Toxteth
Encyclopedia
Toxteth is an inner city
area of Liverpool
, England
. Located to the south of the city, Toxteth is bordered by Liverpool City Centre
, Dingle
, Edge Hill, Wavertree
and Aigburth
.
The district has two parks with a mixture of old terraced housing, post-World War II
social housing and a legacy of large old Victorian houses. Industry and commerce is confined to the docks on its western border and a few streets running off Parliament Street. The district is primarily residential.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, as Liverpool expanded the ancient park of Toxteth was gradually urbanised. Large Georgian
houses were built in the Canning
area, followed later by grand Victorian
houses, especially along the tree-lined Prince's Road/Avenue boulevard and around Prince's Park. The district quickly became home to the wealthy merchants of Liverpool, alongside a much larger poor population in modest Victorian terraces. Toxteth features many fine examples of Georgian architecture, most of it built after the Georgian era
, including many fine examples of buildings constructed for ritual use. Canning has become known to estate agents as the "Georgian Quarter". The Earl of Sefton made the land available for development on 75-year leases.
Toxteth's housing is full of contrasts, with houses in some areas reflecting the wealth of the district in Victorian Britain, and some parts clearly deprived. Some parts have rows of boarded-up terraced houses awaiting demolition.
Two of the city's largest parks, Sefton Park
and Princes Park
, are located in or around Toxteth. The earlier Princes Park was laid out by Richard Vaughan Yates around 1840, intending it to be used as open space, funded by the grand houses to be constructed around its edge, as would later happen with Sefton Park. Sefton Park was created by the Corporation of Liverpool in 1872, inspired partly by Birkenhead Park
, across the River Mersey. Sefton Park has a large glass Palm House
, which contains a statue of William Rathbone V
unveiled in 1887, and originally had many other features including an aviary
and an open-air theatre.
of 1086, and at this time, it appears as "Stochestede", i.e. "the stockaded or enclosed place", from the Anglo-Saxon
stocc "stake" and Anglo-Saxon stede "place" (found in many English placenames, usually spelled stead).
, Toxteth was divided into two manor
s of equal size. One was owned by Bernulf and the other by Stainulf. After the conquest, part was granted by Count Roger of Poitou to the ancestor of the Earl of Sefton
. From this time to about 1604, the land formed part of West Derby
forest. The boundaries of the manor are described in the perambulation of 1228 as follows, "'Where Oskell's brook falls into the Mersey; up this brook to Haghou meadow, from this to Brummesho, following the syke to Brumlausie, and across by the old turbaries upon two meres as far as Lombethorn; from this point going down to the "waterfall" of the head of Otter pool, and down this pool into the Mersey. " In 1327, Toxteth was granted to Henry, Earl of Lancaster
.
Over the years, various leases and grants were made and the park was owned by Adam, son of William de Liverpool, in 1338. In 1385, William de Liverpool had licence "to take two cartloads of gorse
weekly from the park for 12d. a year rent." In 1383 a grant was made to William Bolton and Robert Baxter, in 1894 the lease was resigned and handed over to Richard de Molyneux. The park finally came into the hands of Sir Thomas Stanley
in 1447. The parkland descended within the Stanley family until 1596, when it was sold by William Stanley
, Earl of Derby
, to Edmund Smolte and Edward Aspinwall. In 1604, the Earl sold it to Richard Molyneux
of Sefton at a cost of £1,100. The estate descended from this time until 1972 with the death of the 7th Earl.
and two miles inland, the highest point being on the corner of Smithdown Lane and Lodge Lane. An ancient brook
ran from the northern end of the area towards the river, near the boundary of Parliament Street, where it was used to power a water wheel
before it ran into the river. Along the river are two creeks, one near the middle is known as Knot's Hole and another further south called Dickinson's Dingle received a brook which ran past the east end of St Michael's Church
.
At some time in history the creeks were filled in. The Dingle
is now in the area where the old northern creek was situated, and St Michael's Hamlet
is situated around the southern creek. Outside the southern boundary of the area lies the creek known as Otterspool, which formed the boundary between Wavertree and West Derby. The major road through the area was Park Lane, now Park Place and Park Road. The road ran from the Coffee House, which stood near Fairview Place, down towards the Dingle, and the old Toxteth Chapel
.
In 1796, the Herculaneum Pottery
was established on the site of an old copper works, the site later became Herculaneum Dock
, which was filled in during the 1980s.
Toward the end of the 16th century, the Royal park ceased to be and Puritan
farmers from Bolton
settled in the area. Setting up 25 farms on land outside Church of England
control, which became Toxteth Village, they worshipped at the "Ancient Chapel" of Toxteth on Park Road. In 1611, they built a school at the Dingle, appointing Richard Mather
as master
. Some years later, he began preaching to the local farmers in the Ancient Chapel.
the Manor of Smithdown was taken from its owner, and the king gave him Thingwall instead.
were stationed in Toxteth. On 30th August 1940, the Demi Brigade departed Liverpool for operations against Vichy forces
that would include the abortive Battle of Dakar
and the storming
of Libreville
.
, in 1774. Other churches built during the 19th century include St John the Baptist's, 1832; St Thomas's, 1840; St Barnabas's, 1841; St Clement's Windsor, 1841; St Matthew's, 1847; St Paul's, 1848; Holy Trinity, 1858; St Silas's, 1865; St Cleopas's, 1866; St Margaret's, 1869; Christ Church, 1870; St Philemon's, 1874; All Saints', 1884; St Gabriel's, 1884; St Agnes's, 1884; St Bede's, 1886; St Andrew's, 1893; and the Welsh Presbyterian Church
, nicknamed Toxteth Cathedral, 1868. The Al-Rahma Mosque
on Hatherley Street opened in 2008.
Immigration to Toxteth took place from the 1950s to the present day, mostly from Africa and the Caribbean with relatively few from the Indian sub-continent. July 1981 saw the riots, in which dozens of young males caused a great deal of damage and many injuries. Poverty, unemployment, racial tension, racism from the local white population and hostility towards the police were largely blamed for the disturbances, which were among the worst scenes of unrest seen during peacetime in Britain at that time. Hundreds of people were injured, one man was killed by a police Land Rover
, and countless buildings and vehicles were damaged.
A second, less serious riot occurred in Toxteth on 1 October 1985.
Crime rates in Toxteth have been high for many years.
As well as racial and civil unrest, vehicle crime has also blighted Toxteth. The highest-profile instance of vehicle crime in Toxteth came on 30 October 1991, when two children (nine-year-old Daniel Davies and 12-year-old Adele Thompson) were killed by a speeding Mazda
sports car driven by 18-year-old joyrider Christopher Lewin on Granby Street. Adele died at the scene, and Daniel from his injuries a week later.
Lewin was found guilty on a double manslaughter charge at Liverpool Crown Court
on 24 September 1992 and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, as well as being banned from driving for seven years. At the end of his trial, relatives and friends of the two victims pelted him with missiles and threatened to attack him. Five of them were ejected from the court.
Further rioting broke out in Toxteth on the evening of 8 August 2011 - almost exactly 30 years after the most famous riot - at a time when rioting was widespread
across England
. Vehicles and wheelie bins were set alight in the district, as well as in nearby Dingle
and Wavertree
, and a number of shops were looted. Two police officers suffered minor injuries as a result of the rioting. It was brought under control in the early hours of the following morning. Individuals arrested and charged in relation to the 2011 rioting were from addresses all across the city, with Toxteth residents being a clear minority.
and the Member of Parliament
is Louise Ellman
, of the Labour Party
(although the MP actually represents the Co-operative Party
, a Labour Party affiliate whose candidates stand as "Labour and Co-operative"). The council ward is Princes Park, and has three Labour councillors.
45,929 (compared to the national average of £160,625).
Despite government-led efforts to regenerate Toxteth after the 1981 riots, few of the area's problems appeared to have improved by 1991, by which time joyriding had also become a serious problem; on 30 October that year, a 12-year-old was killed by a speeding stolen car on Granby Street, seriously injuring a nine-year-old who died in hospital from his injuries six days later.
By the time of the riot's 20th anniversary in July 2001, it was reported that many of the issues which contributed to the riots were still rife; not least unemployment and racial tension, as well as a decline in the sense of community in some neighbourhoods. Urban dereliction and gun crime remained a significant problem. However, there had already been some significant improvements by this stage, including the rebuilding of the Rialto complex (which was destroyed in the 1981 riot)as a mix of retail, residential and commercial properties.
Housing in Toxteth tends to be in terraces but there is a growing number of flats available as larger Victorian
properties (particularly around the Prince's Road/Avenue Boulevard) are broken up into separate dwellings. This is particularly the case in Canning and around Princes Park.
people. The most recent scheme, costing £54 million, will see the clearance of 11 streets near Princes Park
, nicknamed the "Welsh Streets" due to the streets being built and lived in by the Welsh workers who built a large percentage of buildings around Liverpool city in the 19th century and around the turn of the 20th century. The streets were named after Welsh towns and villages because of this. Musician Ringo Starr
was born in 9 Madryn Street, where he lived until the age of 4. His family then moved to Admiral Grove, a minute's walk away, where he was still living when he joined the Beatles.
The threat of Starr's birthplace and one-time home being demolished prompted uproar in parts of the neighbourhood and among fans all over the world although a large proportion of the local community hold him in low regard, especially following his disparaging comments about Liverpool on the Jonathon Ross TV show in 2008. The decision was made in September 2005 to take down the house brick by brick and rebuild it as a centrepice for the Museum of Liverpool Life
. This was a U-turn, since a councillor had first stated that the house had no historic value. This has not been a successful decision. Starr said it was not worth bothering about to take it down to rebuild it elsewhere, but he is known to feel no emotional link with the city anyway. Some suggested demolition of the area surrounding Starr's home was unsatisfactory, claiming "People liked the city's character, not packaged replicas". The Welsh Streets had been one of Liverpool's popular landmarks, but were condemned for demolition, despite dating back to the 1880s, allegedly because many were in poor condition and lacked basic amenities. The demolition is highly contentious, with many residents taking the view that the houses are beyond rescue while others believe they are fundamentally sound, and it has been alleged that renovation would be preferable and cheaper. Throughout consultations a clear majority of residents voted in favour of demolition and redevelopment with new houses and by 2009 over 100 had been rehoused together into a neighbourhood nearby which they had helped to design.
Toxteth has two parks within its borders:
network are Brunswick
in Dingle and St Michaels
in Aigburth
.
Both stations are on the Northern Line
with trains departing to Southport
via Liverpool city centre and to Hunts Cross
. Brunswick station is located on Sefton Street, St Michaels station is located in Buckland Street.
St. James Station
is a disused railway station in Toxteth. It was located at the corner of St. James Place and Parliament Street, on the Merseyrail Northern Line
. This station is in a deep cutting, cut into the Northern Line
tunnel, being in effect an underground station with no roof. It was closed in 1917 as being too near to the terminus at Liverpool Central High Level railway station
. However, Merseytravel have stated they would consider reopening it if the population density in the area increases. The station is well located to serve the Liverpool Echo Arena
at King's Dock and Liverpool Cathedral
.
Sefton Park railway station
, another disused station, was located at Smithdown Road and Garmoyle Road in nearby Wavertree. The station was closed to passengers in 1960. The station is on the West Coast Main Line Spur with Merseyrail
trains running through from Liverpool South Parkway and Lime Street
stations.
.
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
area of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Located to the south of the city, Toxteth is bordered by Liverpool City Centre
Liverpool City Centre
Liverpool city centre is the commercial, cultural, financial and historical heart of Liverpool, England.Unlike many other cities in the United Kingdom, a ring road doesn't distinguish the city centre from the remainder of Liverpool, although an inner ring road of sorts does exist, with the recent...
, Dingle
Dingle, Liverpool
Dingle is an inner-city area of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is located to the south of the city, bordered by the adjoining districts of Toxteth and Aigburth...
, Edge Hill, Wavertree
Wavertree
Wavertree is an area of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England, and is a Liverpool City Council ward. It is bordered by a number of districts to the south and east of Liverpool city centre from Toxteth, Edge Hill, Fairfield, Old Swan, Childwall and Mossley Hill....
and Aigburth
Aigburth
Aigburth is a suburb of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. Located to the south of the city, it is bordered by Dingle, Mossley Hill, and Garston.-History:...
.
Description
The district of Toxteth lies within the borders of the ancient township of Toxteth Park.The district has two parks with a mixture of old terraced housing, post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
social housing and a legacy of large old Victorian houses. Industry and commerce is confined to the docks on its western border and a few streets running off Parliament Street. The district is primarily residential.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, as Liverpool expanded the ancient park of Toxteth was gradually urbanised. Large Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
houses were built in the Canning
Canning, Liverpool
Canning is an area of Liverpool, England. It lies on the borders of Toxteth and the city centre and bounded to the south by Upper Parliament Street, to the east by Grove Street, to the north by Myrtle Street and to the west by Hope Street....
area, followed later by grand Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
houses, especially along the tree-lined Prince's Road/Avenue boulevard and around Prince's Park. The district quickly became home to the wealthy merchants of Liverpool, alongside a much larger poor population in modest Victorian terraces. Toxteth features many fine examples of Georgian architecture, most of it built after the Georgian era
Georgian era
The Georgian era is a period of British history which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of, the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain : George I, George II, George III and George IV...
, including many fine examples of buildings constructed for ritual use. Canning has become known to estate agents as the "Georgian Quarter". The Earl of Sefton made the land available for development on 75-year leases.
Toxteth's housing is full of contrasts, with houses in some areas reflecting the wealth of the district in Victorian Britain, and some parts clearly deprived. Some parts have rows of boarded-up terraced houses awaiting demolition.
Two of the city's largest parks, Sefton Park
Sefton Park
Sefton Park is a public park in south Liverpool, England. The park is in a district of the same name within the Liverpool City Council Ward of Mossley Hill, and roughly within the historic bounds of the large area of Toxteth Park...
and Princes Park
Princes Park, Liverpool
Princes Park in Toxteth, Liverpool, England, is a 45 hectare municipal park, 2 miles south east of Liverpool city centre. In 2009 it had it status upgraded to a Grade II* Historic Park by English Heritage....
, are located in or around Toxteth. The earlier Princes Park was laid out by Richard Vaughan Yates around 1840, intending it to be used as open space, funded by the grand houses to be constructed around its edge, as would later happen with Sefton Park. Sefton Park was created by the Corporation of Liverpool in 1872, inspired partly by Birkenhead Park
Birkenhead Park
Birkenhead Park is a public park in the centre of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England. It was designed by Joseph Paxton and opened on 5 April 1847...
, across the River Mersey. Sefton Park has a large glass Palm House
Palm House
A palm house is a greenhouse that is specialised for the growing of palms and other tropical and subtropical plants. Palm houses require constant heat and were built as status symbols in Victorian Britain...
, which contains a statue of William Rathbone V
William Rathbone V
-Life:A member of the noted Rathbone family of Liverpool, he was the eldest son of William Rathbone IV and Hannah Mary . He was a Liverpool merchant in partnership with Richard Rathbone, his brother....
unveiled in 1887, and originally had many other features including an aviary
Aviary
An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages...
and an open-air theatre.
Toponymy
There is some ambiguity as to the origin of the name. One theory is that the etymology is "Toki's landing-place". However, Toxteth is mentioned in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086, and at this time, it appears as "Stochestede", i.e. "the stockaded or enclosed place", from the Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
stocc "stake" and Anglo-Saxon stede "place" (found in many English placenames, usually spelled stead).
The Manor
Before the time of the Norman ConquestNorman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
, Toxteth was divided into two manor
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
s of equal size. One was owned by Bernulf and the other by Stainulf. After the conquest, part was granted by Count Roger of Poitou to the ancestor of the Earl of Sefton
Earl of Sefton
The title Earl of Sefton was created in the Peerage of Ireland in1771 for the 8th Viscount Molyneux. The Earls of Sefton held the subsidiary titles Viscount Molyneux, of Maryborough in the Queen's County , in the Peerage of Ireland, and Baron Sefton, of Croxteth in the County Palatine of Lancaster...
. From this time to about 1604, the land formed part of West Derby
West Derby
West Derby is a suburb in the north of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is also a Liverpool City Council ward. At the 2001 Census, the population of the ward was 14,801 .-History:...
forest. The boundaries of the manor are described in the perambulation of 1228 as follows, "'Where Oskell's brook falls into the Mersey; up this brook to Haghou meadow, from this to Brummesho, following the syke to Brumlausie, and across by the old turbaries upon two meres as far as Lombethorn; from this point going down to the "waterfall" of the head of Otter pool, and down this pool into the Mersey. " In 1327, Toxteth was granted to Henry, Earl of Lancaster
Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster
Henry , 3rd Earl of Leicester and Lancaster was an English nobleman, one of the principals behind the deposition of Edward II of England.-Family and lineage:...
.
Over the years, various leases and grants were made and the park was owned by Adam, son of William de Liverpool, in 1338. In 1385, William de Liverpool had licence "to take two cartloads of gorse
Gorse
Gorse, furze, furse or whin is a genus of about 20 plant species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to western Europe and northwest Africa, with the majority of species in Iberia.Gorse is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green...
weekly from the park for 12d. a year rent." In 1383 a grant was made to William Bolton and Robert Baxter, in 1894 the lease was resigned and handed over to Richard de Molyneux. The park finally came into the hands of Sir Thomas Stanley
Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby
Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby, KG was titular King of Mann, an English nobleman and stepfather to King Henry VII of England...
in 1447. The parkland descended within the Stanley family until 1596, when it was sold by William Stanley
William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby
William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby was an English nobleman. Stanley inherited a prominent social position that was both dangerous and unstable, as his mother was heir to Queen Elizabeth I under the Third Succession Act, a position that fell to his deceased brother's oldest daughter in 1596,...
, Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the end of the reign of Henry III and died in 1279...
, to Edmund Smolte and Edward Aspinwall. In 1604, the Earl sold it to Richard Molyneux
Richard Molyneux, 1st Viscount Molyneux
Richard Molyneux, 1st Viscount Molyneux was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1628 when he was created a peer....
of Sefton at a cost of £1,100. The estate descended from this time until 1972 with the death of the 7th Earl.
Toxteth Park
The ancient township of Toxteth contains the ancient village of Smeedon or Smithdown. It stretches over an area of three miles along the River MerseyRiver Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
and two miles inland, the highest point being on the corner of Smithdown Lane and Lodge Lane. An ancient brook
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
ran from the northern end of the area towards the river, near the boundary of Parliament Street, where it was used to power a water wheel
Water wheel
A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface...
before it ran into the river. Along the river are two creeks, one near the middle is known as Knot's Hole and another further south called Dickinson's Dingle received a brook which ran past the east end of St Michael's Church
St Michael's Church, Aigburth
St Michael's Church, Aigburth, also known as St Michael-in-the-Hamlet Church, is in St. Michael's Church Road, St Michael's Hamlet, Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building...
.
At some time in history the creeks were filled in. The Dingle
Dingle, Liverpool
Dingle is an inner-city area of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is located to the south of the city, bordered by the adjoining districts of Toxteth and Aigburth...
is now in the area where the old northern creek was situated, and St Michael's Hamlet
St Michael's Hamlet
St Michael's Hamlet, also known as St Michael-in-the-Hamlet or simply St Michael's, is a suburb of Liverpool, Merseyside, England and a Liverpool City Council Ward. It is located to the south of the city, bordered by Dingle, and Mossley Hill....
is situated around the southern creek. Outside the southern boundary of the area lies the creek known as Otterspool, which formed the boundary between Wavertree and West Derby. The major road through the area was Park Lane, now Park Place and Park Road. The road ran from the Coffee House, which stood near Fairview Place, down towards the Dingle, and the old Toxteth Chapel
Toxteth Unitarian Chapel
Toxteth Unitarian Chapel is in Park Road, Dingle, Liverpool, England . Since the 1830s it has been known as The Ancient Chapel of Toxteth. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building, and continues to be in use as a Unitarian chapel...
.
In 1796, the Herculaneum Pottery
Herculaneum Pottery
The Herculaneum Pottery was based in Toxteth, Liverpool, England. between 1793/4 and 1841. They made creamware and pearlware pottery as well as bone china porcelain....
was established on the site of an old copper works, the site later became Herculaneum Dock
Herculaneum Dock
Herculaneum Dock was part of the Port of Liverpool in Liverpool, England. It was situated at the southern end of the Liverpool dock system, on the River Mersey. To the north it was connected to Harrington Dock. The dock was named after the Herculaneum Pottery Company that had occupied the site...
, which was filled in during the 1980s.
Toward the end of the 16th century, the Royal park ceased to be and Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
farmers from Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
settled in the area. Setting up 25 farms on land outside Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
control, which became Toxteth Village, they worshipped at the "Ancient Chapel" of Toxteth on Park Road. In 1611, they built a school at the Dingle, appointing Richard Mather
Richard Mather
Richard Mather , was a Puritan clergyman in colonial Boston, Massachusetts. He was father to Increase Mather and grandfather to Cotton Mather, both celebrated Boston divines.-Biography:...
as master
Schoolmaster
A schoolmaster, or simply master, once referred to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British public schools, but is generally obsolete elsewhere.The teacher in charge of a school is the headmaster...
. Some years later, he began preaching to the local farmers in the Ancient Chapel.
Smithdown
Smithdown, referred to as Esmedune in the Domesday Book, and variously as Smededon, Smeddon, Smethesdune, Smethedon, Smethdon, Smethden, has been merged into Toxteth Park since the granting of the Liverpool Charter in 1207. The definite boundaries of Smithdown have never been fully recorded, but the name continued in use from 1207 until the 16th century, although it is thought to have reached from Lodge Lane to the eastern boundary of Toxteth Park. In 1066, Smithdown was held as a separate manor, by Ethelmund. During the reign of King JohnJohn of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
the Manor of Smithdown was taken from its owner, and the king gave him Thingwall instead.
World War 2
During world war 2, the Free French 13th Demi Brigade of the French Foreign LegionFrench Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
were stationed in Toxteth. On 30th August 1940, the Demi Brigade departed Liverpool for operations against Vichy forces
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
that would include the abortive Battle of Dakar
Battle of Dakar
The Battle of Dakar, also known as Operation Menace, was an unsuccessful attempt in September 1940 by the Allies to capture the strategic port of Dakar in French West Africa , which was under Vichy French control, and to install the Free French under General Charles de Gaulle there.-Background:At...
and the storming
Battle of Gabon
The Battle of Gabon or the Battle of Libreville was part of the West African Campaign of World War II fought in November 1940. The battle resulted in the Free French forces under General Charles de Gaulle taking Libreville, Gabon, and taking all of French Equatorial Africa from Vichy French...
of Libreville
Libreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...
.
Places of worship
As the area began to develop and become more urbanised, several places of worship were built to serve the growing community. The first church was St James'sChurch of St James, Liverpool
Church of St James, Toxteth, Liverpool, England dates from 1774, and was built by Cuthbert Bisbrowne. This building is one of the oldest surviving buildings in the area of Toxteth. It is a rectangular building made of brick, with round-topped windows and castellated square tower. The cast iron...
, in 1774. Other churches built during the 19th century include St John the Baptist's, 1832; St Thomas's, 1840; St Barnabas's, 1841; St Clement's Windsor, 1841; St Matthew's, 1847; St Paul's, 1848; Holy Trinity, 1858; St Silas's, 1865; St Cleopas's, 1866; St Margaret's, 1869; Christ Church, 1870; St Philemon's, 1874; All Saints', 1884; St Gabriel's, 1884; St Agnes's, 1884; St Bede's, 1886; St Andrew's, 1893; and the Welsh Presbyterian Church
Welsh Presbyterian Church (Liverpool)
The Welsh Presbyterian Church in Liverpool, also known as the Welsh Catheral or Toxteth Cathedral, is a ruined church, located on Princes Road in the Princes Park area of Toxteth, Liverpool. In spite of its nicknames, it is not an actual cathedral and never was.The building was designed by the...
, nicknamed Toxteth Cathedral, 1868. The Al-Rahma Mosque
Al-Rahma mosque
The Al-Rahma Mosque is a Mosque located on Hatherley Street in Toxteth, Liverpool, England, and can accommodate between 2,000 and 2,500 people and serves as the main place of worship and focus point for Liverpool's 25,000 strong Muslim community...
on Hatherley Street opened in 2008.
Unrest and crime
Liverpool's post-Second World War decline took its toll on Toxteth. Increasing unemployment in the city, lack of government action, institutionalised racism within the police force and general poverty led to the 1981 Toxteth riots, for which the area is probably most famous.Immigration to Toxteth took place from the 1950s to the present day, mostly from Africa and the Caribbean with relatively few from the Indian sub-continent. July 1981 saw the riots, in which dozens of young males caused a great deal of damage and many injuries. Poverty, unemployment, racial tension, racism from the local white population and hostility towards the police were largely blamed for the disturbances, which were among the worst scenes of unrest seen during peacetime in Britain at that time. Hundreds of people were injured, one man was killed by a police Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
, and countless buildings and vehicles were damaged.
A second, less serious riot occurred in Toxteth on 1 October 1985.
Crime rates in Toxteth have been high for many years.
As well as racial and civil unrest, vehicle crime has also blighted Toxteth. The highest-profile instance of vehicle crime in Toxteth came on 30 October 1991, when two children (nine-year-old Daniel Davies and 12-year-old Adele Thompson) were killed by a speeding Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
sports car driven by 18-year-old joyrider Christopher Lewin on Granby Street. Adele died at the scene, and Daniel from his injuries a week later.
Lewin was found guilty on a double manslaughter charge at Liverpool Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
on 24 September 1992 and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, as well as being banned from driving for seven years. At the end of his trial, relatives and friends of the two victims pelted him with missiles and threatened to attack him. Five of them were ejected from the court.
Further rioting broke out in Toxteth on the evening of 8 August 2011 - almost exactly 30 years after the most famous riot - at a time when rioting was widespread
2011 England riots
Between 6 and 10 August 2011, several London boroughs and districts of cities and towns across England suffered widespread rioting, looting and arson....
across England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Vehicles and wheelie bins were set alight in the district, as well as in nearby Dingle
Dingle
Dingle is a town in County Kerry, Ireland. The only town on the Dingle Peninsula, it sits on the Atlantic coast, about 49 kilometres southwest of Tralee and 71 kilometres northwest of Killarney....
and Wavertree
Wavertree
Wavertree is an area of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England, and is a Liverpool City Council ward. It is bordered by a number of districts to the south and east of Liverpool city centre from Toxteth, Edge Hill, Fairfield, Old Swan, Childwall and Mossley Hill....
, and a number of shops were looted. Two police officers suffered minor injuries as a result of the rioting. It was brought under control in the early hours of the following morning. Individuals arrested and charged in relation to the 2011 rioting were from addresses all across the city, with Toxteth residents being a clear minority.
Politics
Politically, Toxteth is within the parliamentary constituency of Liverpool RiversideLiverpool Riverside (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool Riverside is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
and the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
is Louise Ellman
Louise Ellman
Louise Joyce Ellman is a British Labour Co-operative politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Liverpool Riverside since 1997. In parliament she is Chair of the Transport Select Committee and a member of the Liaison Committee.-Early life:Ellman was born in Manchester to a British...
, of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
(although the MP actually represents the Co-operative Party
Co-operative Party
The Co-operative Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom committed to supporting and representing co-operative principles. The party does not put up separate candidates for any UK election itself. Instead, Co-operative candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party as "Labour...
, a Labour Party affiliate whose candidates stand as "Labour and Co-operative"). The council ward is Princes Park, and has three Labour councillors.
Regeneration
Much of the area continues to suffer from poverty and urban degradation. House prices reflect this; in summer 2003, the average property price was just £Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
45,929 (compared to the national average of £160,625).
Despite government-led efforts to regenerate Toxteth after the 1981 riots, few of the area's problems appeared to have improved by 1991, by which time joyriding had also become a serious problem; on 30 October that year, a 12-year-old was killed by a speeding stolen car on Granby Street, seriously injuring a nine-year-old who died in hospital from his injuries six days later.
By the time of the riot's 20th anniversary in July 2001, it was reported that many of the issues which contributed to the riots were still rife; not least unemployment and racial tension, as well as a decline in the sense of community in some neighbourhoods. Urban dereliction and gun crime remained a significant problem. However, there had already been some significant improvements by this stage, including the rebuilding of the Rialto complex (which was destroyed in the 1981 riot)as a mix of retail, residential and commercial properties.
Housing in Toxteth tends to be in terraces but there is a growing number of flats available as larger Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
properties (particularly around the Prince's Road/Avenue Boulevard) are broken up into separate dwellings. This is particularly the case in Canning and around Princes Park.
"Welsh streets"
Extensive regeneration has taken place in Toxteth over the last few years, including demolition of many of the Victorian terraces in the area creating much new development, particularly aimed at middle classMiddle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
people. The most recent scheme, costing £54 million, will see the clearance of 11 streets near Princes Park
Princes Park, Liverpool
Princes Park in Toxteth, Liverpool, England, is a 45 hectare municipal park, 2 miles south east of Liverpool city centre. In 2009 it had it status upgraded to a Grade II* Historic Park by English Heritage....
, nicknamed the "Welsh Streets" due to the streets being built and lived in by the Welsh workers who built a large percentage of buildings around Liverpool city in the 19th century and around the turn of the 20th century. The streets were named after Welsh towns and villages because of this. Musician Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
was born in 9 Madryn Street, where he lived until the age of 4. His family then moved to Admiral Grove, a minute's walk away, where he was still living when he joined the Beatles.
The threat of Starr's birthplace and one-time home being demolished prompted uproar in parts of the neighbourhood and among fans all over the world although a large proportion of the local community hold him in low regard, especially following his disparaging comments about Liverpool on the Jonathon Ross TV show in 2008. The decision was made in September 2005 to take down the house brick by brick and rebuild it as a centrepice for the Museum of Liverpool Life
Museum of Liverpool Life
The Museum of Liverpool Life was a Museum in Liverpool, England, part of National Museums Liverpool, that focused on the contribution that the people of Liverpool made to national life...
. This was a U-turn, since a councillor had first stated that the house had no historic value. This has not been a successful decision. Starr said it was not worth bothering about to take it down to rebuild it elsewhere, but he is known to feel no emotional link with the city anyway. Some suggested demolition of the area surrounding Starr's home was unsatisfactory, claiming "People liked the city's character, not packaged replicas". The Welsh Streets had been one of Liverpool's popular landmarks, but were condemned for demolition, despite dating back to the 1880s, allegedly because many were in poor condition and lacked basic amenities. The demolition is highly contentious, with many residents taking the view that the houses are beyond rescue while others believe they are fundamentally sound, and it has been alleged that renovation would be preferable and cheaper. Throughout consultations a clear majority of residents voted in favour of demolition and redevelopment with new houses and by 2009 over 100 had been rehoused together into a neighbourhood nearby which they had helped to design.
Parks
- Sefton ParkSefton ParkSefton Park is a public park in south Liverpool, England. The park is in a district of the same name within the Liverpool City Council Ward of Mossley Hill, and roughly within the historic bounds of the large area of Toxteth Park...
, one of the last remnants of the royal hunting park. The park was designed by FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
landscape architectLandscape architectA landscape architect is a person involved in the planning, design and sometimes direction of a landscape, garden, or distinct space. The professional practice is known as landscape architecture....
Édouard AndréÉdouard AndréÉdouard François André was a French horticulturalist, landscape designer, as well as a leading landscape architect of the late 19th century, famous for designing city parks and public spaces of Monte Carlo and Montevideo....
. - Princes ParkPrinces Park, LiverpoolPrinces Park in Toxteth, Liverpool, England, is a 45 hectare municipal park, 2 miles south east of Liverpool city centre. In 2009 it had it status upgraded to a Grade II* Historic Park by English Heritage....
, first major park created by Joseph PaxtonJoseph PaxtonSir Joseph Paxton was an English gardener and architect, best known for designing The Crystal Palace.-Early life:...
.
Landmarks
- Toxteth Unitarian ChapelToxteth Unitarian ChapelToxteth Unitarian Chapel is in Park Road, Dingle, Liverpool, England . Since the 1830s it has been known as The Ancient Chapel of Toxteth. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building, and continues to be in use as a Unitarian chapel...
- Church of St. Agnes and St. Pancras, Toxteth Park also in Ullet Road.
- Church of St ClareChurch of St Clare, LiverpoolThe Church of St Clare, Liverpool is located on the corner of Arundel Avenue and York Avenue in the Sefton Park area of Liverpool, Merseyside, England . It is a Grade I listed building and an active Roman Catholic parish church in the Archdiocese of Liverpool and the Pastoral Area of Liverpool...
on the corner of Arundel Avenue and York Avenue. - The Belvedere Academy
- Welsh Streets
Rail
Toxteth's nearest railway stations on the MerseyrailMerseyrail
Merseyrail is a train operating company and commuter rail network in the United Kingdom, centred on Liverpool, Merseyside. The network is predominantly electric with diesel trains running on the City Line. Two City Line branches are currently being electrified on the overhead wire AC system with...
network are Brunswick
Brunswick railway station
Brunswick railway station is a railway station in Dingle, Liverpool, England, on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail rapid-transit urban network. It also serves the nearby district of Dingle and is situated on a short section of track between two tunnels, between the now in-filled Toxteth and...
in Dingle and St Michaels
St Michaels railway station
St Michaels railway station is a railway station in St Michael's Hamlet, Liverpool, England, on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail suburban system. It is situated near, but not on St Michael's Road, Aigburth, a short distance to the south of the Lark Lane and Sefton Park...
in Aigburth
Aigburth
Aigburth is a suburb of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. Located to the south of the city, it is bordered by Dingle, Mossley Hill, and Garston.-History:...
.
Both stations are on the Northern Line
Northern Line (Merseyrail)
The Northern Line is one of the two commuter rail lines operated by Merseyrail in Merseyside, England. The other line is the Wirral Line. A third line of the Merseyrail Network, the City Line, is not owned or operated by Merseyrail, although funded by Merseytravel.The Northern Line passes...
with trains departing to Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
via Liverpool city centre and to Hunts Cross
Hunts Cross
Hunt's Cross is a suburb of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is located on the southern edge of the city, bordered by Woolton, Allerton, Speke and Halewood.-History:...
. Brunswick station is located on Sefton Street, St Michaels station is located in Buckland Street.
St. James Station
Saint James railway station, Liverpool
St James' station in Liverpool, England was a railway station situated on the old Cheshire Lines Committee line from Liverpool Central between Central and Brunswick stations. This is now a part of Merseyrail's Northern Line. The station is located at the Parliament Street St...
is a disused railway station in Toxteth. It was located at the corner of St. James Place and Parliament Street, on the Merseyrail Northern Line
Northern Line (Merseyrail)
The Northern Line is one of the two commuter rail lines operated by Merseyrail in Merseyside, England. The other line is the Wirral Line. A third line of the Merseyrail Network, the City Line, is not owned or operated by Merseyrail, although funded by Merseytravel.The Northern Line passes...
. This station is in a deep cutting, cut into the Northern Line
Northern Line (Merseyrail)
The Northern Line is one of the two commuter rail lines operated by Merseyrail in Merseyside, England. The other line is the Wirral Line. A third line of the Merseyrail Network, the City Line, is not owned or operated by Merseyrail, although funded by Merseytravel.The Northern Line passes...
tunnel, being in effect an underground station with no roof. It was closed in 1917 as being too near to the terminus at Liverpool Central High Level railway station
Liverpool Central High Level railway station
Liverpool Central High Level opened on 1 March 1874, at the end of the Cheshire Lines Committee line to Manchester Central. It replaced Brunswick as the CLC's Liverpool passenger terminus, becoming the headquarters of the committee....
. However, Merseytravel have stated they would consider reopening it if the population density in the area increases. The station is well located to serve the Liverpool Echo Arena
Liverpool Echo Arena
Echo Arena Liverpool is the arena half of ACC Liverpool located on the former King's Dock in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. The BT Convention Centre forms the other half of the complex...
at King's Dock and Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral is the Church of England cathedral of the Diocese of Liverpool, built on St James's Mount in Liverpool and is the seat of the Bishop of Liverpool. Its official name is the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool but it is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin...
.
Sefton Park railway station
Sefton Park railway station
Sefton Park railway station is a disused station in Liverpool, England.- History :The station opened on 1 June 1892. This followed the quadrupling of the line from Wavertree to Ditton Junction on 13 July 1891. The station had a substantial booking office at street level on the west side of the...
, another disused station, was located at Smithdown Road and Garmoyle Road in nearby Wavertree. The station was closed to passengers in 1960. The station is on the West Coast Main Line Spur with Merseyrail
Merseyrail
Merseyrail is a train operating company and commuter rail network in the United Kingdom, centred on Liverpool, Merseyside. The network is predominantly electric with diesel trains running on the City Line. Two City Line branches are currently being electrified on the overhead wire AC system with...
trains running through from Liverpool South Parkway and Lime Street
Liverpool Lime Street railway station
Liverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
stations.
Notable residents
- Jean AlexanderJean AlexanderJean Alexander is a BAFTA Nominated English television actress. She is best known to British television viewers as Hilda Ogden on the soap opera Coronation Street, a role she played from 1964–1987 and also as Auntie Wainwright on the longest running sitcom Last of the Summer Wine from 1988 to 2010...
, actress best known for playing Hilda OgdenHilda OgdenHilda Alice Ogden is a fictional character from the television series Coronation Street, one of the best-known of all the regular characters in the soap opera, whose name became synonymous with a certain type of working-class woman...
in Coronation StreetCoronation StreetCoronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
, was born at Toxteth in 1926 but now lives in SouthportSouthportSouthport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
. - Victor AnichebeVictor AnichebeVictor Chinedu Anichebe is a Nigerian footballer who plays for Everton. He has been described as a fast and powerful player, in the mould of a "traditional" centre forward, although has played on the right of midfield.-Early life:Anichebe was born in Nigeria but moved to Liverpool aged one, his...
, footballer. - Arthur AskeyArthur AskeyArthur Bowden Askey CBE was a prominent English comedian.- Life and career :Askey was born at 29 Moses Street, Liverpool, the eldest child and only son of Samuel Askey , secretary of the firm Sugar Products of Liverpool, and his wife, Betsy Bowden , of Knutsford, Cheshire...
, comedian, actor. - Reginald BevinsReginald BevinsReginald Bevins was a British politician who served as a Liverpool Member of Parliament for fourteen years...
, Cabinet minister in the 1950s and 1960s, was the local MP. - Eddie BrabenEddie BrabenEddie Braben is a comedy writer and performer who has provided material for such figures as David Frost and Ronnie Corbett, and who is most famous for having written for Ken Dodd and Morecambe and Wise....
, comedy writer and performer. - Ian CallaghanIan CallaghanIan Robert Callaghan MBE is a former Liverpool footballer who holds the record for most appearances for the club.-Life and playing career:...
, footballer. - Alex CoxAlex CoxAlexander Cox is a British film director, screenwriter, nonfiction author and sometime actor, notable for his idiosyncratic style and approach to scripts...
, filmmaker. Cox was responsible for the films Repo Man, Sid and NancySid and NancySid and Nancy is a 1986 British biopic directed by Alex Cox. The film portrays the life of Sid Vicious , bassist of the seminal punk rock band the Sex Pistols, and his relationship with girlfriend Nancy Spungen .-Plot:The film opens with several police officers dragging Sid Vicious out of the Hotel...
, and Revengers TragedyRevengers TragedyRevengers Tragedy is a film adaptation of the 1606 play The Revenger's Tragedy . It was directed by Alex Cox and adapted for the screen by Cox's fellow Liverpudlian, Frank Cottrell Boyce...
. - Robbie FowlerRobbie FowlerRobert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....
, footballFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player. - Billy FuryBilly FuryBilly Fury, born Ronald William Wycherley , was an internationally successful English singer from the late-1950s to the mid-1960s, and remained an active songwriter until the 1980s. Rheumatic fever, which he first contracted as a child, damaged his heart and ultimately contributed to his death...
, musician. - Howard GayleHoward GayleHoward Gayle was the first black player to play for Liverpool.-Career:He was at the club for six years but was only given a total of five first team matches, later playing for several clubs including Birmingham City and Sunderland...
, former Liverpool FC and Blackburn Rovers FC player. - Niall GriffithsNiall GriffithsNiall Griffiths is an author, who has published six books to date. He has also written travel pieces, restaurant and book reviews, and radio plays...
, author. - Alois Hitler, Jr.Alois Hitler, Jr.Alois Hitler, Jr., born Alois Matzelsberger , was the son of Alois Hitler and Franziska Matzelsberger, and was the half-brother of Adolf Hitler.-Early life:...
(1882–1956), half-brother of Adolf HitlerAdolf HitlerAdolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
Alois lived in Upper Stanhope Street. Adolf is said to have stayed here with his brother for six months in 1912-13- William Patrick HitlerWilliam Patrick HitlerWilliam Patrick "Willy" Stuart-Houston was the nephew of Adolf Hitler. Born to Adolf's half-brother Alois Hitler, Jr., and his first wife Bridget Dowling, William later moved to Germany and subsequently escaped, eventually going to the United States where he enlisted to fight in World War...
nephew of Adolf Hitler.
- William Patrick Hitler
- Jeremiah HorrocksJeremiah HorrocksJeremiah Horrocks , sometimes given as Jeremiah Horrox , was an English astronomer who was the only person to predict, and one of only two people to observe and record, the transit of Venus of 1639.- Life and work :Horrocks was born in Lower Lodge, in...
, astronomer. First to observe the Transit of VenusTransit of VenusA transit of Venus across the Sun takes place when the planet Venus passes directly between the Sun and Earth, becoming visible against the solar disk. During a transit, Venus can be seen from Earth as a small black disk moving across the face of the Sun...
. A plaque dedicated to him can be found in Toxteth Ancient Chapel. - Holly JohnsonHolly JohnsonHolly Johnson is an English artist, writer and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and former bassist for Big in Japan.- Big in Japan :...
, former lead singer of Frankie Goes to HollywoodFrankie Goes to HollywoodFrankie Goes to Hollywood were a British dance-pop band popular in the mid-1980s. The group was fronted by Holly Johnson , with Paul Rutherford , Peter Gill , Mark O'Toole , and Brian Nash .The group's debut single "Relax" was banned by the BBC in 1984 while at number six in the charts and...
. - Fred LawlessFred LawlessFred Lawless is a British writer from Liverpool who has written for television, radio and theatre.-Biography:Fred Lawless was born in Dingle Liverpool. He attended St Patrick's School in Toxteth before his family moved to Halewood. He later attended the Wade Deacon Grammar School in Widnes...
, writer and playwright. - Gerry MarsdenGerry MarsdenGerard "Gerry" Marsden is an English musician and television personality, best known for being leader of the British band Gerry & the Pacemakers.-Biography:...
, musician. - Alicya EyoAlicya EyoAlicya Eyo is a British theatre, film and television actress. She is best known for portraying Denny Blood in the award winning and critically acclaimed prison drama series Bad Girls.-Early life:...
(born 16 December 1975, Huyton, Liverpool) is a British theatre, film and television actress. Alicya is a professional theatre actress. She is best known for portraying Denny Blood in the award winning and critically acclaimed prison drama series Bad GirlsBad Girls (TV series)Bad Girls is an award-winning British television drama series that was broadcast on ITV from 1999 to 2006. It is produced by Shed Productions, the company which later produced Footballers' Wives and Waterloo Road...
. - George MellyGeorge MellyAlan George Heywood Melly was an English jazz and blues singer, critic, writer and lecturer. From 1965 to 1973 he was a film and television critic for The Observer and lectured on art history, with an emphasis on surrealism.-Early life and career:He was born in Liverpool and was educated at Stowe...
, jazz and blues singer, critic, writer and lecturer. - Mark MoraghanMark MoraghanMark Moraghan is a British actor and singer. He has appeared in many British drama series including Peak Practice and Heartbeat...
, actor. - Wes PaulWes PaulWester Paul Gerrard is an English guitarist and singer.Wes Paul grew up in Lodge Lane, Liverpool. Between 13 November 2005 and 2 September 2007 he was the stage manager and compère of Sounds of the Sixties Cavern Showcase which ran every Sunday at The Cavern Club, Liverpool...
, guitarist and singer. - Willy Russell writer and playwright.
- Herbert Louis SamuelHerbert Samuel, 1st Viscount SamuelHerbert Louis Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel GCB OM GBE PC was a British politician and diplomat.-Early years:...
, the first Viscount Samuel of Mount Carmel and of Toxteth, who became the first Jewish Home SecretaryHome SecretaryThe Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
. - Margaret SimeyMargaret SimeyMargaret Bayne Todd was a political and social campaigner born in Glasgow, but is usually more associated with Liverpool, settling there in the 1920s and becoming the first woman to achieve a degree in sociology...
(1906–2004), political and social campaigner - The Real ThingThe Real Thing (group)-Albums:Studio albums* Real Thing - UK #34* 4 from 8 * Step Into Our World , retitled Can You Feel the Force - UK #73* ....Saints Or Sinners? Live albums* The Real Thing Live Compilation albums...
, soul band of the 1970s/1980s. - Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
, musician. - Allan Ivo SteelAllan Ivo SteelAllan Ivo Steel was an English cricketer.Allan Steel was born in Toxteth Park, Liverpool, the son of the Lancashire cricketer A. G. Steel...
(1892–1917) was born in Toxteth and was an English cricketer. - Curtis Warren, Drug baron.
- Michael ShowersMichael ShowersMichael Showers is a convicted drug dealer from Liverpool. As of 2010, he was arrested in Turkey by a joint operation by the Turkish Police and the British Serious Organised Crime Agency , the drugs baron was reprimanded after being linked to alleged heroin smuggling.-Early life:Michael Showers...
, Gangster. - Laurence WestgaphLaurence WestgaphLaurence Westgaph , is a British historian, activist and television presenter, specialising in British black history and slavery.-Early years and education:...
, social historian and activist who grew up in Toxteth
Cultural references
Toxteth O'Grady, a fictional American, was famously referred to in the classic 1980s BBC TV comedy, The Young OnesThe Young Ones (TV series)
The Young Ones is a British sitcom, first broadcast in 1982, which ran for two series on BBC2. Its anarchic, offbeat humour helped bring alternative comedy to television in the 1980s and made household names of its writers and performers...
.