Architecural story
Countless old buildings are in daily use and have been renovated.
In this article we take a 6-minute journey through the 20th century from 1900 to 1999, visiting 50 landmarks I've selected, some famous, some not. I took many photos during the period of mourning for the Queen, September 1922. Can you spot how many times I use the word 'Queen' in this entire article, either on its own or in place names, well that's once already
So, what were the first and the last buildings to be built in Liverpool in the twentieth century? Well here comes the first one Colemans Fireproof Depository, in Toxteth, established 1875, rebuilt 1900, telegraphic address 'readiness' L.pool telephone no 699. PARK. On my list it's the first building to be built in Liverpool in the 20th century. Incredible, a time capsule, not listed, it looks like a warehouse in Brooklyn, today it contains apartments.
Opened in 1902, next to the Anglican cathedral, Toxteth Library, not funded by Andrew Carnegie though he admired it. The Royal Insurance Building on Dale St, 1903, now a hotel. Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, architect Giles Gilbert Scott, a product of the 20th century, begun in 1904, but when was it completed? Keep watching to find out. The Olympia Theatre, West Derby Road, 1905, still a concert venue. The Crown Hotel Skelhorne St, opened 1905, next to Lime St Station. The Queen Victoria Monument, 1906, somehow it survived the Blitz. The Vines public House, 1907, The Port of Liverpool Building, 1907, the first of the Three Graces to be built, elder sister to the other two. Queens Drive, first built 1909, said to be the first ring road in the country.
This view is in Walton. The Tower Building, on The Strand, by Walter Aubrey Thomas, 1910. He also designed The Liver Building, 1911, superstar grace and middle sister of the Three Graces, Grade 1 Listed. The Futurist Cinema opened as the Lime Street Picture House in 1912. It stood derelict. It was demolished in 2016. The Florence Nightingale Monument, 1913, near Liverpool Womens' Hospital, which we'll see that later. The Adelphi Hotel, 1914, shame about the trees blocking the facade.
Hanover House, Hanover Street, 1915 in the base of the building, the Epstein Theatre. The Cunard Building, 1917, youngest and perhaps the most glamorous of the Three Graces. The former National Bank on James Street, circa 1920, first of the white stone inter-war bank buildings. The Mersey Match Factory was built in 1921 and refurbished in 2001. It provides workspaces. The Bank of British West Africa, 1923, now West Africa House. There's a bar with a superb roof terrace on the 8th floor. Keys Court on Church Street replaced St Peters Church and opened in 1923.
Now it's an entrance to the shopping centre Liverpool One. The Liverpool entrance to the Queensway Tunnel was built between 1925 and 1931 and as part of the project, the art deco. St Georges Dock ventilation tower was completed in 1932.
Next to the tunnel entrance, 151 Dale
Street, now fully visible after the removal of the flyovers.
The former Martin's Bank on Water Street, built 1932 has a splendid door and interior. Across the street, the magnificent India Buildings, its arcade now closed to the public as it houses high security government offices. St Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic church, Mossley Hill appeared in 1932 and the 1930s-style street lighting on Queens Drive disappeared in the early 2000s. Speke Airport, one of Europe's foremost art deco airport terminals, completed 1937, now a hotel.
Hangar 2, Speke Airport, 1941, converted to offices with ERDF support. Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Crypt, 1933 to 1941, built as the foundation for a gigantic Catholic cathedral that was never built. And then came World War 2. Much of Liverpool city centre was obliterated, but much survived, including Queen Victoria, whom we saw earlier. On the blitzed areas in the 1950s, new buildings appeared, one of which One Derby Square former Pearl Assurance House, 1955. The new Lewis's department store, 1956, in recent years it was restored and converted into apartments. Reliance House Water Street, inter-war style building with a white stone facade, completed in 1956. The pleasingly designed Tate & Lyle sugar silo in the Liverpool Docks 1957, and it's Grade II listed.
St Ambrose Roman Catholic Church, Heathgate Avenue Speke, 1961. The Pavilion, Geoff Hughes Memorial Sports Ground, Allerton 1962. Liverpool Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral, Roman Catholic, designed by Frederick Gibberd, Grade II* took five years to build and was consecrated on the Feast of Pentecost, 14th of May 1967. St John's Beacon or Radio City tower, completed in 1969, opened by HM The Queen, refurbished in 1999. St John's Shopping Centre replaced the old St John's Market, and it opened for business in 1969 and later officially opened by the Queen. The former Midland Bank at 4 Dale Street has unusual jewel-like windows. Completed in 1971, Grade II listed. The Kingsway Tunnel Ventilation Tower completed in 1971 looks like a gigantic stereo system with two speakers.
A matching tower stands on the other side of the Mersey. The Mercure Atlantic Tower was designed to look like a ship and opened in 1973. New Hall Place, brutalist-style office complex nicknamed 'The Sandcastle' was completed in 1974. The Al Rahma Mosque in Toxteth, July 1974. The Anglican Cathedral, Grade I listed, finally completed in the year 1978. A thanksgiving service was held on the 25th of October of that year in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Clayton Square shopping centre was opened in 1979. The Queen Elizabeth the Second law courts on Derby Square took 11 years to build and were officially opened by the Queen on the 2nd of May, 1984.
The Customs and Excise building in Queens Dock was completed in 1993 and has since been converted into apartments. At the front there's a very attractive frieze. Liverpool Women's hospital with its white cladding and light blue metal roofs, was officially opened by Diana, Princess of Wales, in November 1995. And here it is, the last building to be built in Liverpool in the 20th of century, at least on my list, it's the Queen Square Passenger Facility Building completed in 1999 at a cost of 1.5 million pounds. The Queen Square project was supported by ERDF funding. As we've seen, the Queen and previous queens have left their mark on Liverpool. In this article. I have used the word 'Queen' a total of 18 times, so let that be my tribute to the late monarch.