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Heywood's Bank,
Brunswick Street
c.1800 Grade II
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Heywoods Bank is
the earliest surviving bank building in Liverpool, and one of the first
purpose-built banks in the country. Arthur Heywood, who was later to become the
founder of the Banking house, came to Liverpool in 1731 and served an
apprenticeship of five years to John Hardman of Allerton Hall, Member of
Parliament for the borough in 1754. He was followed ten years later by his
brother Benjamin who, in 1741, was apprenticed to James Crosby, Mayor of
Liverpool in 1753. Arthur Heywood afterwards lived in Lord Street, where he
also had his business premises. The construction of the building in Brunswick
Street was commenced in 1798, in 1883, the business was sold to the Bank of
Liverpool Limited. The retirement of two partners and the untimely death of a
third is understood to have influenced Mr. Arthur Heywood, who had carried on
the business since the death of John Pemberton Heywood in 1877, in his decision
to sell.
The Building was
later acquired by Martins Bank but retained the Heywood connection, being named
Martins Bank - Heywood Branch, it was also chosen to be one of the first
computerised branches of Martins Bank.
White Star
Building (Albion House), James Street
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| Albion House Interior 1898 Grade II |
The White Star
Building in James Street was commissioned by Thomas Ismay, proprietor of the
White Star Line. Designed by Richard Norman Shaw it was the new headquarters
for the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company in 1894. Shaw had already built
Dawpool, the great tragically demolished house, overlooking the Dee estuary at
Thurstaston for Ismay in 1882-86.
The White Star
Building was the first of the giant office blocks to be built in the city. For
the exterior, Shaw reworked his design for New Scotland Yard, facing the
building in contrasting bands of brick and Portland stone, set on a granite
base. The interior is especially remarkable for its raw display of iron
girders, stanchions and jack arches lined with fireproof bricks, with all the
rivets and bolts emphasised for effect. This would not have been possible in
London where regulations required the cladding of structural ironwork for fire safety, but under
Liverpool's more commercial and less stringent fire regime, such restrictions were
not applied. White Star Line owned and built the Titanic and when news of the
disaster of the ship reached the offices, the officials were too afraid to
leave the building, and instead read the names of the deceased from the
balcony. During World War II, the gable was damaged and was later rebuilt in
the late 1940s.
In August 2013
it was announced the building had been acquired by Signature Living since then,
the former base of White Star Line has undergone a £5.5million renovation to
become a luxury hotel which pays homage to the fateful ship. Gone are the
former offices, which have been replaced by lavish apartments, extravagant
dining rooms modelled on the ship’s original halls and 100-ft long balconies
overlooking the dockside waterfront.
Hargreaves
Building, Chapel Street
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| Hargreaves Building, Chapel Street 1859 Grade II |
The building is
dated 1859, and was designed by the local architect Sir James Picton. It was
designed for the banker Sir William Brown as his headquarters. The name
Hargreaves was the surname of Brown's son-in-law who ran his Liverpool
business. The building continued to be the headquarters of the Brown Shipley
Bank until 1888, when it moved to London. It continued to be used as offices
until the 1980s. Following the
Toxteth riots of 1981, when their building in Upper Parliament Street was
destroyed, the Liverpool Racquet Club were looking for new premises. At this
time the lease for Hargreaves Building was available for sale, and the trustees
of the Club negotiated a 150 year lease from Liverpool City Council. The
building was converted for the Club, and it re-opened on 20 May 1985. It
contained a dining room, bar, and lounge, a billiards room, two squash courts,
a small swimming pool, a gym and changing facilities, and rooms for overnight
accommodation. However by 2001 the membership of the Club had declined and the
lease was sold. It has since been converted into a hotel and restaurant named
the Racquet Club Hotel and Ziba Restaurant.
Liverpool Parish Church
Church of Our
Lady and St Nicholas
In 1207
Liverpool received its charter from King John. By 1257 a small stone chapel
known as St Mary del Quay had been built. It probably stood near the site of
the present tower, overlooking a quay on the River Mersey. The chapel was used
as the main centre of worship until 1355. A new chapel dedicated to St Mary and
St Nicholas was built on land granted to the burgesses by the Duke of
Lancaster. It was under construction for more than a century. In 1361 a plague
hit the town and the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry licensed the burial
ground. The chapel was consecrated the following year. By the late 15th
century, a north aisle, the same size as the original nave, had been added, and
three chantry altars had been established. Each chantry had its own priest paid
for by a wealthy patron. In 1515 a fourth chantry was built. During the English
Reformation, the chantries were abolished. The building was adapted in stages
to suit the form of worship found in the Book of Common Prayer. Between 1673
and 1718, the building was extended piecemeal, and galleries were built to seat
the increasing population of Liverpool. A spire was added in 1746.
In 1699
Liverpool, now with a population of about 5,000 people, was created an
independent parish with (unusually) two parish churches and two rectors. Our
Lady and St Nicholas (the "Old Church" or St Nicks) and the new
parish church of St Peter's were established as the parish churches. In 1775,
the parish decided to rebuild the walls of the existing church. The galleries
were kept, as the congregation paid pew rents. A new roof was set atop
classical columns, which rested on medieval bases. The reconstructed church had
walls four feet longer than the original structure.
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| Approach to the landing stage 1890 and St Nicholas Church |
By the year
1865, there were 27 churches in the parish, housing around 275,000 people.
Since 1916 Our Lady and St Nicholas has been the Parish Church of Liverpool. St
Peter's, which was situated in Church Street, was demolished in 1922, having
served as pro-cathedral for the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool. During World War
II, the bells were removed for safety, but they were never rehung. Following a
German air raid on 21 December 1940, the main body of the church was destroyed
by fire, leaving only the parish rooms, vestries and the 19th century tower.
Rebuilding did not begin until March 1949, and the church was consecrated in 18
October 1952 (the Feast of St Luke). A new ring of 12 bells was cast by John
Taylor and Co. of Loughborough. The new church was designed by architect Edward
C. Butler, who introduced major changes to its design. Rather than the
traditional practice of placing the altar at the east end (for the light of the
rising sun and to signify the Resurrection), Butler placed it at the western
end of the church.
Sources
Liverpool Central Library
Liverpool Records Office
Wikipedia
Liverpool Parish Church
By Robert F Edwards
