These placards are outside the Lyceum on Bold Street. The building was built in 1800 and is the street’s only listed structure. Originally built to house the first Gentlemen’s Subscription Library in England, the building has had an eventful 207 years.
Archive for the 'History of Bold Street' Category
Laura and I recently paid a visited to Lancashire Record Office and came across some hand drawn architectural drawings of work both proposed and completed on Bold Street. These drawings date back to the mid 1800’s and a selection of the images will be available on Flickr soon.
Many thanks to the Record Office in Preston.
Hairy Records
Published by June 27th, 2007 in Cultural History of Bold Street and History of Bold Street. 0 CommentsCompiling street directories from 1893, 1924, 1929, 1935, 1960 and 2007, we have built up a partial picture of the activity on Bold Street over the past century. Here are some interesting things we gleaned from this search:
In 1893 John H. M’Clelland is described as masseur and electrician. Whether this is an example of a multi-talented individual or a printing error, is one of the many mysteries of the Gore’s Directories. At number 8, Bell & Co. listed as blouse specialists in 1924 are described in the 1929 directory (presumably correctly this time) as house specialists. At number 34a, in 1924, a Madame Nedgma is listed as a “palmiste”, whereas a few years later, in 1929, Madame Nedjma is listed as a “mental scientist”. Whether one should interpret this as a slick piece of rebranding, or a printing error- or perhaps a combination of the two- is open to debate!
Another possible connection which struck us, was the prevalence of tailors named Gould on the street. Leslie Gould, tailor worked from number 122 Bold Street in 1929. In 1935, a Lazarus Gould worked as a costumier in number 76 and in 1960, Joseph Gould was a tailor in number 5.
Courtesy of Liverpool Record Office
Finally, the 1960 directory features an ironic twist, with the number of electrolysis salons outnumbered only by furriers. If anyone has any information about these people, please contact us at boldstreet@fact.co.uk
Bold Street and the historic story of Nipper
Published by June 7th, 2007 in Bold Street News and History of Bold Street. 0 Comments
This is Nipper, famously known as the dog in the “His Master’s Voice” painting by Francis Barraud, and more famously known as the icon for HMV. Nipper sadly died in London in 1895 so how is he linked to Bold Street, Liverpool? Well, it would seem Nipper listened to his owner Francis Barraud’s phonograph and ‘appeared curious as to where the sound came from’. Some three years after Nipper died, Francis Barraud painted the scene of Nipper listening to the phonograph and called his work “Dog looking at and listening to a Phonograph”. He completed it in 1898.
According to this website, Barraud (above) then decided to rename the painting “His Master’s Voice” and tried to exhibit it at the Royal Academy. He was turned down, and many people he showed the painting were confused as to the scene. Following some thought and alterations to the original picture, The Gramophone Company bought the painting and the image appeared in the Gramophone Company’s advertising in 1900.
And the rest of the story we know; “His Master’s Voice” eventually turned into “HMV’ the ubiquitous Music Brand (also now on Bold Street in Liverpool). Erik Ostergaard tells the full tale via is website and further commentary is available on the DesignBoom website. In our own Bold Street research however, Laura has managed to uncover yet more on this tale.
This is from an essay enclosed in a letter from Philip Barraud to David Chandler Esq. at the National Portrait Gallery in 1985.
“Another Barraud photographer who is perhaps not so well known was Philip George (1859-1929) in Liverpool, a very much younger son of Henry and brother of Herbert. Born in 1859 he does not seem to have done much in the business line until he became engaged to his future wife, Amy Ingham. Eventually he started business as a photographer in Bold Street, Liverpool. Certainly he was in business there when his older brother, Mark Henry died in 1887, because his brother Francis James (who followed Herbert at Mayalls in London;) went to Liverpool, taking with him his dead brother’s dog “Nipper”, the subject of the painting “His Master’s Voice” which became the trademark of H.M.V Gramophone Co. It was in the photographic studio in Liverpool that the dog listened to the phonograph and the idea for the picture of born.”
So there we have it, even though Nipper lived in Kingston Upon Thames, it was in Liverpool, in a photographic studio on Bold Street that Nipper first listened to the phonograph!
For more information see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Barraud_painting.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Barraud
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nipper
http://www.danbbs.dk/~erikoest/nipper.htm
Bold Street, 2001
Published by June 1st, 2007 in Exhibition, FACT and History of Bold Street. 0 CommentsLooking through some old CDs of images today and came across this image taken on 26th January 2001. It shows Christians next to what is now Ropewalks Square, linking Bold Street to FACT.
We have been uncovering lots of fascinating information during our months exploring Bold Street. Recently, we uncovered the story of Henry Park (1745-1831) an eminent surgeon responsible for pioneering surgical work in the field of amputation and the preservation of limbs. He also was a prominent doctor delivering babies all over the city including the prime minister of Britain William Gladstone. The house, on the corner of Newington and Bold Street was erected by Park in 1788 making it possibly one of the oldest in the street. It is now converted into shops. Imagine the sights that the building has seen! (see shop above, Parks house as it appears today.)
Interview with Doris Mercer
Published by May 23rd, 2007 in Community of Bold Street and History of Bold Street. 0 Comments
We’ve been interviewing some interesting Bold Street characters over the past few weeks including Doris Mercer who worked on Bold Street between the 1930’s and 1960’s. Doris worked in the La Kabala, Sissens and Fullers during Bold Street’s glory days as a hot spot for the wealthy. The interview will be available very soon.
If you worked in any of these establishments or know Doris, please get in touch.
We (Katie and Michelle) went on a tour of St Luke’s church. Whilst we didn’t get to go inside, we did get some great pictures from the church looking towards Hardman Street and down towards Bold Street. Also, we got quite a history lesson! All our pictures will be added to Flickr, the photo sharing website. You can see the St Luke’s Church ones here.