The Sailors Home Canning Place and the Historic Pooley Gates
LIVERPOOL’S historic ‘Pooley Gates’ were returned 60
years after they were lost to the city. Welcomed by ex-seamen from down the
generations along with civic leaders and
campaigners who have fought to
welcome the ‘Henry Pooley Gates’ back to their rightful place. The Grade
II-listed gates were officially unveiled
on 18th August 2011 outside John Lewis in Paradise Street, close to where the original 'Sailors Home'
stood. The gates, which feature one of
the earliest architectural depictions of the Liver Bird, were taken down for
repair in 1951 but ended up languishing outside a foundry in the Black Country. After a
hard-fought campaign by ex-seaman Gabriel Muies, Phil Griffiths and Steven
McKay, the foundry in Smethwick agreed to let them go and Liverpool council
paid £35,000 to bring them home. The
gates were made by Henry Pooley & Sons for the Liverpool Sailors Home,
which opened in 1850, and are believed to feature the oldest example of the
Liver Birds motif. They were removed
when the building suffered bomb damage. When W & T Avery, now Avery
Weigh-Tronix, took over Henry Pooley & Sons, they were moved to
Smethwick. People in Liverpool have been calling for the gates to be returned
since 2008. It had looked like Smethwick
would retain the gates, especially when English Heritage pointed out Sandwell
Council would get the final say over their fate. But after continued pressure,
the authority has now yielded. The gates
will now form a tribute in Liverpool to sailors who lost their lives.
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| Sailors Home Canning Place with Steers House to the left |
By Phil
Griffiths
It is true that
many of Liverpool’s architectural treasures have disappeared along the rocky
road of our past. These 1840 Sailors’ Home Gates may provide one of the few
remaining opportunities for the City to tempt home one of its lost diamonds. The Sailors Home
was a philanthropic venture, aimed at providing safe, clean, cheap lodgings and
rest from the long journeys for the thousands of sailors deposited for a while
in Liverpool. It’s architect was John Cunningham. The foundation
stone to this palatial refuge was laid in 1846 by HRH The Prince Albert, KG.,
Consort of HRH Queen Victoria who graciously accepted Patronage of the Sailors
Home in the 10th year of her reign, during the mayoralty of David Hodges.
This was an
attempt to provide a sanctuary from the grog shops and the willing arms of
‘judies’ such as Harriet Lane, Blooming Rose, Jumping Jenny and The Battleship.
The building was
demolished and forgotten to most, but remembered by many in 1973/4. The RLSOI
and The Sailors Home Trust charities provide a testament to its memory. However
it is ‘claimed’ that the Gates were removed in 1934, if true, why were they?
who gave permission? was their removal legal?
Many years later
in 1999, John Smith, an ex-pat scouser was working at Avery Berkel in
Smethwick, West Midlands when he happened to pass by a fantastic set of iron
gates, 4 meters wide by 5 meters high. They were iron
cast of maritime buntings, trumpets and ships’ wheels, surmounted by the
crowned insignia of the legendary Liver Bird, 70 years older than those two
copper titans gracing our magnificent Liver Buildings. What John had
discovered was John Cunningham’s, international masterpiece, as described in
the eminent Quentin Hughes’ book on Liverpool architecture called ‘Seaport.’
They were indeed those which once graced the entrance to The Sailors’ Home. The
very gates, which welcomed so many colourful sailing souls, who played a
starring role in constructing the rainbow character of Liverpool. It is written
that these gates were handled with tremendous virtuosity, by all passing
beneath. How many sailors could that be? Sailing out to adventure to change the
world forever.
