Vauxhall, Merseyside
Encyclopedia
Vauxhall is an inner city district of Liverpool
, Merseyside
, England
. It is located north of Liverpool city centre
, and is bounded by Kirkdale
in the north, and Everton in the east, with the docks and River Mersey
running along the west side.
Vauxhall is in the Liverpool City Council
ward of Kirkdale
and the edge of the Central, Liverpool
ward, although previously it was a ward itself. In the 1841 Liverpool Census the area was covered by two wards Scotland and Vauxhall. According to the 2001 Census
, Vauxhall had a population of 6,699.
running through it. The Scottie Press is a well known local newspaper for the Vauxhall area and is recognised as "Britain's longest running community newspaper".. In 2008 Liverpool celebrated being European Capital of Culture
, and in June 2008 to make a point of the area's contribution to Liverpool is not forgotten amid all the cultural celebrations, the Scottie Roaders, old and new, held their own 08 party.
Despite the area being widely known and historical, the Vauxhall area is often misrepresented by the media as Kirkdale or Everton. Liverpool City Council's haste to update district signs around 2005 has also meant the entire area is formally misrepresented by signs saying "Everton".
The south end of Vauxhall near the city centre is home to Liverpool John Moores University
at Byrom Street. This location like so much of Liverpool's inner city is much changed compared to yesteryear. Also nearby is Atlantic Point and Marybone halls of residence.
road to Preston via Walton
and Burscough
. It became part of a stagecoach route to Scotland
, hence its name. It was partly widened in 1803 and streets of working-class housing laid out either side as Liverpool expanded. Many were demolished as slums in the 1930s, to be replaced with corporation flats. In the mid-19th century the area had become densely overcrowded, with people living in courts and cellars in appalling conditions with poverty and sickness worse than anywhere in the country.
In Victorian times
the area had over 200 public house
s, mostly now gone. What is now Vauxhall was historically within the boundaries of old Liverpool before further expansion took in the nearby townships of Everton (1835) and Kirkdale (1860's).
Scotland Road was the centre of working class life in north Liverpool. Home to most of Liverpool's migrant communities, Scotland Road was almost "a city within a city". Scotland Road had four main migrant communities; Irish, Welsh, Scottish and Italian — not to mention the native Lancastarian community and pockets of German and Polish — making Scotland Road a cultural melting pot. It was a place close to both the back end of the city centre and the docks. It could be a place of both romantic nostalgia and brutal hardship. Community was at the centre of Scotland Road and one's faith often dictated which community one belonged to.
Urban clearance and the construction of the Wallasey Tunnel
in the 1960s and '70s led to a shift in population of the area to various parts of the city such as Kirkby
, Croxteth
, Norris Green
, Fazakerley
, Huyton
, Stockbridge Village
to new modern housing, leaving Scotland Road in a state of steady decline. Demolition particularly around the north end of Scotland Road continued in the 1980s and beyond.
plus flats and student accommodation around the Leeds Street and Marybone end to improve the Vauxhall area, however little of Scotland Road itself remains.
There are new plans to create an "eco-friendly" housing development on a site next to Leeds Street and Vauxhall Road in a further bid to regenerate the area.
The Members of Parliament (MPs) for the area since 1885 have been as follows:
The North Liverpool Community Justice Centre (CJC) is based in Boundary Street.
For the future, Peel Holdings have proposed a plan for the docks in Vauxhall called Liverpool Waters
. However it is reported this development would take decades to complete.
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...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, 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...
. It is located north of 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...
, and is bounded by Kirkdale
Kirkdale, Liverpool
Kirkdale is a district of Liverpool, Merseyside, England and a Liverpool City Council ward that covers both Kirkdale and Vauxhall. At the 2001 Census the population was recorded as 15,653.-Description:...
in the north, and Everton in the east, with the docks and River Mersey
River 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....
running along the west side.
Vauxhall is in the Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It consists of 90 councillors, three for each of the city's 30 wards. The council is currently controlled by the Labour Party and is led by Joe Anderson.-Domain:...
ward of Kirkdale
Kirkdale (ward)
Kirkdale is a Liverpool City Council Ward in the Liverpool Riverside Parliamentary constituency. It was formed for the 2004 Municipal elections from most of the former Vauxhall and Melrose wards and a small part of Everton ward.-Councillors:...
and the edge of the Central, Liverpool
Central, Liverpool
Central is a Liverpool City Council Ward in the Liverpool Riverside Parliamentary constituency. It was formed for the 2004 municipal elections from the former Abercromby, Everton and Smithdown wards. It contains the majority of the city centre but also includes Kensington Fields in Kensington to...
ward, although previously it was a ward itself. In the 1841 Liverpool Census the area was covered by two wards Scotland and Vauxhall. According to the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, Vauxhall had a population of 6,699.
Description
The Vauxhall area is more famously known as the "Scottie Road area" due to the history of Scotland RoadScotland Road
Scotland Road or "Scottie Road" is the A59 and is situated near the docks in the Vauxhall area of north Liverpool, England.-History:Scotland Road was created in the 1770s as a turnpike road to Preston via Walton and Burscough. It became part of a stagecoach route to Scotland, hence its name...
running through it. The Scottie Press is a well known local newspaper for the Vauxhall area and is recognised as "Britain's longest running community newspaper".. In 2008 Liverpool celebrated being European Capital of Culture
European Capital of Culture
The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by theEuropean Union for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong European dimension....
, and in June 2008 to make a point of the area's contribution to Liverpool is not forgotten amid all the cultural celebrations, the Scottie Roaders, old and new, held their own 08 party.
Despite the area being widely known and historical, the Vauxhall area is often misrepresented by the media as Kirkdale or Everton. Liverpool City Council's haste to update district signs around 2005 has also meant the entire area is formally misrepresented by signs saying "Everton".
The south end of Vauxhall near the city centre is home to Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University is a British 'modern' university located in the city of Liverpool, England. The university is named after John Moores and was previously called Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts and later Liverpool Polytechnic before gaining university status in 1992, thus...
at Byrom Street. This location like so much of Liverpool's inner city is much changed compared to yesteryear. Also nearby is Atlantic Point and Marybone halls of residence.
History
Scotland Road was created in the 1770s as a turnpikeTurnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
road to Preston via Walton
Walton, Merseyside
Walton, originally known as Walton-on-the-Hill, in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, is an area situated to the north of Anfield and the east of Bootle and Orrell Park. It is largely residential, with a diverse population.-History:...
and Burscough
Burscough
Burscough is a village and civil parish within West Lancashire in North West England, to the north of both Ormskirk and Skelmersdale.-Growth:...
. It became part of a stagecoach route to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, hence its name. It was partly widened in 1803 and streets of working-class housing laid out either side as Liverpool expanded. Many were demolished as slums in the 1930s, to be replaced with corporation flats. In the mid-19th century the area had become densely overcrowded, with people living in courts and cellars in appalling conditions with poverty and sickness worse than anywhere in the country.
In Victorian times
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
the area had over 200 public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
s, mostly now gone. What is now Vauxhall was historically within the boundaries of old Liverpool before further expansion took in the nearby townships of Everton (1835) and Kirkdale (1860's).
Scotland Road was the centre of working class life in north Liverpool. Home to most of Liverpool's migrant communities, Scotland Road was almost "a city within a city". Scotland Road had four main migrant communities; Irish, Welsh, Scottish and Italian — not to mention the native Lancastarian community and pockets of German and Polish — making Scotland Road a cultural melting pot. It was a place close to both the back end of the city centre and the docks. It could be a place of both romantic nostalgia and brutal hardship. Community was at the centre of Scotland Road and one's faith often dictated which community one belonged to.
Urban clearance and the construction of the Wallasey Tunnel
Kingsway Tunnel
The Kingsway Tunnel is a road tunnel under the River Mersey in Merseyside, northwest England, and runs between Liverpool and Wallasey. It is one and half miles long and is often called the Wallasey Tunnel to distinguish it from the older Queensway Tunnel which runs between Liverpool and...
in the 1960s and '70s led to a shift in population of the area to various parts of the city such as Kirkby
Kirkby
Kirkby is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in the metropolitan county of Merseyside in England. The town was developed from the 1950s through 1970s as a means to house the overspill of Liverpool. It is situated roughly north of Huyton, the administrative HQ of the borough and about...
, Croxteth
Croxteth
Croxteth is a suburb of Liverpool, Merseyside, England and a Liverpool City Council Ward. Although housing in the area is predominantly modern, the suburb has some notable history. It is known locally as "Crocky"...
, Norris Green
Norris Green
Norris Green is a large housing estate and council ward in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. At the 2001 Census it had a population of 17,784.-History:...
, Fazakerley
Fazakerley
Fazakerley is a suburb of north Liverpool, Merseyside, England, and a Liverpool City Council Ward. At the 2001 Census it had a population of 15,062...
, Huyton
Huyton
Huyton is a suburb of Liverpool within the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, with some parts belonging to the borough of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It is part of the Liverpool Urban Area and has close associations with its neighbour, Roby, having both formerly been part of the Huyton with...
, Stockbridge Village
Stockbridge Village
Stockbridge Village is an area in Liverpool, England. The area adopted its current name in 1983 following the regeneration of the Cantril Farm housing estate, which was originally laid out during the 1960s but deteriorated rapidly due to crime and unemployment.-History:The district was built in the...
to new modern housing, leaving Scotland Road in a state of steady decline. Demolition particularly around the north end of Scotland Road continued in the 1980s and beyond.
New housing
2008 marked 30 years since a new housing estate breathed life in to derelict land to the west of Vauxhall Road called Eldonian Village. In recent years new housing has followed this flagship Eldonian Village, such as Athol Village alongside the Leeds and Liverpool CanalLeeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
plus flats and student accommodation around the Leeds Street and Marybone end to improve the Vauxhall area, however little of Scotland Road itself remains.
There are new plans to create an "eco-friendly" housing development on a site next to Leeds Street and Vauxhall Road in a further bid to regenerate the area.
Political history
The area has been contained in the following parliamentary constituencies:- Liverpool ScotlandLiverpool Scotland (UK Parliament constituency)Liverpool Scotland was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
(1885–1974) - Liverpool Scotland ExchangeLiverpool Scotland Exchange (UK Parliament constituency)Liverpool Scotland Exchange was a borough constituency within the city and metropolitan borough of Liverpool, in the English county of Merseyside. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
(1974–83) - 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:...
(1983–present)
The Members of Parliament (MPs) for the area since 1885 have been as follows:
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 United Kingdom general election, 1885 -Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:... |
T.P. O'Connor | Irish Nationalist Nationalist Party (Ireland) The Nationalist Party was a term commonly used to describe a number of parliamentary political parties and constituency organisations supportive of Home Rule for Ireland from 1874 to 1922... |
|
| 1929 by-election Liverpool Scotland by-election, 1929 The Liverpool Scotland by-election, 1929 was a parliamentary by-election held in England on 14 December 1929 to elect a new Member of Parliament for the House of Commons constituency of the Scotland division of Liverpool.... |
David Logan David Logan (Politician) David Gilbert Logan , known as Davie Logan, was a British Labour Party politician of Scots-Irish descent. He succeeded T.P... |
Labour 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... |
|
| 1964 by-election Liverpool Scotland by-election, 1964 The Liverpool Scotland by-election, 1964 was a parliamentary by-election held in England on 11 June 1964 for the House of Commons constituency of Liverpool Scotland.... |
Walter Alldritt | Labour 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... |
|
| 1971 by-election Liverpool Scotland by-election, 1971 The Liverpool Scotland by-election of 1 April 1971 was held after Labour Member of Parliament Walter Alldritt resigned from the House of Commons. The seat was retained by Labour.-Results:... |
Frank Marsden Frank Marsden Frank Marsden was a British Labour Party politician. He served as Member of Parliament for Liverpool Scotland from 1971 to 1974.... |
Labour 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... |
|
| Feb 1974 United Kingdom general election, February 1974 The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,... |
Robert Parry Robert Parry (UK politician) Robert Parry was a British Labour Party politician who was Member of Parliament in Liverpool for 27 years.... |
Labour 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... |
|
| 1997 United Kingdom general election, 1997 The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general... |
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... |
Labour Co-op Labour Co-operative Labour and Co-operative describes those candidates in British elections standing on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party, based on a national agreement between the two parties.... |
Landmarks in Vauxhall
Much of the area's landmarks have long since been demolished or closed. Some existing landmarks are:- St Anthony's ChurchSt Anthony's Church, Scotland RoadSt Anthony's Roman Catholic Church, is on Scotland Road in the Vauxhall area of Liverpool.- History :In 1806, the French Chapel was built on the corner of Dryden Street and Scotland Road...
- St Sylvester's ChurchSt Sylvester's Church, VauxhallSt Sylvester's Roman Catholic Church is on Silvester Street, off Scotland Road in the Vauxhall area of Liverpool.-External links:* *...
- Stanley DockStanley DockStanley Dock is a dock on the River Mersey, England, and part of the Port of Liverpool. It is situated in the Vauxhall area of Liverpool and is part of the northern dock system. The dock is connected to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal to the east and Collingwood Dock to the west.Designed by Jesse...
- Tobacco WarehouseStanley Dock Tobacco WarehouseStanley Dock Tobacco Warehouse, is a grade II listed building and is the world's largest brick warehouse. Standing high, the building was at the time of its construction in 1901, claimed to be the world's largest building in terms of area.The 14 storey building spans across and its construction...
- Eldon Grove, off Limekiln Lane.
- Throstles NestThrostles Nest Hotel, Scotland RoadThe Throstles Nest Hotel is on Scotland Road in Vauxhall, Liverpool and is situated adjacent to St Anthony's Church.The Throstles is one of the few remaining pubs of Scotland Road, and one of the oldest in Liverpool, dating back to 1881.-External links:*...
(public house next to St Anthony's Church)
The North Liverpool Community Justice Centre (CJC) is based in Boundary Street.
For the future, Peel Holdings have proposed a plan for the docks in Vauxhall called Liverpool Waters
Liverpool Waters
Liverpool Waters is a large scale £5.5bn development that has been proposed by the company Peel Holdings in the Vauxhall area of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. The development will make use of a series of presently derelict dock spaces at Central Docks, with much of the docks in a World Heritage...
. However it is reported this development would take decades to complete.
Education
There were many schools in the "Scottie Road" area, however with a decline in population, and rather like pubs and churches, few remain:- Holy Cross & St Mary's Catholic primary school
- The Trinity Catholic primary school
Notable residents
- Cilla BlackCilla BlackCilla Black OBE is an English singer, actress, entertainer and media personality, who has been consistently popular as a light entertainment figure since 1963. She is most famous for her singles Anyone Who Had A Heart, You're My World, and Alfie...
- Tom BakerTom BakerThomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
- Bobby Campbell
- Laurie CarberryLarry CarberryLarry Carberry is an English former professional footballer. Larry started his career with local amateurs Bootle in 1953.He was in the armed forces and still playing amateur level when the legendary...
- James William CarlingJames William CarlingJames William Carling was a pavement artist from Liverpool, England.Carling was born at 38 Addison Street, Liverpool in the Holy Cross parish in 1857. He was the son of extremely poor Irish parents. From an early age James was known as the "little drawer" and used Liverpool's street pavements for...
- Thomas Cecil GrayThomas Cecil GrayThomas Cecil Gray CBE, KCSG , was a pioneering British anaesthetist.-Early life:Gray was born in Liverpool in 1913. The only son of Thomas and Ethel Gray of Thornton, he was educated at Ampleforth College in Yorkshire...
- Jackie HamiltonJackie HamiltonJackie Hamilton was a stand-up comedian, nicknamed the "Pele of Comedy".His problems with alcohol, idiosyncratic delivery and strong Liverpudlian accent were factors in his missing out on national success, but his slick anti-climactic style of observational comedy was well regarded in his home...
- David LoganDavid Logan (Politician)David Gilbert Logan , known as Davie Logan, was a British Labour Party politician of Scots-Irish descent. He succeeded T.P...
- Jimmy MeliaJimmy MeliaJimmy Melia is a former English footballer who spent most of his career playing for Liverpool and went on to become a manager.-Liverpool:Jimmy joined the Reds straight from St...
- Johnny MorrisseyJohnny MorrisseyJohn "Johnny" Morrissey is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Liverpool, Everton and Oldham Athletic.-Club career:...
- James NugentJames NugentMonsignor James Nugent was a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool. Because he was also a pioneer with is work in relation to child welfare, poverty relief and social reform, Nugent Care was founded upon his ideals.Nugent was born on 3 March 1822 in Hunter Street, Liverpool...
- Robert Parry (MP)
- Father Tom WilliamsThomas Anthony Williamsthumb|right|250px|Tom WilliamsThomas Anthony Williams is an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Liverpool....