Stanley Street, Liverpool
Stanley Street, in
Stanley Street is also the symbolic heart of Liverpool's Pride Quarter.
History
In the early 18th century, Stanley Street went by the name 'New' or 'News Street'. It was known as a place where second-hand, or ready-made, furniture was sold and nearly every building there was devoted to this trade. New Street became a local byword to mean 'everything that was rickety and sham' in the way of household goods.[1] New Street originally ran between Dale Street and Frog Lane, which was later renamed to Whitechapel.
During this time, a large portion of the land in the Dale Street area belonged to the Moores family of Bank Hall, Liverpool. When their estates were sold around 1712, the Dale Street property passed into the hands of a local aristocrat: Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby, the Plumbes and others. In 1744, records held by the National Archives/Lancashire Archives show the transfer in ownership of the street between The Corporation of Liverpool and the Earl of Derby.
The record reads: "Lease for 999 years of a small piece of land for an opening out of Frog Lane into a new street intended to be built by his Lordship, or his
Rent, a peppercorn"
Stanley Street was then laid out around the same time and took the name from Edward Stanley and his aristocratic family.
Victoria Street did not exist as a parallel street to Dale Street until around 1867 to 1868. When New Street was originally built, it was not linear as is seen on the present day Stanley Street. The land at the lower end did not originally belong to the Earl and, therefore, did not continue all the way to Frog Lane (later Whitechapel) in a straight line. It took on a zigzag course as a result. When Stanley Street was leased by the Earl, the upper end became known as 'Upper Stanley Street', while the lower end was known as 'Lower Stanley Street', or 'Derby Street', for a significant period after.[3][4] After Victoria Street was built in 1867 to 1868, this was altered and Stanley Street then formed a straight line leading from Dale Street to Whitechapel, as it is seen today.[5][6]
There are several Grade II listed buildings on Stanley Street (see Listed buildings in Liverpool), due to their local historical importance. A number of blocks survive from the 1860s to the 1880s, which were originally built to accommodate offices and warehouses. During this period, some of the buildings were used to store cheese, bacon, butter and fresh and dried fruit. Granite Buildings of circa 1882, by G E Grayson, is an example of a building designed for offices to be accessed on Stanley Street itself, while the rear elevation on Progress Place was used to raise and lower merchandise throughout the block.[7]
Stanley Street was also the location for Liverpool's first synagogue,[8] in existence in the 1750s. The synagogue no longer stands, but a special commemorative plaque was unveiled in 2008 in Whitechapel, close to the original spot of the synagogue.[9]
The Beatles
Stanley Street also gains considerable interest from
At the time when The Beatles were performing in Liverpool, Stanley Street was the site of Hessy's Music store, one of the city's biggest music retailers. It was here that
LGBT Community
Stanley Street is also very much a focal point for Liverpool's LGBT community and is home to a cluster of gay bars and clubs between Dale St and Victoria Street. Stanley Street is the most recognised and referenced street in Liverpool's Pride Quarter.
In response to campaigns from members of Liverpool's LGBT community, including Councillor
References
- ^ "Memorials of Liverpool : historical and topographical, including a history of the Dock Estate". 1875. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Parties Names: The Corporation of Liverpool. The Earl of Derby". The National Archives/Lancashire Archives. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Mapping the history of Liverpool". Historic Liverpool. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "1768: John Eyes' Plan of Liverpool". Historic Liverpool. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Victoria Street, 1936". streetsofliverpool.co.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Old Maps of Liverpool". Historic Liverpool. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Built on Commerce: Liverpool's central business district". English Heritage. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- ^ Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation, Liverpool Record Office, Ref: 296 OHC
- ^ Jones, Catherine (8 July 2008). "Metquarter plaque tribute to city's first synagogue".
- ^ "The Eleanor Rigby Hotel". theeleanorrigbyhotel.com. Archived from the original on 29 January 2014.
- ^ Harry, B. (1992) The ultimate Beatles encyclopedia. London: Virgin Books. p. 618
- ^ "News: Liverpool and Merseyside news - Liverpool Echo". icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk.
- ^ "Progress for Liverpool's gay village - PinkNews · PinkNews". pinknews.co.uk. 24 September 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Stanley_Street_Final_Report_2011" (PDF). 27 March 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
53°24′26″N 2°59′14″W / 53.4073°N 2.98722°W