-warehouse, being the only public erections which have any affinity with its traffic. THE EXCHANGE. This building is situated on the most elevated and convenient part of the town, on the spot where the four principal streets nearly intersect each other at right angles, viz. Castle-street, High-street, Water- street, and Dale-street; the first stone was laid the 14th of September 1 749, it has some claim to ele- gance, and could it be seen to advantage, would have a pretty appearance, but in every direction the view is imperfect, the west side of Castle-street cuts off almost one fourth of the south front, and the view from Dale and Water-streets, notwithstanding the recent enlargement, is very limited; the whole fabric is built of stone, dug from the neighbouring quarry, which still retains a faint yellowness, al- though considerably whitened by time; it has a rustic SEC.V. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 91 rustic well proportioned basement, whereon arises an elegant range of Corinthian columns, and pilas- ters, between which are large handsome windows with, circular heads, supported by small Corinthian pilastef^the capitals of the columns are divided by tablets of bass-relief, of various strange designs and subjects, whose hieroglyphics are not easily decy- phered, the relief of the compositions is so bold, that it offends the eye, and lessens" the pleasing simplicity of the capitals, with which they are al- most united, the columns support a handsome pe- diment terminated by three vases, whereon is a piece of sculpture well executed, nearly in alto relievo, which the author f of a history of Liverpool says, represents " commerce committing her trea* " sures to the protection and patronage of Neptune," but 1 am inclined to believe the author has not given himself leisure to consider the subject, nor do I conceive myself capable of a clear expla- nation of the groupe $ the hostile flaming sword cannot be supposed to typify commerce, nor even Adeona, the fabulous goddess of voyages, from what part of the Pantheon, or heathen Mythology the sculptor gathered his subject I have not been able to discover; the allusion however may be nearly as follows, viz. on the left angle of the pediment, the Genius of Commerce appears represented in the figure contiguous to the bale, casks, &c. whose right arm is round the neck of the Liver, (the em- blem of Liverpool) which he seems to embrace; the Genius of Liberty, seems designed by another small figure holding the Cap, on a rod, in his right hand, and sustained by the Fasces on his left, per- haps indicating, that while liberty is encouraged and valued f Enfeeli $2 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. V. valued, punishment is notwithstanding ready for the licentious. On the right angle, is the hulk of a ship, near which is Neptune with his trident in his right arm, and his left resting on an aqueous urn, supposed the type of the River Mersey, of which he is made the god and protector, the prin- cipal figure is contigious to Neptune, and (by its emblems, which are a full Cornucopia resting on a shield, bearing the figure of a Liver beneath his right arm, in which is a flaming sword) seems to represent the genius of Liverpool, ready to de- fend her plenitude and commerce; the extended left arm of this figure is intended to direct the attention of Neptune to the Genius of Commerce ; the whole model is well designed, and the execution bold and masterly. There was originally a dome, or cupola to this building, covered with lead, whereon was a light turret and clock, from whence was a good prospect of the town and its environs, but this was thought not only to incumber the building, but to add a gloominess to the light Corinthian architecture which supported it, this opinion at present seems to be al- lowed, for it is in contemplation to throw a light dome over the area of the building, for which pur- pose models have been made, and drawings design- ed, how far it may contribute to the elegancy of the structure will appear when compleated, or to what purpose it may be erected, will then be more readily conceived, neither warmth nor shelter from weather can be the object, for the merchants of Liverpool, by a strange partiality, prefer the inclemency of the rain and winds to the sheltered convenience which the SEC. V. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 93 the covered walks of the exchange would at present afford them-f*. The original north part of this building has been taken down on account of an addition being thereto made, for the purpose of a mansion house, to which it is contigious, the west and east fronts re- main in their original state, the colums supporting plain pediments, the principal entrance into the ex- change is by three arched door- ways, ornamented with handsome iron gates, the center of each crested by a gilded Liver, these lead to spacious covered walks encompassing a square area, which returns a faint gloomy light on the whole, which is still ren- dered more obscure by a heavy double doric colo- nade without pedestals, which not only contracts the breadth, but totally destroys that correspondent lightness, which a single row of columns would have given to the whole building, the uniformity and area of the south walk, which is the widest, is rendered not only offensive to the eye, but ineligi- ble to its purpose, by reason of a great number of dirty poles J, and appear as shores intended to sup- port f The inhabitants of Liverpool are inflexible to. usage and prescription in many instances, but in none more than in the above, it appears to be a sittlfj principle among them, never to depart from a custom pursued by their ancestors, however absurd the proceeding, they conceive it more eligible and satisfactory to be parading the public streets in the midst of mud, rain, snow and tempests, than to assemble in convenience and shelter, because such was the method of their forefathers when they had no place to hide their heads ; the change appears erected to no other purpose than to shew they have been able to build one, for the lower parts, which undoubtedly were originally intended for the assemblage ot the merchants only, answer no other purpose at present than as receptacles for a parcel of dirty boys to whip tops, or divert themselves at whoop, to which the i nterstices of the colonades appear happily adapted. X These poles were placed in this situation to support certain illuminations en the recovery of his present majesty from his long and dangerous malaJv ; it is therefore probable that they are intended to remain as a c loyalty of the inhabitants on that happy occasion. 94 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. V port the upper part of the building, which the ge- nius of the most ordinary architect could nearly have prevented, the floor of these walks is paved with small square stone, and the bottom of the area with brick whereby that pleasing convenience is destroyed which would have arisen from a regular broad pave- ment, the under part of the whole entablature, and the body of the building under the piazza, is crouded with a sort of planceer and other trifling attempts at decoration, which discover more the luxuriancy of fancy, than the purity of architectural genius. The four sides of the area, as before observed, present a double doric colonade, which girds the four principal walks, exhibiting an unpleasant large mass of stone, neither convenient, necessary, nor graceful, this heavy colonade supports a light enta- blature, the freize of which is decorated with roses and trigliphs on this entablature rise a range of Corinthian columns, between which are seven arched windows in each of the four fronts, decorated with another complete range of Corinthian pillars less than the former, between the capitals of the larger range of columns are tablets in bass relievo, chiefly of festoons of flowers, &c. the whole supports another entablature,of which the architrave, frieze, and cornice, are entirely plain ; on this entablature between each square window of the attic, are high disproportioned pedestals, or rather terms, whereon are placed pine- apples, of a size so enormous, as to destroy all rule of perspective, added to this is such a redun- dancy of small trifling matter by way of carving, or ornament, that the whole appears one unplea- sant confused assemblage of decoration, increasing that SEC. V. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 95 that gloominess which a lighter and less encumber- ed composition would relieve, and could be intend- ed for no other purposes than by increasing the charge of the building to enhance the gain of the architect. Under these piazzas are doors which lead to the Surveyor's- office, and the Loan-office, the exchange keeper has also his apartments here ; going out of the eastern piazza at the foot of the great stair-case is the Treasurer's office, the main entrance to this great stair-case is at the east front, and leads to the town-hall, where the quarter sessions and other meetings are sometimes held, it is a large handsome room, well lighted and elegantly fitted up with handsome seats and other convenient accommoda- tions for the reception of the magistrates, jury, coun- cil, &c. the whole compleated in solid mahogany ; here is also the town clerk's office, or the apartments for holding the mayor's court, and the respective offices thereto belonging ; on the great stair-case is a very elegant model of a seventy-four gun ship or war, compleatly rigged ; and in the lobby leading to the mayor's court office, is a full length painting of a former sword bearer of the corporation, in a hand- some carved and gilt frame, with the sword of office in his hand, it is well done, and is said to be a grea; likeness ; in the mayor's court-room, or town clerk's office, is a singular curiosity, viz, a large sword, the hilt a common cross, resting on a broad carved antique frame, wherein is a tablet with the following inscription, viz. " This sword of state, carried be- " fore his Excellency Sir William Norris, of Speake, " in his embassy to the Great Mogul, given as a " monument of his respect to this corporation, " Anno 96 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. V. " Ann Domini 1702. John Cockshunt Mayor." Here is also the assembly room, large and hand- some, being sixty-five feet long, and twenty-five broad, where are two large, elegant, and capital paintings, in fine broad carved and gilt frames, they were executed by Mr. Martin of London, and given to this corporation ; the one represents Cleo- patra arming Anthony for battle, and the other the murder of the family of Macduff; the subjects are too well known, to require reference, or explanati- on, the whole is in a bold masterly stile, the colour- ing warm and expressive. twk MANSION-HOUSE. For simplicity of design, lightness of compositi- on, and assemblage of dignity united, this fabric has not its superior in England, in few places its equal, and does great honour to the taste and di- rection of the architect : although ornamented in a rich stile, and elegant compartments, it is totally free of that puerile unmeaning trumpery, by way of carving, which in the exchange disgusts the eye of the beholder ; the principal front of this build- ing rises on a rusticated basement, the windows and doors whereof have circular heads, or pediments, on this basement rises the attic, which completes the height of the principal front, at each aisle, or extremity thereof is a noble Venetian window, of neat Corinthian columns ; the main building exhi- bits a regular range of Corinthian pilasters, and from the center a projecting cornice is supported by dou- ble columns of the same order, in a stile of bright- ness and dignity that cannot fail of attracting the eye, and pleasing the beholder, between these columns SEC. V. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 97 columns are three large windows with plain pedi- ments, over each of these windows are light oval apertures on which are thrown festoons, which at once enrich and ornament the whole ; over the Venetian windows are handsome tablets, lighdy ornamented, and above the cornice, which is em- bellished only with dentrils, are several tablets enriched with festoons : the returns, or side fronts, have each three niches, and similar ornaments to those in the principal front, placed above them, this building is intended as a Mansion, or temporary re- sidence of the Mayor for the time being, and by its immediate connexion with the exchange, will afford a communication from thence to all the courts and other offices, which are there held ; this building is not yet finished, but when compleated, promises to be very convenient and eligible for all the purposes intended ; application has been made to the corporation by some of the merchants, for the use of the lower part of this building, or some portion of it, for the purpose of a general com- mercial coffee-house, somewhat on the plan of Lloyd's coffee-house in London, but whether such intention will be carried into execution is not yet determined, be that as it may, such an arrangement could not fail being of the greatest utility to the whole commercial part of the town, by giving them an opportunity of having a book, of entry similar to Lloyd's, in which every merchant on receiving au- thentic information, would enter a ship's arrival, loss, &c. and although such entry could not be supposed general, it would convey some satisfaction to the parties to whom such information would be interesting, in particular to the Insurance Offices. Tables might also be placed for insurances and pro- G per 98 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. V. per places for the underwriters, to whom policies could be readily submitted by the brokers, as at Lloyd's. A master of the coffee-house might be paid by subscription, for amply providing all papers and commercial lists, and other necessary appenda- ges, to whom intelligence of all kinds might be hereafter directed, this would make the mercantile part of the inhabitants a distinct class of people, and their intercourse not liable to be broken by the in- terference of persons unconnected with commerce, or that did not contribute to the expenses of the plan. But should the corporation concur in the request, the merchants might not be unanimous in the pro- ceeding, convenience and propriety with many, would yield to custom. The Custom-House Is situated on the east side of the Old Dock, it has nothing to recommend it to notice except the conveniencies for the purposes to which it is in- tended; a good flight of steps leads you through a small arcade into a sort of open vestibule, or lobby, which connects with the different offices below stairs, from whence are two small projections, or wings, the building is brick, ornamented at the windows and angles with stone ; there is the king's arms in the centre, and on the top a flag-staff, on which co- lours are occasionally hoisted ; above stairs is the long room and other convenient offices, behind the building is a good yard, and large extensive ware- houses, properly calculated to answer every purpose for which they may be designed. The 3ec. v. history of liverpool. 99 The Docks. These may not improperly be called the principal of all the public buildings, not only contributing to the splendor, convenience, and safety of com* merce, but to the profit of the corporation. Docks are superior to any other mode of receiving and dispatching vessels, by reason, that without any re- gard to tides, they are always afloat, and their broad sides close to the quay, whereby the expense of lightage, and other water carriage of a cargo, is en- tirely saved ; these docks have been compleated at different periods, at a large expense, great labour, and required an astonishing quantity of stone to complete the stupendous piers and embankments necessary to prevent the encroachments of the river. Of these docks there are three sorts, the principal are called Wet Docks, which usually receive such ships as are on foreign service, and consequently have large and heavy cargoes to discharge ; the next are the Dry Docks, these generally receive the vessels that are employed coast ways, that lie on the mud when the tide is out ; the others are the Graving Docks, of which there are five, these have flood-gates to admit and exclude the water, whereby the vessel can at all times lie dry, for the purpose of caulking and other repairs ; the five wet Docks are as follow, viz. The Old Dock. This is the first Dock made in this town, for which an act was obtained the 8th Queen Anne*, it runs * Set section It. IOO HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. V. runs inland to the eastward, and becomes the bason of a parallelogram, or long square open at one end, surrounded with convenient houses and warehouses : the east end buts on the Custom-House quay; there is something remarkable in the act of parliament for making this dock, and confirms the opinion in the beginning of this history, that there was a large water, or creek in this spot, which was termed a pool, the words in the act are as follow, viz. " for " making the said Dock, have granted a piece of 1* ground containing four acres or thereabouts, par- " eel of the waste of, and belonging to the said " borough and corporation, lying in, or near a " certain place called the Poole, on the south side *' of the said town of Liverpool," this extract from the preamble fully confirms the fact, that a pool, creek, or assemblage of water existed in this lower direction of the town ; the first extent of this dock appears to have been about one hundred yards be- fore you come to Mersey-street from the river, where it suddenly contracts about twenty yards, and so continues to the end eastward, the present dimen- sion is two hundred yards in iength, the broadest part measures ninety yards, and the narrowest se- venty yards, the mean breaddi eighty yards, and the superficial content, or area, sixteen thousand square yards, it affords a fine quay for landing goods, and gives a salary to the Dock Master of 1 681. per annum. The ship Mulberry was the first vessel that entered this dock. Contiguous to this spot there was a haven, or re- ceptacle for shipping, long before the reign of Eli- zabeth, which is not noticed by Leland, Cambden, Morery, nor any authors of antiquity, who have mentioned SEC. V. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. IOI mentioned this town, but as it is attested by the pub- lic records, .there can no doubt remain of the fact. On reference to the said records, it will be seen, that between folio seventy and eighty, by some strange negligence, there is only one leaf in the book, and on that leaf there are entered the proceedings of a common hall, that resolved to make a new haven. The entry, or record, is as follows, viz. ** 1 56 1,* Robert Corbet, Mayor. Sunday be- " ing the 9th of November, this year, and next " after the great wind and storms, Mr. Mayor, " called the whole town, as many as were then at ** home, into the hall, where they counselled, all H in one consent and assent, for the foundation and * making of a new haven, turning the fresh water " out of the old poole, into the new haven." This is verbatim the record of the corporation, from whence it appears, that a haven had belonged to the town many years before 1561, for had it not been standing, it could not have suffered by the storm recorded to have destroyed it, but where the said haven was situated there do not remain the least traces to gratify the mind of the curious antiquary, tradition is also silent on the subject, but from the words of the record it may be supposed to have been near to the Old Dock, for it says, " a new haven ** shall be made by turning the fresh water out of " the old poole into the new haven," now there is ample proof that the old, or original pool, was the site of the present old dock, which stream seems intended to have supplied and filled this haven, which must therefore undoubtedly have been conti- guous * 4th of Efczabeth. 102 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. V. guous thereto, but the mind is not readily reconcil- ed to the idea of fresh water : for was the said pool, and the large inlet of water therewith connected, supplied by the Mersey, it must have been brackish, we are therefore induced to imagine that the said poole was supplied by small rivulets, or streams from the higher parts of the town : this appears most eligible to reason, for all connexion of the said old pool with the Mersey must have been stopt by em- bankment, whenever the stream was diverted from its old channel so as to have afforded a constant supply to the new haven,* which supply could there- fore have only arisen from fresh water streams, this record greatly enlightens and confirms the idea of these pools havingbeen receptacles for birds of passage, for had the water been brackish, it would have given little other invitation than to Gulls, or other sea fowls, it is however a fact, that a haven once existed, and a new one was intended, but perhaps never car- ried into execution, and finally the present Old Dock might have been erected at, or near the spot where the old haven formerly was made. St. Georges Dock. This dock, for which an act was obtained the nth Geo. Il.-f is the northermost dock, begins the corner of St. Nicholas Church-yard, and extends opposite to Moore-street ; this is a very fine dock^ measures two hundred and fifty yards, by one hun- dred, forming an area of twenty-five thousand square * From the wording in this record, the haven seems to have been a sort of dock, for as fresh water was turned into it from the old pool, it must have had a discharge by gates into'thc Mersey, or a constant stream must certainly have over- flowed it. f See section li. JEC. V. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. IO3 square yards, it has a most noble quay, lined with capital and convenient warehouses. The dock- master's salary is one hundred guineas per annum. Salthouse Dock. To this dock going from that of St. George, you pass the Dry Dock, or Bason, which measures in length about two hundred and fifty yards, and connects with three Graving Docks, which are seen to the westward ; Salthouse Dock, takes its name from an old salt-work, contiguous thereto, this dock is nearly in form of a trapezium, whose dia- gonal is two hundred and seventy yards, and mean perpendiculars seventy-eight yards, it gives an area of twenty-one thousand and sixty square yards, has the entire length of Cornhill to the west, and extends almost to the Dukes Dock, on the south: here is also a fine quay, with convenient warehouses. The salary of the dock-master, is one hundred guineas per annum. The Kings Dock. This is a fine new dock, measures two hundred and ninety yards by ninety, forming an area of twenty-six thousand one hundred square yards, this dock being contiguous to the king's tobacco ware- house, receives all the vessels from Virginia, and other parts laden with that commodity, for the more conveniently and readily discharging, weighing and housing the same. To this dock also vessels from the Baltic and America freighted with timber, lum- ber, pitch, tar, and other gross goods come to discharge, there being a broad and convenient quay for 104 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. V. for that purpose, seldom encumbered with other commodities. The dock-master's salary is one hun- dred guineas. Queens Dock. The Kings Dock before-mentioned, connects with another dry dock, or bason to the south, from which are seen two new graving docks, this bason connects with the Queens Dock, not yet finished, but will be compleated in a short time. This dock is the largest of the five, measures two hundred and seventy by one hundred and thirty yards, forming an area of thirty-five thousand one hundred square yards, being nine thousand square yards more than either of the other ; these docks united, from the dry bason at St. Georges Dock, to the end of the Queens Dock (including the Dukes) extend one thousand eight hundred yards from north to south, being upwards of one mile, but communication for carriage and foot passengers is made over them to all parts of the town, by means of well-constructed draw-bridges, placed near the gates, or entrances to each dock, which upon the whole are not surpassed in size, construction, and conveniency by any in England. The great advantages and returns of these docks to the town, cannot be better shewn, than by an ac- count of the progressive advance of the dock duties since the year 1752. This account will also shew the number of shipping annually entered in these docks, their astonishing increase since that period, and consequently a demonstration of the great aug- mentation of trade in the town of Liverpool. PROGRESSIVE SEC. V. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. IO5 PROGRESSIVE increase of dock duties, and of shipping, entered in the port of Liverpool from the year 1752, to the year 1793 inclusive. Year. 1752 *753 1754 1755 1756 !757 1758 J 759 1760 1761 1762 1763 1764 i7 6 5 1766 1767 1768 1769 1770 1771 1772 No. Ships. 37 1 453 281 245 319 37 75 2 625 93 908 704 808 2054 2073 2087 2259 Duties. i No. Duties. > s. D. Year. Ships. . S. D. 1776 8 2 | I 773 2214 4725 I II 2034 16 2 x 774 2258 4580 5 5 2095 11 O I 1 775 229I 5384 4 9 2417 13 II ,1776 22l6 5064 10 10 2187 16 9 ;i 777 2361 4610 4 9 2 33 6 l S 177* 2292 4649 7 7 2403 6 3 x 779 2374 4957 l 7 IO 2372 12 2 1780 226l 35 2 8 7 9 2330 6 7 1781 2512 39 J 5 4 11 2382 2 1782 2496 4249 6 3 2526 19 6 1783 28l6 4840 8 3 3141 1 5 1784 3O98 6597 11 1 2780 3 4 1785 34 2 9 841 1 5 3 3455 8 4 1786 3228 7508 1 3 6 53 l 9 2 1787 35 6 7 9199 18 8 3 6l S 9 2 1788 3 6 77 9206 13 10 35 66 H 9 1789 3619 8901 10 10 4004 5 1790 4223 10037 ^ 2 4142 17 2 1791 4045 1 1645 6 6 4203 19 10 1792 4483 13243 17 8 455 2 5 4 *793 4129 12480 5 5 In the year 1724, the. amount of the Dock du- ties was only 810I. us. 6d. and in 1 725, 847L 15s. 11, There are many warehouses lately erected on the quays contiguous to these docks, their situation and disposition is undeniable, but the rage of ele- vation is carried to an extent which nothing can re- concile 106 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. V. concile to propriety, it is evident the projectors must either have been totally ignorant of mechanics, or very indifferent to the labour which must attend hoisting the packages into the upper stores, or rooms, the same tackle, the same principle, and the same purchase raises the commodity to the lowest, as p the highest range of flooring, whereby the weight of every commodity becomes increased in propor- tion to its distance from the point of action, nor can two persons receive goods at one and the same time, it is admitted that goods can be hauled into the upper loft by laboured, slow degrees, but not with that dispatch necessary to business, where- as had each loft its distinct crane, as is the method in the East India and other London warehouses, the owner of each loft could at all times receive his goods, and the purchase be proportioned to the height, by that necessary increase of wheels, which the known rules of mechanics give for that purpose- Tobacco Warehouse. This warehouse is situated on the south end of the town facing the Kings Dock, is a good brick build- ing two hundred and ten feet, by one hundred and eighty, and allowing the diameter of the hogsheads three feet, it will hold upwards of four thousand hogsheads of tobacco on the ground tier. The principal front is to the water, the centre door has a rusticated frontispiece, whereon is a pediment, having the king's arms well executed, the suppor- ters are couchant, in the centre is a small turret, which would have been rendered useful by the ad- dition of a clock, the back front to the eastward has also a centre door with a rusticated arch, and small pediments SEC. V. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. IO7 pediments, whereon is placed a Liver ; the north and south doors are also arched with stone without pediments, each of these fronts has three arched doors ; the whole is a uniform neat building, has convenient offices for the clerks, and is in all other respects well adapted to the purposes for which it is intended. SECTION I08 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. SECTION VI. Of the several Erections intended for public Worship, There is in the town and parish of Liverpool, twelve churches of the established religion, twelve sectaries, and a Jew's synagogue, these buildings dis- cover few traces of antiquity, but they have never- theless an equal claim to description, with any modern public structures in the kingdom, they are for the most part so well designed, so judiciously composed and elegantly finished, that they are equalled by few, and excelled by none. The most ancient and indeed only building dedicated to pub- lic worship, which has any claim to antiquity is that of St. Nicholas, or the Old Church, This is the original parochial chapel, and was the only place of worship when the town was part of the parish of Walton, history and the church records leave us at a loss for the certain date of its first erection, it was the common chapel of the inhabitants in the year 1588, for it appears by the town records, that on the Earl of Derby * coming to the tower of Liverpool, (then his resi- dence) and waiting for a passage to the Isle of Man, the * Scacombe's Memoires. SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. IO9 the corporation in compliment and honour of his arrival erected and adorned in a rich manner, a sumptuous stall, or seat, in the church for his re- ception, where he several times honoured them by his presence. It is undoubtedly of much greater antiquity, but there are no vestiges of the old building remaining, excepting the main body, or base of the tower, in which there appears the external of the original bel- fry window, in the usual taste of ancestry. This window is now closely bricked up, but the traces of the narrow aperture and eliptic arch are yet visible, on this tower is seen to arise a new one, with the addition of a steeple, whereon is a ship placed as a vane, the whole body of the church has been re- cendy rebuilt, and the inside compleatly repaired j the present appearance is perfectly plain, the attic embattlements and their ornaments excepted : before this repair, large external buttresses projected from the piers of each window, since their removal, the inside of die church is better lighted ; on the old tower is a good clock, a vertical sun-dial-f is on the south side, and a horizontal dial on a pedestal in the church-yard, it is situate the northern extre- mity of the town, close on the banks of the Mersey, there was formerly in the church-yard, a statue de- dicated to St. Nicholas, to which seamen in the days of Romish superstition Offered prayers as they went to sea, to implore the saint's mediation with the virgin, for a successful voyage, and safe return ; the f On the face of this dial is the inscription, " Carpe diem, et hoc morae/it* pendit jEternitas," and beneath, " our days upon earth are as a shadow." JohnCopeland,-l ChurthWardau# James Lowell, j 110 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. the situation of this church being near the river, the bells have a pleasing effect, they are a good set and are generally rung on the safe arrival of fleets, or of any particular vessel. Why this church is frequently termed by the in- habitants a parochial chapel, appears difficult to reconcile, it was certainly parochial while an appen- dage to Walton, but in the year 1699, when the act of William III. confirmed Liverpool a parish of itself distinct from Walton, the then existing church could no longer be parochial, but must have be- come the positive parish church, no other at that time existing, for the same act which made it an independent parish could not at the same time be supposed to continue and confirm its original de- pendency on Wakon, for the term parochial implies a dependency, and is considered adjectively. More- over it was enacted, that the corporation should have power to build a new church, which should enjoy the same benefits and immunities with the then paro- chial chapel, this certainly implies the confirmation of another church, which was supposed immediately to exist on the passing the act, which made the chapel of St. Nicholas no longer parochial but the real mother church of the parish, for had it been expressed to build a parish church, the expression would have then been absolute, and determined St. Peters the parish church : St. Peters can therefore only be a parish church by implication, enjoying the same privileges as St. Nicholas ; but this is simply the opinion of the Editor, the determination of this distinction he submits to those of superior judgment. On SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. Ill On reference to the vestry book of this church, it does not appear that in her parochial state, de- pendent on Walton, that any material particulars relating thereto were entered before the year 1682-j*, and then chiefly small receipts and disbursements; the state of the town at this period may in some little degree be conceived by the following extract of the lay, or levys assessed for the poor, which ex- tract will also shew the directors, or officers of the parish at that time, viz. April 1682. Officers elected in the chapel of Liverpool. Thomas Gerrard, chapel warden. Robert Amerie, sidesman on the one and twen- tyeth of August 1682; after the death of Robert Amerie, Thomas Matthews elected sidesman for the remainder of the year. Then ordered that a lay of 81. be assessed for the poor. Ordered that a lay of 40I. be assessed for repairs of the chapel. Ordered, that Richard Diggles, and John Gam- mond be overseers for the poor, for the year ensu- ing. It f In the town record are the following entries, which shew that the register of the chapel before this time was in the corporation books, viz. n March 1611. * That a fum of money shall be levied upon the burgesses, &c. for repairing the " chapel of St. Nicholas. 24 fan. 1663, Ordered, that the sum of iocl. shall " be assessed upon the freemen as well resident as non-resident, for the repairs of " the chapel. 112 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. It is further seen by this register, that on or about the time of the revocation of the edict of Nantz, when thousands of French protestants sought pro- tection in England, from the persecuting hand of Louis XIV. their sovereign, and the iniquitous con- federacy of political superstition ; that Liverpool followed the example of most other parts of the king- dom in contributing to the relief of these unhappy sufferers in ample proportion to the number of her inhabitants, of which record the following is the extract, viz. Liverpool, April 17, 1669. Collected for the relief of the Vandois and French refugees, the sum of forty pounds eighteen shillings and a penny halfpenny, as witness our hands, the ninth day of July 1699. William Atherton, Rector, Charles RadcUffe.} Church WardenS - Thomas Suddling, Mayor. James Benn, ~\ Thomas Johnson, senior, I .,, Thomas Johnson, junior, J William Preston. J The readiness of the inhabitants of Liverpool, to contribute to the relief of the unfortunate appears also in the following extract from the same autho- rity as the above, viz. August the nth, 1700. " Collected for the relief of the captives at " Mauanesse, within this parish, the sum of eighty- five SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. I 13 " five pounds, fourteen shillings, which sum was " paid to Mr. William Hurst, by order of Sir " Richard Levitte, Lord Mayor of London, Sir " William Ashhurst, and other Commissioners ap- " pointed by his Majesty's Letters Patent." The church a little before this timef must have been rude, ill paved within, and not sufficiently large for the accommodation of the inhabitants ; there is an entry in the Vestry-books, in confirma- tion of this opinion, as appears by the following ex- tract : " In 1697 an Out-Isle was erected on the north " side of the chapel, in length thirty-four feet, and " a gallery made over with a stair-case, authorized " by Thomas Wainwright, Doctor of Laws, Vicar- " General to William Bishop of Chester. Signed Hencus, Prescott, Reg. Deput\ Not only the inside of the church about this time was rude and incomplete, but the church-yard was in part open and irregular, for at a vestry held the 22d of April 1690, it was ordered, " that a wall " be built all along the east side of the church-yard, " to keep the church-yard entire." The old tower had bells, but perhaps by long use, or from other causes, they were rendered un- pleasing to the inhabitants, for these records inform, that new ones were cast, and placed in the belfry of H the 114 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. the said old tower, about the year 17245 which was twenty-one years before the present spire, and additional tower was built; the following extract from the Vestry-book, will best explain their num- ber and value, viz. " At a vestry held September 15, 1724, it was " ordered, that the church-wardens may send the " old bells by sea, and bring the new ones too by " sea from Bristol, if they think proper, and insure " the value, and that the charge thereof be allow- " ed them, in their account with the parish, and ** that the floor upon which the bells hang in the " steeple, being much decayed, the Church War- " dens may raise and amend the same, if there shall " be occasion." " 1725, March 30. " At a Vestry held this day, being Easter-Tuesday 5 " according to custom. William Atherton, j Church Wardens " James Haruey, J " Mr. Edward Letherlands, \ Sidesmen and collec- " Mr. Edward Losee, J tors of the rectors lay. " Ordered, " That whereas the charge of the new bells at this " church amounts to 25 7I. is. over and above the " deduction and allowance made for the old bells*, " which * These old bells were erected about the year 1628, as appears by the follow- ing extract from the town record, viz. " 25th October, 1628. Ordered, that " all the fines be collected towards a ring of bells, and that John Marsh shall " collect the town's fines." SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. II5 " which weighed twenty-nine hundred, one quarter, " and twenty-six pounds, that a lay of eight pence " in the pound on houses and lands be layd for defray - " ing the said charge, and other necessary, disburse- " ments for repairs of both churches, for the year " ensuing, and paying the Rectors." The weights of the six new bells. c. q. lb. Tenor, 15 1 12 Fifth, - 12 o 10 Fourth, 926 Third, 8 1 20 Second, 703 First, 7 1 5 59 3 About the year 1745, it was in contemplation to erect a new spire, and to give an additional height to the old tower, that thereon a new belfry might be built, which new belfry was to serve as a base for the erection of the said spire, the proceedings therein will best appear by the following extract from the vestry book, viz. " 1 ith, September 1745. " It is ordered by this vestry that a spire shall be " built on the tower of the parochial chapel of St. " Nicholas, and that a plan thereof, be in the u mean time drawn by Mr. Thomas See, and pro- H 2 " posal? Il6 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. " posals for building it, be delivered into the pre- " sent Church Wardens, Mess. Hugh Ball, and " Samuel Seel, who are to lay them before the " next meeting of the vestry." There is a singularity in an entry which follows, that directs Mr. Thomas Wharton to be one of the overseers of the poor for the year ensuing, and have the usual salary of 30I, but it is still more singular, that at the present day this gratuity, or recom- pense for the trouble of discharging the office, is greatly increased. Instances of this nature are seen in few parts of England, the discharge of that office being generally attended with expenses on the part of the officiating person, and there- fore instead of being solicited, as must be the case in this town, it is in most other places so much avoided, that many persons pay a fine for exculpa- tion. In this year 1 745, the poor's tax was only eight pence in the pound on houses, and ten pence in the pound on lands. It has been remarked in the second section of this work, that the boundary of the old church-yard was originally on the line of the rising of the second flight of steps eastward, to nearly the basement of the steeple northward, and from various authorities it was proved, that the parapet, or western wall was then close to, and bounding on the River Mersey, and that all the ground from the said rising on the old, or original wall westward, had been made by the river Mersey's deserting its banks; this remark is confirmed by the following entry in the Vestry I SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. II7 Vestry book, from which it may also be inferred, that at the time the vestry order was made, it was in- tended to extend the limits of the church-yard near to the river, and consequently the greater part of the road, or passage between the present western paraper of the church-yard, and the said river, has been made since the year 1 749. " 24th July 1749. " Ordered that the church-yard wall, be imme- " diately carried out to the westward, so far as shall " be thought fitting and convenient, wirh the leave " of the corporation of Liverpool, for the benefit " of a public burial place for this parish, under the " direction of the church wardens for the time be- " ing, and at the expense of the parish." In the said Vestry book it is voted on 1st April, 1746, that a contract be made with Mess. Sephton and Smith, to complete a spire on the plan drawn by Mr. Thomas See, and voted nth September 1745. This spire was accordingly compleated in the year 1750, by Mess. Sephton and Smith, on the said plan, the payment of which is entered in the church disbursements 310I. in addition to which they were paid 22I. is. for chipping the old tower, and compleating it in the state it now appears, amounting in the whole to 332I. is. These extracts are some small elucidation of the state and progress of this ancient parochial chapel, but having had no regular register, or at least none existing of the transactions thereof, before the year 1682, Il8 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. 1682, the traces of its antiquity are very limited, and the late repair, or rather rebuilding of the body of the church, has given an entirely new face to what it exhibited in 1680, when a perspective view was taken of it* ; in the state therefore in which it now appears, it can only be considered ; the inside thereof still retains the venerable remains of ancient dignity, of which it is not entirely disposessed by mo- dern decorations ; it is well pewed, and well lighted by six windows on each side ; the galleries supported by short small columns, go entirely round the church cross the chancel, which has an unpleasing effect, and cuts off great part of the altar from the view of the congregation, eight pillars on pedestals sup- port the roof, but neither their columns, capitals, nor pedestals, determine to what order they were origi- nally designed, they lead the spectator to an opinion that they are a jeu de sprit of the architect, sporting between the Gothic, Celtic, and Tuscan. There is a good organ, which contrary to the usual custom, is placed in the south west corner of the gallery, in- stead of the west front ; the center of the gallery eastward, exhibits a King's Arms neatly finished, opposite to which is a good clock, the altar is neatly decorated, the decalogue is in two tables well carved and gilt, in compartiments, as are the rest of the usual inscriptions, and the whole may be said to be a handsome and commodious place of worship. There are not many monuments or antiquities in this church, few of the former have any claim to description, however in the state they appear they- will be regularly mentioned, the principal and in- deed * Sec page 48. SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. IIQ deed only apparent vestige of antiquity, is the font, which is of marble, the cover, or cap of which is a curious composition in the stile of the ancient crosses, which formerly were known to be placed in many parts of England in commemoration of events prior to those of Edward I. I am inclined to be- lieve this curious workmanship is the model of the cross formerly standing on the site of the present exchange, or of St. Patrick's cross, which formerly was erected in this town, opposite to the Flas 1 es ; the opinion is not improbable, the reader however is left to draw his own conclusions on the subject, to which the following inscription may perhaps give some assistance, this inscription has the letters placed on the said font in the manner here under repre- sented, viz. On the upper fillet of the octagon. Nostri scandere, nemo potest celum, sed christo marmore fontis. On one face of the pedestal. P: ETE.R, L. VRT1NG. Major T. I. T. A.B. k.H.} CW " 1644. On the lower fillet of the octogan. Sit, Tibi, thit, v. honor esse ovem Christi Renovate. By the date on this font, it was made fifty-five years 120 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. years before the town of Liverpool was a parish in- dependent of Walton, and thirty-eight years be- fore any register, or vestry book was made ; therefore neither record nor tradition leads to a discovery, why it was there placed; it is somewhat remarkable that Peter Lvrting is thereon inscribed as mayor in the year 1644, whereas in the town list John Holcroft was mayor that year, and what is more singular the name of Lurting is not seen in the list of' mayors until 1663, but the Lurtings are often men- tioned as bailiffs before that time, even so high as 1627, and in 1650 Peter Lurting appears as Bailiff for the first time. Perhaps in the year 1 644 he might be appointed locum tenens, by reason of the death or illness of John Holcroft, be that as it may, if the town register is correct, there is a clear anachro- nism in the date of the font. The monuments are few, the principal is that erected on the south east side of the chancel, almost opposite the south aisle, and that has little preten- sions either to composition, or execution. On a square sarcophagus is a figure of statuary marble, which appears intended to represent Patience, or Grief, but the sculptor having given no emblem, it can only be described as an inclined figure of a woman resting on an urn or vase, the back ground is the frustrum of a pyramid of grey marble, whereon is placed the family arms, beneath is a pe- destal of veined marble which supports the whole, on the dado whereof is the following inscription, viz. Near this place lieth deposited the mortal part of Elizabeth ; daughter of George Leigh, of Oughtrington, in the county of Chester, and relict of William Clayton, Esq. to whom she was SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 121 was married the jth of Aug. 1 690, and had issue two sons and seven daughter s, viz. Eleanor ', married to Mr. Richard Houghton of this place, merchant. Ann, married to Banastire Parker, of Cruden in the county of Lancaster, Esq. Margaret^ married to Francis Case of Red-Hasles in the same couuty, Esq. and Sarah Clayton, by whom this monument was erected to her memory. The rest 'died young. She died after a life well spent in her duty to God, and the care of her family, in the 78 year of her age, A. D. 1745. On the north east side of the chancel, in a plain tablet, on the top whereof is placed a small achieve- ment, ornamented with folds of drapery, the fol- lowing inscription informs, that Elizabeth, relict of Aid. Baldwin of fVigan, Interred near this place, Jan. 24, 1733, Aged 84. "jAlso Sarah, wife of Thomas Baldwin, M. A. And daughter of fohn JVaring, of Liverpool, Esq. May 22. 1743- On the left side of this monument is a square tablet, supported by trusses on each side, beneath which, interwoven with palm leaves, is placed an at- chievement properly blazoned, whereon is the fol- lowing inscription, viz. Near this place lies interred, the bodies of Richard Gard- ner, 122 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. iter, of Liverpool, Gent, and Elizabeth {daughter of 'John Waring of Liverpool, Gent.) his wife. f } died the {6^/l 7 00. She J \ io August 1 72 1. Likewise John, Richard, John, Ann, Nicholas, and William, their children. Also John Waring aforesaid, and Victoria his wife, they both died anno domini 1 7 19. * Also the bodies of Alderman William Webster, and Mary his wife. ) died the l 26 ?^ 1 ^ ' She J \ 12 March 1 752. On the south wall, onward to the west, is a small monument of veined marble crested by an atchievement, beneath which is a tablet, supported by plain trusses, and finished in the base by a com- pound scroll ; on the tablet is the following inscrip- tion, almost obliterated by time*. Here lyeth interred, 'The bodies of Thomas Willis, Gent. Who departed this life, The 21 March 1 6 94, And of Martin Willis, Son of the said Thomas, Who departed this life The 28 November 1694. Mors mihi vita est ; More mihi vita nova est. I live to die, and die to live. On "* All the monuments in this church have lately been restored. SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. I23 On the south wall, near th chancel, is a marble monument, on the tablet whereof is an open pedi- ment, with an achievement placed in the aperture, properly blazoned, on the sides -of the tablet is a festoon of drapery in statuary marble, and beneath, the head of a cherubin, it contains the following in- scription, viz. Near this marble, Lies the body of Samuel Powell, Esq, Son of Samuel Powell, Of S tannage Park, In the county of Radnor, Esq. And of Elizabeth, daughter and coheiress Of the right hon. Thomas Folliott, Baron of Ballishannon, In the kingdom of Ireland, He died April 1 7 , In the year of our Lord, 1745, Aged 5 1 . 1 Also Elizabeth his wife, who died December 18, 1 78 1. Aged 81.. On the south east corner of the chancel wall, is a small monument of grey marble, whereon is a swelling sarcophagus, supported by trusses, from whence issues a gilt lambent flame, and beneath is a plain tablet, or dado of statuary marble, which con- tains the following inscription, viz. At the foot of the altar, lie the remains of Margaret the widow of Mr, Thomas Hurst, daughter of Nathaniel Smith, Esq. and wife of Captain Francis Green, who departed this life the iSth day of February 1 745, in the ^th year of her age, and of Margaret, 124 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. Margaret, the very affectionate wife of Ralph Peters, Esq. and daughter of Mr. and Airs. Hurst, who in fervency of devotion to her Alaker, and pathetic feelings for her fellow creatures, perhaps few exceeded. She departed this ife, the iSth day of January 1 7 64, in the ^th year of her age. On the south wall, near adjoining, is a plain shield, on which is crested, the atchievement of the family, charged and coloured ; on the dexter and sinister sides in chief of the shield, are the heads of cherubins, from whence fall on each side festoons of drapery, at the base is another head of a che- rubin, the tablet which these plain ornaments en- compass, has the following inscription. Here lies The body of John Cleveland, Esq. Formerly a Representative in Parliament, For Liverpool, Who died 1st August 17 16, In the 55 year of his age. And of William Cleveland, Esq. His son, Representative in Parliament, For Liverpool, Who died, The 25 day of Alarch 1 724. In the-- 2 8 year of his age. On the south wall, westward, is a large monu- mental shield of veined marble, on the top of which is placed the atchievement of the family, it forms an irregular contrast of drapery, ornamented in chief with a cherubin's head on each side, and beneath is an additional tablet, bordered by a small foliage, SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 12^ foliage, and on the large face of the shield is the following inscription, viz. To the memcrv Of William Clayton, Of Fulwood, in the county of Lancaster, Esq. Who being a great encourager Of trade, And having good judgment in it, Represented this Borough, In six distinct Parliaments, He died the Sth of July, On the small tablet beneath, is inserted as follows. Erected By Elizabeth his relict, Daughter of George Leigh, of Oughtrington in tht County Palatine of Chester, Gent. Near the belfry window is a small marble monu- ment, which exhibits a tablet supported by two boys in the attitude of lamentation, and crested by an antique vase, the whole is small but neat, and prettily designed, and has inscribed on the tablet, the following modest but ample inscription. William Moss, Of Liverpool, Was buried here, April 12, 1708. S: B: R. In the south wall, near the chancel, and over that of Samuel Powell, is a small marble monu- ment 126 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. ment on a black ground, whereon is an antique vase, and beneath an atchievement, it is a neat composition, and informs the spectator, that it is erected To the memory Of Samuel Seel, merchant, Who departed the 23 March 1746, In the 37 year of his age. In the family seat near the reading desk, in brass* is the following inscription viz. Here lieth the body of Mrs. Frances Livsey, wife to Mr. Jonathan Livsey, and daughter To Alderman Edward Tarlton, who Departed this life, the third day of February 1709. Also his Son, Capt. Edward Tarleton, who departed This life the 26 day of May 1732. On the south wall is an ancient atchievement, or escutcheon, in an antique carved border, that bears first and fourth on a field gules, a cross bottony argent and sable, second and third, a field. Or, the crest a liver, or pelican, proper, holding in his bill a cross potent fitchy, beneath; on the sinister side in a small shield, argent, a cross ingraii'd sable, between four bezants, vert, this arms is seen beneath on the dexter side, in pale with the first, in which family therefore it is plain a marriage was made, and appears to be that of the Claytons, being the same as is on the dexter side of the atchievement of Mrs. Leigh, who by the inscription, married into the family of the Claytons. On SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. I27 On a brass plate, screwed in a seat near the chan- cel, is the following inscription : Here lieth the body of Silvester Richmond, Professor of Physick and Chyrurgery, who after near thirty years inde- fatigable care, and successful Practice in this town, and coun- try, at last exhausted that life, which had been so carefully employed, in the preservation of many others : He died the itth, and was interred the iqth xf April 1692. Against a pillar, at the end of a seat near the chancel, is a small marble testimony. To the memory of Ann, the wife of John Parr, Merchant : whose body is deposited near this Pillar ; She died (much lamented) on the llth day of April 1 7 65, Aged 25. On the north wall is a plain monument, contain- ing the following inscription, viz. Here lies the body of Ralph, the son of Will. Earle, Obit 28 February 1 7 67, JEtatis sua, II. Also of Mary, Widow of Thomas Earle IVho died 2 Q January 1785. and Here lie the Remains, . f William Earle, IVho died on the 28 of April 1 788 Aged 67 years. In the south isle a few yards from the chancel, on a large black stone is a brass plate whereon is engraved the following quaint Epitaph. Am 128 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. An Epitaph on Mr. Thomas Athcr stone* gent, who departed this life, 23 day of October 1 67 1 . \Reader., Stand off, he that too high appears., This monument will melt him into tears, For know, within this hollow vault doth lie A splendid emblem of Mortalitie One soe exact, and soe divinely good, His worth by mortals was not understood. Wherefore the case is kept within this stone To shew the jewel is to heaven floun, Who while he lived, was known no friend to strife But ever was indulgent to his wife. Good to his neighbours, and unto his end A constant lover of his cordial friend, In heavenly quire, he now is gone to sing Anthems of praise to his celestial King, Wliere Angels do rejoice to sing his worth, While his great loss is mourned here on earth. On the same stone, on a small brass plate, is the following inscription. Here lieth interred the body of Ruth At her stone, Widow and Relict of Thomas Ather stone, late of Liverpool, Gent. who departed this life, Anno Domini 1692, aged 61. Opposite the chancel, under the gallery stairs, is a flat stone, whereon is a small brass table, with the following inscription almost obliterated by time, viz. Here lieth the body of Ralph Halsall%, Alderman of Li- verpool, * This is probably the depository of Thomas Atherstone, who by the town record, was bailiff with Richaid Bushell, in the year 1668. \ This inscription is a valuable piece of antiquity rescued from oblivion, , there .s perhaps no other church in England can boast the remains of a man, so divinely good, that none of his neighbours could ever discover it, or that brought evidence of his peaceable disposition towards the rest of mankind, be cause he never beat his wife. The family of lialsall is very ancient in this borough. The town record informs, that one of that name was mayor, the 42d of Elizabeth, and stands SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. I29 verpool, who was mayor of this town in the year of our Lord God 1652, and departed this life 1677, in hopes of a joyful resurrection. In the south isle, a little to the westward of that of Thomas Atherstone, is a small brass plate on a black stone, which gives the following inscrip- tion, viz. Here lyeth the body of the wife of Robert Fleetwood, who departed this life the 21st of November 1682. Also the body of Robert Fleetwood* ', who died 31st of "December 1702. The inscription of Halsall, is the most ancient recorded obiit in the church ; but there has been preserved part of a head-stone of much greater an- tiquity, it is placed the upper end of a pew in the nave of the church eastward, and next adjoining the reading-desk ; all the information it conveys, is by two initials, M. B. and a date beneath, 1620 j it is not cut in the stone, but relieved from it, and remains in good preservation. The upper end of the next pew eastward, is preserved a small at- I achievement, distinguished for being the person who held a common hall the 14th of January 1579, which consisted of a mayor, aldermen, and free burgesses, when and where, he imposed a bye-law, which introduced and first confirmed a common- council, of which the following extract from the town record may be proof, viz. " Forasmuch as upon due consideration of the ancient customs of this town, " it seemeth there ought to be among other things a common-council within the u same of the mayor, aldermen, and twenty-four others, &c. &c. " The mayoralty of this Halsall hereby appears to have first introduced a common-coun- cil from the burgesses, and made them a part of the legislative body, of which mayor, the above Ralph Halsall is most probably a descendant ; but it may not be undeserving notice, that his name is not seen in the list of mayors ; Ralph Massam being recorded mayor in the year 1652. * Robert Fleetwood, was probably a person of some consequence in his day, the town record shews a person of that name to have been bailiff with Richard Windle, in the year 1669, though he does not appear to have been mayor. I30 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI, chicvement-f, neatly cut in stone, and blazoned ; it seems very ancient, but of what family is un- certain. In the church-yard are two inscriptions on flat stones that may not be thought undeserving no- tice, the one is near the erect dial, recording the death of colonel Robert Broadneux, at the age of one hundred and nine, and relates the following singular anecdote : when he was about eighty-three years of age, having been attacked by a slight in- disposition, he appeared to have anticipated his de- cease, and ordered his own coffin, in which from that period he generally slept,, and had it rubbed and polished in common with the houshold furni- ture, this preparation however could in no manner be said to accelerate his death, for he lived nearly twenty-six years after he had prepared this bed of mortality for his nightly reception. The other inscription is so greatly favoured by the lower class of people., that whenever a stranger is perceived perusing the inscriptions in the church- yard, he seldom fails to be directed by some per- son or other, to the perusal of the following lines, cut on a stone, a little distance from the former, the composition is so perfectly singular and romantic, as cannot fail of giving some amusement to the rea- der. 'This town's a corporation, full of crooked streets, Death is the market place xvhere all men meets. If life was merchandize, that man could buy, The rich would always live, the poor would die. These f This family arms bears ia a field argent, a fes* gules, between three lions rampant, guardant, azune. SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 131 These are all the monumental inscriptions con- tained in the church of St. Nicholas, the few an- tiquities deserving notice have been already re- marked, and so much interesting matter as the pa- rish register could furnish, has been introduced. This church and that of St. Peter, have each a rector, who annually the third Sunday in July, change their churches, the officiating rector of St. Nicholas taking St. Peter, and that of St. Peter taking St. Nicholas ; the annual stipend of each of the rectors is 320I. besides the surplice fees. The following are the successions to the rectory of Liverpool, since the year 1699, when by act of Parliament, the rectors were first established, viz. Rev. Robert Sith, and Rev. Henry Atherstone, June 24, 1699 Rev. Henry Richmond, vice Henry Atherstone, 1700 Rev. Thomas Bell, vice Robert Sith, 17*9 Rev. Thomas Baldwin, vice Henry Richmond, July 1721 Rev. John Stanley, vice Thomas Bell, Nov. 1725 Rev. Robert Brereton, vice John Stanley, Sept. or Oct. 1750 Rev. Henry Wolstenholme, vice Thomas Baldwin, I75 2 Rev. Thomas Maddock, vice Henry Wolstenholme, Dec. 20, 177 1 Rev. Thomas Dannett, vice Thomas Maddock, March 12, 1783 Rev. George Hdson, vice Robert Brereton, Nov. 7, 1784 Rev. Sammel Renshaw, vice George Hodson, March 8, 1794 St. Peter's Church. This is the new church, granted by king Wil- liam in the year 1699, when the town of Liverpool was made a distinct parish from Walton, to which a rector was appointed, with the same privileges in common with the parochial chapel, or rather mother church.; it was erected by assessment, according to the tenor of the act, and consecrated in 1 704 ; the body of the church externally is plain, and well built, but void of any regular order of architecture, I 2 some 132 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. some little attempts at embellishment in the battle- ments excepted ; the tower is square, the steeple a regular octagon, and has a pleasing simplicity in design. Seven angles of the polygon have each a sort of pinnacle, representing a candlestick, on each of which is a gilt vane, intended to represent a flame, but has more the appearance of the extended fingers of a man's hand, they were perhaps erected in allu- sion to the seven golden candlesticks, mentioned in Revelations, but the effect is lost, the eye not be- ing able to trace the design ; the mutilated pedestal of the remaining angle has a very aukward and un- pleasing effect, the propriety of erecting these can- dlesticks would have been better preserved had the steeple been a heptagon j the church within is well pewed, and there are two handsome gilt chandeliers, suspended from the ceiling, the galleries are support- ed by square tall oak pedestals, the sides whereof towards the nave of the church are richly carved and well executed, upon these are small slender columns which support the roof, and have some affinity to the doric order, but the cornice or cap, has an offensive projection, perhaps it was so in- tended, for the purpose of supporting and spring- ing a sort of arcade, which forms the front of the galleries, over which are intersecting circles, on the center of each whereof is a gilt ornament, which has a pleasing effect. The altar is a most capital piece of carving in brown oak, consisting of grapes, flowers, and foliage ; in the" center of the pediment as a crest, is a bird, which by the emblems, is sup- posed to represent a pelican, but instead o a web- bed bill, it has that of an eagle, or vulture ; all the carvings of this church do great honour to the ar- tist, and perhaps is not exceeded by that of any public SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. tM public building in England, the altar of St. James's, Westminster, excepted ; the chancel is well lighted by a large Venetian window, at the front of the west galleries is a handsome dial glazed, which shews the day of the month, over this is a king's arms, most elegantly finished, the whole is terminated by a large handsome organ, on each side of which is a gallery for the children belonging to the Blue Coat Hospital, this church has a most elegant and mag- nificent internal appearance. There are few traces of antiquity in this church, the principal is the font of white marble, whereon is cut the following inscription, " the gift of Robert " Heysham, Esq. 1702*, and on the top of the cap or cover, on a square blocking, beneath a gilt British crown, are the letters A. R. the initials of Anna Regina. On the top of a seat on the right hand of the nave, coming from the font, in an oval, are the following words, relieved in gold letters on a blue ground, viz. fT. Coone. J. Scasbrick. jona. Livesey, H. Cborley. 1704. On the upper end of a seat immediately opposite, in a similar manner, are exhibited the words, " the " overseers' seat, 1 705." On * Two years before the church was consecrated. f These were probably overseers, or church-wardens, at consecration of the church. T. Coone, was bailifY in 1706, and mayor in 1713. H. Chorley was bailiff iu 1707, and Scasbrick was mayor in 1723. 134 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. On a south pillar is placed a small atchieve- ment blazoned, immediately opposite against a north pillar, carved in wood or stone, is a shield, con- taining an ingrailed cross, beneath a viscount's co- ronet, from whence it may be inferred that some viscount is either deposited near the spot, or that it is intended in memory of some person of that or- der of nobility, but of whom no traces can be dis- covered. There are only two monuments in this church, the one is to the memory of Foster CunlifFe, Esq. erected on the south side of the chancel near the altar, the basement of this monument has nothing to at- tract notice, but a confused heap of stone, perhaps intended to represent a sea, whereon floats a sort of sarcophagus or cenotaph, on which is placed a large vase, or urn, of Sienna marble, the back ground of which is dove coloured Derbyshire stone, at each end of the sarcophagus, in statuary marble, is the figure of a boy, the one represents the genius of commerce, the other of navigation, that of com- merce, has in his right hand a cornucopia, and in his left a caduceus, the one the emblem of plenty, the other of celebrity and expedition, the genius of navigation leans on a hemisphere, or demy globe, projecting from the back ground, in his right hand he sustains a rudder, and his left seems tracing the protraction of a ship's course ; beneath is suspend- ed an anchor, alluding to navigation and hope, which is ever attendant on sea- voyages, above all is a large festoon, over which is placed a medallion of Mr. CunlifFe, the whole of this monument is more to be commended for composition than execution, though SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 135 though neither of them reflect great merit on the statuary. In the midst of the rusticated mass of stone, which composes the basement, on a large tablet of statuary marble, is the following inscription : To the memory of Foster Cunliffe of Liverpool ', Son of Ellis Cunliffe, B. D. A merchant, Whose sagacity, honesty, and diligence, Procured wealth and credit to himself, and his country, A magistrate Who administred justice With discernment, candour, and impartiality, A Christian Devout and exemplary, In the exercise of every private and public duty. Friend to mercy, Patron to distress, An enemy only to vice and sloth, He lived esteemed by all who knew him, Though few have been so extensively known, And died lamented by the wise and good, In the 73 year of his age, llth April 1758. At the east end of the church, facing the north isle, is lately erected a neat monument, consisting of a small entablature over which is placed the fa- mily arms supporting a vase, or urn, decorated with folds of draper)', the whole is of sratuary, and is prettily relieved, by a lining, or back ground, of broccatelli marble, on the dado, or tablet, of the basement, is the following inscription. Sacred To the memory of William Lawley, Esq. of Staffordshire, In his military capacity as major of the %d Regiment of Lig\n I36 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. Light Dragoons, his country experienced what great abilities, with a virtuous heart, are capable of performing ; he served under his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland, in the rebellion in the year 1745? and distinguished himself in the Germanic war, in the year 1758, he finished the career of an active life of 78 years, on the ityh day of September 1791. Reader, 'To the character of a soldier, he united that of the man, Honest, brave, generous, humane, liberal: He was a kind master, a benevolent friend and an excellent companion, Actuated by gratitude to his memory, this monument is erect- ed by his nephew William Lolley of this town. The grave-stones in this church-yard, and in that of St. Nicholas were formerly erect ; by an order of vestry, they were afterwards laid flat, for the convenience of passengers, but in both cemeteries they are not only rendered incommodious, but in many instances a great nuisance, they are all irre- gular, some sunken, some rising, some broken and loose, insomuch, that without great care, there is great danger of tumbling over them. St. George's Church Is a modern building, situate in Derby-square, on the spot where the old castle formerly stood, it was completely finished and consecrated in 1734, it is on the whole a most elegant composition ; the body of the church is one complete range of the Doric order, the frize of the entablature light and pleasing, whereon rises an attic wall, ornamented with vases, the windows being designed to give light to the galleries, as well as to the aisles, are thereby too large, and disproportioned to the rest of the building, on each side of the church is an ele- gant SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. I37 gant terrace, supported by six rustic arches, under which is a convenient recess for the accommodation of the venders of butter, and other commodities on market days, at each end of this arcade is an oc- tangular building, that on the west end is an office for the clerk of the market, where is a bell, used as a fire bell, which the office-keeper always rings on the first information of such calamity, whereby the inhabitants are speedily alarmed, and prepared to render immediate assistance ; the other building to the east is the watch, lamp, and scavengers of- fice; beneath the church is a spacious catacomb, wherein are interred some of the principal families of the town. The steeple is finely constructed, the tower, or base- ment is square, and consists of three heights of differ- ent orders, the first has the Doric, the second Ionic, and the third the Corinthian ; between the pilasters of this last order is placed a handsome clock, the four fronts of this last height exhibit the same ap- pearance, from these pilasters and their cornices rises an octangular tower of the composite order, between the pilasters of which on each face of the octagon, are the imperfect remains of the paintings of eight saints ; this church has been lately repair- ed and beautified, the paintings have not been restored, nor could they have long withstood the attacks of time and weather had it been effected. This church is distinguished as the corporation church, where the mayor, aldermen, and common- council usually attend divine service, and to which also resort the principal inhabitants ; this church is compleated 138 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. compleated in the most elegant stile of any in Li- verpool, the pews below, the galleries, pulpit, &c. are all handsomely finished in fine black Jamaica mahogany ; eight fluted Corinthian columns rise from the basement to the roof of the church, whereon the galleries are made to rest, their pedes- tals, instead of having the proportion and form, which the order requires, are plain blocks of stone, whereon is placed the plynth, or lower member, which supports the column ; with these substituted pedestals, the pews are made regularly to range, whereby that dignity and relief, which w r ould have been given to the whole composition, did the cor- nice and part of the dado of a regular pedestal ap- pear above the pews is totally destroyed ; a rich en- tablature rises to the roof, the members of the ar- chitrave are neatly carved, the frize richly orna- mented, and the dentrils and compartiments of the cornice are heightened by elegant embellishments, the cieling has four rich ornaments in stucco, white and gold, which discover more the luxuriancy of fancy than propriety of composition, from two of which are suspended handsome gilt chandeliers, and from a third the sounding board of the pulpit, a Capital organ, and contingent galleries complete the west end ; these galleries are supported by maho- gany fluted columns, with which the whole or- chestre, or loft, is finished, a broad handsome cornice decorated by large water leaves, goes round the whole church ; the chancel is well finished, six fluted Corinthian pilasters, the capitals and bases of which are gilt, embellish the altar ; on each side, or rather angle thereof, is a large and elegantly carved mahogany shield, crested by a Liver, on the tablet whereof is a rich gilt star, or glory, from whence SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. I39 whence a gilt dove appears to issue, emblamatical of the descent of the Holy Ghost ; on the ceiling of the chancel is a magnificent gilt star, of twelve rays in stucco, white and gold. There are no monuments nor inscriptions in this church, but there is an antique font of statuary marble fluted, which shews the faces of four cherubins, this bason, or font, is supported by a short antique wreathed column, with an Ionic capital, but no inscription to gratify the curiosity of the antiquary. The succession of the Chaplains of St. George's, since its consecration in 1734, is as follows, viz. Rev. Henry Wolstenholme, Aug. 1, 1734 Rev. Thomas Maddock, 1752 Rev. Thomas Fishwick, Dec. 20, 1771 Rev. George Hodson, Feb. 1780 Rev. Samuel Renshaw, No*. 1784 Rev. Robert Hankinson Roughsedge, June 1794 The salary of the chaplain of St. George, was originally 50I. but on the appointment of an assis- tant lecturer, made 60I. it was progressively advan- ced 'till it amounted to uol. which both chaplain and lecturer enjoyed for some years ; by a subse- quent order of council 1 20I. each was made the an- nual stipend; a vacancy in the lectureship soon after the last augmentation, occasioned the chaplain's salary to be fixed at 140I. and that of the lecturer at iool. it continued so till the next voidance, when the 240I. was voted to be equally divided between the chaplain and the lecturer ; in the year 1 784, the salaries were augmented to two hundred guineas each, at which it now remains. St. i40 history of liverpool. sec. vi. St. Thomas's Church. This church is situate on the south side of the Old Dock, it was consecrated in 1750, there is an easy elegant simplicity in the whole external of this church from whatever point of view it is seen j but like most other public erections it is so confined and encumbered by surrounding houses, that the body of the building is almost obscured ; the stee- ple is remarkably well proportioned, the whole was formerly two hundred and sixteen feet from the base- ment, of which the spire measured the greater part, but having suffered by a hurricane some years since, it has been restored on a reduced scale, the pedestal, or square part of the tower, which supports it, is decorated by windows somewhat in the Grecian stile, with two couplets of Corinthian columns, and an attic ballustrade, at each angle whereoff is placed a Gothic pinnacle, which throws an aukward mixture of composition on the whole ; the body of the church has a rustic base, and two rows of windows, be- tween which are Ionic pilasters, and above them a cornice and ballustrade, terminated with a variety of vases ; the east end of the church has an octago- nal projection, which forms the chancel, in the center whereof is a large Venetian window. This church within is well lighted, and exhibits a plain elegant simplicity, totally devoid of those crouded, and ill-disposed ornaments, which are seen in many structures of this class, the ground- floor is well pewed, the galleries are brown oak, supported by eight square plain pedestals, on which are as many Corinthian columns, upon these is a light entablature, supporting the roof of the church, the 260 SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 14! the frize entirely plain, the cornice decorated by only plain dentrils, the whole most conveniently disposed for the accommodation of the congregation, a handsome chandelier is suspended in the centre,with Corinthian fluted and gilt pilasters, between which are the usual inscriptions, the decalogue in the cen- tre has a neat pediment supported by fluted Corin- thian columns ; the organ is very handsome and well disposed, and in the face of the orchestre is a gilt King's Arms, the gallery below is faced with a handsome clock, which united have a very pleasing effect. This church on the whole is a cheerful re- ceptacle for devotion, but exhibits no monuments. The succession of the chaplains of St. Thomas is as follows, viz. Rev. William Martin, 175* Rev. John Liver, i?7* Rev. Samuel Renshaw, *777 Rev. Robert Hankinson Roughscdge, 1780 Rev. Frodsham Hodson, *794 In 1777, when an assistant lecturer was appoint- ed, he and the chaplain had each Sol. per annum. In the year 1784, the chaplains salary was aug- mented to 120I. per annum. St. Paul's Church. This church is situate on the north end of the town, was built at the expense of the inhabitants, and consecrated in 1769; this structure, by reason of its confined situation, loses every pleasing effect which might have been expected from it, had its external 142 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. external appearance been deserving attention ; there is no street or avenue by which it may be seen to advantage, the observer suddenly drops upon it, and finds himself immurred in a little inclosure fifty yards by sixty-four, which forms an arse of no more than three thousand two hundred square yards, it is with difficulty the eye can be placed at sufficient distance to see the top of the cross of the cupola to maintain a perspective, impossible ; yet at the building of this church, the lands were entirely open to the north, and had the fabric been fixed a few yards more in that direction it would have greatly relieved the heaviness of the composition, and at the same time had Virginia-street been widened to Old Hall-street, and from thence through Barton's Wint, quite down to the river, near the present Baths, it would have thrown it open in two directi- ons, north and west, enlarged the area, and have formed an agreeable vista. There is an attempt at majesty and splendour in this building, but the scale of elevation seems greatly disproportioned to the plan, a confused heap of stone of gigantic dimensions is crouded together in one small spot, the portico on the west side has an appearance of dignity, and is the bed part of the external composition, the order is Ionic, the pro- jection of the pediment produces a pleasing recess on the body of the building, and is some little re- lief to the four heavy columns which support it ; the south and north fronts have each a pediment up- held by similar enormous columns, which not be- ing relieved from the main body of the building, has a heavy unmeaning effect; at each of these fronts, a handsome SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. I43 handsome flight of steps lead to the several en- trances ; the main external body of the building is one Ionic order, placed on a low rustic basement, on the top is a range of ballustrade, whereon are placed at intervals some well finished plain vases, in the centre, upon an octangular base rises a dome, or cupola, on which is a lanthorn, terminated with a large ball and cross ; the architect appears to have had in view the construction of St. Pauls in London. The whole is enclosed by a dwarf wall, and cast iron ballustrades, three hand- some gates lead to each entrance of the church, through a small paved area, or court, the whole of this enclosure is light, elegant, and deserving a bet- ter situation. The inside of this church is a positive satire on all order and design, it is neither calculated to hear nor to see, the immense masses of stone which rise in the shape of columns, are so thick and abun- dant, that one half the congregation is concealed from the other, while the clergyman is seen by few, the dome is gloomy, heavy, and unmeaning, the voice of the reader was originally so lost and unin- telligible by reason of the lowness of the aperture of the cupola, which like a vortex swallowed all sound ; that several attempts have been made to remedy the defect, and finally a something is ex- tended over the concavity, so extremely offensive, as to entirely disgust the eye of the observer, eight little circular windows, which reflect a borrow- ed light from eight corresponding ones in the prin- cipal dome, aggravate an appearance already too dreary and monastic, and give the spectator a per- fect 144 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. feet idea of a compleat mausoleum, nor has this puerile nothingness removed the evil, for it is with great difficulty any part of the service can be un- derstood by those who are placed even a very small distance from the minister. Eight enormous piles of stone, hewn into Ionic order support the dome, in addition to which two more are placed to the eastward, to conceal as much as possible the chancel from the congregation, these not only add to the gloomy horrors of the spot, but have a chilled and damp effect on the whole auditory, the galleries are neatly constructed, and appear intended to form a sort of octagon, for which purpose eight enormous notches, by way of recesses are made to receive the columns which convey a dark offensive obstruction to that uniform connexion, which could otherwise have been pre- served ; the ground floor has open pews common to all, the altar an oval niche plain and neat, the pul- pit is moveable, but no situation can make the sound of the voice distinct; upon the whole, this building cannot so properly be called an erection, as a hewn quarry of stone above ground, and the ar- chitect appears to deserve the same epitaph, the wits of the last age gave Sir John Vanburgh. " Lie heavy earth on him, for he " Has laid a heavy load on thee." The succession of the ministers of St. Paul's, since its consecration in 1668, is as follows, viz. Rev. John Henderson, T . , T , , , __,,? Rev. James Hogarth, } a PP 0,nted J" 1 ? 6 > ^ Rev. William Hunter, vice James Hogarth, June 1769 Rev. Henry Barton, vice John Henderfon, Sept. 1779 St. sec. vi. history of liverpool. i45 St. Ann's. This church is situate on the north end of St. Ann's- street, Richmond, it was built about the year 1 7 70, at the sole charge of two private gentlemen, but contrary to the usual order of churches, has the al- tar to the south, and the steeple to the north, it is a small neat structure, but has nothing externally to recommend it to notice, it is built of brick and stone, the main entrance is at the south from St. Ann's-street,which presents a sort of facade or screen, in which is a door placed on each side the window of the altar, over which are three windows, the whole terminated by a plain pediment, on each ex- tremity whereof, on a short attic basement, are placed two small carved pyramids ; at the north end is a plain brick tower, on each angle of which is a small pyramid, the body of the church has five windows in the basement, and five in the attic, they all finish with eliptic arches, which produce an aukward attempt at Gothic composition. The in- side of this church compensates for the simplicity of its outward appearance, being decently plain and elegant ; it is well pewed in two aisles, the galleries are supported on each side by four slender iron co* lumns, which finish at the roof with an arcade of four divisions of the same columns ; the north gal- lery is uncommonly deep and elevated to the height of thirteen rows, there is also another gallery to the south, over the chancel, in the face of which is a clock, there is no organ, nor any accompany ment, the altar ornaments are neat, and the window is of painted glass, which has some claim to merit, it is well congregated, and is upon the whole a warm, neat, desirable, and convenient place of worship. K There I46 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. There are no monuments in this church. Succession of the ministers of St. Ann's, since the consecration in 1772. Rev. Claudius Crigan, 0t. 25, 1772 Rev. John Smyth, about June, 1784 Rev. Mr. Percival, , about April, 1792 Rev. Mr. Housemen, Sept. 1792 The first minister of St. Ann's church had a par- liamentary provision of only 70I. per annum, which was afterwards augmented by a voluntary subscrip- tion among the seat holders. St. John's. This church was built about the year 1783, it is situate near the Hay-market, on the spot formerly called the Great Heath, which in the year 1768, was intended for a public burial ground ; the prin- cipal tower is square, and consists of five compart- ments, on the top of which, on each front, are placed four pyramids, in the lower division is the principal door, with a plain arched frontispiece, re- ceding from this tower on each side, appears the west end of the main building, which has each one door, over which is an eliptic window of three divisions, on which is an attic demi balustrade, whereon appears two pyramids and a large vase ; the north and south fronts of this church have each five windows in the basement, and five in the attic, between each of these windows rises a sort of pilaster supporting a pedestal, on each of which is placed a pyramid with a sort of carving or rustica- tion, intended by way of ornament ; between these 4 pyramids, SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. I47 pyramids, and over each window, rising on high plynths, are large vases, a square projection form- ing the recess of the altar is at the east end, deco- rated also with pyramids and vases ; the number of these ornaments is very uncommon, there are forty pyramids and eighteen vases distributed on the attic of this building. Had some of the expense of this external heavy mass of matter been bestowed on the inside of the church, it might have contained something deserv- ing description ; in its present state it is perfectly plain and devoid of ornament, except of stucco on the cieling in three circular compartments, the gal- lery is supported on each side by four iron pillars ; at the western extremity of the church (where an organ is usually placed) is a dial, the chancel and altar are modestly neat, the pews are of that sort below which may be called open benches with railed backs, and intended for the reception of all degrees of people ; the galleries have enclosed pews which are rented, the inside of this church upon the whole is perfectly plain, and has nothing to re- commend it to the notice of either Inhabitant or Stranger. ;. * % There are no monuments erected in this church. Succession of ministers to this church since the consecration in 1784. Rev. Henry Dannett, vr 8 Rev. Richard Formby, ^* V ' I?54 Rev. Richard Loxham, vice Richard Formby, Dec. 179a K 2 St, i48 history of liverpool. sec. vi. St. Catharine's. This was originally a dissenting chapel, and in the year 1792 repaired, and applied to the establish- ed church ; it is situate at the bottom of Temple- court, the building is a regular octagon, the prin- cipal entrance is by a rusticated arcade of three ar- ches, whereon rises a small attic froflt, terminated by a pediment, supported by four Doric pilas- ters ; this church is perfectly well lighted, a large star in stucco is on the centre of the roof, the pews are neatly lined with green, there is a good organ at the west end, and on the face of the gal- lery a good dial j the gallery is supported by, and forms a regular arcade round the church, by means of slender iron columns which support the whole j it has no nave, the avenues to the pews being only by two aisles ; the chancel, or rather altar, is intended more for convenience than ornament, being formed by a small recess made on the east side of the oc- tagon, and has no other light than what is produced by a small window or sky-light. Ministers of this church are : Rev. Mr. Milner, 1 a * t . ... Rev. Thomas Bold, }. ^ fa' ^ ^' ,%*> The salary of each is 120I. per annum. Trinity Church. i&s-8 Trinity church, is situate on the east side of St. Ann's-street, Richmond, and was consecrated and opened SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. I49 opened in 1 792 ; it is a stone building, has a square tower to the west, with vases at each angle, on the top of which is a sort of octagonal belfry, four sides of which have plain faces, the other four are curvi- linear, forming a sort of figure to which geometry appears to want a name, and has a heavy clumsey appearance j on each angle of this irregular some- thing, is placed a vase, which finishes the external of the principal tower ; the north and south fronts have each five windows on the basement, and five on the attic, with circular heads ; but so cut and di- vided by a sort of trantum frame of six thick pieces of wood, as to dazzle the sight, and render the rays of light so refracted as to have a disagreeable effect on the eye of the congregation, and still more so to an outward spectator, the whole basement is rusti- cated ; on the top is an attic demi ballustrade with plain interstices, whereon are placed six vases, it ap- pears to be builders architecture, and has nothing externally to recommend the taste of the composi- tion, the whole is surrounded with a dwarf wall and wooden gates. The inside of this church has some pretensions to notice, being neat, well finished, and prettily de- signed ; the cieling is in stucco in three comparti- ments, which has a light and pleasing effect, nor does the transums on the windows, and aukward collection of timber which compose the frames, produce so much obscurity and disgustful appear- ance as the outside seems to indicate, the galleries are supported by four iron pillars, and on the face of the west front is a dial ; the western extremity has a neat small organ, the chancel is neat, and the altar plain, 15 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. plain, handsome, and convenient, the whole is neatly painted, the pews are lined with green serge and baize. There are no monuments in this chapel. Rev. Richard Formby, minister, Oct. it, 179Z Salary of the minister 230I. per annum. St. Stephen's. This chapel, situate in Byrom-street, was for- merly an anabaptist-meeting, but about the year 1 792, repaired, and applied to the established church, a small octagonal tower and belfry is now added to the building, it has been well repaired, well pewed, and in all respects rendered very commodious, the chancel and altar are finished with a consistent pro- priety, there is a handsome organ, and a convenient gallery for the reception of retained singers, this church may be placed in competition with any in the town in proportion to its size. Rev. John Smith, minister, I79Z The Salary of the minister of this chapel is 120I. per annum. St. James's. This church is situate at the south end of the town adjoining Toxteth-Park, enclosed in a large ceme- try, it is a plain brick building, with a square tower, was consecrated about the year 1775, it has no- thing to recommend it but neatness, the gallery is supported SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 151 supported by seven small iron columns, the chancel is small, the altar has a plain Venetian window, the decalogue, and other usual inscriptions are in four tables, ornamented with a light painted fes- toon, extended through the whole, and at the roof is a large gilt star ; over the altar, contrary to usual custom is placed the organ, which is small but handsome, and on the face of the west gallery is a good dial, the whole is neat, well painted and well pewed, but shews no monuments. The first minister of this church, Rev. Peter Massey, June 4, 1775 Rev. William Wise, May 1781 St. Mary's Chapel. This chapel is situate in Harrington-street, has nothing outwardly to recommed it to notice, it is a plain decent chapel, has a flight of stairs to the gal- leries from the principal entrance, these galleries are supported by seven slender. iron columns, the whole is well lighted by large windows with circular heads, three small compositions in plaister, ornament the cieling, there is a good organ over the west gallery, and on the face thereof underneath, is a small King's Arms, there is no chancel, a flat neat altar is all that is seen, with a few external ornaments, and a picture of the ascension in oil, placed in a circle, which appears to have been the performance of a capital master. Besides these churches, there are several sectaries, or dissenting chapels j of the presbyters, one in Paradise-street, one in Benn's Gardens, and one in Renshaw- 152 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. Renshaw-street, they are all well finished, and well adapted to their intended purposes, but have no claim to particular notice, that of Paradise-street excepted, which is a handsome modern building, and does great credit to that part of the community to which it belongs, of which the reader may form some idea from the following description. Paradise-street Chapel. This is as neat and elegant a composition as any in the town, plain but pleasing, and has dignity with simplicity, it is a regular octagon, open at one of the sides, which projecting, forms the vestibule to the principal entrance, which consists of a hand- some door, with two small Ionic pilasters supporting a plain pediment, on each side whereof is an arched window? over which are also three large arched win- dows divided by four lofty semi-columns of the com- posite order, without pedestals, these support a plain entablature, which forms the base of a pretty pedi- ment, in the centre whereof is an oval aperture de- corated with festoons, the whole terminated by three handsome vases, each side of the octagon exhibits two windows ; an attic balustrade runs round the whole, ornamented with vases at each angle, on the centre is a large octagon lantern with small vases at each angle, terminated at the apex with an elegant vase richly gilt, a handsome iron gate and railing encloses a small neat area, which gives an additional ornament to the building. At the back of the chapel are two attached build- ings, connected by a small colonade, which are applied to the use of a Charity School, lately esta- blished SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. I53 blished by the dissenters of this division, the right wing is appropriated to the girls, the left wing to the boys, they are both taught the necessary requi- sites for people in common life, by a master and mistress, who have decent salaries, and good con- venient apartments, the school-rooms are well dis- posed for the purpose. The inside of this chapel is extremely well lighted, and in all respects graceful and commodious, at the main entrance from Paradise-street, is a large vesti- bule which leads to the gallery by two handsome flights of steps, and by a small door is the sacristry, which immediately communicates with 'the pulpit, without the minister being obliged to go through the church ; on entering this chapel you pass to the seats by an octagonal passage that conveniently leads to all the seats below, which are numerous, well lined and ornamented, the pulpit is supported by four columns, and very handsomely veneered with a beautiful West-India wood, beneath this is the communion-table, behind the pulpit is the appear- ance of a large glass window that may be convenient to the vestry it incloses, but is an abatement to the elegancy of the whole composition, the galleries are supported by eight small columns, one at each angle of the polygon, and on the face thereof, beneath the gallery, and between each window, are large handsome trusses, which relieve the flat vacancy that would otherwise have appeared on the naked divisions between the windows. The cieling is elegantly decorated in stucco by eight circular or- naments of white leaves, &c. on a dark blue ground, in the centre of these eight ornaments, is placed a sort of octagon, or figure of eight point:, formed bv 1^4 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VI. by eccentric circles, and richly embellished, the fronts of the galleries are richly inlaid and veneered with beautiful woods, the whole is most elegantly finished, and does great honour to the community to which it belongs. There is one monument in this chapel, placed on the north side under the gallery, it consists of a small neat square marble, whereon is a vase, embel- lished with the arms of the deceased person, to whose memory this small erection is dedicated. On the tablet, or rather square piece of marble, fixed to the wall, is the following inscription, viz. To the memory of Joseph Brooks, Esq. who died the I ith of February 1788, in the eighty-second year of his age, en- dowed by nature with, an excellent understanding, and favour- ed by Providence with an ample fortune, he declined the gra- tifications of luxury, and the pursuits of ambition, and em- ployed his time and talents in active exertions for the welfare of the town of Liverpool, particularly to the relief and com- fort of the poor . His surviving relatives placed this monument here, as a testimony of their respect to his character, the gratitude of thofe who experienced his charities will give him more honour- able praise. In addition to the buildings already described of the established church, are three Roman catholic chapels, one in Lumber-street, one in Sir Thomas's Buildings, and a third in Seel-street, there are also two methodist chapels, one in Pitt-street, applied to the use of a Benevolent Society, another is lately built on Martindale Hill ; in Byrom-street is a. hand - some chapel newly erected and well finished for ana- baptists i SEC. VI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 155 baptists ; there is a quaker's meeting in Hunter- street, and a newly erected Cal venist chapel in Oldahm- street, top of Renshaw- street ; Pitt-street has a Jew Synagogue, and in Bridgewater-street, will soon be built a chapel for divine service in the Welch lan- guage i a protestant chapel called St. Matthew's Church, is repairing in Key-street, which was for- merly a dissenting meesing house. A quakers meeting was formerly the west side of Hackin's Hay, and a methodist meeting near the top of Pitt- street, on the right-hand. SECTION 1^6 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VII, SECTION VII. Public Buildings, Erected by Charitable Contributions. A HE benevolent intention of the Liverpool cha- rities have more claim to notice, than the different edifices which are applied to their use, they are not however undeserving description, and will therefore have a place in this history, together with an ac- count of their several institutions, and the success- ful progress of their different establishments. The Puplic Infirmary. This building is situate on a healthy, open, and pleasant spot, the top of Shaw's Brow, it is a neat brick building, ornamented with stone ; it consists of three stories, with large wards for the reception of patients, and other necessary apartments j this building, by means of handsome colonades, connects with two large wings, inclosing a spacious area, by means of an elegant iron gate and railing, with which they unite j on the top of the building is a large well finished turret, and in the middle of the pediment a good clock ; a large useful garden wall- ed round, and kept in good order, supplies the patients with esculent and physical plants ; the whole fabric has some pretensions to external magnificence, extending SEC. VII. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. I57 extending in front about one hundred and twenty yards, and in depth, one hundred and ninety, in- closing about twenty-two thousand eight hundred square yards, The design of this infirmary was first formed in the year 1 745, when a subscription was opened by the principal inhabitants of Liverpool, and some neighbouring gentlemen, for erecting a building for the purpose, and a well situated field was given by the corporation for nine hundred and ninety-nine years; the building was compleated the latter end of the year 1748, and on the 15th March 1749, the house was opened for the admission of patients ; the first president was the Earl of Derby ; the in-patients were one hundred and twenty-two, the out-patients se- venty-two, and the expeness for the first year were five hundred nineteen pounds, fifteen shillings and three pence halfpenny. This establishment not only extends to all proper objects in the town of Liverpool, but to all manner of persons whom sickness or misfortune may lead to apply for assistance, provided their cases be such as come within the natu re and meaning of the institution, and are recommended by a subscriber, it contains about two hundred beds, and receives about fifteen hundred patients yearly, in addition to which a great number of out-patients are constantly relieved ; it continues to be supported by an annual subscription of the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood, subscribers of two guineas, recommend patients. Seaman's i58 history of liverpool. sec. vii. Seaman's Hospital. This hospital forms part of the external appear- ance of the infirmary, the two wings whereof are built and applied to this purpose ; the charity is in- tended for the maintenance of decayed seamen of the port of Liverpool, their wives and children ; it is principally supported by the monthly allowance of six pence, which every seaman sailing from the port, is by aft of parliament to pay out of his wages. The design for this hospital was first formed in the year 1 747, but not carried into execution until five years afterwards, when the commissioners thereof agreed with the trustees of the infirmary for the ground lying on the north side, on a lease of nine hundred and ninety-nine years, at the yearly rent of twenty pounds, and built the present pre- mises at the expense of about fifteen hundred pounds : this hospital is attached to the infirmary by a handsome colonade, whereby the two charities are united, and together compose a handsome build- ing, which cannot fail to attract the notice of the traveller on his entrance into the town. Blue-Coat Hospital. This Hospital is situate on the south side of St. Peter's church-yard, is in an airy good spot, it made its first appearance in the year 1709, under the name of a charity school, for providing forty boys and ten girls, with cloaths and learning/} it was then a small building erected by benefactions, and now part of the present Free School, in the year 17 14, Bryan Blundell, Esq. was chosen trustee, who subscrib- ed SEC. VII. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 1 59 ed 200I. towards the charity, became a great encou- rager of the undertaking, and promoted a subscrip- tion for erecting a building on a more extensive plan, that the children might live together, and in addition to education and cloathing, be furnished with all kinds of necessaries ; towards which, he built at his own expense sundry apartments on the south side of the school, which cost him more than 500I. his example was soon followed by many others, a subscription of 2000I. was soon filled up, whereby the scheme was completely executed in the year 1726, at which time the number of children was increased to sixty. Several benefactions and legacies followed this period, which enabled the trustees in the year 1734, to provide the children with cloaths, learning, lodg- ing, and provision, thjs increased the expenses of the school to 350I. per annum ; in the year 1 741, the number of children was increased to seventy, in this year fifty trustees and two auditors were appointed by decree in chancery, to annually adjust and to inspect the affairs of the charity, who are chosen the Monday after Christmas day. About this time the charity was enlarged by Mrs. Clayton, and Foster Cunliffe, Esq. who each left it a legacy of ioool. and in the year 1748, the number of children was one hundred, and the annual expenses nearly 700I but notwithstanding these expenses, the capital enabled the trustees to put out 5000I. on the corporarion security. The house is large and handsome, composed of brick, ornamented with stone, enclosed with an iron gate and railing, which unites with two large and l6o HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VII. and deep wings, the whole forming a spacious area, which leads to the principal front, in the pediment of which is a good clock ; on the entrance is a hall, or vestibule, and a large stair-case, leading to a convenient room, used as a chapel, and sometimes for other purposes; the apartments in general are numerous, convenient, and well designed, behind the buildings is a large commodious yard. There are in this school, seventy-nine orphan children, one hundred forty-three fatherless chil- dren, and fifty-eight, whose parents are in indigent circumstances, making in the whole, two hundred and eighty, of which number two hundred and thirty are boys, and the remaining fifty are girls; they are completely cloathed, lodged, and dieted, the boys are taught reading, writing, and arithme- tic, and those intended for sea, are instructed in navigation; the girls are taught reading, writing, sewing, spinning, knitting, and houswifry; all the children are at school one half the day, and work the other half, the boys are principally employed in making pins ; children are admitted into this hospi- tal at eight years of age, and put out apprentices at fourteen ; fifty trussees are appointed to this charity, twelve of whom make a board; they meet every quarter, viz. the first Monday after Lady-day, Mid- summer-day, Michaelmas-day, and Christmas-day. The expenses of this hospital in the year 1793, was 1871I. 4s. iod. to defray which it receives a certain annual income for rent of 214I. 15s. it is also benefited 56 il. by interest on money, there are also two hundred and thirty-one subscribers, whose annual contributions are 429I. 5s. 6d. these toge- ther SIC. VII. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. l6l ther amounts to 1205I. os. 6d. whereby a deficiency appears of 666J. 4s. 4d. but such deficiency was in that year amply supplied by benefactions, sponta- neous contributions, &c. and such is the solicitude of the people of Liverpool to the support of the establishment, that impediments are seldom made to the progress of the institution, by reason of any defalcations in the annual revenue. The Poor, or Workhouse. The first erection for this purpose in Liverpool was in College-lane, the corner next Hanover-street, which proving too small for the reception of the in- creasing poor, a new one has been built at the east end of the town, the upper end of Brownlow-hill- lane ; it is a handsome edifice,* but in a plain stile, suitable to its use ; the principal body of the build- ing consists- of four stories in the front, below is a hall, ninety feet long and twenty-four wide, con- taining three ranges of tables, capable of dining four hundred persons at one time, over this are two heights of rooms for spinning and other kind of work ; in the left wing is a spacious well finished room for the committee, proper apartments for overseers, and other persons employed to superin- tend the affairs of the house; behind, and a little detached from the main body of the building, are two large wings, consisting each of three covered ways, leading to twentv-four apartments, each of which has three rooms that conveniently hold eight persons, in addition to which, is the conveniency of a spacious area, which lies open to the west, the L whole * Great part of this building was destroyed by fire, while this sheet was printing. l62 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VII. whole is neatly and conveniently finished, at the ex- pense of about 8000I. It appears by the last return of the accounts, that the town has been greatly benefited by the attention of the present treasurer*, to the domestic economy of the house, insomuch, that the expenditure of the years 1792 and 1793, has proved so much less than that of the two preceding years, as to admit a reduction of sixpence in the pound of the parish rate, the following is a statement of the charges for the incidental support of the poor for the four last years. . s. d. . s. d. 1790 1,0022 14 o 1791 1,1035 19 r 1792 7232 11 5 1793 8130 8 2 2790 2 7 2 95 IO 1X Whereby it is seen that the average reduction of the workhouse expenses for the two last years, is a- bout 2848I. notwithstanding which there were, on the 25th of March 1794, in the house, eleven hun- dred and ninety-seven paupers, which is thirty- three more than have been at any time since the year 1782. Alms Houses. These endowments are few, and those few, in- differentlv supported : the most ancient building of this kind was in Dale-street, and vested in the corporation, * Mr. William Holiday. SEC. VII. HISTORV OF LIVERPOOL* I63 corporation, but no traces are discovered of the person who gave the charity, nor what monies, or other property, was given for the use of the inha- bitants, or repairs of the buildings, which therefore finally decaying, were exchanged for new ones, built in the year 1748, at the Fall well; towards Which erection Mr. Edward Tatlock by will gave something, but whether in land or money, is not known, the same gentleman also bequeathed iool. in money, the interest thereof to be applied to the repairs of the said houses. In the year 1692 Dr. Silvester Richmond gave iool. to erect alms-houses on Shaws Brow, for poor sailors' widows, and in 1 706 Mrs. Sarah Richmond gave 50I. for repairing the same* In 1723 Mr. John Scardsbrick gave 70I. towards completing them, and in 1 706, Mr. Richard War brick vested 1 20I. in the corporation of Liverpool for building alms houses for poor sailors' widows in Hanover- street, and the interest of 30I for repairing ihem ; in addition to which he also gave two houses in Castle-street, and two houses in Moor-street, to- wards the support of such poor women as should hereafter inhabit them. The alms houses formerly erected at Shaws Brow have lately been removed, and in their stead new houses have been built, almost adjoining the workhouse, on a more extended plan, they have a very neat appearance, terminated at each extre- mity by two small wings, in the front is a neat area, and the whole, is a very comfortable receptacle for such indigent persons whose condition of life may compel them to the necessity of partaking of its be- nefits. L 2 Such 164 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VII. Such are the principal, and indeed the only en- dowments of the kind in the town of Liverpool, nor are there many legacies, or bequests to charitable uses of a similar kind ; Mrs. Ann Molyneux in 1728, bequeathed 500I. for sailors' widows inha- biting alms houses, and for relieving debtors in the borough jail, with which money five fields, known by the name of the Rectors Fields, were purchased near Moss Lake, and several other smaller legacies for the said purposes, have been given, but, the amount of all the monies bequeathed for the build- ing alms houses, and for their support, together with bequests for charitable uses, has since the year 1692, amounted to no more than *64ol.-f- The Dispensary. The building erected for this laudable purpose is in Church-street, near St. Peter's church, it is a decent, eligible ,brick fabric, with a conveni- ent circular portico, in the front is a small bass- relief of the good Samaritan, well executed, but it is placed too high to gratify the inspecting eye of the observer. This charity is conducted by a president, two auditors, and seven physicians, together with three surgeons, and one apothecary, who officiates as secretary. The proper objects of the Dispensary are such poor, who are admitted on the recom- mendation of the magistrates, the clergy, the church- f- This report is not to be understood as extending to the benefactions which have from time to time arisen, for the support of soiling charities, but to en- dowments only. SEC. VII. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. l6$ church-wardens, the parish committee, and on that of any subscriber. The directors of this charity, judiciously dis- criminate the objects recommended for relief, and therefore never admit any person who is able to pay for medicines, nor are domestic servants visit- ed at the houses of their masters or mistresses. Two physicians attend every day, Sunday ex- cepted, one at nine, and another at eleven, a sur- geon also attends at ten in the morning, one of these, or the apothecary, regularly visits such sick poor at their own dwellings, as cannot come to the Dispensary, and one- of the surgeons occasionally assists the parish midwives, when requested. There is no charity in Liverpool that does greater honour to the feelings of the inhabitants than the Dispensary, there are 400 subscribers, whose an- nual contributions amount com-annis, to 500I. in addition to which it receives the collections of several societies, and frequent benefactions and le- gacies, whereby it is enabled not only to support the accessary demands of the charity, but also to have a yearly balance remaining in the hands of the treasurer. There cannot be a greater proof of the utility of this establishment to the town, and the relief it has given, and still continues to give to the afflict- ed indigent, than the number which have been an- nually benefited since its institution in the year 1 778 ; it appears from an accurate statement, that 172,2*73 persons have been cured of almost every disorder l66 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VII. disorder incident to human nature, from 1778 to 1794, being on the average 10767 diseased and afr flicted objects every year. Asylum for the Indigent Blind. If there is a state of human wretchedness de- serving commiseration, it is that of blindness, united with poverty : without the ability, or the means of obtaining instruction in such mechanical labour, as shall in some small degree, contribute to give them bread, they are either condemned to walk the streets during life, supplicating alms, or else to be supported by the several parishes to which they belong. An institution therefore, to rescue this unfortu- nate people from a state of misery, to which they may otherwise be condemned during life, while it reflects the highest honour on the projector,^ claims the strongest appeal to the feelings of the affluent, for contributions, to support, encourage, and bring to perfection the original design of the author. The number of subscribers is now up-r wards of six hundred, the average return sincA^he first establishment in the year 1 790, to the 4m of January 1 794, is notwithstanding very small, hav- ing not exceeded 300I. a year ; this sum however, together with several partial benefactions and church collections, has been nearly sufficient to support the undertaking to the above period. This + The Rev. Henry Dannett, minister of St. Johns, who many months sup- ported this charity after its first establishment, and to whom the present success of the plan is principally indebted. SEC. VII. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 167 This charity is directed by a president, vice-pre- sident, treasurer, sixteen committee-men, two au- ditors, and four visitors. Two houses in Commu- tation-row, are at present engaged for the purpose, but the number of persons now received being up- wards of forty, there is not sufficient conveniency to carry on the different manufactures in which they are severally employed, it is therefore the intention of the directors to build a plain edifice, consisting of a sale-room, work- shop, ware-rooms, and other necessary apartments, for conducting the whole with ease and propriety ; their present fund for this pur- pose is about 300I. and as the corporation of Liver- pool has promised them a piece of ground, it is not to be doubted that the inhabitants will follow the benevolent example, and speedily contribute suffi- cient to compleat the undertaking. This establishment is on a principle different from that of any other in the kingdom, the blind are neither fed nor lodged, they receive bread and beer every Sunday, and the rooms have good fires, it is a sort of manufactory, where every person is paid in proportion to his labour, with this distinc- tion, that masters are employed to teach them at the charge of the charity, and the several goods so manufactured, are afterwards sold to the best ad- vantage, this greatly lessens the parish expenses, which would otherwise cause an advance on the different taxes imposed on the inhabitants for the support of the poor. The employment of these unfortunate people was originally whip making, which they manu- factured equal in neatness and strength to any in the l68 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC VII.- .the kingdom, but the small demand for this article induced the managers some time since, to discon- tinue the making them, and in their stead to em- ploy the blind in the following different occupati- ons, viz. the men in weaving lobby cloths, which are most excellent, they also make rope bears, points and gaskets, they also draw yarn for rope bears, spin yarn, make baskets and hampers, and weave window and clock lines ; the women make mops, spin yarn for sail cloth, for linen cloth, and for window and clock lines, many of them are taught the harpsichord to qualify them for organists. The whole is conducted with regularity and huma- nity, and great attention is given to the morals* happiness, and comfort, of the persons employed. Benevolent Society. This is a modern institution, originally promoted by some well-disposed persons, for the purposes of relieving such unfortunate people, whose condition in life might demand their assistance, and that were too far distant from their own parish or friends, to receive any benefits from their bounties ; in order the more effectually to discover proper objects, a cer- tain number of the society are appointed visitors, who frequently visit cellars, garrets, and such ob- scure lodgings as they think may contain objects deserving their charity, who always are relieved by money, or such other necessaries of which they may appear to be most in need. The number of subscribers to this charity is small, not exceeding one hundred, which with some occasional collections at chapels, made the whole SEC. VII. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 169 whole receipts in the year 1793, about 12CI. of which 105I. had been distributed to proper objects ; the subscriptions have since that time considerbly advanced, and it is sincerely to be wished that such encouragement may be given to the institution as the humanity of the intention appears to demand. Institution for recovering persnos appa- rently DROWNED. This humane society was established October 1775, at the charge of the corporation, who give for each person recovered one guinea, and for each unsuccessful case half a guinea, to those who as- sist in taking up the bodies. Since the com- mencement of this institution three hundred and ninety-seven persons apparently drowned have been taken up, of whom two hundred and eighty-five have been recovered. The Marine Society Was instituted in 1789, for the benefit of the widows of deceased masters of vessels of the port of Liverpool, this society consists of a great num- ber of members, who on entrance pay two guineas, and half-a-guinea a quarter. The widows of deceased masters of vessels are entitled to twenty shilings a month during life, provided their husbands have regularly paid the quarterly half-guinea three years. This institution is conducted by a president, vice-president, a com- mittee of ten gentlemen, and a secretary. SECTION 17 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VIII. SECTION VIII. Buildings and Institutions for Amusement and Recreation. Establishments for the encouragement of sci- ence, the accommodation of the literati, and pro- motion of genius, are for the most part the leading inquiry of the sentimental traveller, nor has it been thought less deserving the notice of the generality of historians, who for the most part, draw their con- clusions of the manners, taste, and genius of a peo- ple, from the attachment they discover in them to the cultivation of the polite arts. I would there- fore, in conformance to authors of superior abili- lities, introduce my observations on the buildings and institutions for that purpose in the town of Li- verpool ; but alas ! the prospect affords nothing but a wild barren waste : Science not only appears inimical to the soil, but even undeserving the cul- tivation of the inhabitants, for after much inquiry, there is nothing to reward the curiosity, or gratify the search of the literati, but a large room filled with books, which is called, The Public Library. This solitary tribute to erudition is conducted by a president SEC. VIII. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. Iyi president and committee, annually chosen for certain purposes, and every subscriber pays five guineas on admission, and a stipulated yearly subscription, for which the books are allowed to be read on terms regulated by the said president and council. Some years since, an academy for drawing and painting, was attempted in a room over this library, wherein it was also purposed to deliver occasional lectures on anatomy, perspective, architecture, paint- ing, &c. which was not only to have been supplied with proper subjects, instruments, drawings, &c, but premiums were to have been given as a reward to superior merit ; the attempt however proved the mere phantom of the day, the judicious few, found a very weak support from a body of people, whose inclinations could not be influenced to encourage the promotion of sciences, for which their original education could not be supposed to give them either feeling or taste. An attempt was also made a few years since, to establish an academy, somewhat on the principle. of that at Portsmouth, for the encouragement of ma- thematical learning, particularly navigation and astronomy ; the intention of this academy was to have given invitation to men of proved abilities to settle among them, to whom handsome salaries were to have been given for compleating such of the sons of persons of the first condition in the town in these sciences, who had passed the common forms of school learning, and were intended for the sea, or for commerce , the former were not only to be com- pleated in the knowledge of navigation in the cus- tomary forms, but the fundamental principles were to 172 HISTOBY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VIII. to have been demonstrated in so ample a manner, that should accident deprive the master of a vessel of the assistance of the common printed books > he might be able to make good his reckonings from astronomical observations : Those intended for com- merce were also to have been instructed in the know- ledge of books, and other essentials to the count- ing-house, somewhat on the plan of the late inge- nious Mr. Postlethwaite ; for this most laudable purpose, a large observatory was actually erected ; in a little time it became totally neglected, and the whole fabric in a few years was a heap of ruins, of which a cellar and some small vestiges of the foundation are now to be seen in Hope-street. Theatre. The Old Theatre was situated on the east side of Drury-lane, now used as a warehouse -, the present building is on the east side of Williamson-square, it was finished and opened in the year 1772, and cost about 6000I. it was built by the subscription of thirty gentlemen, who receive for their respective shares five per cent, and a ticket entitling the bearer to every night performance in any part of the house. The inside is large and commodious, the ornamen- tal architecture and scenery elegant, the stage spa- cious, and the whole well constructed to convey the voice intelligibly to the auditors ; it is a good brick building, plain on the outside, has the king's arms well executed in the front pediment, and a large handsome portio affords a convenient shelter to the company on the approach to the several avenues of the house, and is in every respect as complete a Theatre SEC. VIII. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 173 Theatre as any out of the metropolis, and gene- rally supplied with a good set of comedians. Assembly-Room. This room has been already described*, there is therefore little to add, but that the meetings are generally from October to April, twice in the month, the whole is supported by subscription, re- gulated by a master of ceremonies. The Public Baths. These baths are situate at the end of the north quay, close on the banks of the Mersey, they have been in reputation many years, and were formerly private property, but the corporation of Liverpool, ever studious to advance the interest of the town, and knowing they were capable of great improve- ment, purchased the whole for about 4000I. with the resolution of embellishing and making large alterations in the original plan. For this purpose at more than the additional ex- pense of ioool. they are rendered as commodious, safe, and elegant, as any of the kind in England, and have all the advantages of the salubrity of the salt-water, without exposing the bather to public view ; the entrance to these baths is by a neat fa- cade, or screen, exhibiting five rusticated doors, that on the left wing leads to the Gentlemen's Bath, that on the right to the Ladies'. On * Page 96. 174 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VIII, On entering the Gentlemen's Bath, yoti pass a Heat paved avenue, which by a private door, leads to the main river, wherein such as are inclined may conveniently bathe, there being a good flight of steps that go to the bottom of the water, which is gravelled and rendered smooth for that purpose ; by these means a person may bathe at such height of the tides as he may be inclined, and for the conve- nience of those who are disposed to bathe at all times, carts are provided on the construction and manner of those used at Brighthelmstone, and other places ; such are the accommodations on the main river, but the private baths to which you advance by descending a few stone steps, are rendered not only secure, but private and eligible, to such as are disposed to bathe umeen, for which purpose there are six partitioned baths, or closets, with handsome doors, which may be fastened on the inside, whereby a person may be concealed from any of the company in the common bath, with which it connects by means of a small aperture, through which you may pass to the public bath if so inclined, or if disposed to be private, may be perfectly so, by means of a screen, so contrived as to exclude all communication with the rest of the bathers. Those who are immediately disposed for the pub- lic bath, will find, contiguous to the before-men- tioned, a large square reservoir of water, enclosed by high walls, which render it at once private and secure ; these walls imitating stone, give a cool, neat appearance to the whole : the entrance to this common bath is by stone steps, which go to the bot- tom, whereby you may descend to what depth you please, which is marked for six, but seldom rises above SEC. VIII. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 175 above five feet ; here, under a sort of covered way, or piazza, are three handsome rooms, with fire- places, well matted, and furnished with chairs, ta- bles, &c. which are intended for dressing rooms, and are very conveniently situated for that purpose. The Ladies' Bath, being an exact counterpart of what has been already described, needs no explanation. BoLTON-STREET BATHS. These baths consist of a small plain brick build- ing, connected with, and supplied by the pumps of a cotton manufactory, the building is divided into two departments, in one of them is the gentle- men's bath, which has a small dressing-room and fire-place common to all ; contiguous to this room, are four divisions, in each of which is a small bath, lined with lead, these are called the private baths, and with difficulty will hold one person, these baths are ingeniously supplied with either hot, or cold water, in a few minutes, by turning a cock, and emptied with equal facility, adjoining is a large pub- lic cold bath, covered by a sky-light, in form of a dome or cupola. On the ladies' side are also four private baths, on the same principle as those already described, and a large public hot bath, there being no public cold bath for the ladies, unless they should be disposed to amuse themselves in that of the gentlemen. These baths are constructed and filled on a plain simple principle, by means of the steam engine used for the cotton work, which speedily pumps sufficient water to fill the large cold bath, or supply the smaller, to which it is conveyed by subterrane- ous I76 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VIII, ous pipes, a large boiler is also fixed, which is al- ways filled with warm water, and bynneans of cocks fixed in the small baths, fills them in a minute to any temperature the bather may require ; the build- ing upon the whole is neat, but the plan is open to many objections, it may however answer the pur- poses of some few persons, but it would be an in- sult on propriety to compare them to the baths be- fore-mentioned. The Music Hall, Is a plain brick building, has nothing outwardly to recommend it to notice, the princinr' entrance is from Bold-street, where company is sheltered by a portio supported by four columns on pedestals, the principal door leads to a hall, or * estibule, from whence by a double flight of staff*-" those who are inclined for the galleries have aPrrffly conveyance, on the right and left ; beneath is :*'loor immediate- ly facing the orchestre, which 1 is large, well de- signed, and enclosed with a neat iron screen or railling, in the centre thereof is placed the desk for the leader of the band, above which rise four rows of seats, with sufficient desks for a great number of performers, the whole is terminated by a large hand- some organ. The room is large and lofty, the ^gallery is sup- ported by three slender columns, and contains a double row of seats, each row having fifteen benches, ornamented with neat cut glass chande- liers, suspended from a small stucco ornament in the ceiling ; at the front of the gallery is a neat and prettily designed balustrade, similar to that already described SEC. VIII. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. I77 described at the front of the rchestre, beneath this gallery on the principal floor are elevated benches, five deep, which arrange on each side the building, quite up to the abutment or screen, which supports the face of the orchestre, in the centre is a further accommodation of seats, consisting of fifteen benches formed as a sort of pit, all of them are very hand- somely covered with green cloth ; from a large cir- cular ornament in the centre of the ceiling is sus- pended a large and capital cut glass chandelier, in addition to which are four elegantly cut glass lus- tres ; the room consequently when lighted has a brilliant and pleasing effect. There are twelve concepts in the year, and a fes- tival of music once in three years : the subscription to the concerts^ is two guineas a year, for which each subscriber ! three tickets, viz. one for his own use, and to ~->r the admission of ladies, or minor children, a lady may subscribe for one ticket in her ow. name, paying one guinea per annum. The New Jail. Under the class of buildings of public amuse- ment and recreation, this building may be thought improperly introduced j the fact may be admitted, but as the inhabitants appear to consider it as a most important erection, it may be thought a trespass on propriety not to notice it among other public build- ings. This temple of the goddess Laverna, is situated at the northern extremity of the town, where it rises in all the glare of ostentatious majesty ; a stranger on being informed it is the common jail, M must 178 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. VIII. must be immediately prejudiced by a very indif- ferent opinion of the honesty, or reputed wealth of a place which requires a building for the reception of villany and insolvency, that covers more than twice the ground, and contains more than twice the number of cells and domitories than the pri- son of Newgate, and on fair calculation will . hold more than half the inhabitants of Liverpool. It is the remark of a French wit-f , " that a pri- " son always looks best on the outside,' 1 this idea seems to have influenced the corporation, when building this receptacle for the unfortunate, for such is the external appearance, that a distant view indicates a magnificent castle, or had embrasures been made in the walls, it might have been mista- ken for a Citadel, the pile is enormous, the mate- rials of which it is composed would build a village. An impartial observer must be divided in opinion, whether it is more deserving of ridicule, or repro- bation; the rage of building, and almost general renovation of cities and towns which now evidently influences the whole kingdom, can alone reconcile the necessity of this new erection, while so many places of confinement had been many years in the town, and are still sufficient to receive delinquents. SECTION f Scvron, SEC. IX. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. ,179 SECTION IX. Of the Manufactories, Public Markets, &c. Manufactories. Jl his town gives little invitation to the establish- ing manufactories, some have notwithstanding been attempted. A saltwork has many years been suc- cessfully pursued at the south-west end of the town, which is said to produce salt of a very excellent quality, but having been long found a great nui- sance to the inhabitants, the corporation has settled terms with the proprietors, who will therefore in a short time remove the works to Garston, about four miles from town ; there are also many houses for the cure of red-herring ; one glasshouse ; three cotton manufactories three iron founderies, and many sugarbakers, who annually make large quantities of loaf sugar, both for home consumption and for ex- portation ; roperies are in various parts of the town, which find constant employment, not only for the supply of shipping, but for exportation ; over one of these roperies is a bridge, for the more readily passing of carriages, &c. to the Music-Hail in Bold-street, to which it is contiguous. There M 2 are l8o HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL SEC. IX. are also several oil works, and a tide mill, a small distance south of the town, that works by water, which it incloses at every tide of flood, many slips for building vessels are on the north and south ex- tremities of the town, from which not only many capital merchant ships have been launched, but several good ships of war, these ships, together with the several graving docks, &c. are said to give em- ployment to upwards of three thousand shipwrights, there are also in the vicinity of the town a great number of windmills for grinding corn, colour, dyers wood, &c. The Public Market. There is no established flesh market in this town, that which is at the upper end of Pool- lane, appears to be the principal, having two sets of stationed shambles, besides a great number of settled shops; there are also shambles for a public market behind the 'change, which will probably be removed from its present situation to form an area at the back of the newly erected mansion house ; there is also a set of shambles in the centre of Cleveland-square, to the great annoyance of a decent range of houses, while many places in its neighbourhood, equally eligible, might have been applied to the purpose. The pre- s t extent of the town seems to require a flesh market in the neighbourhood of the Haymarket, which would be found very convenient to the in- habitants of the adjacent parts. The principal support of the markets of Liver- pool is from Ireland, Wales, and from the Isle of Man, from the former, great quantities of horned cattle SEC. IX. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. l8l cattle are imported alive, together with swine, ba- con, and butter; the Isle of Man, Anglesey, many parts of North-Wales, and Cheshire, send a great number of live poultry of all sorts, eggs innumera- ble, and large quantities of fresh butter in small pans, or crocks, intended for immediate use, this butter is not so salt as that from Ireland, being sometimes not a week old ; a most iniquitous use is often made of this butter, it is washed, beat up, made into pounds, and printed at the top, in imitation of fresh butter, for which it is frequently sold, these deceptions are sometimes discovered, but the magistrates are generally too lenient in their punishment, to prevent a continuance of the im- position. The demand for beef, live sheep, and pigs, for supply of the shipping is here very great, and con- sequently advances the price to the inhabitants, poultry of all kinds is frequently in great demand for the same purpose, the beef though not large is for the most part of the ox, and in general not to be exceeded in flavour and fatness in any part of England, there is a pretty breed of sheep in many parts of Lancashire, with black faces, and feet, that afford most excellent mutton, the market is also plentifully supplied from Derbyshire, and North Wales, with sheep that yield to none in good- ness and flavour; veal is fine and well-tasted, but not in general so white as in many other parts of the kingdom ; the butchers however, to the ho- nour of Liverpool, do not use the filthy custom of blowing the meat when hot, to inflate the fat and juices with the stinking breath of the operator, a practice too general in London, and many other parts 182 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. IX. parts of the kingdom ; pork is in general pretty- good, but the large country sort sold in the open market is firmer, whiter, and better flavour- ed, than what is killed in town, and sold at the shambles. These markets for the most part pro- duce every thing for the luxuries and conveniencies of life, equal to that of any other town in the kingdom. There is no part of England can shew a better green market, nor more abundantly supplied with every excellent vegetable, asparagus excepted, which is neither good nor cheap, abundance of flowers made up into small bouquets, which the in- habitants call poseys, are brought to this market, which is also in the season, filled with native and exotic fruits j great attention is given to the securi- ty of the inhabitants, while at these markets, all carriages being then prevented passing through them by means of temporary chains extended cross the streets, and every care and regulation ap- pears to have been established for their benefit, but notwithstanding there is a clerk of the market for that purpose, the corporation is for the most part too lenient in punishing abuses, and the clerk too indulgent in omitting to represent trespasses, that require reformation. The Fish Market. This market is conveniently situated near the ri- ver, the south end of St. Georges Dock, it is an oblong building ninety feet by thirty, covered by a good roof, whereon is a small turret, which would have been greatly improved by the addition of a clock SEC. IX. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL* 183 clock, the whole is supported by twenty-two pillars, and commodiously formed to secure both venders and purchasers from rain, and inclemency of wea- ther, proper bulks, stalls lined with lead, a pump, and other conveniences are erected for exposing fish for sale to the best advantage, but with all these external benefits ro the buyer and seller, there is perhaps nothing in the town of Liverpool that de- mands a more serious reform, a clerk of the market is appointed, but the office seems to be a mere si- necure, the sellers on the arrival of the fish, gene- rally make the price too exorbitant for the purchase of the mediocrity, by which means the fish often remains on hand until it is putrified and unwhole- some. Was all fish in this state to be publickly burned, or condemned for manure, it would induce the venders to sell at a moderate price, for it is sel- dom from defect of quantity that the price is held up, but from a policy they pursue, of concealing, and often destroying the greater part of what is brought to market, and exposing a little at a time for sale, thereby creating an apparent scarcity in the midst of plenty. There is a corn market-}- every Saturday at the up- per end of Castle-street, near the exchange, where many farmers stand with samples ; there is also a good market for hay and straw near St. John's church. The fairs in this town are three, one on the 25th of July, another on the nth of Novem- ber, these two fairs are too inconsiderable to de- serve the name, consisting only of a few standings for + It is in contemplation to build a convenient and dry corn market on somr part of St. George's quay, contiguous to the filhmarket. 154 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. IX. for toys, and other small articles, booths and public shews being seldom permitted ; the other fair is called Richmond fair, which is held four times in the year, the back of Richmond-street, St. Ann's, this is a very great fair, much frequented by the in- habitants and the neighbourhood of the town, it is well supplied by dealers from distant parts, with woollens, linens, and all articles for wearing appa- rel, particularly muslins, which are often bought at these fairs very cheap, for the greater convenien- cy of the dealers and accommodation of the pur- chasers, there is a large building called the woollen- hall, wherein is a great number of shops, that are generally well filled with a plentiful variety of arti- cles for the accommodation of their customers, this fair lasts many days, contributing to the profit of the dealers and amusement of the inhabitants. Plenitude and variety not only manifest them- selves in the public markets but in the houses for the accommodation of inhabitant and stranger; no town in England affords greater invitation to entertainment and amusement, a stranger cannot be wanting of refreshment, plenty of liquors, and good usage,where every seventh house-}- is open for his reception, there is an elegant hotel at the bottom of Lord-Street, frequented by the principal persons in the town, in this hotel J there is a subscription- room, where all the London papers are dailv read by f The number of houses inhabited in the year 1793, was about eight thou- sand four hundred, and it appc;rs m the books- of the excise office, that upwards of one thousand two hundred houses had licences, which is one seventh part of the inhabited houses in Liverpool. J Notwithstanding the excellent accommodations at this hotel, such is the influenza for public erections, and increasing the houses of entertainment, that a capital hotel is now building in Cajtle-street, at the charge of the corporation, on a most extensive scale, and by an estimate given will amount to upwards of 8000I. SEC. IX. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 183 by those who are inclined to pay one guinea as an annual subscription, the house is a plain brick dwelling, spacious and convenient, but has nothing to recommend it outwardly to particular notice, or description ; there are also other su bscription roOms frequented by very genteel company, in addition to these are several taverns, which are well calculated for the convenience of private parties, and have excellent beds and very good accommodation for guests, many houses under the denomination of coffee-houses are in different parts of the town, where the mediocrity find good accommodation at a moderate expense, all these houses are generally plentifully supplied with company ; almost every man in Liverpool is a scavoir vivre, and he who cannot drink claret will drink ale ; the devotion of the lower order of people to these Bacchanalian or- gia, is such, as to give employment to upwards of thirty-seven large and extensive ale breweries, in addition to which, a large and capital porter brewe- ry has lately been erected between Byrom-street and Scotland-road, the attempt has fully answered the expectation of the proprietors, the water having been found well adapted to the purpose, and to have produced porter in flavour and quality equal to any in England ; , this brewery gives a convenient and ready supply, not only to the town and cir- cumjacent country, but large quantities are con- stantly shipping to Ireland, and other parts. There are many inns in this town, which are well fitted up, have plenty of good beds and every other accommodation for the traveller, from these inns conveyances are readily had, to and from almost every part of England, exclusive of post-chaises, which l86 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. IX. which are numerous and genteel, there is a mail coach to London and another to York, a post coach to Oxford and London through Birmingham, a coach to Birmingham through Stafford and Wol- verhampton, four coaches to Manchester through Warrington, one diligence to Manchester, one coach to Lancaster, four coaches and two diligen- ces to the Dukes boat, one coach to Hull through Leeds and York, and or ach to Bristol and Bath ; there are also waggons from London, Man- chester, Birmingham, on, Rochdale, Filde, Prescot, Warrington, Oihiskirk, Chester, York, Hull, Scarborough, Lancaster, and many other parts, and for the conveniency of the inhabitants there are a great number of elegant hackney coaches and sedan-chairs, which apply in many parts of the town at very moderate fairs. On a retrospect to the general buildings, im- provements, &c. mentioned in the two last sections, and the observations on the present, the whole seems but the work of yesterday, the condition of the town at the beginning of this century was mean and contemptible, two churches-}- were then suffici- ent for the inhabitants, the marine traffic was very limited, and manufactories unknown, a small silk work excepted ; the mind on a general survey is not readily reconciled to the cause, which has in so few years advanced the town and inhabitants to the present wealthy and flourishing appearance j, about sixty years have altered the face of all things; in the year 1730 the trade began to advance, it appears by f- St. Nicholas and St. Peter. X The cause is clearly assigned in the tenth section. SEC. IX. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 187 by the customhouse clearances, that one hundred and sixty-six ships then belonged to this port-f*, fifteen of which sailed the first time for Africa J, the united burthen of these vessels was nine thousand seven hundred and sixty-six tons, one solitary dock was only then existing, and that recently corn- pleated, there was no exchange, but a common courthouse, no public building but a small charity school, wtiich found '; ult support for the edu- cation of only sixty r ^j s t j n , the lands to the south of the old dock were marP rly open, seven streets]] covered the whole tow nc , and those narrow, mean, and dirty, there was onh one inn of any estimation for the accommodation of strangers, no stage coach came nearer than Warrington, from whence the few passengers* from London were conveyed by horses, or occasional coaches, neither cart nor waggon was employed between this town and Man- chester, or other parts, every conveyance being at that time by pack-horses, and such persons as had occasion to go to Manchester) or other places, were obliged to go on horseback, post-chaises being then unknown. He was an opulent merchant who kept his chaise and one^f; frugal economy decked his table, he lived like Sir Balaam*, and a bottle of humble port was an occasional regale. Four hun- dred f In 1709 there were only eighty-four ships, the number therefore in twenty - one years increase J double. % A small vessel of about thirty tons sailed to the coast about the year 1 709, from which time to the year 1730, the attempts were so trifling as not to descrv notice. || There were some few small wints and heys, consisting of mere coftag-*, and a few straggling huts, to the southward of the Old Dock. The Golden Lion in Dale-street, the original house now standing. 51 There was one venerable antique chariot, the property of a principal inhabi *ant, which on particular days made its appearance. * " One standing dish his weekly meal affords, ** An added pudding solemnized the lord's." POPF. l88 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. IX. dred and twelve vessels from distant ports was the whole number which entered this year, whose united burthen was eighteen thousand and seventy- tons, or about forty tons to each vessel, a plain in- dication, that the greater majority were coasters* or from Ireland, in which trades the one hundred and sixty-six vessels which belonged to the port may be supposed at this time to be principally employed, whose burthen was nir tnV>usand seven hundred and sixty-six tons, tbi West-* India commerce, as well as that of Africa eing j at that time in its in- fancy. 4 Such was nearly the situation and condition of Liverpool about the year 1730, we then perceive it gradually to have increased in trade and extent of streets and houses to the year 1760; making a pe- riod of thirty years, in this interval two new churches-j~ gave additional beauty to the town, the exchange was erected, the public infirmary finish- ed, and the bluecoat hospital compleated in its present stile; the town at this period was so much enlarged as to have extended in Dale- street as far as Cheapside on the left, and on the right hand as far as Preston -street, but all beyond was open ground ; in Tythebarn-street it extended only to Key-street, all the interval from thence to the" pre- sent Vauxhall-road was open fields, Williamson- square had buildings only on the lower parts, the other three sides were not covered, Clayton-square had but one house, Church-street, and the streets leading south-eastward and north-eastward began to be covered, but all the lands beyond Richmond- street f St. George's and St. Tl.omas's in the year 1 750, SEC. IX. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 189 street* was entirely open, Duke-street was covered about two hundred yards, all the rest to the south- ward was open fields-f, adjoining Salthouse-yard was a large glasshouse which terminated the build- ings southward next the water, adjoining to which was then a handsome bowling green ; part of Pitt- street and Park-lane was then built, but all the lands from the water south and east were entirely open fields. The Old Dock at this time was greatly improved and cleared of a great many small huts and cotta- ges, which had long encumbered the quays, the trade of the town although much advanced did not yet promote the building of more than one addi- tional dock J, an embankment^ and bason was however made, and a regular quay compleated from where the north bason now is to the corner of the Old Dock, the vessels lying on the mud at low water ; the whole town however, about the end of this period began to wear the face of wealth and improvement, two hundred and twenty-six vessels in the year 1760 belonged to this port, whose united burthen was twenty-three thousand six hun- dred and sixty-five tons, which on average was one hundred and five tons to a vessel, being sixty-five tons more than in the year 1 730, of which num- ber seventy-four were for Africa, whereby it ap- pears * Leading from Paradise-street to Williamson-square. f There was at thij time a very prettv walk of trees, called the South Lady's Walk, which extended quite to the upper end of the present Dukc-strort, and at that time much frequented. t Salthouse Dock, recently finished. St. George's Dock was a few years afterward* compleated on this spot, Be- fore which time there were two large graving docks between the prcent draw- bridges leading to the dry dock, which nw form* a part it hence appears, that even at this time there were no vessels employed in the trade of any parts of the kingdom of that size. In the reign of Charles II. the face of our com- merce began to wear a pleasanter aspect, we began to feel the little advantages of a foreign trade, and our colonies were in some small degree peopled and cultivated, in this state of the nation an act of na- vigation was made for the security of our traffic, which required vessels of much greater burthen than had hitherto been employed during these pe- riods j it may be imagined, that Liverpool was not inattentive to partake of some part of the benefit of arising commerce, but her situation as before ob- served, was then thought too obscure to hope any advantages from a foreign intercourse, and her landed situation too extraneous to expect power, or assistance sufficient to rival London, Bristol, and other f See page 43. * Stow's History. | Clarendon's History. 200 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. 'other ports, more advantageously situated for the trade of those times ; her coasting trade must there- fore have still been her principal employment, for that to the colonies the latter end of the seventeenth century was undoubtedly very small, nor was it much increased the beginning of the present, indeed the whole kingdom in i688-f- had very little share of foreign commerce, for the tonage of all the ves- sels foreign and English, which then cleared from her ports was but one hundred and ninety thousand five hundred and fifty-three, of this number Liverpool could have had a very small portion, for in 1 709, her clearances of British and foreign ships amounted to no more than twelve thousand six hundred and thirty-six tons, or in proportion to that of Great Bri- tain as 1 to the decimal 22,888 ; (see table 14) of these clearances two hundred and seventy seven tons were the amount of all the foreign ships which then traded to her port, (see table 13) while that of all England was forty-five thousand six hundred and twenty-five tons, making the foreign trade of Li- verpool in proportion to the foreign trade of the whole kingdom, as 1 to the decimal 1 64,7 1 1 ; (see ta- ble 13) a clear evidence, that the foreign trade of Liverpool was then poor and trifling, nor could that on the Atlantic have been very great, for al- though three hundred and thirty-four vessels of twelve thousand six hundred and thirty-six tons cleared out in the above said year (see table 14) ; there belonged to the town only eighty-four ships of five thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven tons f In 1688 the foreign and British ships which cleared out of all England amounted only to one hundred and ninety thousand five hundred and fifty-three tons, (see Chalmers's Estimate.) SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 201 tons (see table 15); it may thence be inferred, that of the said three hundred and thirty-four vessels that cleared out, two hundred and fifty were coas- ters, the proportion therefore of the ultra marine trade of the town at this period, must have been only the forty secondth part of that of the whole kingdom j, nor indeed could more be expected from an obscure port, little known and less fre- quented. In this state must have been the commerce of LiverpooT th e beginning of the present century, contributi ng more to the support of the inhabitants tha n to trie increase of th eir fortunes ; their little attempts at the West-Indian and American markets were however in some small degrees successful, whereby the number of her shipping advanced, and from year to year she had a pleasing invitation to proceed from the encouragement she received to her little adventures; the neighbouring port of Bristol had given them an example they were still more solicitous than able to imitate, they saw their inability to rival it in such articles, as at that time made a Bristol consignment || acceptable to the white inhabitants of the islands, their proximity to Ire- land however, encouraged them to an exportation of provisions, and although in the article of dry goods \ In 1709 the clearances of British ships in all England, as given in Chal- me.s's Estimate, were two hundred and fony-threc thousand six hundred and ninety -three tons, and that of Liverpool five thousand seven hundred and eighty- seven to us, or as i to 42,095. In 1709 Liverpool had 84 ships, burthen 5789 tons^ 1716 113 8386 1723 131 . 8070 || Taunton ale, cyder, cheese, tripes, pickles, pease, groats, kicon, hams, wine in pints, rasbcrry and cherry brandy, raisins, currants, hatwell water, pipes, &c. which trifling as they appear always had a quick and good sale. 202 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. goods they were not then on a par with Bristol, they found they could procure from Scotland checks, handkerchiefs, and Osnaburghs, for the ordinary de- mands of the plantations, which together with some little apparel, and secondary articles, enabled them to freight a few vessels, and support an humble en- deavour at a small share of that lucrative trade, to which, as before observed, the inhabitants of Ame- rica and the West-Indies gave some little encou- ragement; Bristol notwithstanding these attempts, continued to find their German coarse goods were always preferred to the ordinary Scotch checks and Osnaburghs, which at this time filled the Liverpool invoice, moreover her proximity to the mackerel and pilchard fisheries, united with her other exports, continued to give her so much the balance of that commerce, as to enable her to settle factors at Ja- maica*, and the Windward Islands. In this restricted line of trade, Liverpool would perhaps have long continued, had not an incident in a short time arose, which began to fledge the carious pinions of her commerce ; the obscure and distressed town of Manchester, had long in vain, en- deavoured to secure the wretched inhabitants of a few straggling cottages from want, by the working a small number of looms gathered together on a spot, that had nothing but the external of human misery, to attract the commiserating eye of the transient passenger, her little attempts at checks and hand- kerchiefs which then employed her looms received but * These ports followed the example of London, and began to settle factors at the islands, while Liverpool at this time was compelled to dispose of her adventures by supercargoes, who were often obliged to sell their goods at a low advance on the invoice, to enable them to make their returns in the vessel which was frequently a great impediment to the sale of their goods. SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 203 but small encouragement from a nation, that from prejudice and partiality, had long refused to encou- rage the plaid and check of Scotland* ; Manches- ter had therefore recourse to the same policy which she saw had originally encouraged the looms of her northern neighbours, and in like manner applied the working her own to the cloathing of her inha- bitants, whose manufactures would not otherwise have yielded a profit sufficient to cover the naked- ness of the laboring artificer. Industry stimulated by necessity soon began to experience the advantages which arose from this attempt, the wearing of check presently became general in the whole town, women even of conditi- on made their visits in check aprons, and check neck handkerchiefs j some hearty partizans even wore check shirts, while men of every degree had check shirts, in addition to which, every article of bed and other furniture was check, nor did the fer- vency of this resolution abate at the year 1746, and even so high as the year 1750, the wives of the most opulent traders would visit in check aprons ; it is within memory, that this proceeding became a temporary exclusion of all foreign linens, except- ing for particular uses, and on particular occasions. Example and cheapness soon prevailed on the opi- nion of the lower order of people in Lancashire and the adjacent counties, to follow the fashion of their neighbours, to the great increase of the trade, and advantage of the town ; such were the manu- factures, and such the state of Manchester about the * The year 171 5, had caused the national prejudices of the English to be so great towards the general inhabitants of Scotland, that the wearer of any thing \ilte a plaid, or check, was thought disaffected to government. 204 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. the time that the dawn of commerce employed five thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven* tons of shipping in the town of Liverpool, and encourag- ed in a small degree the checks and Osnaburghs of the north to a West- India market : she therefore began to turn her thoughts to the manufacturing a small quantity of these articles for exportation, in which she conceived herself able to equal, and per- haps exceed the quality of those the merchants of Liverpool received from Scotland ; her labours soon became invigorated by hope, and ultimately encou- raged by success, her checks, stripes, Osnaburghs, and handkerchiefs, from their superior quality and cheapness, presently established such preference at the West-India market, that in a short time the Scotch, and every other manufactory of these ar- ticles, were obliged to yield to British superiority. The fortunate attempt of the Manchester looms presently strengthened the Liverpool commerce, to almost a monopoly of these coarse goods at the West-India market, the German, French, and Scotch, checks and Osnaburghs, were no longer pre- ferred, nor were the attempts of Ireland to a manu- facture of Osnaburgs more kindly encouraged: that part of the trade of Bristol, which had long been availed by these articles, hereby became entirely annihilated, while in consequence of these recent advantages we perceive, that Liverpool about the year 1720, had one hundred and thirty ships J at sea, belonging to her own port, and began to have the appearance of a town of commerce ; the en- couragement * Little more than twice the burthen of the ships employed in the time of Elizabeth, as before seen. J See table 15. SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 20$ couragement which arose to both places from this extended traffic, not only greatly advanced their con- dition, but increased the building and the property of the inhabitants to som little degree of respec- tability and credit, but as the consumption of these coarse staples was confined to the West-Indian and American plantations, for the cloathing of slaves, and the lower order of people ; the annual sales would not have proved sufficient to have created the fortunes of the adventurers, although they might, and did, contribute to afford them a gen- teel and profitable support. The benefits therefore which arose from this trade and connexion cannot be reconciled to the mind as the cause which enabled the town of Liverpool in the year 1730, not only to employ one hundred and sixty-six ships* in her commerce, but what is more extraordinary, to fit out fifteen ships to Africa, which before had been unable o make any suc- cessful attempts in that branch of trade, it is equal- ly difficult to reconcile to opinion, that from this connexion and effort only, the town of Manches- ter enlarged its buildings, increased the number of inhabitants, and wears the face of opulence and improvement of the present day ; the cause of the flourishing condition of both the towns will be seen to have originated from an incident sudden as un- expected, which not only encouraged the increase of the manufactures of Manchester to an extent that at once surprised and amazed the inhabitants, but to have advanced the exports of Liverpool to so great a degree as to have annually for many suc- ceeding * Sec tables 15 and 16. 206 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X, ceeding years paved the streets of both the towns with SILVER, strengthened the abilities of both Liverpool and Manchester to enlarge their under- takings, and to explore *he lucrative path which ul- timately led them to their present flourishing state of trade, respectability, and credit. The Cales company by reason of its charter had long had an exclusive claim to all the legal Spanish West-India trade, and therefore maintained the privilege of exporting all goods from Old Spain to the continent of Spanifh America, of these ex- ports the French and German looms had long af- forded a most ample supply, the exorbitant customs imposed on checks, stripes, Osnaburghs,andall other goods for the West-India market, in the ports of Old Spain, produced an immense annual revenue to that kingdom, those duties, in addition to a yearly tribute paid by the company to the king of Spain, increased the advance on the companies invoice, on the arrival of the goods at Vera-Cruz, Portobello, Mexico, Lima, Quito, and other settlements, up- wards of three hundred per cent, beyond what the inhabitants had been accustomed to pay when the trade was open. This aggravated charge under which the Spanish colonists had long groaned, made the price of goods so very exorbitant when they arrived at market, that they were almost beyond the purchase of the inhabitants ; the Spanish West-India traders in the neighbourhood of Jamaica therefore ventured at the risque of life and liberty*, to run down in pe- riaguas, * So jealous and severe was the court of Spain against every attempt to in- fringe this commerce, by reason of the great revenue, the legal intercourse pro- SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 207 riaguas, schooners, and large canoes, from the ha- vanna, Portobello, Carthagena, and many small ports and creeks on the main, to Jamaica, to en- deavour to buy these staple commodities at an in- ferior price ; in which they succeeded so much be- yond their expectation, as to find the goods not only cheaper, but greately superior to what they had been accustomed to purchase, this success so invigorated their future attempts, that they instantly burst open every barrier to this contraband trade, and speedily poured into the island of Jamaica immense quan- tities of dollars which increased the demand for Manchester goods to so great a degree, that fre- quently on departure of the Spaniards, there has not been a piece of three quarter check remaining for sale at the Kingston market. This species of smuggling produced to Liver- pool and Manchester, returns in actual specie, that at once surprised and gratified the most sanguine hopes of the inhabitants ; men of war, and mer- chantmen, seldom came to England without hav- ing many large bags of dollars as remittances, this branch of illicit commerce was in full vigour from about thdfear 1722, to the year 1740, but the re- monstrances from the court of Spain were so fre- quent, and the vigilance of the Spanish vessels so great about this time, that it annually weakened to the duced to the crown, that vessels called Guarda Costa, were constantly cruizing ia great numbers, not only between the south of Jamaca and the main, but at the mouth of the Gulph of Mexico, and to the south of Cuba ; the subjects of Spain detected in this trade were either condemned to death, or the mines of Potosi for life, and those of Great Britain to the gallies; the severe treatment which the crews of all English vessels received who approached towards the main, although no contraband goods should be found on board, was such as frequently demanded the attention of parliament, and the remonstrances of our ambassadors at the court of Spain, which were for the most part ineffectual. 208 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. the year 1 747-f , when very little success attended the attempts of either nation, from which time this great mart and origin of the fortunes of the traders of Manchefler and Liverpool gradually abated, and finally received a mortal wound, by the interposition of Mr. Grenville's never to be for- gotten bill I , for restricting the future connexions, or interference of the inhabitants of Jamaica, with any of the subjects of Spain in South America, or in the West-Indies. ^ Some weak traces of this traffic are still remain- a^A J ing, but too feeble and inefficacious to deserve at- tention -, by the superiority however of the Man- chester coarse goods, the traffic might notwithstand- ing have revived, had not government so frequent- ly mutilated and discouraged the attempt, it has however fortunately existed long enough to lay the foundations of the fortunes, and enabled the traders of Liverpool and Manchester to extend their ma- nufactures and commerce on their present enlarged scale. An approved and well-informed writer, makes this contraband trade to have annually vend- ed to the amount of one million and an half of British manufactured goods ; but could a regular return be made of the real quantity annually con- sumed f This may also in some degree be ascribed to a more prudent and liberal po- licy of the court of Spain towards its American dominions, and in proportion as the severity of the ancient regulations abated, the contraband trade has gradually lessened. X By this bill British men of war had orders to seize all foreign vessels found in the ports or our West-India islands, this was in reality converting our men of war into Guarda Costas for the king of Spain, and completely deterred Spanish vessels approaching any of the ports, or even creeks of Jamaica. Edwards in his history or the West-Indies, makes the annual vend of Bri- tish goods in this traffic one million and an half sterling, and four thousand tons ot shipping to have been employed in this trade only. SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 2.0$ sumed on the island, there is every reason to be- lieve, it must have augmented to nearly tv.o milli- ons sterling , but admitting the annual moderate consumption of only one million and an half, 500,0001. of this sum may be given to London, and i,ooo,oool.tothe town of Liverpool; the reason that two thirds of this sale are given to Liverpool, is, that the demand of her staples in this trade were greater than that of London, for as the exports of the latter, principally consisted of Britannias, Ghentings, China blues, platillas and garlix, their consumption was par- tially confined to the higher order of inhabitants, whereas the exports of Liverpool were general to the demands of every colour, state, and condition of people in all the Spanish settlements. This statement, which is rather in abatement, than in exaggeration of the real amount, makes the annual vend from this town r, 400,0001. cur- rency-^, and may lead to a discovery in what pro- portion Manchester and Liverpool were separately benefited by this traffic only, it is well known, that three quarter checks^ were at these times sold for fifteen pence currency per yard, it therefore follows, that 22,400,000 yards must have been sold to have amounted to one million four hundred thousand pounds currency. On these gross sales the factor's commission was nine|| one half per cent, or 133,0001. which makes the neat proceeds of the sale amount O to f- Exchange one hundred and forty per cent. X An average calculation is here made on the aggregate state of chicks, stripe*, and Osnaburghs. || Commission five per cent, storage three per cent, wharfage and Negro hire one per cent, and tax on trade half per cent, was the general chuge, but many of the Liverpool factors, instead of drawing commission, were at annual salaries, which must have increased the profits o' the adventurers much beyond the cal- culation here given. The account sales of any of the old Liverpool houses will bc-r sufficient t"s* timony to what is here advanced. 2IO HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. to 1,267,0001. currency. On remittance of this money five per cent, commission being drawn, the sum remitted* is 1,206,666!. the usual freight by men of war-f, was two per cent, which being de- ducted from the above, will make the nett money annually returned to the town of Liverpool 1,182,5331. currency, or 844,6671. sterling, from this contraband trade only. Such being the average annual return to the mer- chants of Liverpool, it becomes necessary to deduct the amount of the goods received from Manches- ter, from which these advantages have arisen : it has been already shewn, that twenty-two million four hundred thousand yards of these staple goods must have been sold to produce the return before given ; the manufacturer's prices for three quarter checks at this time is well known to have been seven pence halfpenny per ell|, or six pence sterling per yard, which amounts to 560,0001. to which adding n,20ol. freight and insurance, the nett profit re- turned to the coffers of Liverpool must have annu- ally been 273,4671. and the gross annual return to the town of Manchester 560,0001. for the first cost of the goods. What a mine ! what an annual inundation of wealth to the supplicating hands of indigence and seclusion ! * The sum remitted is nett 1,206, 6661. on which five per cent, commission being drawn, it will then amount to 60,3341. the two sums added make 1,267,0001. the amount of the nett proceeds of the sale f This is half per cent, more than by merchantmen, but in this case insurances were never made. % Checks, &c. were invoiced by the ell, and sold by the yard. 737 115,186,850 From this summary the annual returns made to ' this town during the eleven years before-mentioned may be readily discovered, and a probable con- clusion drawn of the annual influx of wealth from the year 1730H, to this present day, frOm this traffic only. These tables are formed from authentic documents, wherein not only the ships, but the names of the several owners are progressively indentifird, and the num- ber of negroes imported from each respective house. But as the publication of the real names of the parties concerned, might be construed an offence to proprie- ty, capital letters are substituted for real names; should any doubt be made of the truth of the return, any gentleman may peruse the original extracts, which are in the hands of the author, and will at any time be given to the publisher for that purpose. But the request of persons not interested in the perusal cannot be gratified. || In the year 1730, the tonnage of the fifteen African vessels was one thou- sand one hundred and eleven, (see table 1 5) and if two slaves only arc allowed one ton, the number of slaves imported that year must have bten two thousand SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 22$, only. The West India market during the last eleven years has averaged slaves at about 50I. ster- ling;);, at which rate the several slaves mentioned to have been yearly imported are valued, this va- luation makes the sum of the eleven years imports amount to 15,186,8501. sterling, gross sales, as may be seen on reference to the summary before given. On these gross sales, the following charges and deductions according to the usual rate of factorage, must be made, in order to discover the nett amount returned to the port of Liverpool, during the above periods : of these several cargoes a factor's commis- sion is five per cent on the sales, and five per cent on the returns, in addition to which ten per cent will be deducted for contingencies^ hence fifteen per cent is taken on the gross sales, which will amount to 2,278,072!. sterling which being deducted from 15,186,8501. the gross sales makes the nett pro- ceeds of the whole, amount to 12,908,8231. ster- ling. On remittance of these nett proceeds, the factor draws two hundred and twenty-two, the price of slaves at that time was about 3 5I. currency, and even in the year 1750, a good field negro was sold for 45I. cur- rency ; if therefore the mean sale of slaves during these twenty years is 40I. the sterling price of each slave must have been 28I. the value of each export at any particular year in this interval may Therefore be known to such whose curiosity may lead them to seek the information from the annual tonnage employed. X This average is so near truth, that very little exception, or deviation can be made from it, the annual sales of the Liverpool merchant will bear testimony in its favour, it is well known, that duri ng the interval before -mentioned, slaves have been sold at iool. currency at Jamaica. It was formerly customary to allow the captains, mates, doctors, &c. pri- vilege slaves, this has since been changed to a settled rate on the average sales ; two per cent is also allowed In the above charges for defalcation in the passage, and one per cent for loss in harbours, to these an allowance is given for yams, plantain, and other ground provision, while the slaves are on sale, these several charges united may be admitted rather in excess at ten per cent. ( 224 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. draws his commission of five per cent, on the real amount remitted, which commission is here 614,7071. thereby making the sum remitted 12,294,1161. it therefore appears by this calcula- tion, which is too clearly affianced to truth to ad- mit equivocation or doubt, that from the year 1783, to 1793, there has been remitted to the town of Liverpool from the African trade only 12,294,1 1 61- sterling, being on the eleven years average, One MILLION, ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND FORTY-SEVEN \^ pounds per annum. The nett proceeds arising from the several ac- count sales during the above period, being shewn, endeavours will be made to discover the nett gains which much have arisen thereon, and consequent- ly accrued to the adventurers. The nature of a Guinea cargo is known to be such, that it may not be advancing too much to say, that it is impossible even for the merchant to determine the profits thereon, until the return of the vessel with the ac- count sales. In every other species of traffic some general prescription is discovered to guide opinion, but the African commerce holds forward one con- stant * This calculation may perhaps be more clearly elucidated by the following statement, viz. Amount of gross sales in eleven years, on 303737 slaves, 15,186,85a Charges, viz. Commission at five percent, 759,342 Contingencies at ten per cent, 15,18,685 2,278,017 Nett proceeds 12,908,823 Nett remittance, 12,294,116 Cpmmi*sion five per cent, 6 14,707 B*l*nce 12,908,823 SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 225 stant train of uncertainty, the time of slaving is precarious, the length of the middle passage un- certain, a vessel may be in part, or wholly cut off, mortalities may be great, and various other in- cidents may arise impossible to be foreseen ; an at- tempt therefore to determine the gains of an Afri- can cargo can only be supported by probable cal- culation, which is submitted to the opinion of the reader, in the following observations, viz. On the authority of Edwards's history of the colonies, one hundred and forty-six vessels whose burthen was twenty-one thousand four hundred and eighty-three tons cleared from Great Britain for Africa in the year 1786 ; from the authority of ta- ble 4, equally authentic, these cleared the same year for Africa from the port of Liverpool ninety- two ships, whose burthen was fifteen thousand six hundred and eighty tons. On the information of the above author, it ap- pears, that the one hundred and forty- six vessels of twenty-one thousand four hundred and eighty- three tons, S. D. Entered British goods to amount of 583,052 12 7 India goods, 176,076 8 5 Foreign goods, 129,609 1 10 Total export in 1786, 888,738 2 10 The proportion therefore of goods exported to Africa from the port of Liverpool, calculated on the above tonnage amounted to 648,6711. os. od. but these clearances, excepting where debentures P are 226 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. are required, are well known to be for the most part very short of the real invoice amount ; it may there- fore be admitted, that the goods exported to Africa were at least charged one fourth less than the real value, which one fourth part or 2 16,224 being ad- ded, will make the gross invoice from the port of Liverpool amount to 864,8951. sterling. On reference to table 4, it is seen, that ninety- two vessels*, imported thirty-one thousand six hun- dred and ninety slaves, which valued at the rate given in the summary will amount to Gross sale, 1,584,500 On which commission at fifteen per , cent being drawn, 2 37> 75 The nett proceeds will be, 1,346,825 On the above nett proceeds five per cent com- mission being drawn, the nett property remitted in bills, cash, or produce, will be 1,282,6901. os. od.J To discover to some degree of probability the gains on the said nett remittance, endeavours must be made to determine the expense attending the transportation of the slaves, and the whole charges on the vessel until she returns to the port of Liver- pool, which added to 864,8951. the amount of the invoice * Of this number there are five for wood and teeth, which lessens the num- ber of slave ships, but will not make much difference in the nett remittance, their returns and outfits being nearly proportioned to the whole. f- Commission 64,135 Nett remittance 1,282,690 ^,346,825 nett proceeds. SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 227 invoice will shew the whole charge attending the purchase and freightage. In the last war, it is well known, that all the navy contracts for the transport, and other services, to any part of the world, was eleven shillings per ton, per month, it therefore follows, that if a profit arose on these contracts to government, sufficient to allow five per cent brokage on the part of the ship owners, and the same rate per ton per month, shall be given in the African trade, an advantage arises to the ship owner, or adventurer in the said trade, of five per cent on the freight ; calculation therefore being made at eleven shillings per ton per month, on all the ships employed in the year 1768, in the African trade from this port, it will amount to 8,6241. os. od. per month^, and give an advan- tage to the ship owners of 43 il. per month in the brokage. An African voyage is generally compleated in nine months, but to remove every imputation of an arbitrary conclusion on a subject of this impor- tance, it shall be allowed twelve months, which will make the charter amount to 103,4881. sterling, which added to 864,8951. will make the first cost of the slaves 968,3831. sterling. The next expenditure is the provision and main- tenance of the slaves, on the middle passage, which P 2 cor sisting \ Or 94I. on each ship, the ordinary of the navy is five pounds p r month, per man, fore and aft, if the Liverpool entered seaman has 4I. monthly pay, fore -and aft, the portage bill is fifty-five shillings beyond the navy ordinary, or 7L 15$. od. per month, which averages twelve able seamen, and four articled ser- vants to each vessel from the port of Liverpool, in this calculation of eleven shil- lrngs per ton per month, which is much beyond the real portage bill of a < ! man. 228 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. \ " consisting principally of plantain, bananos, ochro, yams, potatoes, and other ground provision, toge- ther with rice, bread, wheat, &c. is so exceeding- ly moderate, that ten shillings sterling for each slave will be acknowledged a very ample allowance, from which arises the following Statement, of the gains per cent on an African ex- - port. The nett proceeds on thirty-one thou- sand six hundred and ni-nety slaves, are ' ' ^ G ross amount of goods exported 8 6 4, 8 9 5 Freight of 3 1,690 slaves, &c. 103,488 Maintenance of 3 1 , 6 9 o slaves, at ten shilling each, *' ^ 984,228 Gains on the whole, 298,462 This general statement makes the gains upwards of thirty per cent, and if an analylis is made of the above aggregate sums, it will discover, The nett return, or proceeds of one , 3 slave to be, 4 9* The prime cost on the Coast of one slave J, ' ^ The freight of one slave, 3 5 3! The maintenance of one slave, o 10 o -31 1 i| 9 8 5 This 30 1 - 6s. si- X It is admitted that the average prime cost of slaves has during the last ele- ven years been sometimes 30I. per head, and it is also known they have been at 24!. and some two years back still less, hence the prime cost here given may fee admitted sufficiently near truth, for the purposes of general calculation. SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 229 This also makes a gain of upwards of thirty per cent, or 9I. 8s. $d. on the sale of each slave, and determines the prime cost on the coast to be 27I. 5s. iod. as before-mentioned. This calculation will be allowed by all judges of the African trade, to be sufficiently near the truth to justify a conclusion, that in the year 1786, the town of Liverpool returned a nett profit of 298,462!. sterling, and that during eleven years, the gains on 303,737 slaves returned in the summary, as sold from 1783, to 1 793, both inclusive, was 2,361,4551. 6s. id. or on average, two hundred AND FOURTEEN THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SEVEN POUNDS FIFTEEN SHILLINGS and one penny per annum*. This great annual return of wealth, may be said to pervade the whole town, increasing the fortunes of the principal adventurers, and contributing to the support of the majority of the inhabitants ; al- most every man in Liverpool is a merchant, and he who cannot send a bale, will send a bandbox, it will therefore create little astonishment, that the at- tractive African meteor has from time to time so daz- zled their ideas, that almost every order of people-^ is interested in a Guinea cargo, it is to this influenza, that so many small ships are seen in the annexed lists, whose initials do not appear successive, whereas a regular routine of the established African houses is * Being 58,7901. less than was has been represented to have annually arisen from the Spanish contraband trade, to the year 1747. See page 210. + It is well known that many of the small vessels that import about an hundred slaves, aie fitted out by attornies, drapers, ropers, grocers, tallow- chandlers, barber., taylors, 2cc seme have one-eighth, some a fifteenth, ar.d some a thiitv-secor.d. 230 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X, is discovered, which yearly and successively hold the main substance of this advantageous trade, in proof whereof an extract is made from the eleven follow- ing tables of those established firms that annually import one thousand slaves and upwards, whereby the proportion will be discovered which they hold to that of all the rest of the adventurers. A LIST of the houses that have annually imported upwards of one thousand slaves, the number of ships employed, and slaves by them imported from 1783, to 1793) both inclusive, whereby the proportion is seen which they have held, to all the vessels that annually sailed from the port of Liverpool during that period. Years. Houses. Ships. Houses. Ship c . Slaves. In 1783 there were 42 and 85 of which 13 empbyed47 and imported 26,820 i3>59 18,020 21,520 17,130 13,606 10,752 19,089 19,027 2 9>95 7>3*5 1784 33 59 10 28 1785 37 73 9 36 1786 37 87 n 53 1787 27 72 8 39 1788 28 7i 8 35 1789 29 62 6 3 1 1790 3 89 10 58 1791 38 101 10 56 1792 33 133 H 94 1793 2 5 46 6 2 4 359 878 107 502 196,784 It will appear from this extract, when comparison is made to the summary before given, that during eleven years the trade has been supported on the average by ten houses, for although in that time three hundred and fifty-nine houses have been en- gaged in Guinea ships to the amount of eight hun- dred and seventy-eight, yet ten houses are disco- vered on the average to have sent out five hundred and SiiC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 23! and two of the number so employed*, which is not only more than one half the -shipping, but demon- strate?, that the said shipping must have been of large burthen, by reason the number of slaves imported was nearly four-sixths-j* of the whole number im- ported during the eleven years before-mentioned. The African trade of Liverpool is therefore clearly affianced to about ten capital houses, who by making regular and annual returns from that commerce, may be supposed to considerably increase their fortunes ; but the remainder by reason of their various subdivisions can contribute little to the increase of a fortune, although the returns may sometimes timely arise to prop a tottering credit: the ship G. W. in table 4, imports one hundred slaves, which by the preceding calculation would yield a profit of 942I. is. 8d. when this is subdivided it is discovered, that an eight is 117I. 15s. 2d. a six- teenth 58I. 17s. yd. and a thirty-second 29I. 8s. iod. these retailers of blackamoor's teeth, may perhaps be benefited from these returns once in two|, or three years, but such is not the case with the regu- lar African houses, many of which we discover tq be uniformly progressive in every table, the advan- tages of those whose firms are limited to three or four persons are proportionally benefited ; thus in table 4, we see the initial B. D. imports two thou* sand eight hundred and fifty slaves in five ships, which produce a nett gain of 26,849!. if this profit is * This is elucidated under each year's list. f See summary before given. X This opinion is warranted on reference to the above lists, where the same initial to these small ships frequently is not seen repeated for three years ' same at t\je distance of five, and many are never seen again. Z%Z HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. is in four shares it will produce to each of the inter- ested parties 6712I. sterling-f . It may be advanced, that this return is not regu- lar and successive ; it is admitted, that a return cannot be made annually on the same ship with certainty, because in some instances an African voyage may exceed twelve months, but these in- stances are very few; those capital houses where the vessels appear in the annexed tables, to have been annual and regular, must be allowed to have year- ly regular returns, uniform successive annual ad- ventures producing successive annual remittances ; this fact the more clearly appears from the modern method of treating, and remitting a Guinea cargo, no sooner is an account sales closed than the nett proceeds are remitted by bills, which bills are ac- cepted by what is now termed Guarantee'!, and in- stantly circulated on a faith in the acceptor, and endorser only ; these bills are notwithstanding es- tablished on a credit extensive as they appear pre- carious, three years is their present average run, which it is said is intended to be still increased one year ) The instances are very rare that one person independently engages in an African vessel, the ostensible owner having for the most part many others con- cerned in an adventure, although they constitute no part of the firm of the house. % It was a few years since the custom to return five-eights of the nett pro- ceeds in the vessel, or freight her home full ; cash and produce were then plenty, and proportioned to the trade ; the ports were all shut, both produce and bullion were shipped in British bottoms, and to British ports only, and more than pro- portioned to the demand ; whereas the ports being now all open, the freights arc become t;c small for the bottomry of the British vessels which trade to the sagar islands, consequently the produce of the islands is not sufficient to the payment of the several imports. Of this foct there cannot be a clearer evidence than the number of vessels which return yearly inbalast or light freight to the town of Liverpool. The present method of remittance may therefore be thought most eli- gible, by reason of the great number of slaves and other commodities being freqiwntly sold to foreigners, or sent to foreign ports, for which payment is made t\\ easn. SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 233 year more. This proceeding, while it benefits the factor X and Guarantee, appears to place the receiver in a very equivocal situation, when we consider the state of public credit, and the instability which commerce lately experienced in houses of the first eminence and reputation in the kingdom : these bills are numerous in the town of Liverpool, and in ge- neral circulation on a discount, therefore answer the purpose of the receiver in the first instance, being taken in payment on the faith of acceptor and in- dorser without hesitation or diffidence^. The great support which the African tradejias hitherto been, and still continu es to~~Be~to the~t own of Liverpool; will receive additional proor on re- ference to (table 15) it will therein be seen, that com. ami. about one-fourth of all the ships belonging to her port have been employed in that traffic since the year 1751, and it may not be undeserving re- mark, that the average tonnage of the African ves- sels therein given, is for the most part greater, than that of the other ships, a plain proof that the bur- then \ The factor in the first place avails himself of secure remittance to the guarantee, either by real cash or good bills, for slaves sold to the foreign settlements. The usual custom of the planter's giving bond, on the purchasing of slaves for the island plantations, gives him in the next place a douceur of six per cent, un- til payment is made by produce : which by reason of the long acceptance of the first bill, he is enabled to remit in proper time, to secure his guarantee in the payment, and during the convenient revolution of three years, the produce time- ly arrives to discharge the remainder. This modem refinement on traffic, creates a running availment of six per cent to the factor for three years on every cargo, exclusive of his usual commission; gives an agreeable annual douceur to the guarantee on this side the water, and secures the merchant a timely payment of his outfit at the common discount, or in other words enables him to borrow money at five per cent, on the joint security of himself and acceptor. f- If indulgence is given to this general calculation on the gai ns of the Af: i- can trade at the present day, it will by every impartial reader, be allowed as iarly allied to truth as the materials could accomplish. 234 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. then of all the vessels in that trade has been the largest J employed in the Liverpool commerce. The progress and increase of the African trade may be nearly conceived in the following statement. Years. Ships. Tons. Tons. In 1 730 there were 1 5 burthen 1 1 1 1 1751 53 5334 increased 4224 1772 89 9124 3790 1792 136 24544 15430 From 1730, to 1792, the African ships have increased one hundred and twenty-one, and in the year 1792, the tonnage is almost five times greater than in the year 1751, which opposed to the dif- ference of the number of ships employed, will shew their burthen to have been greatly increased. '" On reference to table 1 6, the advantages which the town of Liverpool maintains in the African trade, against that of the whole kingdom, will still further manifest her superiority in this lucrative and important traffic, it will there appear, that the mean proportion of ships and tonnage from the year 1744, to the year 1786, was as one to 1, 6, or about fiue- . eights of the African trade of the whole kingdom of Great Britain. On a review of the progress of the general trade of this town since the year 1 730, when it began to be strengthened by the two important branches of commerce already mentioned, it will be seen uncommonly great; it appears in table 12, that the J Greenland ships arc not considered in this remark. SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 235 the burthen of British vessels which entered and cleared from this port in the year 1730, is but seventeen thousand eight hundred and thirty-four tons; in the first following twenty years-j- , it ad- vanced to thirty thousand one hundred and eighty- one tons, being almost double ; the next twenty years it increased to seventy-four thousand nine hundred and fifty tons, being as 1, 24, to one, the next twenty years it advanced to 218,561 tons, be- ing as 2, 96, or nearly three to one. The foreign trade which in the year 1 730 was almost too insignificant for notice, we perceive on reference to table 1 2 to advance with equal rapidity; in the year 1730, she entered and cleared only seven hundred and thirty tons of shipping ; in the first twenty years she increased to two thousand five hundred and twenty-one tons, being as 3, 45, to one ; the next twenty years she increased to nine thousand eight hundred and forty-two tons, being as 3, 905, or nearly 4 to one ; the next twenty years she advances to forty-one thousand eight hundred and nineteen tons, being as 4, 25, to one ; such are the periodical gradations of the British and foreign trades of Liverpool from 1730, to 1792, but when the British trade in the year 1730, is separately examined and proportioned to the present time, the increase will be found as 12, 25^;, to one, but this advance, large as it may be conceived, is little more than the fifth part of that of the fo- reign f 1751 is more than 20 years, but the addition of one year in the most in calculations can make little difference. J In 1730 the British entrances and clearances were 17834 tons. In the year 1792 they were 218561 tons, or about 12 times more than is 1730. (See table 12) 236 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. reign trade, which has increased as 57 to one J. Hence the British Commerce of Liverpool in the year 1792, mj twelve times greater than in the year 1730, and /^Foreign Commerce fifty- seven times greater than at that period. Let us next examime the proportion which the foreign connexion of the town of Liverpool held to the rest of the kingdom, at and after the year 1730. On reference to table the 13th, it is seen, that she had then about a thirty-fifth part of the foreign trade of the kingdom ; and after various revolutions the same table indicates, that in the year 1792, her share of the foreign trade was as 3,966 to one, or nearly one fourth part of that of the whole kingdom. It also appears, that her ad- vances in the foreign trade were greater from 1730 to 1792, than that of all the rest of the kingdom, (see table 13th) for in 1730 she had only 730 tons-}* of foreign shipping, and all England had 25345 tons. In 1792 Liverpool had 418 19 tons J of fo- reign shipping, making an increase as 57, 29 to one, and Great Britain had 163778 tons, making as only 4, 954 to one || . hence the foreign trade $f Liverpool has increased the last sixty years, fifty-two times more than that of all the kingdom.* The + In 1730, the foreign entrances and clearances were 730 tons. In the year 1794 they were 4 1819 tons, or about fifty-seven times greater than in the year 1730. (See table 13.) f In 1730 Liverpoorhad 730 tons foreign shipping, the rest of the kingdom 34615 tons, making together 25345 tons > being the clearances of all the foreign vessels in Great Britain at that time. (See the table 13.) X In 1792 Liverpool had 41819 tons foreign shipping, the rest of the king- dom had 12 1959 tons, making together 163778, the clearances of all the for- eign vessels in Great Britain. (See table 13.) 41819 is to 730, as 57, 29 to one. || 121959 is 1024615, as 4> 954 to one. * It is not to be understood that Liverpool had fifty-two times more foreign trade than the rest of the kingdom, but that the foreign connexion of her own part had increased fifty-two times more than it was in the year 1730. SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 23 The general progress and advances of the trade of this town since the year 1730, being as accurately- demonstrated as the materials from which they have been selected will admit, endeavours will be made to shew the effects which about sixty years have produced from the united endeavours of the com- mercial part of its inhabitants, we shall then no , longer be surprized at the great increase of the town, number of inhabitants, and constant expen- sive erections. The wonder on the contrary will be that it is not more extensive, more magnificent, and more abundant than it now appears. The authority of a laborious and well-informed author will lead to a discovery of the proportion of the trade of Liverpool in the year 1792, to that of the rest of the kingdom ; it appears in his estimate, there then belonged to Great Britain 10423 ships, whose burthen was 1 168468 registered tons. Of this number we are informed from the same-f authority, Liverpool had 584 ships J, whose bur- then was 92098 tons, this proportion therefore of shipping calculated on the tonnage, was as 1 to 12, 68, or about the twelfth part of that of the whole kingdom of Great Britain. In the said year we are informed by the same judicious author, that the British entrances and clearances at London, were 367958 tons, and the foreign entrances and clearances 106008 tons, which together make 473966 tons. The f Chalmers. f See table 15th. 238 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. The Liverpool entrances and clearances in the same year were 2 1 856 1 tons, and the foreign en- trances and clearances 41819 making together 260380 tons|, the proportion therefore of her en- trances and clearances was to those of London in the year 1792 as 1 to 1, 82 or more than one half. . In the same year there entered and cleared out of all the kingdom, British and foreign, 1565 154 tons, and from Liverpool 260380-f* ; the propor- tion therefore of the British and foreign Liverpool trade to that of all England, was as 1 to 6,01 1 or about the sixth part of that of the whole kingdom of Great Britain. From these remarks, together with the following selected tables, supported on one part by the testi- mony of two modern authors||, who have favoured mankind with many judicious and sensible obser- vations on the African and general commerce of the kingdom, and on the other, by the local ex- perience and earnest endeavours of the author to obtain accurate information of other interesting materials. The following conclusions on the pre- sent state of the trade of Liverpool may be justly allowed by every impartial reader. First. That one-fourth of the ships belonging to the port of Liverpool are employed in the African trade. Second. That it has jive-eights of the African trade of Great Britain. Third. See table 12. X For table 12, the author is indebted to Chalmer's Estimate. + See table 14. lJ Edwards's History of the Colonies, and Chalmer's Estimate. SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 239 Third. That it has three-sevenths of the African trade of all Europe. Fourth. That it navigates one-twelfth part of all the shipping of Great Britain. Fifth. That it has one-fourth part of the foreign trade of Great Britain. Sixth. That it has one-half the trade of the city of London. Seventh. That it has one-fixth part of the general commerce of Great Britain. Eighth. That 584 ships belong to the port, whose burthen is 92098 registered tons.-f* Such is nearly the state of the general commerce of Liverpool in the year mdccxcv. TABLE > Chalmer's Estimate. 24 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. TABLE I. An authentic list of the vessels which in the year 1783, fail- ed from Liverpool to the Coast of Africa ; the particular houses to which they belong marked by initials, the num- ber of ships which sailed in the employ of each particu- lar firm, and the slaves by each imported to the West Indies, and gross value of the whole. Shippers. Ships Slaves. T. I. B. 7 4O5O B. D. 5 39OO I. I. G. 5 3 J 5o I. C. 4 2300 P. H. 4 2000 W. B. 3 1850 R. W. 3 1500 F. I. 2 1500 I. W. 4 1470 S. W. 3 1400 T.W.E. 3 1400 I. S. 2 1300 R. W. L. 2 1000 G. S. 2 95 R. W. 2 900 I. B. 2 900 T. S. 2 850 I. T. 1 800 w. c. 2 700 G. L. 1 600 W. F. 2 55 61 33070 Forty- two shippers for< slaves only. * Shippers. Ships Slaves. brought over. 61 33>70 1. T. H. 2 540 I. B. I 500 I. S. 2 500 I. G. I 480 I. I. I 400 W. D. I 400 E. R. B. I 400 W. D. I 350 T. M. I 350 I. S. I 300 W. G. I 300 T. H. I 250 T. B. I 250 H. B. I 240 T. G. I 200 I. P. I 150 T. T. I 140 R. F. 2 120 V. F. I 100 P. L. I 100 I. H. I 30 r Total slave ships, 85 39170 Wood, Teeth, &c. 5 . Total in the year, 90 There are eighty-five ships employed this year for slaves, and five for teeth and wood, &c. the number of ostensible shippers for slaves is forty-two, but it is to be noticed, that the first thirteen employ forty-seven sail of ships, and import in the West Indies twenty-six thousand eight hundred and twenty slaves, being upwards of two-thirds of the whole, the remaining twelve thousand three hundred and fifty, be- ing shared among the other twenty-nine adventurers. The total number of slaves imported this year is thirty- nine thousand one hundred and seventy, the gross sales thereof must have amounted to the sum of one million nine hundred fifty-eight thoufand five hundred pounds sterling. SIC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 24I TABLE II. An authentic list of the vessels which in the year 1784 sail- ed from Liverpool to the Coast of Africa ; the particular bouses to which thev belong marked by initials, the number of ships which sailed in the employ of each particular firm, the slaves by each imported to the West Indies, and gross value of the whole. Shippers. Ships Slave*. B. D. 4 2500 I. G. 2 ^5 P. H. 5 '350 I. W. 4 '35 W. B. a 1300 F. I. 2 1260 B. T. 5 1200 R. W. 2 1200 T. M. 2 1080 I. C. 2 1000 W. T. E. 2 95 I. T. B. 2 900 860 T. S. 2 R. F. 4 810 W. G. 1 700 I. T. 1 700 40 18510 Thirty-three i shippers for slaves only. Shippers. Ships Slaves. B. L. brought over 40. R. W, I. S. I. s. E. R. T. F. F. R. M. B. I. I. T. H. G. C. H. B. H. I. I. S. N. N. T. H. T. L. W. C. 5 Total slave ships, Wood, Teeth, &c. I 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 59 S 18,510 700 669 600 55 55o 45o 45 400 360 35o 260 260 250 200 200 45 120 25320 .Total sailed this year, 64 There are fifty-nine ships employed this year for slaves, and five for teeth and wood ; the number of ostensible shippers for slaves is thirty-three, but it appears, that the first ten employ twenty-eight sail of ships, and import in the West Indies thirteen thousand five hundred and ninety slaves, which is more than half: the remaining eleven thousand seven hundred and thirty, being shared among the other twenty-three adventurers. The total number of slaves imported this year, is twen- ty-five thousand three hundred and twenty, the gross sales whereof must have amounted to the sum of one million two hundred and sixty -six thousand pounds sterling. *4 2 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. TABLE III. An authentic 1'tst of the vessels which in the year 1785, sailed from Liverpool to the coast of Africa ; the parti- cular houses to which they belong, marked by initials, the number of ships which sailed in the employ of each particular firm, the slaves by each imported to the West Indies, and gross value of the whole. Shippers. Ships Slaves. H. E. D. I. C. W . B. T. I. I T. B. F. I. W . G. I. W. T. I. I. s. P. H. 1 B. T. F. W . D. R. P. H. B. I. S. SL E. B. B. 7 55o 5 2130 3 2000 5 J 959 5 3 1720 1600 2 1 100 4 1070 2 2 2 1050 850 800 1 3 2 700 630 620 3 810 2 600 1 600 1 500 53 24230 Shippers. ships Slaves. brought over 53 24230 T. W.E . I 500 T. S. I 500 W. D, I 4OO I. L. 1 400 G. S. I 4OO I. W. I 4OO T. H. I 3OO T, M. I 3OO I, S, 2 20O I. P. I 220 W. B. I 200 I. C. I 200 F. G. I 200 G. G. I 200 I. S. I 200 T. L. I 200 W. D. I 160 I. T. I 15 T. D. I 70 e ships 73 29490 jeth, &c. 4 Thirty-seven Shippers J Wood, Teeth, &c. for Slaves only j (.Total sailed this year 77 There are seventy-three ships employed this year for slaves, and four for teeth and wood. The number of os- tensible shippers for slaves is thirty-fevcn ; but it is to be observed, that the first nine employ thirty-six sail of ships, and import in the West Indies eighteen thousand and twenty slaves, being above three-fifths of the whole, the remaining eleven thousand four hundred and seventy being shared among the other twenty-eight adventurers. The total number of slaves imported this year, is twen- ty-nine thousand four hundred and ninety, the gross sales whereof must have amounted to the sum of one million four hundred seventy four thousand five hundred pounds sterling. SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 243 TABLE IV. An authentic list of the vessels which in the year 1786 sail- ed from Liverpool to the coast of Africa, the particular houses to which they belong marked by initials, the num- ber of ships which sailed in the employ of each particu- lar firm, the slaves by each imported to the West In- dies, and gross value of the whole. Shippers. Ships Slaves. B. D. M. B. I. G. T. B. W . B. T. W. F. L. P. H. R. F. I. C. T. F. I. W. R. w. T. H. 1. H. G C. E. L. B. H. R. B. 5 285O 7 2I20 4 2000 6 J 950 3 1900 4 1650 4 1650 3 1580 1330 3 1300 3 IIIO 3 1080 2 1000 2 95o 3 810 2 800 2 570 2 700 64 2553 Thirty-seven Shippers j Wood, Teeth, &c. for slaves only. I Shippers, brought ever H. B. Ships 64 2 Slave*. 25530 260 I. G. 3 660 I. W. I. S. T. L. E. R. B. 2 24O 500 5OO 500 I. I. T. S. I. S. 4OO 360 260 T. B. I. P. R. W. W. B. 700 24O 500 200 T. G. S. H. W. I. 200 *5 120 I. T. F. G. ^0 100 G. W. 120 ships, eth, &c. 87 5 31690 . Total sailed this year, 92 There are eighty-seven ships employed this year for slaves, 2nd five for teeth and wood, the number of ostensible ship- pers for slaves is thirty-seven, but it may be observed that the first thirteen employ fifty-three sail of ships and import in the West Indies twenty-one thousand five hundred and twenty slaves, being nearly three -fourths of the whole, the remain- ing Ten thousand one hundred and seventy being shared among the other twenty^four adventurers. The total number of slaves imported this year, is thirty- one thousand six hundred and ninety, the gross sales whereof must have amounted to the sum of one million five hundred eighty-four thousand five hundred pounds sterling. 244 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. TABLE V. An authentic list of the vessels which in the year 1787, fail- ed from Liverpool to the Coast of Africa ; the particular houses to which they belong marked by initials, the num- ber of ships which sailed in the employ of each particu- lar firm, and the slaves by each imported to the West Indies, and gross value of the whole. Shippers. Ships Slaves. brought over. Shippers. Ships 5 1 Slaves. 10,540 B. Di 7 44OO W. D. 2 500 W. B. 6 3OOO T. I. H. 2 460 T. B. 8 223O P. H. I 45 I. G. 4 I97O T.W.E. 2 45 F. I. 3 185O C. I. I 400 I. G. 4 1 3S^ E. R. B. I 400 T. S. 4 1250 T. F. I 300 I. w. 3 1080 S. F. I 300 R. F. 4 740 I. W. 2 240 H. B. 2 710 D. B. I 220 T. H. I 700 F. G. I 200 I. P. 3 660 I. F. 2 340 S. R. 2 600 B. R. I 400 R. B. 3 320 51 20540 - "Total slave ships, 72 25520 Twenty-feven shippers for^ Wood Teeth, &c. 8 slaves only. .1 otal in the year, 80 There are seventy-two ships employed this year for slaves, and eight for teeth and wood, &c. the number of ostensible shippers for slaves is twenty-seven, of which the first eight employ thirty-nine sail of ships, and import in the West Indies seventeen thousand one hundred and thirty slaves, being nearly two-thirds of the whole, the remaining eight thousand three hundred and ninety, being shared among the other nineteen adventurers. The total number of slaves imported this year is twenty- five thousand five hundred and twenty, the gross sales thereof must have amounted to the sum of one million two hundred seventy-six thousand pounds sterling. SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 24jJ TABLE VI. An authentic list of the vessels which in the year 1788, fail- ed from Liverpool to the Coast of Africa ; the particular houses to which they belong marked by initials, the num- ber of ships which sailed in the employ of each particu- lar firm, the slaves by each imported to the West Shippers. - 1 Ships Slaves. Shippers, brought over Ship. 5 I. D. 4 2149 F. I. 2 T. B. 7 2 1 19 d C. H. 2 B. D. 3 I92O I. H. I W. B. 4 1876 R. W. 1 H. B. 5 1609 W. S. 2 T.W. E 3 *&$ I. G. 2 R. F. 5 1343 T. F. 2 T. S. 4 1225 I. P. 2 W. D. 4 866 I. I. I I. w. 3 750 W. 1. I I. G. 3 740 I; R. I F. T. 1 700 R. B. 2 I. W. 2 670 L. R. I T. L. 2 650 I. S. I 50 17982 "Total slave ships, 71 Twenty- eightshippersfor< Wood, Teeth, &c. 3 slaves only. T 'otal sailed this veai \1A 23200 Thereare seventy-one ships employed this year for slaves, and three for teeth and wood, &c. the number of ostensible shippers for slaves is twenty-eight, but it may be deserving notice, that the first eight employ thirty-five sail of ships, and import in the West Indies thirteen thousand six hun- dred and six slaves, being more than three-fifths of the whole, the remaining nine thousand five hundred and ninety-four, being shared among the other twenty adven- turers. The total number of slaves imported this year is twenty- three thousand two hundred, the gross sales whereof must have amounted to the sum of one million ong hundred and 794 28l T. S. I. W. I I 265 226 G. D. I 2l6 T. H. I 210 S. W. I. P. T. E. W. D. I I I I I9O I9O 176 166 I. R. I. w. I I70 l6o R. L. R. W. C. G. I I I M5 l 3S 121 A. A. I 186 ships 2th, &c. 62 4 17631 47 r 4794 ( T Twenty-nine Shippers j Wood, Teeth, &c fpr Slaves only J (.Total sailed this year 66 There are sixty-two ships employed this year for slaves, and four for teeth, wood, &c. the number pf ostensible shippers for slaves is twenty-nine, of which the first six employ thirty-two sail of ships, and import in the West Indies ten thousand seven hundred and fifty-two. slaves, being more than one half : the remaining six thousand eight hun- dred and seventy-nine being shared ampng the other twenr ty-three adventurers. The total number of slaves imported this year, is seven- teen thousand six hundred and thirty-one, the gross sales whereof must have amounted to the sum of eight hundred ejghty-one thousand five hundred and fifty pounds sterling. $EC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 247 TABLE VIII. An authentic list of the vessels whidh in the year 1790 sail- ed from Liverpool to the coast of Africa, the particular houses to which they belong marked by initials, the num- ber of ships which sailed in the employ of each particu- lar firm, the slaves by each imported to the West In- dies, and gross value of the whole. Shippers. Ships Slaves. 3968 3705 2866 1412 I318 I236 1 156 II52 II4I "35 784 723 716 691 584 W. B. 10 I. D. 9 T. B. 10 J 2' ' 5 R. F. s I. w. 4 4 T. S. 3 H. B. 4 T. H. 4 W.T.E 3 I. G. 3 T; H. 2 J. P. 3 t.B. 2 i Shippers. Ships brought ever 71 T. F. R. B. W. D. I. R. R. W. N. H. F. W. I. R. B. R. R. W, E. B. F. R A I. I. K. A. D. Slave*. 21,587 5H 470 427 424 397 393 33 27 270 258 225 221 208 206 M5 Total slave ships, Wood, Teeth, &c. 89 1 273, 62 . 7 1 22 5 8 7 Thirty shippers for . (.Total sailed this year, 90 There are eighty-nine ships employed this year for slaves, and one for teeth and wood, the number of ostensible ship- pers of slaves is thirty, of which the first ten employ fifty- eight saij of ships and import in the West Indies nineteen thousand and eighty-nine slaves, being upwards of two-thirds of the whole, the rernaining eight thousand two hundred and seventy-three, being shared among the other twenty adven- turers. The total number of slaves imported this year, is twen- ty-seven thousand three hundred and sixty-two, the gross sales whereof must have amounted to the sum of one million threr hundred sixty-eight thousand one hundred pounds sterling. 248 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC* X. TABLE IX. An authentic list of the vessels which in the year 1 791, sail- ed from Liverpool to the Coast of Africa; the particular houses to which they belong marked by initials, the- number of ships which sailed in the employ of each particular firm i the slaves by each imported to the West Indies, and gross value of the whole. Shippers. Ships Slaves. I. D. T. B. W. B. H. B. R. F. I. G. W. D. T. W. E. C. C. L. H. L. W. L. P. L. W. R. B. R. B. T. F. T. S. I. S. 8 8 8 7 8 4 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 3574 2880 2674 2321 1927 1396 1101 1080 53 1021 925 848 723 720 706 681 546 5" 487 Shippers. Ships Slaves, brought over 77 *5>i7$ Total slave ships, Wood, Teeth, &c. 77 25I7S Thirty-eight shippers for slaves only. ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^ There are one hundred and one ships employed this year for slaves, and four for wood, teeth, &c. the number of ostensible shippers for slaves is thirty-eight, of which the first ten employ fifty-six sail of ships, and import in the West Indies nineteen thousand and twenty-seven slaves, being about threc-fiths of the whole* the remaining twelve thousand and eighty-four, being shared among the other twenty-eight adventurers. The total number of slaves imported this year, is thirty- nne thousand one hundred and eleven, the gross sales whereof must have amounted to the sum of one million five hun- dred fifty -five thmsandfive hundred and fifty pounds sterling. SC. *, HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 249 TABLE X. An authentic list of the vesseh which in the year 1792, fail- ed from Liverpool to the Coast of Africa ; the particular houses to which they helong marked by initials, the num ber of ships which sailed in the employ of each particu- lar firm, the slaves by each imported to the West Indies, and gross value of the whole. Shippers. Ships Slaves. Shippers. brought over. G. D. < W. B. 11 3*37 R. E. 10 2860 1 D. 8 2850 T. L. 9 2698 T. C. 7 2523 I. Q. 8 2 347 W. T. E. 7 2074 i c. 6 1690 $. B. 5 1684 T. B. 5 H33 G. C. 4 *3 8 3 T H. 5 1297 W. D. 4 1220 R F. 5 M09 N. H. 2 870 B. B. 3 831 I. R. L F. T R. T H. I. W. B. R. T S. I. s. F.I. 1. B. 1 P. R. I. 1. C. R. B. R. W. I. S. Ships Slaves. 99 30,606 3 8l6 4 7Q8 784 3 3 676 3 590 2 577 2 57Q 2 5 1 * 2 59 2 443 1 432 1 356 1 240 1 330 2 320 1 185 1 176 *33 38920 3 99 30606 r Total slave ships, Thirty-three shippers.for J Wood, Teeth, &c. slaves only. \ ^ Total sailed this year, 1 36 There are one hundred and thirty-thi ee ships employed this year for slaves, and three for wood, teeth, &c. the number of ostensible shippers for slaves is thirty-three, of which the first fourteen employ ninety-four sail qf ships, and import in the West Indies twent\ -eight thousand nine hundred and five slaves, being neaily Jive-sevenths of the whole, the remaining ten thousand and fifteen, being shared among the other nineteen adventurers The total number of slaves imported this year is thirty- eight thousana nine hundrt dond twenty, the gross sales whereof must have amounted to the Mim of one millitn nine hundred and f arty-six thousand pounds sterling. iSo HISTORY OP LIVERPOOL. SEC. X, TABLE XI. An authentic list of the vessels which in the year 1793, sail- ed from Liverpool to the Coast of Africa; the particular bouses to which thev belong marked by initials, the number of ships which sailed in the employ of each particular firm, the slaves by each imported to the West Indies, and gross value of the whole. Shippers. Ships Slaves. G. C. 6 1832 ^A I. D. 3 1228 T. B. 4 1177 I. H. 4 1116 M. B. 4 1076 I. L. 3 896 L. P. W.T.E. 2 2 765 621 T. R. 2 621 ' R. W. 1 539 I. C. z 480 W M - B - 1 397 33 I0 748 Twenty-five shippers for slaves only. Shippers, brought over I. G. T. B. W. H. I . b. I. P. I. w. T. H. B. C. W. D. R. I. R. B. W. M. Total slave ships, Wood, Teeth, &c. Ships Slaves. 33 10,748 339 333 434 320 316 283 265 273 278 213 190 186 H5 46 H3 2 3 1 . Total sailed this year, 47 There are forty-six ships employed this year for slaves, and one for wood, teeth, &c. the number of ostensible shippers for slaves is twenty-five, of which the first six em- ploy twenty-four sail of ships, and import in the West Indies seven thousand three hundred and twenty -five slaves, being more than one half, the remaining six thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight, being shared among the other nineteen adventurers. The total number of slaves imported this year, is four* teen thousand three hundred and twenty-three, the gross sales whereof must have amounted to the sum of seven hun- dred sixteen thousand one hundred and fifty pounds sterling* 3EC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 251 TABLE XII. Of the British and foreign shipping which entered and cleared from the port of Liverpool, in the following years, calculated on a seven years average, from 17O9, <> 1793- Year*. I709 I716 I723 I73O >737 744 l75 1758 '76s 1772 1779- 1786 1792 British Shipping Tons I3328 J 7394 17811 17834 17230 x 933 6 30181 37382 534 '8 74950 60969 125944 218561 Foreign Shipp ng Tom. 277 977 796 73 2691 3068 2521 6786 8072 9842 18501 25403 41819 Tctal Tons. I3605 1837I 18607 18564 1 992 1 22404 32702 44168 6239O 84792 79470 ^347 260380 The above table is extracted from Chalmers's Estimate, wherein the inward and outward ships are added together, and an average taken, but in table 13, the clearances are only considered, and it may be proper to remark, that as British vessels enter at the custom-house by the registered ton, and not by that of admeasurement, which is generally supposed to be one-third more than what are contained in the register ; the curious reader who wishes a more accurate statement, will calculate the British tonnage at one-third more than what is here given. It appears by this table, that the increase of the foreign has exceeded that of the British in the port of Liverpool, for although the former languished till the year 1730, we find it increased in the year 1737, as 3, 68 to one, and if we attend to the increase of foreign traffic from 1737, to 1792 inclusive, the foreign trade will be seen to have in- creased as 15, 54 to one, whereas the British trade has not increased from the year 1737, but as 12, 69 to one. z$z HISTORY Crr MVKIl-WOL. SEC. X, TABI^E XIII. Of the tonnage of all the foreign vessels which have cleared out from the several ports of Great Britain on a seven year's averege from the year 1700 to the year 1793, whereby a mean proportion is seen which the clearances of foreign ships in the port of Liverpool, bear to that of the whole kingdom at every septuple during the above periods. 1 Great Bri- Decimal Yean. Liverpool. tain. proportion Tons. Tons. as 1 to I709 1716 277 45625 164, 7II 977 *7493 17, 9O4 I7 2 3 796 27040 3^ 9 6 9 1730 73 25345 34 719 *737 2691 26627 9, 89 1744 3068 72849 23, 4*8 I75 1 2521 51386 20, 38 J758 6t86 1 16002 17, 094 1765 8972 68136 7' 509 1772 9842 64232 & 52 J779 18501 139124 7 519 1786 25403 117471 4 624 J79* 1 41819 163778 ! 3> 9*6 By these accurate statements from the office hooks the progress of the town of Liverpool in the foreign trade du- ring the above periods, and the proportion which it has con- tinued to bear to the whole kingdom during the several septuples is seen atone view, the foreign trade in 1737 appears to have advanced in favour of Liverpool, in the pro- portion of almost one-tenth, to that of the whole king- dom,but in the three succeeding septuples we see it decrease to 17, 094, this perhaps was owing to the Spanish war in 1739, and that against France in 1744, but from 1751, to 1758, the foreign trade began again to increase, and after that period to have maintained an average proportion of nearly one-s;xrh part of that of the whole kingdom, and finally it appears, that the town of Liverpool which about the year 1760, had advanced the trade from 164th part to one seventeenth, had so greatly increased her connexion in the year 1794. as to have engros: ed upwards of one- fourth of the foreign trade of the whole kingdom. SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. TABLE XIV. 2 SS Of the amount of the British and foreign vessels which have cleared out from the several ports of Great Britain, from the year 1 709, to the year 1793, on a seven year's average, whereby a mean proportion is seen which the clearances of the town of Liverpool bears to that of the whole kingdom, . Clearances Clearances from Decimal pro- Years. at Liverpool Great Britain. portion as ( to I709 I2636 289318 22, 888 I716 18872 45 6 39 24, 179 J 7 2 3 ^373 419683 22, 842 1730 19058 467574 24, 5 2 9 *737 22350 503568 22 > 53* 1744 20937 446666 21, 238 *75* 33 6 93 661184 x 9 594 1758 44779 55*44 11, 296 1765 63618 708008 11, 129 1772 72779 860175 11, 818 1779 7335 1786 1 130370 1792 260380 1565154 1 6, 01 1 1 * This bit exCTMt is from Chalmers's Estimate. R 2 54 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. X. TABLE XV. Of the number of vessels, and tonnage belonging to the port of Liverpool on a seven year's average from 1709, to 1793, whereby the proportion will be seen which the ships of Africa during that period, bear to that of the rest of the Liverpool vessels which sailed from the port. In addition to which, columns are given of the average tonnage of the ships in the two departments during the above periods. Average tannage of African shift. 74 83 80 IOO 93 106 105 in 176 188 By this table it appears, that since the year 1751, the ave- rage proportion of the African vessels to that of the other ship6 belonging to the port has been as one to 3, 641, con- sequently almost one-fourth of all the shipping belonging to the town of Liverpool has since the year 1751 been employed in the African trade. The average tonnage of the shipping (in the two last co- lumns) shews the gradual advance of the size of the vessels employed in the port belonging to the town at the different periods therein set forth, and the superior burthen of those employed in the African trade. *** In this calculation the ships and tonnage of the Afri- can vessels are deducted from those belonging to the town before the tonnages of each ship is found, thus in 1792 it ap- pears, that 584 ships of 92008 tons belong to the port, from which the African vessels being deducted leave 448 belonging to the town of 67554 tons, and 136 of 24544 tons belonging to Africa, which make the 584 ships of 92098 tons then be- longing to the port, and gives the average tonnage of the former 150 tons, and of the latter 188 tons. Belonging to Decimal Average the Port. Sailed to Africa. Propor- tonnage of i tion. town ships fears Ships tonnage. Ships tonnage. 1709 84 5789 I 30 1716 "3 8386 1723 J 3* 8070 1730 166 9766 15 mi 8, 79 57 *737 171 12016 33 2756 4 359 67 1744 .188 13772 34 2698 5, 104 72 I75 o 220 I9176 53 5334 3 95 82 1758 *43 2x093 58 5413 3, 89 85 1765 2 53 25472 70 7449 3> 419 99 1772 3i4 33453 89 9124 3, 66 108 1779 3 2 7 34838 83 9217 3. 78 105 1786 465 49S4I 92 16234 3> 051 90 1792 584 92098 13 24544 3> 75 150 SEC. X. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. $ TABLE XVI. Of all the ships employed in Great Britain in the African trade, and of those employed in the same trade, from the port of Liverpool from the year 1709, to 1793, whereby the proportion is seen which the African trade of Liverpool during the above period, bears to that of the whole king- dom on a seven year's average. fears. 1709 I716 I723 1730 J737 1744 1751 1758 1765 1772 1779 1786 1792 Great Britain ships. 38 32 55 in 109 53 94 103 144; a 100; n8 iffiwr fool ships. Decimal proportion of ships. 38 111 7 4 33 St 33 34' 558 53 i> 773 58 1, 82 70. 2, 057 * 9 ' J 75 83 1 1, 204 92! 1, 28 136; Great Decimal 'proportion of Britain Liverpool proportion of Ships and tonnage. Tonnage. 4430, 30 353* 5278 10416' nil 10560 2756 4326 2698 Tonnage. 147, 66 9843 10038 5334 54i3 7449 9124 9217 9 37 3 83 li 6 845 i> 8 5 2, 19 I i> 818 i 2 5. n> 061 , Tonnage. 92, 83 8, 38 3) h it -, U 1% 566 575 809 88 123 784 3045 ty 1 : '6358 16601 n 1 10! 17238 16234 H544 The ships and tonnage employed in Great Britain, are extracted from a Tegular table in Edwards's History of Colonies. The mean proportion of the ships and tonnage in 1709, is as one to 92, 83, whereas the remaining thirty-seven employed in Great Britain was four thou- sand four hundred tons, which makes the average burthen about one hundred and twenty tons, a plain proof of the weakness of the Liverpool African trade at that time, the comparative large tannage of other ships may be ascribed to the then existing Assiento contract, which from the beginning of the present century to' this period greatly encouraged the African exports, as appears by the following authentic lists of the vessels engaged from the port of London from 170 1, to 1707, vrhile that of Liverpool was entirely dormant. In 1 701 the African trade from London had 104 ship*. 1702 - 72 1703 - - - 56 1704 - 50 1705 ... 45 1706 ... 41, 1707 ... 3 j 400 The trade to Africa therefore at this early period appears to have been in full vigour, employing on the average fifty-seven ships per annum. SECTION 256 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SIC. XI. SECTION XI. The Government, Cujioms, and Manners of the Inhabi- tants. A he corporation of Liverpool is empowered by charter, to enact laws for the better and more effec- tual regulation of the police of the town, but of whom that corporation shall be formed seems even at the present day to be undetermined ; the preva- lence of party has established two corporations, viz. the old, and the new, the former consists of the mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses ; the latter of the mayor, bailiffs, and common council. The small historic pages of this volume, will not admit of the numerous extracts from Charters*, and other documents necessary for explaining the au- thority on which each party ground their pretensi- ons. In the year 1791, the old corporation re- solved to try the issue of their claim at the Lancas- ter assizes; which after various learned arguments was decided in favour of the mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, who were thereby impowered to enact and Extracts from the clauses in the several charters necessary for elucidating die various facts relating to the government and police of Liverpool, are placed at the end of this section, for the satifactionof those whoK curiosity may inclin* them to peruse thm. SBC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. itf and enforce all future laws, totally invalidating the exclusive power heretofore maintained by the com- mon council, of making the said by-laws. The new corporation, notwithstanding the said decision, moved the Court of King's Bench for a new trial, which came on before Lord Kenyon, when a verdict was obtained for the defendants, thereby constituting and confirming the powers of the corporation to be vested in the mayor, bailiffs, and common council, which is at present existing j the evidences given on this trial, shew, that the charter of Charles the first, by what the lawyers term inspeximus, is contained in that of King Wil- liam,, and confirms the power of making by-laws, but whether such power is vested in the mayor, bailiffs, and common council, or in that of the mayor, bailiffs and common hall of the burgesses, is not therein precisely ascertained ; the disagree- ment of the two verdicts have determined neither ; this important cause has engaged the abilities of the most eminent counsel in the kingdom, an at- tempt therefore to elucidate a subject that has been already so copiously and ably explained, would be not only futile but arrogant; the charter of Charles the first, and William the third, may perhaps assist the reader to draw his own conclusi- ons on a matter in which the opinions of the inha- bitants of Liverpool are still divided. It appears by these charters, that the mayor has an undoubted authority to convene a common hall, but neither charter nor act of parliament, can com- pel him to call the burgesses together unless he is so inclined, and the burgesses cannot legally assemble S themselves 258 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. themselves without such authority, nor could any one act be confirmed should a common hall be held without the assent of the mayor, and at least one of the bailiffs ; this consequently in the first in- stance, makes the calling a common hall optional, and in the second place, when such assembly is held, the resolutions thereof are all nugatory without the concurrence of the two principal magistrates. The charter of king William, declares the may- or and bailiffs to be a part of the common council, and that the said mayor and bailiffs shall be chosen out of the said common council, which being com- posed of a select number of free burgesses, they consider themselves authorized, at every vacancy in their number, to supply the deficiency, without the influence, or any application to the burgesses at large for that purpose ; the principal privileges of the burgesses therefore at this time are restricted to the powers of electing the mayor from the body of the common council; and, as freemen of the town, voting for members of parliament. The charter of king William also decidedly fixes the number of the common council to forty one, consequently their legal existence cannot be dis- puted, the simple question, on which the whole altercation has hitherto arisen, is their legislative authority, the right of making by-laws, which does not appear to be given them either by the charter of Charles the first, orbyjthatof William the third; their actual administrative government is not dis- puted by the burgesses, it is their legislative autho- rity only, which they seek to arrest : they allow them the governing powers of the corporation, the ma- nagement SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 259 nagement of the estates, the general expenditure, and the regulating and ordering all public business, but claim to themselves the exclusive privilege of making all by-laws, in common hail assembled. It is affirmed by one party, that a common coun- cil existed time immemorial by prescription, but on a clear investigation of the old charters, it does not appear to be the fact, for the borough is not a cor- poration by prescription, the first charter extant is that of king John, which on examination will be found to carry with it the evident marks of being granted to separate individuals, holding irutgage tene- ments, and therefore of the kind, of which many of the boroughs were originally composed, but evi- dently possessing no anterior corporate capacity, prescription implies a custom existing on the autho- rity of a charter, heretofore existing, which from accident, or some other cause, is no longer to be discovered ; and as there is no existing charter prior to king John*, there is no authority on which to ground the existence of a common council by pre- scription ; notwithstanding the petition from the corporation of Liverpool to George the second, de- clares it to be a very ancient borough by prescrip- tion. It will appear by the following extract from part of the town record-f , that no common council ex- isted in the borough of Liverpool before the twenty- second of Elizabeth, when an attempt was made to establish that body in the mayoralty of Halsall, viz. At * Enfield" in his history says, a charter was granted in the year 1 129, by Henry the first ; but in this he is evidently mistaken. f See a regular extract of the whole record at the end of thii Kction. l6o HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. At an assembly holdcn in the common hall of this town, the i^th of January, the twenty second year of the reign of queen Elizabeth, before the mayor, with all his brethren, the aldermen of the said town, and a great number of the common burgesses, it seemeth there ought to be, among other things, a common council within the same, of the mayor, aldermen, and twenty-four others. The sense of this record seems to imply, that a common council had not heretofore existed, either by prescription, custom, or charter, nor does this establishment appear to have been at that time with the consent, or by a delegation of the burgesses ; whereas the burgesses suppose and insist, that the common council ought to be a delegated body elected by them, and answerable to them for their conduct, and that in all cases of vacancy by death, or removal, the new common councilman should be elected and returned by them as their delegate, according to the custom of most of the great cor- porations of the kingdom. The common council on the contrary, claim to be a separate and distinct body from the burgesses, not controlable by them, not removeable by them, nor elected by them, but elected in perpetuity by themselves, they advance in support of this claim the following clause in the by-law before-mentioned in the mayoralty of Halsal, twenty-second of queen Elizabeth, extracted from the town record, viz. // is further agreed, that if any of the said council shall happen to avoid by death or otherwise, that then the rest of the said council which shall remain, or the greater number of them, shall in the next common assembly, after such avoidance had, elect, and choose another to supply that SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. l6l that default , and so as often as any such want shall hap- pen to be, others from time to time to be chosen then in place, so that the common council be not decayed in num- ber, in any wise, all and every such person to be sworn upon the oath\ hereafter following, and now ministered to every of the said common council, elected at this pre- sent. It will however be seen on reference to the peti- tion-^ presented in 1751, to George the second, that the said petition maintains no claim of the common council to this, or any other by-law, it re- cites only, that the charter of king William de- clares, that there shall be for ever, forty one good and discreet burgesses, who shall be called the common coun- cil, but that the said charter omits to give them the least power, in express words ; the petition therefore prays, that such powers may be given them as his majesty in his great wisdom shall think fit, but in the charter granted by George the second no notice is taken of this part of the prayer of the petition, not- withstanding every other request is granted. These are the general outlines or summary of the existing different claims of each corporate body, to the legislative authority of the borough, it remains for the reader to draw his own conclusions on this important subject from those clauses of the different charters which refer to that subject. The existing corporation, whose by-laws and authorities are bind- ing to the present inhabitants, is composed of a mayor, two bailiffs, and thirty eight common coun- cil \ Sec the form of this oath a* the end of this section, which is the very oath observed at this day. f- See the petition annexed to the charters, &c. in this section. See extract of said charter, annexed to this section. l6l HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC XI; cil, making the forty-one members, established and confirmed by the charter of William the third, in which, and that of Charles the first, all the preced- ing charters are immersed ; these two charters con- firm all the privileges and powers of the corporation, which are in some small degree enlarged, by that of the twenty-sixth of George the second, constituting and appointing forty -one free burgesses to be a com- mon council, of which the mayor, and one of the bailiffs must be two, a recorder, treasurer, town clerk, sword bearer, sub-bailiffs, deputy recorder, together with the powers to constitute and appoint inferior officers, &;c. By the charter of George the second, the mayor for the time being, continues to act as justice of the peace for four years after the expiration of his mayo- ralty, and the four aldermen for the time being, next the senior alderman, while they remain members of the common council, shall be additional justices of the peace j granting also to the recorder to act as a justice of the peace, together with full powers to choose such person for his deputy as lie shall think proper. Liverpool is a very ancient borough, the first ex- isting charter is that of king John in 1203, the se- cond is that of Henry the third 1 2 1 6, the third is that of Edward the third, 1326, the fourth is that of Henry the fourth, 1399, the fifth is that of Phi- lip and Mary 1553. the sixth is that of Charles the first, 1626, the seventh is that of Charles the second 1676, the eighth is that of James the second 1685, the ninth is that of William the third 1695, the last is that of George the second 1752, it was not how- ever SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 263; ever until 1216, in the reign of Henry the third, that the borough was incorporated by the name and stile of the Mayor, Bailiffs, and Burgesses of the town of Liverpool, and made a free borough for ever ; this charter directs, That there should be a Guild, and that no person not of that guild, should make merchandize there, unless with the free consent of the said burgesses. By this charter it is evident, that no foreigner, nor any person who is not a freeman, can keep open shop, or exercise any public trade, without the consent of the said burgesses, or' the corporation for the time being. Notwithstanding this early incorporation of the borough, no records ,are discovered until the middle of the sixteenth cen- tury, making a period of about 340 years, the most early entry in the corporation books, is in the year 1555, a history of Liverpool, deficient of so im- portant a guide, can therefore give nothing more than an irregular and dubious information of the state of the town, or its inhabitants in the 13th 14th and 15th centuries, nor can a progressive in- formation be obtained of the proceedings of the town even from the records which appear, at and after the above periods, by reason of the various chasms \ and defalcations which are seen in the cor- poration books from that time to the present, a re- gular extract therefore of any important fact ne- cessary to an elucidation of this history appears im- possible ; leaves are wanting in many of the books, these deficiencies appeared in early times, and be- came so frequent, that a regular register of the transactions of the corporation could not even then be \ After HalfaU's by-law, there follows a chum in the record of thirty-onf years, for the first entry after the yr 1 579, is on the 7th uf January 1610. 264 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. Xt* be discovered, and finally became so alarming, that the following by-law, or order-f , was made by the corporation in the year 1676, to prevent similar in- juries to the future chronology of the town. 1676, Nov. 1. At a council, resolved upon the question, that the rending, cutting, or pulling out of leaves and pages out of the ancient books of records of this town, wherein the interests of some particular persons, who have formerly been mayors of this town are touched and' concerned, gives this corporation a caution not to give the power of it to any of their heirs or assigns to do the like, and that it will not be safe for this corpora- tion to lodge the ancient books and records in the hands of those who claim under such persons. Notwithstanding these impediments to a regular and successive record of the proceedings of ancient times, some few interesting entries have been ex- tracted, which may lead to a discovery of some par- ticulars relating to the transactions of the last cen- tury, among other matters it appears, that the mayor and bailiffs when properly and regularly elected are obliged under penalties to serve the office, an in- stance of this is recorded so lately as the year 1 782$. The mayors of Liverpool on some controverted instances have also been removed, and others de- puted by the king to act in their stead, from which intervening power their charters do not appear to exempt + This is a true extract from the original record, now in the corporation books. " Mr. John Brown was chosen Mayor in the year 1782, who refusing to " serve the office, there was a prosecution against him in the court of King's " Bench, and he served the office." There is also a record of a Bailiff being fined for not serving the office. SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 265 exempt them, there is a very singular instance of this fact recorded in the books of the corporation. It appears by the following extract from the town record, that in 1694, Alexander Norris was mayor, and for some cause turned out of his mayoralty, and Thomas Johnson senior, appointed by king William in his stead. A new charter being obtained^ Alexander Norris was turned out of his mayoralty t, and Thomas Johnson senior, was nominated by his majesty to be in his room, and took the office upon him. 1695, Oct. yth. Thomas Johnson, qualified as mayor under the charter. The following record, leads to an opinion, that the mayors of Liverpool, or the corporation in the sixteenth century, and during great part of the last, were very despotic in their government, or that the burgesses at that time were very libellous and trou- blesome; the following by-law to punish delin- quents who abused their superiors, is as singular as it is curious. 16 1 7, April i$th. That if any person shall speak evil of the mayor, he shall lose his freedom. This is a very laconic by-law, and appears ro have been strongly inforced, the instances are nu- merous that are recorded during the last century, of persons being disfranchised, it is however at the present day obsolete and unnecessary, the conduct of the modern chief magistrates being now too up- T right 266 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. right to deserve reproof, or themselves too lenient to enforce an observance to the law. The first survey-}* taken of the town, and first enumeration of the inhabitants of Liverpool, ap- pears by the following records to have been on, or about the year 1646. 1646, Dec. lid. "That an audit shall he held, and a survey taken of the whole town. 1646, Oct. zist. That a catalogue of men fit to bear arms shall be taken. These orders were made two years after the siege of the town, by prince Rupert, and as there is no record of any prior survey having been taken, a conclusion follows, that this was the first ever made of this town. It appears by the following record, that on, or about this time the town was of too little impor- tance to support a treasurer, the bailiff for the time being, filling that office. 1646, July 8th. That the bailiffs shall attend the mayor with their accounts. The town of Liverpool, as before remarked, by the charter of Henry the third, can prevent any foreigner exercising public trade within its jurisdic- tion ; f The editor of this history does not know it" rhe corporation is in possession of this plan, which rau^t afford great satisfaction to such as are curious in matters of antiquity. STJC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 267 tion ; of such importance has this exclusive privi- lege been formerly considered, that several by-laws have been made to maintain and enforce it, the following extracts of various entries for that pur- pose, recorded in the books of the corporation, will shew how much they valued the powers given them by this charter. 1 64 1, July 12th. That non-freemen shall not be permitted to exercise any trade in the borough. 1664, March 6th. That persons taking apprentices, shall enrol their indentures in the town clerks office. 1676, That foreigners shall not be made free ', with- out a special order of the corporation. 1686, June 14/6. That all freemen shall cause their apprentices to be enrolled in the town clerk's office, ivith- in a month after the date of their indentures, upon the pe- nalty of thirteen shillings and four pence. How strictly soever these by-laws might hereto* fore have been observed, they appear at this day to be little regarded ; prudence and policy, seem ulti- mately to have united in the toleration of a privi- lege, inimical to the confirmed principles of their progenitors, not that the same dirfidence and jealou- sy of strangers does not still prevail, but that the great influx of Irish and Welch, of whom the ma- jority of the inhabitants at present consists, have so much extended the number of their buildings, aug- mented their circulating cash, and caused so great an addition to the coasting and trading vessels, that a connivance at those proceedings they were not inclined / 2.68 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. inclined outwardly to encourage, has been thought not only necessary to the improvement of the town, but to the increase of the people 5 it is not unde- serving remark, that notwithstanding strangers are tacitly permitted to carry on public business, an at- tempt to reside amongst them is seldom successful, unless assisted by affluence, or availed by an ad- vantageous correspondence. Confirmed in origi- nality, and inflexible to variation, they are not on- ly diffident of innovation, on the appearance of a dependent alien, but fearful of his participation of any of their local advantages ; it is therefore that strangers are seldom made free of the town by pur- chase ; it may with certainty be said an instance thereof was never known ; the by-law in 1676-f, almost amounts to a positive interdiction to this privilege. The revenue of the corporation is about 20,oool. per annum, exclusive of the large annual amount arising from the dock duties, but as the yearly statements of the latter shew them to be mortgaged for nearly as much as they are worth, and the cor- poration estates believed to be much embarrassed, the nett revenue arising to the public treasury, can- not be truly given. On the 1 8th October*, the mayor and bailiffs for the ensuing year, are chosen by the voice of the free burgesses of the town, this election is held at the exchange, from whence the elected mayor is chaired to his house, the annual custom is also observed of riding f That foreigners shall not be made free, without a special order of the corpo- ration. * St. Luke's day, see the charter. t SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 269 riding round the liberties of the town ; on this oc- casion the mayor is generally attended by the cor- poration and principal inhabitants on horseback, to- gether with a numerous body of freemen, who join the cavalcade, and display various colours in ho- nour of the day. A general session (of which public notice is al- ways given) is held four times a year in the town hall, at which the number of justices on the bench must never be less than two j at each session pri- soners are tried who are not guilty of offences cog- nizable at the county assize. The mayor used to attend in the town clerk's office over the exchange^ every day between the hours of twelve and two, to hear any complaints, and punish any offences com- mitted against the general ordinances of the town, and for transacting all other public business j a court of request was also held at the exchange every Wednesday. The act for establishing this court was obtained in the year 1751, and ordains, that seventeen commissioners (among whom should be the recorder, two aldermen, four common council- men, and the remaining ten discreet and reputable inhabitants of the town) should be monthly ap- pointed by the common council, who upon proper notice shall be impowered, and required to sit as a court of justice every Wednesday for the relief of such creditors as may sue in the said court for the recovery of debts under the value of forty shillings. This f Since the great fire on Sunday the 18th of January 1795, which burned the whole interior of the exchange to the ground, these courts, and all public meetings, have been held, by appointment of the mayor, in such other rooms and situations as have been found most eligible for the purposes required. 27 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. This borough returns two members to parlia- ment, who are chosen by the vote of the free bur- gesses; the number of these burgesses, notwith- standing the inhabitants are calculated at nearly sixty thousand, does not exceed three thousand ; the return would perhaps be nearer the truth, was it two thousand five hundred, this disparity howe- ver does not appear to arise from a deficiency of claimants, the instances are numerous of persons who follow public business, and are free by inden- ture, but are unwilling to be at the expense of taking up their freedom, and to be enrolled bur- gesses, which yields little advantage to common tradesmen, and the lower order of people. Mer- chants and others concerned in shipping are availed on exportation and importation]:, by being free of the corporation. The records-^ inform, that in the year 1667, the town was divided into five districts, or wards, to wjiich the following churches have been given, St. Nicholas, St. George, St. Peter, St. Thomas, and St. John, from which the districts are now named ; the corporation for the more effectually preserving order and decorum therein, have to each of these districts, or wards, appointed one head constable, and two assistant constables, and for the more rea- dily finding their abodes, each of these officers has his name and office painted on a board and fixed to the outside of his dwelling. The % Freemen of Liverpool arc exempt from the payment of the town dues on importation or exportation of goods proved to be their own positive property, to which aliens of every description are liable. f 1667, 20th June. That the town should be divided into five divisions or wards. SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 27I The by-laws for the well-governing the inhabi- tants, are numerous, and salutary ; hackney coach- men, chairmen, carmen, porters, and all manner of persons publickly employed in this town, can neither insult nor impose on the inhabitant or stranger, with impunity. The fares and demands of this order of people, are regulated and printed for the government and direction of those who may have occasion to employ them j but it is somewhat remarkable, that no rules are settled, for such boats as apply on the river Mersey, for occasional pas- sengers j the demand of these boatmen in all in- stances, being optional, is frequently arbitrary and imposing, nor will they sometimes carry a fare, when required, unless the passengers will wait the will of the boatmen ; the inhabitants of the town have long looked to the corporation for a removal of this inconveniency, but hitherto without success. Great care and attention is given by the magis- trates to preserve order and proper decorum in all degrees of people on the sabbath day ; the churches are in general well filled, and examples held for- ward to the lower order of people, by the attention which their superiors give to divine worship , not that piety, or the moral duties of life are more innate to the inhabitants of Liverpool, than to those in other parts of the kingdom, happy if they regulate the conduct of the week, by the wholsome advice they receive from the pulpit. No disorderly assemblies are seen in the streets, no persons tippling in public houses ; nor are places of entertainment of any kind open for the reception of any order of people in the time of public worship, and 272 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. and that a strict observance may be given to this commendable regulation, the mayor's officers, and other proper persons, are at that time appointed to parade the streets. This external appearance of or- der and dominical propriety, seems limited to the streets and residences of the principal inhabitants only ! it is no unusual thing to see a great number of girls, and many of the interior inhabitants of the town, assembled in the evenings at various diver- sions, in the narrow streets and outlets of the town, to the great annoyance of such of the inhabitants as are disposed to a peaceable and quiet residence, even the squares are not exempt from this nuisance, where it is common to see boys and girls playing at ball, and other diversions, every Sunday after- noon. The town of Liverpool, if ever it shall be com- pleated, on the present intended plan, will exhibit some of the new streets, well laid out, and uniformly erected, the period of their completion is, however, thought to be at a great distance ; but whatever improvements may be hereafter made, there is no- thing can ever render the town safe and commodious to the foot passenger, but a general alteration in the construction of the numerous cellars which in many streets project to the very center, and often, even to the extremities of the foot path y this terrible nui- sance abounds so plentifully and successively, in al- most every street, that the eye must be constantly engaged, to avoid the unhappy consequences v/hiclv are frequently known to arise to the unguarded pas- senger ; people often lose their lives by falling into these caverns, and broken limbs, from the same cause, are so frequent, as to be little regarded ; this SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 273 this dangerous nuisance, which none but a jury of surgeons would wish to continue in its present state, seems seriously to demand the attention of the cor- poration. The streets are in general well, but not pleasant- ly paved ; the foot paths, called here parapets, are disagreeable and offensive, they are all laid with small sharp pebbles, that render walking in the town very disagreeable, particularly to ladies; there is not one street in the whole town that is regularly flagged. To avoid the sharpness and inconve- niency of the pavement, the foot passenger for the? most part walks on the curb, to which he is still further induced, as thereby he avoids the danger which might otherwise arise to him by reason of the projecting cellars ; this comfortable relief to the feet of the passenger is however in time rendered less pleasing, by frequent use the friction is thereby so great as to wear them into deep cavities, which in rainy weather become full of water ; at this sea- son, and during the greater part of the winter, the foot paths are generally dirty, the pebbles gathering mud in their interstices, and as the custom is not general, of daily sweeping before the houses, it soon becomes a clammy dirt, which adheres to the feet of the passenger, and by these means is carried into a'l the public shops, which are thereby render- ed wet, dirty, and disagreeable ; a stranger cannot reconcile the cause of not flagging a town so con- veniently situate for importing the materials, when almost every petty town in England has not omitted this eligible and agreeable improvement. The situation of Liverpool causes the upper U parts 274 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI, parts to be clean during violent rains, but the lower parts are at that time always inundated, and some- times to an alarming degree ; Paradise-street, which may not be improperly called the sink of Liverpool, notwithstanding the many good houses therein con- tained, always experiences the greatest inconveni- ency after heavy rain or snow, a succeeding thaw produces so great an influx of water, from the two acclivities which gird the northern and southern limits of the town, that the inhabitants of this street are often flooded, even into their shops, while the unhappy troglodities are in constant danger of drowning, being frequently floating in their beds, together with all their furniture, before they are sufficiently awake to be sensible of that danger, from which they often find it difficult to make a timely escape ; this street is often two or three days one continued river, and nothing is more common on abatement of the flood, than to see ship's pumps discharging the nuisance, and where they cannot be had, persons up to their middle in water, bale it into the street. The streets are generally well cleaned by scaven- gers, who are regular, and diligent in their duty, but in the execution of their business, while they remove one evil, they never fail to create a greater ; the sail instead of being immediately carted away, as in London, and other places, is raked into heaps about 12 feet by 8, and two feet deep ; these Cloa- cenian repositories are common in every part of the .town, and remain eight or ten days, and some- times longer, before they are carted away, whereby passengers in a dark night, and often in the day, tread in them to the mid-leg, and children are sometimes SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 2J$ sometimes nearly suffocated by falling into them ; the exhalations in Summer by reason of these as- semblages of soil, being exposed many days to the sun, have a most pungent effect on the olfactory nerves of the passenger, nor are the inhabitants of those houses which are situated near them insensible of the pernicious effects of their effluvia on their health and constitution. The lamps in Liverpool are numerous, and the greater part have double burners, but exclusive of the docks and some particular streets, they are sel- dom seen to burn well ; and in many of the ordi- nary parts of the town, they are out at a very early hour, watchmen are stationed in every part of the town, and are generally attentive and vigilant in their duty ; burglaries are very seldom committed, the instances are very rare of street robberies, not- withstanding the number of disorderly people, which must be supposed to be constantly fluctuating in a seaport town ; the peccadillos are for the most part such as seem to be rather effected by the urging hand of necessity, than from principle or inclinati- on, and in many instances undeserving the punish- ment which the black letter of the law gives to their delinquency. The Mayor's Court, to the, honour of the exe- cutive government of the town, permits no in- fringements of the by-laws to pass with impunity j neither wealth, distinction, nor power, is any bar- rier to those amercements to which their irregulari- ties may make them liable ; obstructions in the streets, wharfs, and other improprieties by the most eminent man in the town, ace on representation im- mediately 276 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. mediately punished by fine, in common with the most ordinary porter, or carman, with this distinc- tion, that the mitigation of the fine, which is sometimes given to the indigent trespasser, is never allowed to the affluent, nor is any indulgence given in the weekly publication of offences in the news- papers, the name and offence of the first man in the town, being recorded in the same list with that of the meanest mechanic. The several docks, in a more particular manner engage the care and attention of the corporation ; their security, by reason of the great number of shipping constantly contained in them, is of the utmost importance ; various are the by-laws and acts of parliament which have from time to time been obtained for their government ; the watch- men on these stations may be said to be never rest- ing, a constant patrole continuing the whole night, who see that due observance is paid to the many rules and orders made for their regulation, particu- larly that no fires nor candles are permitted after a certain hour, nor at any time to be carried on board but in lanterns properly secured ; these docks are well defended by chains, extended to a range of posts, placed at convenient distances for that pur- pose ; notwithstanding this commendable security, accidents frequently happen of persons falling into them, for whose relief and assistance, large drag poles are publicly placed, under the custom-house. There is a fire-bell in the public market-place, which is immediately rung on the first information of that misfortune ; in addition to this notice, on extraordinary occasions, a drum is beat through the SEC. XX. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 277 town, to inform and alarm the inhabitants ; who are well supplied with good engines, and manual assistance is ever ready to extinguish and prevent the spreading of the calamity ; this application is generally successful in common accidents, if timely given ; but whenever the conflagration is extend- ed ; and the igneous powers are become violent and predominant ; the want of an early and sufficient supply of water, protracts that resistance to the strength of the flames, which would otherwise be effected ; this melancholy truth was too fatally con- firmed at the fire which burned the whole interior of the exchange to the ground ; the alarm was given early in the morning, when the flames were visible, but not violent ; engines and manual assistance were speedily ready ; but there was no water ; mes- sengers were dispatched to all parts of the town, to awaken and inform the water carriers of their requir- ed assistance ; these people had afterwards to rise, harness their cattle, and drive their empty tuns, some of them half a mile, to pump them full, and drag them perhaps more than that distance, to sup- ply the hitherto empty engines ; the mind is imme- diately reconciled to the consequence of waiting more than two hours for water, the fire thereby be- came so strongly embodied, as to shew defiance to every endeavour to oppose its violence, and the whole of the building in a few hours became a heap ofruins.J A supply of water to the town of Liverpool was found so expedient at the beginning of the present century ; J Water was finally brought by all the carts in Liverpool, and in great plenty, but notwithstanding every expedition was used, too late to produce the required effect. 2J$ HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI ; century ; that it was in contemplation to form an aquaduct from Bootle for that purpose ; but the intention was never effected ; the corporation ap- pear to have thought the erection of pumps in vari- ous parts of the town, more eligible for the purposes of the inhabitants, and beneficial to their commu- nity, by reason it gives bread to many hundred people employed in that vocation ; the intended ef- fect in both these instances may perhaps be answered, but the security of the town, would unite with conveniency, was water brought in the manner in- tended when the grant was made to Sir Olave Moore for that purpose, and at the same time not only return profit to the corporation-}-, but give em- ployment and support to many people. Liverpool some years since, was partial to the celebration of various ancient customs and cere- monies, but like most other places, the improving hand of time has rubbed off the rust of antiquity, and abolished many Gothic and superstitious cere- monies ; Bruin has long since been neglected, and Chanticleer crows unmolested on a Shrove Tuesday -, Taurus has these four years past been placed in the Liverpool constellation free from future canine at- tacks ; Gymnastic professors receive no encourage- ment to exhibit their savage entertainment, the only ancient annual commemoration remaining is termed lifting, this ridiculous ceremony which bids defiance to speculation to define a cause, is performed every Easter Monday and Tuesday, not only in the town but in the circumjacent parts. On the Monday, groups of men appear in differ- ent places, who lift all the women passengers they meet f See page 86. SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 279 meet without regard to distinction or order, the innocent devoted victim is seized by head and feet, and thrown into the air, this is sometimes repeated two or three times, and on the return, the party is caught by the lifters ; if unfortunately she falls to the ground she must make the best she can of her situation ; on the Tuesday large assemblages of wo- men appear to perform the same ceremony on the men, who are generally very roughly handled by their amazonian friends, from whom they generally receive undeniable proof of their athletic abilities. The harmless infantine amusement of the bow and arrow, in conformity to fashion, is still pursued by such of the grown children of the town and neigh- bourhood, as are emulous to rival the dexterity of Robin Hood and Little John. Such is nearly the state of the quondam village of Liverpool, which is now become a capital cor- porate town, and the second port in Great Britain, whose history in the last century could have afford- ed little entertainment but to its inhabitants j the extended pinions of her floating traffic, and her in- creased ultra marine connexions have so com- pletely rescued it from that oblivion to which it then appeared to have been for ever condemned, that not only the whole kingdom, but every quarter of the globe may be said to be interested in what may relate to her present condition, and stability of public credit ; the political and commercial world will therefore be admitted to be the principal part, that can receive gratification from a perusal of this his- tory, their curiosity may be justly excited to disco- ver the causes of the precipitate start of an obscure town, from the vale of necessity to the brow of na- tional 280 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. tional commerce, when neither the situation of her ports, nor the genius of her inhabitants, can claim any pre-eminency to those in her proximity, who are still condemned to a limited and prescribed traffic. A history of Liverpool, will therefore be found to be rather the history of a people, than of a place; divested of her complicated traffic, in- creased shipping, and nautical erections, there is nothing to recompense inquiry; the investigating eye of the cognoscenti, will here find a barren un- meaning prospect, the search of the antiquary will be rewarded by nothing but the remains of an old tower, nor can tradition, nor record inform him but of an ancient castle, and two crosses, which formerly ornamented the town, in common with other parts of the kingdom ; there can be little to amuse or invite the dilitanti, where neither novelty of composition, nor singularity of construction are to be seen in their buildings-f ; a tame laboured imitation J* There is one very material objection to this remark, which is a public re- cord of a machine having in the year 1787, been in possession of the corporation, which could remove any number of houses from one part of the town altogether, to any other part, without endangering the buildings, it is a known fact, that in many parts of the world, houses are erected on wheels, whereby they can be readily removed singly from one place to another ; but Liverpool is perhaps the only town in the world, that could boast of an Archimedian machine, that could remove any number of houses altogether, from one place to another. This astonishing fact is recorded on the two gable ends of the wings of tht alms-houses, at the top of Mount Pleasant, in the following words, viz. " These alms houses were built by the corporation of Liverpool in the year 1787, in lieu of others formerly erected, for certain charitable purposes, more particularly explained by other inscriptions." " The former houses, were in confined places, but removed altogether to this healthy spot, for the benefit of the inhabitants, and accommodation of the public." This endowment appears to be on a most liberal plan, being not only intended for the benefit of the inhabitants, by giving their anticipated poverty a secure a- sylum, but at the same time to accommodate the public, unhappily the number of houses is too few to receive all the decayed inhabitants of the town, and at the same time accommodate the rest of the kingdom. SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 28l imitation shews itself in all their public works, which are rather redundant than elegant, exhibiting a costly magnificence which discovers more the ability, than the taste of the inhabitants ; there are three good modern churches, substantially built, and well finished, but they have nothing to re- commend them to notice beyond what are seen in other large and opulent towns ; the rest are even below mediocrity, St. Nicholas and St. Peter, are good ancient buildings, and respectable places of worship, but their sculptured embellishments are plain and artless. The recent improvements of Liverpool, are evi- dences of its expected populousness, but a stranger on review of the whole, would receive no other im- pression, than that a successful commerce is the source of affluence, he will see an attempt at mag- nificence and regularity in all their designs, but they will appear in few instances united; the general improvements of the old town, discover for the most part, rather a solicitude to accom- plish, than a probability of producing the intended effects ; the streets are unfinished, and their several untenanted shops shew little encouragement to complete them, even Castle-street, notwithstanding no town in England can shew any thing superior of its height and length, is deficient both in symetry and disposition ; their best streets discover a some- thing that offends the eye of the judicious observer ; while none but Clayton- square exhibits an architec- tural uniformity, and the propriety of that compo- sition is totally destroyed by the smallness of the area, which gives it a gloomy and monastic appear- ance ; nor does the new town promise a more cer- X tain 282 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. tain attainment of its meditated design, it may not be advancing too much to say, that not one of the streets is yet compleated, and of those that are nearly so, many of the houses are empty ; the new squares are intended to be little better than courts, and their present erections appear as if they had been suddenly stopped in the midst of an Amphionic jigg, and had stood stock still ever since. An impartial historian, can declare Liverpool nothing more, than M a large populous town, with " many capital well built houses, greatly availed by " modern improvements, and intended to cover a " large extent of district, which when compleated, " may vie in magnitude with any town in the king- " dom," there is nothing curious or uncommon, to allure or recompense the search of the traveller, and the town is too extraneous to be frequented on a tour of England, it leads to no one part of the king's dominions, it is the ne plus ultra of his wes- tern sovereignty, and had not the Dublin packets from this place, by reason of their superior elegancy and accommodations to those of Parkgate, made Liverpool the route to Ireland, an intercourse with any part of England would have been very rare, but with those who should have been immediately connected with its commerce. Those who from necessity are affianced to a spot, are amused and gratified by their improvements and public erections, which from a located preju- dice and partiality, they too often believe equal to those in other parts of the kingdom, but while such improvements may satisfy their ambition and contribute to their convenience, they may give nei- ther SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 28$ ther invitation nor amusement to any, but to those who are immediately interested in their concerns ; impartiality and historic justice, declare Liverpool to be completely within this description, their build- ings and places for amusements may please the na- tives, but they have neither novelty, nor a superior elegancy to attract the notice of the judicious itine- rant, and are consequently deficient in essentials to embellish the historic page ; arts and sciences are inimical to the spot, absorded in the nautical vortex, the only pursuit of the inhabitants is commerce ; ambitious to emulate the conduct of their proge- nitors, which has clearly demonstrated, that very small literary powers, and still less knowledge of science - is necessary to its attainment, they recoil at the cultivation of a plant, that will yield them nei- ther profit nor amusement ; it is to this cause, that superior merit, improved powers, or exalted talents not only pass neglected amongst them, but are re- garded with a suspicious diffidence; it may be truly said with the son of Sirach, that " wisdom cries out " in the streets, and no man regards it." Liver- pool is the only town in England of any pre-emi- nency that has not one single erection or endow- ment, for the advancement of science, the cultiva- tion of the arts, or promotion of useful knowledge : they have been proved truly exotic, and so little de- serving cultivation when attempts have been made to fertilize them, that they have been suffered to wither and decay, and finally to be neglected and forgotten-f , public buildings have been compleated and attempts made to introduce and encourage them, f Seepage 171. 284 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEO. XI. them, but they produced no other effect on the minds of the inhabitants than a torpid vacuity, which plainly demonstrates that the liberal arts are a species of merchandize in which few of the in- habitants are desirous to deal, unless for exporta- tion. While Liverpool, thus singly and decidedly, stands the only trading town in England, alienated from science ; while from a neglect of the arts, no public edifices appear for their promotion ; while the sterrility of her soil has not hitherto produced a single native, eminent in the senate, or conspicuous in the state ; while the general barren cultivation of her youth, has exhibited no celebrated character in the church, no distinguished orator at the bar, nor renowned hero in the field, the sudden and uncom- mon effects, which in a few years have been pro- duced from its earnest application to the promotion of commerce, incline us to regard these omissions with indulgence ; we behold it thereby to have ari- sen like another Venice from the waters ; we are a- nimated by a view of her numerous ships, the ca- paciousness of her docks, the avidity of her traders, the solicitude of her people, and the busy face of traffic, which in one continued rotation, appears on all her wharfs and quays ; we see the capacious cor- nucopia constantly yielding its successful tribute, while the industrious labourers in the vineyard are as constantly employed in its repletion. On a re- view of these effects, the important question is not readily decided, Whether a vigilant pursuit of com- merce, or an unwearied application to the promo- tion of the arts, is most conducive to the happiness and SEC XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 285 and welfare of a people, and to the honour and re- nown of a kingdom ?.J The following Clauses, extracted from the Char- ters of Charles the first, William the third, and George the second, are inserted in evidence of the authority on which the several observations in this section are founded. Clause the firsts Charter of William the first. THE mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, from time where- of the memory of man is not to the contrary, have had, used, and enjoyed, divers liberties, franchises, immuni- ties, and preeminences, as well as by reason of divers charters and letters patent of sundry of our progenitors and ancestors, late kings and queens of England, to them and their predecessors, by the name of mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, of the town of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, or by some other name, or some other names, heretofore made and granted. Our beloved subjects, the mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, have besought us, that we would exhibit and extend our royal favour and munificence, to the same mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, and that we, for the better rule and go- vernment and advantage of the said town, and the said port, by whatever name of corporation, or whatever names of incorporation, the mayor or bailiffs, and bur- gesses of the same town of Liverpool were before this in- corporated, and whether heretofore they were incorpo- rated or not, would vouchsafe by our letters patem, to make, \ .Perhaps not less indefinite than the priic question of the academy of Dijon, in the year 1 749, " Whether the progress of the arts and sciences lias tended to corrupt or purify, the morals of mankind." 286 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. make, reduce, create and confirm them into one body cor- porate and politic, by the name of mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses of the town of Liverpool, in such manner as to us shall seem most expedient; We therefore, willing that henceforward for ever in the said town and port, should be had continually one certain and undoubted man- ner of, and for the keeping of the peace and ride, and government of our people therein, and that the town and port above said, henceforward for ever, may be and re- main a town and port of peace and quiet, for a terror to evil doers, and the reward of the good, are incorpo- rated by the name of the mayor bailiffs and burgesses of Liverpool,, in the county of Lancaster. Clause the second, Charter of Charles the first. We will further, by these presents, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, we grant to the mayor, bailiffs, and bungesses aforesaid, for the time being, or the greater part of them, of whom the said mayor, and one of the bailiffs of the town aforesaid, for the time being, we will to be two, upon public notice thereof given for that purpose, assembled, may and shall have power and authority of granting, constituting, ordaining, and making, from time to time, any reasonable laws, statutes, constitutions, de- crees, and ordinances in writing, which to them, or the greater part of them, of whom the mayor, and one of bailiffs of the same town, for the time being, we will to be two, shall seem to be good, wholesome, useful, honest, and necessary, according to their sound judgment , for the good rule and government of the town aforesaid, and all and singular the officers, ministers, artificers, inhabitants, and residents whatsoever, within the town aforesaid, and the liberties thereof, for the time being, and for shewing in what manner and order the same mayor, bai- SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 287 tiffs, and burgesses, and all and singular the officers, mi- nisters, burgesses, artificers, inhabitants and residents of the town aforesaid, in their offices, functions, ministries, trades, and callings, within the said town and liberties, and precincts for the time being, shall behave and conduct themselves, &c. Clause the first, Charter of William the third. And we further will, that the mayor bailiffs and bur- gesses of the town aforesaid, for the time being, or the greater part of them, of whom the said mayor, and one of the bailiffs of the town aforesaid, for the time being, we will to be two, upon public notice thereof given, shall have power and authority of granting, constituting, or- daining, and making, from time to time, any reasonable laws, statutes, sV. which to them, or the greater part of them, shall seem to be good and necessary, and as of- ten as they shall have made or ordained such laws and ordinances, may and shall have power to provide in like manner such pains and penalties, by imprisonment of the body, or by fines or amerciaments, as shall appear to be requisite. Clause the second, Charter of William the third*. Whereas it is given us to understand that a few of the burgesses of the town, by a combination among themselves \ without the assent of the greater part of the burgesses of the said town, have procured a new charter to be granted to the town, bearing date the eighth day of July, in the iqth year of the reign of our late lord king Charles the second * Thcic charters, printed at large, may be had from any bookseller, by those who may be desirous of reading the whole. a88 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. second, which had caused many differences and doubts concerning the liberties and franchises of the town afore- said, and also concerning the election of mayor, and di- vers other officers of the said town ; Now Know Te, That desiring to take away all these differences and doubts, do appoint, grant, and declare, that hencefor- ward for ever, there shall be the officers and ministers following, viz. Forty and one honest and discreet men of the burgesses of the town aforesaid, who shall be called the common council of the said -town, of which forty and one, there shall be one honest and discreet man, who shall be called mayor of the said town, and two honest and discreet men who shall be called bailiffs of the said town ; and also that there may be, zvithin the said town, one honest and discreet man, skilful in the laws of England, who shall be called recorder of the said town. Clause the third, Charter of William the third. And we further will* that the mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses of the said town, for the time being, or any twenty -five of them assembled shall be, and may exist a common council of the said town, and shall ordain and execute in as full a manner, as the forty one common council can ordain, or perform. Clause the fourth, Charter of William the third. If any mayor, recorder, common clerk, or any of the bailiffs, or of the common council of the town, should die, or from his office be removed, that then, and in every such case, another fit person or persons, from time to time, unto the said office of him so removed, or dying, shall be elected and sworn in such manner and form, as in that particular was used, and accustomed before the making SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 289 making of a certain charter, granted to the mayor, bai- liffs, and burgesses of the said town, bearing date" the 18th of July, in the 29th year of the late king Charles the second. Clause the fifth, Charter of William the third. And we further will and grant to the said mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, of the said town, and their suc- cessors, henceforward for ever, that they may and shall have a fword, and power and authority to carry such sword before the mayor of the said town for the time being, and we further grant, to the common council of the said town, or the major part of them, being in coun- cil assembled, whereof the mayor, and one of the bailiffs of the said town, we will to be two, full power and au- thority to choose and name one honest man within the said town to be the sword bearer. The privileges and powers of common council not appearing to be sufficiently explained in the charter of king William, the corporation being de- sirous to remove the contentions which from time to time prevailed in consequence thereof, directed, the third day of April, 1751, the following minute to be entered in the council-book, viz. A petition drawn up by the recorder, being now read, for explaining the charter of king William the third, and for obtaining an additional charter to the present one, for granting us an additional number of justices of the peace for this borough, and empowering the recorder to make a deputy, and for granting the sea shore to the corporation in express words, be passed under the common seal of this corporation, and be transmitted to the recorder to prefer Y n 29O HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. to his Majesty in council, in order to obtain an explanatory charter for the above purposes .' In consequence of this minute the recorder deli- vered (ex officio) to the attorney and solicitor ge- neral, the following Petition, to be submitted to his majesty in council. ' To the king's most excellent Majesty in coun- ' cil, the humble petition of the mayor, bai- ' bailiffs, and burgesses of your Majesty's * ancient and loyal borough of Liverpool, e in common council assembled, 1 Shewetb, 1 That Liverpool is a very ancient borough by ; prescription, long before the time of king John, * who granted its first charter. 6 That the second charter was granted by king Henry the third, who granted that Liverpool be a c free borough for ever ; and that there be a guild, and no person not of that guild to make merchan- * dize there, unless with the free consent of the said 4 burgesses. c That king Edward the third, and king Richard * the second, by their several charters confirmed ' those of king John and king Henry, adding a c power to enjoy whatever they had formerly used 1 or enjoyed. ' That king Henry the fourth, and king Philip c and Queen Mary confirmed all the former char- * ters. ' That SEC. XI. HISTORY OP LIVERPOOL. 29! That Charles the first, the fourth day of July * 1696, granted a new charter, and therein declar- 1 ed, that the mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, and the * greater part of them, may make from time to time * good and profitable by-laws, statutes, and orders 1 in writing, for the well governing the said town, * and the burgesses, tradesmen, and inhabitants * therein ; and by another clause further grants, ' that they and their successors shall have all the * lands, tenements, and hereditaments to them and * their successors for ever, as an estate of inheri- * tance, which they by any charter, grant, title, use, * custom, or prescription, have formerly held and * enjoyed, or might or should have held or enjoyed ' in any manner whatever. 1 That their last charter was granted by your ma- * jesty*s predecessor king William the third, dated ' the fourteenth day of October 1695, which con- tained all the former grants, and further ordained, " That for the future to preserve the peace, tran- " quillity, and good government of the town of Li- '* verpool and its inhabitants, there shall or may be for ever the officers and ministers following, viz. " Forty-one good and discreet burgesses, who shall " be called the common council of the said vill !" * omitting to give them the least power in express ' words, though it was the manifest, if not the sole * intent of this charter, to give forty-one the power, * in the first recited clause of king Charles's charter, ' in order to prevent the populous meetings of the ' burgesses upon every trifling occasion, as the ' town was so extremely increased since that time; * and therefore from that time to this, such common council's actings have been acquiesced in - 3 to the * great 292 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. 1 great advantage and satisfaction of the whole ' town. But it may hereafter cause disputes, unless * the said charter is explained for this purpose, by ' adding the clause of king Charles's charter, or in ' such manner as your majesty, in your great wis- ' dom shall think fit. * That the said charter grants, that the said may- ( or, recorder, senior alderman, and preceding * mayor, shall be justices of the peace, which as c the town is so extremely increased, is found not 4 to be a sufficient number for the distribution of * justice, which may be easily remedied, if the 4 charter may be so explained, that the preceding * mayor, may act as justices for four years, which * is three years more than is generally believed, by * the present word he could act. 4 That the said charter appoints a recorder, but 4 but omits the power of making a deputy, which * in so large a town, may be very inconvenient. * The said charter gives, grants, confirms, and ' ratifies, to the said mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, c all their lands, tenements, fairs, and wastes, waste 4 ground, and all hereditaments whatsoever, which * they have held, used, or enjoyed, under any letters c patent or grants, or after whatever lawful manner, 4 law, title, custom, use, or prescription, before the ' date of this charter, or might so have held, used, 4 or enjoyed. And your petitioners have for seve- ' ral hundred years been in possession of all the 4 waste ground and shore, within ' the liberties of the said corporation (which are publicly rode < ovrr everv year) on part of which they have 4 built SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 293 ' built a church, and on other parts three docks, * and several walls, for the security of your majes- * ty's royal navy when in that port, as well as for * that of the town shipping, and will, if needful, * extend them further, for such like, and other good 1 purposes, for the advantage of the said town in 1 general -, but as a doubt might hereafter arise, * whether the waste shore is included under the ge- * neral words aforesaid, Therefore your petitioners most humbly pray, * that your Majesty, will be graciously pleased, in 1 consideration of the above premises, to extend ' your royal favour to this ancient and loyal bo- * rough, and grant to the said mayor, bailiffs, and ' burgesses, and their successors for ever, your roy- 1 al letters patent, and explanatory charter, of the several doubts before mentioned, for the security 1 of the royal navy, and all the shipping in that port, ' and for the good government of all your majesty's * subjects, resident in the said town. * And your petitioners, as in the strictest duty * bound, shall ever pray.' This petition being submitted to the king in council, was heard, and in consequence thereof a charter was obtained the 25th of George the se- cond, in the year 1752, from which the following clause is extracted, viz. * Know ye therefore, that we of our special grace, 1 have granted, ordained, and appointed, that the * present mayor, and every person who shall at any time hereafter be mayor of our town of Liverpool, 4 shall 294 HIITaRY OF LIVERPOOL. 5EC. XI. c shall continue to be, and act, as one of our justi- * ces, to keep the peace in the said town, and the 4 liberty and precincts thereof, further grant and * appoint, that the four aldermen for the time be- ' ing, next to the senior alderman, while they re- 4 main members of the common council of the said 4 town, shall be additional justices to keep the 4 peace within our said town, and liberties thereof, 1 and shall take the same oaths as are appointed by 4 the said charter to be taken by the senior alder- 4 man ; and also, that the present, and every future * recorder of the said town, shall have full power * and authority to nominate and appoint some suf- 4 ficient deputy in his absence or indisposition %* In addition to the matter contained in these char- ters, it appears, that so early as queen Elizabeth, a common council was found necessary for the more conveniently accelerating such business as might be thought not of sufficient importance to require the assembling a common-hall, but whether such common council were delegates of the burgesses, and chosen by them as their representatives, or e- lected and confirmed by the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses, then assembled, will best appear by the following extract from the corporation record of the year 1581, in the mayoralty of Edward Halsall. At an assembly holden in the common hall of the town, on the fourteenth day of January in the twenty-second year of the reign of queen Elizabeth, before Mr. Mayor and all \ It is to be remarked, that in this charter of George the second, no notice it taken of that part of the prayer of the petition for investing any legislative powers in the common council, notwithstanding every other part of the petition is complied with, as may be seen on reference to the charter. SEC. XI. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 295 all his brethren, the aldermen of the town, and a great ?inmber of the common burgesses of the same, then and there assembled, upon good consideration had, for the re- formation of divers disorders, have condescended and a- greed as follows ; viz. for as much as upon due consider- ation of the ancient customs of this town, it scemeth there ought to be among other things ; a common council within the same, of the mayor, aldermen, and twenty-four others, of the most discreet and substantial free burgesses, inha- bitants thereof, by whose discretion, or the greater num- ber of them, in their common assemblies, without the rest of the commonalty, like as in other corporations is most commonly used, -all causes touching the common wealth and good government of this town, ought from time to time to be ordered and disposea\ which said good usage, by usurpation of late disordered assemblies of whole com- mons, wherein through the variety of opinions of such a multitude, seldom any good success has ensued-, that in effect there remaineth no memory thereof at all, saving that twenty-four burgesses still every year being impan- nelled and sworn at the next Port Moot Court holden af- ter the election of the mayor, to inquire of offences past, have further, for the remembrance of the said former cus- toms, taken upon them to prescribe rules and orders for the government of the said town, which by reason that the mayor and aldermen have not been parties thereunto, have been seldom kept or observed^ zvherefore the mayo> for this present much misliking, hath desired a reforma- tion, and it is now therefore at the request of the said' mayor, and in hopes of the advancement of the said town, concluded and fully agreed, by the whole assent and con- sent aforesaid, as well of the mayor and aldermen, as of all the commons at this present assembled, that the said late usurped assemblies of the commons, shall be abolished, and that from henceforth, the said ancient custom of com- Z mot! 296 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XI. mon council shall be restored and inviolably used and ob- served. That if any of the said council shall happen to avoid by death or otherwise, that then the rest of the said council which shall remain, or the greater number of them, shall in the next common assembly after such voidance had, elect and choose another to supply that default, and so as often as any such want shall happen to be, others from time to time to be chosen then in place, so that the common council be not decayed in number, &c. SECTION SEC. XII. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 2$7 SECTION XII. General remarks on the circumjacent country. Liverpool and the adjacent country in the time of the heptarchy, was a part of the kingdom of Northumberland, the river Mersey in the Saxon times being the boundary of the kingdom of Mercia on the north side, there are several villages, townships or manors in the neighbourhood, not distant more than five or six miles, viz. Sefton, Orrell, Bootle, Kirkdale, Walton, Fazakerley, Everton, Derby, Toxtethpark, Wavertree, Childwall, Allerton, Gars- ron, Woolton magna, Roby, W oohon parva, &c. Sefton is a manor granted to the Molyneux fa- mily, had formerly a fine seat, long since demolish- ed, but the extent of the old hall may in some de- gree be traced from the ruins ; whereon is a farm house now standing ; the church of Sefton is an elegant Gothic structure, with a fine spire steeple, the choir of this church is of magnificent work- manship, containing sixteen stalls, and several curi- ous magnificent tombs of the ancestors of the Molyneux family. Orrell is a small township adjoining Stand Park, Lithcrland, and Bootle, and is a member of the manor of Bootle. Bootle 298 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XII. Bootle cum Linacre lies near the sea, on a fine sandy soil, and contains many well built houses ; there is a fine spring of soft water rises near this place which turns a mill about half a mile below it, and soon after falls into the sea at Bootle bay, it was in- tended in the reign of Queen Anne to bring this wa- ter to Liverpool by an aquaduct, for the purpose of supplying the town with fresh water ; an act was obtained by the corporation to enable them to make a grant to Sir Olave Moore, Bart, for liberty to bring the said water into the town, but it has never been carried into execution, Kirkdale is a township on the south east of Bootle, a member of its manor, the village is pleasantly seat- ed on the declivity of a hill, and is very populous * it was formerly part of the estate of the family of More, who about the year 1280, built a seat here called Morehall, of which there are now scarcely any remains. Walton is a large parish, including the following townships, Toxtethpark, Derby, Croxtethpark, Kirkby, Simonswood, Walton, Bootle, Everron, Kirkdale, Fazakerley, Formby, Ansdell, Ravers, Meals, and Linacre, Gilbert de Walton, was for- merly owner of all the Lands in Walton, part of them were sold to James, late Earl of Derby, ano- ther part to the family of Chorley, but forfeited h him in consequence of the commotions in 171'f and afterwards purchased of government by Stm Crompton, the other part came to the fan Hoghton at Hoghton tower, by whom greafl . of the estate was sold to Mr. Atherton. Everton, SEC. XII. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 299 Everton, Wavertree, and Toxtethpark, are all pleasant villages, and of late years been much im- proved by country-houses, which several of the principal inhabitants of Liverpool have lately built, not only for summer retreat, but many for general residence, the situation being remarkably healthy, and the distance not far from town. Childwall is a very extensive parish, including Hale, Speke, Garston, Wavertree, Allerton, Great and Little Wookon. The lord of the manor of Childwall is entitled to certain small dues, formerly paid to the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Je- rusalem, who had a house at great Wookon upon the heath, where has formerly been discovered the foundation of its round tower, these acknowledg- ments, paid at the rate of one penny or two pence each person, amount to about 20I. per annum. Childwall hall was built by Mr. Green, who bought Childwall house from the family of Le Gay. In the manor of Speke is a hall, where are several remains of antiquity, particularly a curious piece of wainscot, brought by Sir Edward Norris, from the library of the king of Scotland, after the battle of Flodden-Field. Allerton formerly belonged to the family of La- tham, of Allerton,and Parbold, near Ormskirk, who old it to Alderman Percival, of Liverpool, from '.om it was purchased by John Hardman, Esq. Garston is an ancient hall called Aighburgh- hall, formerly a seat belonging ^to the Tarleton fa- mily, from whom it passed to John Harrington, Esq. 300 HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. SEC. XII. Esq. from him to Richard Molyneux, by a youn- ger branch of the Sefton family, and from him to George Warrington, Esq.. of Chester, who sold it to John Hardman, Esq. and from him to John Tarleton. Wool ton-hall formerly belonged to the family ofWoolton 6f Woolton, whose heiress married in the family of Brettargh, from them it descended to the family of Broughton, and was purchased from them by Richard, Lord Molyneux, it has lately been purchased by Nicholas Ashton, Esq. it is a pleasant seat, commanding a rich and extensive prospect. These are the principal townships or manors, not exceeding five miles from the town of Liverpool, which may give the reader some general idea of the circumjacent country. This history being limited to a description of the ancient and present state of the town and its inhabitants only, will be a sufficient apology for the brief manner in which the subject of this section is treated. SEC. XII. HISTORY OF LIVERPOOL. 301 A List of the Representatives in Parliament for the Borough of Liverpool, since the Restoration. Reprefentativcs Names. William Stanley, Sir Gilbert Ireland, Knt. Wm. Stanley, 06. 1670, Sir G. Ireland, oi. 1671. Sir W. Bucknell, ob. 1676, W. Batiks, ei. 167$. Richard Went/worth, John Dubois. Ruiihee Wentworth, John Dubois. Sir Richard Atherton, Knt Thomas Leigh. Rt. Hon. Lord Colchester, Thomas Norris. Jafper Maudit, Thomas Norris. Jafper Maudit, William Norris. William Clayton, Sir William Norris, Knt. William Clayton, Sir William Norris, Knt. Thomas Johufion, William Clayton. Thomas Johnfon, William Clayton. Thomas Johnfon, William Clayton . Thomas Johnson, William Clayton. Richard Norris, Sir Thomas Johnfon, Knt. Sir Thomas Johnson, Knt. John Clieveland. Sir Thomas Johnson, Knt. William Clayton. Sir Thomas Johnson, Knt. William Clayton. Sir Thomas Johnfon, Knt. Edward Norris, M. D. Sir Thomas Johnfon, Knt.Wm. Clieveland \ditd. Langham Booth J Mr. Thomas Bootle, Thomas Brereton. Thomas Bootle, Sir Thomas Afhton, Knt. Thomas Brereton, Richard Gildart. Thomas Brereton, Richard Gildart. Thomas Brereton Salisbury, Richard Gildart. John Hardman \died. T.BreietonSalisbury "1 died. Sir E. Cunliffe jsucc. Charles Pole J succ. Sir E. Cunliffe \ died. Sir Wm. Meredith, Bart. Rich. Penant jsucc. Sir Wm. Meredith, Bart. Richard Pennant. Sir Wm. Meredith, Bart. Richard Pennant. Bamber Gafcoyne, jun. Henry Rawlinfon Bamber Gafcoyne, jun. Lord Penrhyn. Colonel Tarleton, Bamber Gafcoyne, jap. Reign. Years Pari. Charles 11. 1660 ift 1661 2d 1678 3d At Oxon. 1681 4th lames II. William HI. 1685 Ift 1688 1 ft 1689 2d 1695 3d 1698 4th 1700 5 th 1701 6th ($jn Anne. 1701 ift 1705 2d 1707 3d 1708 4h 1710 5 th 1713 6th 1714 7th i*rgt I. 1714 ift 1722 2d 1727 3 0orp II. 1727 ift *734 2d 1 741 3d 1747 4th *754 S th org III. 1761 ift 1768 2d 1774 3d 1780 4th 1784 5th 1790 6th THE END. 1 {/ University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. 5, W 3 1158 00561 8847 DA 690 L8W1 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY A A 000113 964