Albert Dock, Liverpool

by Veronica

If you have European ancestors they most likely left from here for a new life, Liverpool's Waterfront - Albert Dock. Take a moment to respect their courage and step back in thanks

If your ancestors came from Europe over to the New World then they would have come through England and most probably left from Liverpool's Waterfront or Albert Dock. Take a look at the place from where your relatives set sail. It is a very moving thought.

Yesterday I had a family day out there to the Albert Dock, named after Prince Albert Queen Victoria's husband. Prince Albert officially opened it and it is a Grade 1 listed building in Britain.

When we were students 40 years ago Liverpool was a hideous place - fogs, blackened , dirty buildings, total dereliction of certain areas, fires, pollution. Filthy.
Now Liverpool is clean, lively, bustling café society with many family attractions. A total transformation in less than 40 years.

All photos are my own and owned by me.

boats in the dock
boats in the dock

Above and below

Above and below you will see how the old derelict warehouses and buildings have been totally regenerated into a beautiful area of elegant colonnades, bobbing boats, cafes, bars, restaurants and excellent shops. The floors above are apartments and offices.

Albert Dock regeneration
Albert Dock regeneration

The Beatles Musuem

Liverpool of course was the home of the world famous phenomenon The Beatles. The Beatles Museum is  located at the Albert Dock and is a good visit.

I did not visit on this occasion.

The Liver Birds and Liver buildings

LIE-VER

Liver in this instance is pronounced  LIE- VER .

These buildings and the birds on top, The Liver Birds were the first thing which would have been seen by people arriving at Liverpool from the sea and were  a statement of wealth and importance about this remarkable city.

The Liver Birds
The Liver Birds
pronounced LIE- VER

The Waterfront

The Waterfront by the Liver buildings and Albert Dock has World Heritage status but it is set to lose it as the authorities want to build a multi floor tower block. I agree with World Heritage. It would spoil this stunnng historic Victorian skyline. It should stay as it is. - as many of your ancestors would have seen it and left it. Here's to no multi story tower. !

By the Waterfront, there is a long metal fence with padlocks attached. If you are burdened by a secret come and padlock your secret to the fence. It is a staggering spectacle.

 

The waterfront
The waterfront
The secret locks
The secret locks
The wildlife secrets?
The wildlife secrets?

Emigration to America - The New World

Movingly. The Mormons of America have donated this lovely sculpture to Liverpool as a tribute to the brave people who took the huge risk of travelling to the unknown in America from this very spot.

It is a tasteful elegant and moving tribute.

Over to America

America memorial
America memorial

The Tall Ships

On occasion,  some of the Tall Ships travel along. Here you can see a ship with rigging.

Tall Ships

A Tall Ship
A Tall Ship

The Slavery Musuem at the Maritime Museum

This is a free entry museum and this gallery does nothing to hide Liverpool's dreadful murky past with regard to the Slave Trade.

It is not a "pleasant " museum but I believe it is an exhibit of great importance.

The Anchor at the front of the museum is HUGE.

Anchor outside the Slavery Musuem
Anchor outside the Slavery Musuem

Liverpool street names

A tribute and honour to The Slave Trade

Many Liverpool Street names were an honour to the Slave Trade Triangle, Africa- UK- Caribbean / America.

The Tarletons, Rodneys, Cunliffes,  Earles and Pennys were prominent Slavery advocates and some were honoured with the FREEDOM OF LIVERPOOL for their promoting of the Slave Trade. Goree Island was an island off West Africa where slaves were taken as a holding bay before transportation.

Gt Newton Street was in honour of Slaver John Newton but he turned against slavery to abolition and penned Amazing Grace.

Street names
Street names
street names
street names

Conclusion

The Albert Dock Regeneration is a tribute to the people of Liverpool and their determination to rise up out of hardship and poverty.

It is possible to spend an entire weekend  there is so much to do and see in one place.

Updated: 08/02/2018, Veronica
 
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Veronica on 08/02/2024

That would be a fascinating investigation indeed. I do not know. The Paris ones have had to be removed because of the huge numbers.

DerdriuMarriner on 06/28/2024

Your in-text image of the padlock tradition draws me again and again.

The padlock ages intrigue me. Is there a way of investigating how old the oldest padlock is?

DerdriuMarriner on 06/28/2024

Your in-text image of the padlock tradition draws me again and again.

The padlock ages intrigue me. Is there a way of investigating how old the oldest padlock is?

DerdriuMarriner on 05/29/2024

That padlock tradition covered by the fourth subheading, The Waterfront, prompts some pondering.

Would there be a tradition of wending one's way back to the waterfront fence to walk away with one's padlock were the secret load lightened?

DerdriuMarriner on 05/24/2024

The fourth subheading, The Waterfront, advises us that "By the Waterfront, there is a long metal fence with padlocks attached. If you are burdened by a secret come and padlock your secret to the fence. It is a staggering spectacle."

Are there regular removals of those padlocks or are they there forever?

Is there a sequence to what fence position those locks inhabit or might someone locate that lock at whatever location looks likely to lighten that secret load?

Veronica on 04/29/2018

Albert Dock

The last weekend in May 2018 the Albert Dock is holding a Tall Ship Festival all weekend. It looks like a grand day out .

Veronica on 08/05/2017

Derdriu
I agree entirely but money talks.
You can see from the photos why it would deserve world heritage status and its links to the Americas are a very significant aspect too.

To build a multi story in this lovey old place is totally unacceptable.

DerdriuMarriner on 08/05/2017

Veronica, How can a multi-floor tower block be more advantageous than World Heritage Site status?

Veronica on 08/03/2017

It is not widely known that some slaves who served in the armed forces were freed but prejudice was such that it made life in Uk difficult for them.

frankbeswick on 08/03/2017

It is not widely known that in the sixteenth century an English judge ruled that a slave becomes free when he[she] sets foot in England. Since then the rich have at times attempted to ignore or circumvent this ruling. Black slaves were brought to England in the eighteenth century and the economic circumstances forced them to stay with their masters, as they had no life other than slavery. In recent years rich Middle Eastern people have brought domestic servants, who were basically slaves because their visa tied them to a specific employer, and many were misused. Most of these were female. I think that some of the authorities turned a blind eye because of the money that the rich Middle Easterners brought into Britain.


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