| Whilst archaeological evidence shows that there was | | | | route between West Africa, America and England. |
| a fishing community on the banks of the Mersey | | | | Even by 1715 business at the port had increased to |
| estuary, at the place we now call Liverpool, dating | | | | such an extent that the first wet dock in Britain was |
| back to the 1st century AD, it's not until 1190 that the | | | | built there to accommodate the growth in trade. |
| first recorded comment about the city is made. At that | | | | It is in the 18th century that the story of the port of |
| time it was known as Liuerpul or Lifer Pol, which simply | | | | Liverpool becomes significant in the growth and |
| meant muddy creek. Prior to that it is thought the | | | | development of the town. There can be no doubt that |
| name Elver pool was used, making a connection with | | | | Liverpool prospered from the slave trade, exporting |
| the large number of eels in the Mersey estuary. | | | | cotton goods and hardware to Africa, where the ships |
| The history of Liverpool is, of course, inextricably linked | | | | then took on slaves for the American and West Indies |
| to that of its position on the Mersey and the | | | | colonies. They would then return with sugar, rum, |
| development of the port and all the trade and wealth it | | | | tobacco and raw cotton that had been largely |
| brought to the city. Although not mentioned in the | | | | produced with that slave labour. The population quickly |
| Doomsday book by 1207 the town had grown | | | | expanded, by 1750 it was around 20,000 and by the |
| sufficiently for King John to send letters of patent | | | | end of the century it was approaching 80,000. Whilst |
| establishing Liverpool as a borough and port. This in | | | | the poor lived in appalling conditions the merchants and |
| itself caused rapid expansion in the town attracting | | | | rich people lived in a fashion rivalled only by that of |
| newcomers who could build in the new borough, a | | | | London, for them Liverpool was seen as being "…. a |
| weekly market was quickly established and then an | | | | very rich trading town … with houses of brick and |
| annual fair could also be held. Of course King John had | | | | stone …… having streets that look very handsome." |
| his own self-seeking reasons for establishing the port | | | | Although the complete abolition of slavery was still a |
| of Liverpool, he needed a convenient port to get his | | | | few years away, it is said that by the start of the 19th |
| men and supplies to and from the newly conquered | | | | century 40% of the world's trade was passing through |
| Ireland and Liverpool was ideally situated. To garrison | | | | Liverpool port. Manufacturing and processing industries |
| the troops a castle was built, which was completed in | | | | started to open in and around Liverpool utilising the |
| 1235. In 1229 the King granted Liverpool a charter to | | | | imports being brought to the city; such as iron |
| organise a Merchant's Guild, allowing the town's | | | | foundries, glass and soap manufacture. The |
| guildsmen to elect a leader to run the town. However, | | | | combination of trade through the port and the new |
| it's not until 1351 that a Mayor is first mentioned in | | | | manufacturing industries spurred another phase of |
| Liverpool, prior to that the leader would have been | | | | development for Liverpool. In 1830 the Liverpool and |
| called a Reeve. By the 14th century Liverpool had | | | | Manchester Railway was opened, speeding delivery of |
| expanded, its population of between 500 and 1000 | | | | the imported raw materials to industrial Manchester. At |
| would have made it a large town for those days. | | | | this time Liverpool started to be used as the |
| Along with the increased population came an influx of | | | | embarkation point for émigrés to the 'New World'. |
| craftsmen and tradesmen such as brewers, butchers, | | | | In the next 100 years over 9 million people sailed out of |
| bakers, blacksmiths and carpenters. The local fishing | | | | Liverpool. The Albert and Stanley docks were built in |
| industry would still be important but there would be an | | | | the 1840s, greatly increasing the warehouse capacity |
| increase in local farming to help feed the population. At | | | | of the port. Swelled by immigrants from the Irish potato |
| this time the main trade through the port was hides | | | | famines, by the mid 19th century the population of |
| and skins from Ireland with coal and Iron ore being | | | | Liverpool was over 400,000, the year it became a city |
| exported to Ireland. | | | | - 1880 - it had reached a staggering 611,000. |
| By the time of the English Civil War the population of | | | | The 20th century saw the population continue to rise, |
| Liverpool had reached 2500. The town did not fare | | | | inevitably resulting in increasing poverty as trade |
| well during the war, initially supporting the King it was | | | | through the port started to decline. In the depression of |
| taken over by Parliamentarian soldiers in 1643. Soon | | | | the 1930s one third of the population was unemployed. |
| after, in 1644, Prince Rupert attacked the city and the | | | | During World War II the city was bombed heavily with |
| Parliamentarian troops fled by sea, leaving the | | | | half the housing stock damaged, but a significant |
| townsfolk to defend themselves. Despite a fierce | | | | re-building programme after the war managed to |
| battle Rupert won and laid the town to waste, killing | | | | eradicate much of the slum housing that was then in |
| many of the inhabitants. Later that year, after the | | | | the city. Between the 1931 and 2001 census the |
| battle of Marston Moor, the whole of the north of | | | | population declined from 855,000 to 440,000. In the |
| England returned to Parliamentarian control and the | | | | 1960s the name Liverpool became synonymous with |
| town started to re-build itself. By 1673 trade with the | | | | 'pop' music, mainly because of the term used to |
| emerging American colonies was burgeoning bringing | | | | collectively describe the many popular bands from the |
| an increased prosperity which allowed Liverpool to | | | | city, the Merseysound and, of course, The Beatles in |
| build a new town hall. In 1699 two significant events | | | | particular. Towards the end of the 20th century |
| occurred for Liverpool; firstly it was made into a parish | | | | Liverpool suffered badly in the general economic |
| enabling it to build churches rather than chapels and the | | | | recession of the county. However, it is now |
| 'Liverpool Merchant' ship set sail for Africa and was to | | | | re-establishing itself through its heritage and tourism. |
| become the first ship on the triangular slave trade | | | | |