John from Bootle
Player Valuation: £25m
Weird, because all newborns are a bit schizo. Cranky little barstewards.
Groucho's Fact Hunt
- Thread starter Groucho
- Start date
Weird, because all newborns are a bit schizo. Cranky little barstewards.
Take it you’re not the Baptist then, John? lol
Most of us know that The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King was designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd, but not many people have seen the runner-up in the competition that Sir Frederick won.
The competition to design a new Catholic cathedral for Liverpool was held in 1959 and had strict rules that needed to be followed for the entries; the new building would have to relate to the existing Crypt, be capable of construction within five years and cost no more than £1 million for the construction of its shell.
There were 299 entries to the design competition and it was won, of course, by Gibberd. The runner-up design was by C.H.R. Bailey and only just lost.
The competition to design a new Catholic cathedral for Liverpool was held in 1959 and had strict rules that needed to be followed for the entries; the new building would have to relate to the existing Crypt, be capable of construction within five years and cost no more than £1 million for the construction of its shell.
There were 299 entries to the design competition and it was won, of course, by Gibberd. The runner-up design was by C.H.R. Bailey and only just lost.
John from Bootle
Player Valuation: £25m
Torvill and Deans iconic gold medal winning performance was acheived with the help of Michael Crawford who acted as creative coach and mentor to the pair. It was kept secret at the time.
What a guy!
What a guy!
I love the catholic cathedral as it is but that runner up design is so off the charts, I'd have given myself over to the Lord without a second thought.
…..goodbye to the Royal Iris 
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
Why do Scousers call outsiders “Wools”? 
Most people know the word “wool”, but fewer realise it comes from the older term “woollyback” — a nickname long used in Liverpool for people from outside the city proper.
The exact origin is still debated. Some link it to the docklands, where men from outside Liverpool came in for work. Others say it may have come from labourers carrying wool bales or wearing wool or fleece on their backs for protection.
What seems clear is that the nickname grew out of Liverpool’s long-standing habit of drawing a line between the city itself and the surrounding towns and districts.
So yes — “wool” is still heard now and then, but the truth is the word’s precise origin and first recorded use are still a bit murky.
It’s one of those brilliant Liverpool sayings that everyone knows… but nobody can completely pin down.
Most people know the word “wool”, but fewer realise it comes from the older term “woollyback” — a nickname long used in Liverpool for people from outside the city proper.
The exact origin is still debated. Some link it to the docklands, where men from outside Liverpool came in for work. Others say it may have come from labourers carrying wool bales or wearing wool or fleece on their backs for protection.
What seems clear is that the nickname grew out of Liverpool’s long-standing habit of drawing a line between the city itself and the surrounding towns and districts.
So yes — “wool” is still heard now and then, but the truth is the word’s precise origin and first recorded use are still a bit murky.
It’s one of those brilliant Liverpool sayings that everyone knows… but nobody can completely pin down.
The Royal Liver Building is often called the UK’s first skyscraper, but it was not built with a steel skeleton like the classic American skyscrapers. Instead, Liverpool’s waterfront giant was built using a revolutionary reinforced-concrete frame based on the Hennebique system — making it one of the earliest major buildings anywhere to use that method.
Designed by Walter Aubrey Thomas and built between 1908 and 1911, the Royal Liver Building rose above the Pier Head as a bold statement of Liverpool’s confidence, wealth and modern ambition. When it opened, it did not just dominate the skyline — it showed the world that Liverpool was ready to build on a grand scale using cutting-edge engineering.
So the real story is even better than the myth: the Royal Liver Building was not Britain’s first steel-frame skyscraper — but it was a pioneering concrete-framed giant that helped change modern construction forever. And of course, with those famous Liver Birds watching over the city and the sea, it became one of Liverpool’s greatest symbols.
Designed by Walter Aubrey Thomas and built between 1908 and 1911, the Royal Liver Building rose above the Pier Head as a bold statement of Liverpool’s confidence, wealth and modern ambition. When it opened, it did not just dominate the skyline — it showed the world that Liverpool was ready to build on a grand scale using cutting-edge engineering.
So the real story is even better than the myth: the Royal Liver Building was not Britain’s first steel-frame skyscraper — but it was a pioneering concrete-framed giant that helped change modern construction forever. And of course, with those famous Liver Birds watching over the city and the sea, it became one of Liverpool’s greatest symbols.
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
In 1906 ,the Daffodil was built by Robert Stephenson & Sons ,as yard number 101 at Newcastle upon Tyne on 20th April 1906 and complete June for the ferry service on the River Mersey.
In 1918, she was requisitioned for war service and became HMS Daffodil. Her sister ship "Iris" was also requisitioned and became "HMS Iris II". In preparation for the Zeebrugge Raid Belgium ,which was aimed to deny the Germans further use of the port as a U-Boat base.tthis would been achieved by using Blockships and scuttle them blocking the Mole , (A high sea defence wall at the breakwater entrance to the port )
The plan was devised by Vice-Admiral Sir Roger Keyes, of the Dover Patrol with the 3 main objectives:
to block the ship-canal entrance at Zeebrugge by sinking ships across it (known as blockships = ships filled with concrete)
to inflict maximum damage on both ports
to block the entrance to the harbour at Ostend
Both ferries were stripped of all furniture, fittings and had armour fitted to the superstructure. The ferries were chosen because of their shallow draught and double hulls. Daffodil's role was to carry two of the three seamen demolition parties, known as "C" Company and commanded by Lieutenant Cecil Dickinson, specifically tasked with using explosives for demolition work.The original plan was for the demolition team to embark the Iris, but on the day they embarked the Daffodil instead.
Both the Iris and the Daffodil ,were towed across the Channel by HMS Vindictive for the operation on 23rd April 1918 St George's Day .As the attack unfolded, Daffodil was hit in the engine room by two shells, but was able to maintain her position holding HMS Vindictive against the wall of the Mole,so British landing parties could storm the German gun emplacments and soldiers that defended them ,while under intensive fire resulted in one member of the ship's crew died during the raid.
The three blockships HMS Intrepid,HMS Iphigenia and HMS Thetis , crucial to the mission, had mixed results for the raid . The Thetis didn't reach the canal entrance as it was grounded on a sandbank outside the harbour . The other two Intrepid and Iphigenia , were successfully scuttled across the entrance to the canal. The British submarine C3 sailed under the viaduct and blew it up, breaking the connection of the Mole to the mainland preventing German troop reinforcments to the Mole
1,700 Sailors and Royal Marines taking part, more than 580 were casualties, 227 of them killed for just 24 German casualties and the raid was claimed as an success by the Admirality (awarding 8 Victoria Cross medals) and British propoganda in the media, trumpeting the glory and success of the operation. This far from the truth , because the Blockships where scuttled in the wrong positions ,crucial too bottlenecking the entrance , it only caused a few days worth of inconvenience too the Germans , which dredged a channel for their U-boats to resume operations at sea again
After the Zeebrugge Raid, the Daffodil was renamed Royal Daffodil on command of King George V and returned to the Mersey,bearing shrapnel marks from the deadly raid.
HMS Daffodil IV . On her return to the Mersey from Zeebrugge Raid .17th May 1918.
In 1918, she was requisitioned for war service and became HMS Daffodil. Her sister ship "Iris" was also requisitioned and became "HMS Iris II". In preparation for the Zeebrugge Raid Belgium ,which was aimed to deny the Germans further use of the port as a U-Boat base.tthis would been achieved by using Blockships and scuttle them blocking the Mole , (A high sea defence wall at the breakwater entrance to the port )
The plan was devised by Vice-Admiral Sir Roger Keyes, of the Dover Patrol with the 3 main objectives:
to block the ship-canal entrance at Zeebrugge by sinking ships across it (known as blockships = ships filled with concrete)
to inflict maximum damage on both ports
to block the entrance to the harbour at Ostend
Both ferries were stripped of all furniture, fittings and had armour fitted to the superstructure. The ferries were chosen because of their shallow draught and double hulls. Daffodil's role was to carry two of the three seamen demolition parties, known as "C" Company and commanded by Lieutenant Cecil Dickinson, specifically tasked with using explosives for demolition work.The original plan was for the demolition team to embark the Iris, but on the day they embarked the Daffodil instead.
Both the Iris and the Daffodil ,were towed across the Channel by HMS Vindictive for the operation on 23rd April 1918 St George's Day .As the attack unfolded, Daffodil was hit in the engine room by two shells, but was able to maintain her position holding HMS Vindictive against the wall of the Mole,so British landing parties could storm the German gun emplacments and soldiers that defended them ,while under intensive fire resulted in one member of the ship's crew died during the raid.
The three blockships HMS Intrepid,HMS Iphigenia and HMS Thetis , crucial to the mission, had mixed results for the raid . The Thetis didn't reach the canal entrance as it was grounded on a sandbank outside the harbour . The other two Intrepid and Iphigenia , were successfully scuttled across the entrance to the canal. The British submarine C3 sailed under the viaduct and blew it up, breaking the connection of the Mole to the mainland preventing German troop reinforcments to the Mole
1,700 Sailors and Royal Marines taking part, more than 580 were casualties, 227 of them killed for just 24 German casualties and the raid was claimed as an success by the Admirality (awarding 8 Victoria Cross medals) and British propoganda in the media, trumpeting the glory and success of the operation. This far from the truth , because the Blockships where scuttled in the wrong positions ,crucial too bottlenecking the entrance , it only caused a few days worth of inconvenience too the Germans , which dredged a channel for their U-boats to resume operations at sea again
After the Zeebrugge Raid, the Daffodil was renamed Royal Daffodil on command of King George V and returned to the Mersey,bearing shrapnel marks from the deadly raid.
HMS Daffodil IV . On her return to the Mersey from Zeebrugge Raid .17th May 1918.
The Fenian Monument in Liverpool
Standing tall in Ford Cemetery, Litherland, is one of the most significant markers of Irish history in the Merseyside area—the Fenian Memorial.
This striking obelisk is a permanent tribute to the "Men of '67" and the deep-rooted connection between Liverpool’s Irish community and the struggle for independence.
The Men of '67,
The monument was erected to honour 16 Fenians from the 1867 Rising who found their final resting place in these grounds. These men were part of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a generation that kept the flame of nationhood alive through incredibly difficult times.
The inscriptions on the base record names that should never be forgotten, including:
Patrick Lively: A prominent leader of the local 'circles' who remained active in the movement for decades.
James Murphy: A veteran of the daring 1867 Chester Castle raid.
Patrick Scally: Arrested in Dublin during the peak of the 1866 revolutionary activity.
A Pillar of Heritage,
For the Irish diaspora in Litherland and the surrounding areas, this isn't just a grave—it's a landmark of resilience. It reminds us that the story of Ireland’s freedom was written by ordinary people who lived, worked, and eventually rested right here in our own neighbourhoods.
Next time you’re near Gorsey Lane, take a moment to visit this quiet corner of history and remember the legacy of those who stood for the "Honour of Ireland".
"To the Glory of God and the Honour of Ireland."
Standing tall in Ford Cemetery, Litherland, is one of the most significant markers of Irish history in the Merseyside area—the Fenian Memorial.
This striking obelisk is a permanent tribute to the "Men of '67" and the deep-rooted connection between Liverpool’s Irish community and the struggle for independence.The Men of '67,
The monument was erected to honour 16 Fenians from the 1867 Rising who found their final resting place in these grounds. These men were part of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a generation that kept the flame of nationhood alive through incredibly difficult times.
The inscriptions on the base record names that should never be forgotten, including:
Patrick Lively: A prominent leader of the local 'circles' who remained active in the movement for decades.
James Murphy: A veteran of the daring 1867 Chester Castle raid.
Patrick Scally: Arrested in Dublin during the peak of the 1866 revolutionary activity.
A Pillar of Heritage,
For the Irish diaspora in Litherland and the surrounding areas, this isn't just a grave—it's a landmark of resilience. It reminds us that the story of Ireland’s freedom was written by ordinary people who lived, worked, and eventually rested right here in our own neighbourhoods.
Next time you’re near Gorsey Lane, take a moment to visit this quiet corner of history and remember the legacy of those who stood for the "Honour of Ireland".
"To the Glory of God and the Honour of Ireland."
