Hugh Hollinghurst – författare

Liverpool grew rapidly in the Georgian period as it was a major port for Atlantic trade, rivalling any other city in the UK outside London in terms of prosperity and population. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the city embarked on an ambitious building programme to demonstrate its new-found wealth and power. Although some of these buildings have been lost today, much of Georgian Liverpool remains. A vital part of the city’s heritage is the legacy of the Georgian town planners and the magnificent buildings they have left behind.In this book author Hugh Hollinghurst explores the Georgian buildings of Liverpool. Alongside the well-known landmarks and public buildings, there are docks, commercial and industrial buildings, churches and a wealth of squares, streets, terraces and individual houses that survive from that era. The author also covers Georgian buildings in Liverpool that are no longer standing, including other dock and mercantile buildings, lost public structures, leisure and entertainment venues and churches. Illustrated throughout, all those interested in the history of Liverpool will find this a fascinating exploration of the Georgian heritage of this city.

Queen Victoria brought Liverpool great wealth and prosperity, and its buildings reflect an ambition to be proclaimed ‘second city of the Empire’. This is a celebration of the Victorian heritage of Liverpool through its buildings. Their massiveness and beautiful decoration aimed to amaze, and local author Hugh Hollinghurst evokes an appreciation of this architecture. He also celebrates the lives and work of the people associated with them. Besides the public and commercial buildings that were designed to impress with an aura of trustworthiness, success and permanence, there are the docks, warehouses and transport systems that created the city’s wealth. The importance of culture, health, recreation and religion was well recognised by individuals and authorities alike and much of their achievements in promoting these survive to this day. The illustrations throughout the book add variety and interest. All those interested in the history of Liverpool will find this a fascinating exploration of the Victorian heritage of this city.

Christened by the Vikings 'the village by the cross', Crosby was a remote farming settlement until the advent of the railway. Little Crosby is still a village, but Great Crosby has been transformed into a leafy suburb of Liverpool. Recently, its centre has changed dramatically, but illuminating traces of its picturesque and historic past remain. Little Crosby retains its Catholic character and rustic look, with Crosby Hall, home of the Blundell family, an intrinsic part of the community. Blundellsands was founded by the Blundells in the late nineteenth century, designed on spacious lines for the affluent members of Liverpool society as a haven from the work place. They were attracted by the wonderful views over the shore from Liverpool to the Wirral, and the mountains of North Wales and the Irish Sea. It has successfully weathered the ravages of erosion and developers, and is now graced by the iron men of Antony Gormley's Another Place.

For centuries, Bootle was a village of fishermen and farm workers surrounded by marsh land and sandy shore. In the nineteenth century, the wealth created by the docks, and the generosity of the residents in their grand houses, resulted in the creation of many fine churches, amenities and open spaces. An imposing complex of civic buildings was built. Local societies thrived and carnivals, such as the Bootle May Day, were highlights of the social calendar.In the Second World War, Bootle, for its size, suffered more war damage than any other area of the country. Regeneration has altered the face of the area further, most notably in the Stanley Precinct office quarter, the Strand shopping centre and along the banks of the Leeds Liverpool canal. But spacious parks, grand civic buildings, tantalising survivals of the old village and grand Victorian houses remind us of a glorious bygone age.

Liverpool has many railway ‘firsts’ in the world: an inter-city service, an electrified overhead railway, a large-scale marshalling yard, a deep-level suburban tunnel and one under a tidal estuary. In Britain it can boast of other firsts: an escalator in a railway station, conversion from steam to electricity and the first main-line electrification, a widely reported death in a railway accident, a proper train shed constructed of iron and glass and automatic signalling and electric signal lights.Some of these are still working well 185 years later, still fit for purpose, like the railways to Manchester and the Wirral. Liverpool also claims the oldest continuously operated station in the world. But others have totally disappeared along with the dock railway system which serviced the port that used to be the second busiest in the British Empire. However, illuminating traces of former greatness can still be observed and the revitalised Merseyrail system is among the best performers in the country.

Sefton is one of the most variegated boroughs in the land. It encompasses two former boroughs: the industrial seaport Bootle at one end and the genteel seaside resort of Southport at the other. In between stretches beautiful coastline, home to six links courses including championship Birkdale. The rural hinterland is the setting for grand country houses and the tiny village of Sefton, which gives its name to the borough.Sefton in 50 Buildings explores the history of this vibrant city through a selection of its greatest architectural treasures. From the Gothic Revival church of St Helen's to the modernist St Monica's in Bootle, and from Crosby Hall, built in the early seventeenth century on a grand scale, to Southport's distinguished pier, this study celebrates Sefton’s architectural heritage in a new and accessible way. Join Hugh Hollinghurst as he guides the reader on a tour of the borough’s historic buildings and architectural marvels.

This illustrated history portrays one of England’s finest cities. It provides a nostalgic look at Liverpool’s past and highlights the special character of some of its most important historic sites.The photographs are taken from the Historic England Archive, a unique collection of over 12 million photographs, drawings, plans and documents covering England’s archaeology, architecture, social and local history. Pictures date from the earliest days of photography to the present and cover subjects from Bronze Age burials and medieval churches to cinemas and seaside resorts.Historic England: Liverpool shows the city as it once was, from its streets and alleyways to its vast docks. Special emphasis is given to aerial views that demonstrate the changing townscape of the city and the setting of its buildings. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries this once small fishing village was transformed into a mighty commercial powerhouse, growing rapidly into the greatest port in the entire British Empire outside London. However, the city’s fortunes changed dramatically in the twentieth century. Post-war decline was particularly brutal in Liverpool and by 1980 the city’s population had reduced by over half; its infrastructure and economy were decaying, and its political leaders were leading the city towards complete collapse. Liverpool is a UNESCO World Heritage City today. It boasts the fastest growing economy in Britain and has been a European Capital of Culture. Liverpool truly is one of the country’s great cities and this book will help you discover its rich and colourful history.

Southport History Tour is a unique insight into the fascinating history of this attractive seaside town on the Merseyside coast and shows just how much it has changed during the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Readers are invited to follow local author and historian Hugh Hollinghurst as he guides them through its streets and promenades, its parks and open spaces, pointing out the well-known and lesser-known landmarks along the way.