Titanic Hotel Liverpool.

[happy daze john in oz]

For once sanity prevails and the place will be saved for future generations to see and hopefully learn from. So many buildings do not get the treatment they deserve rather than the wreckers ball.

[John Gill]

John in tonights Liverpool Echo there is the full story and quite a lot of pictures,I imagine these are recent maybe they gave the place a bit of a tidy up to take the pictures.There are some great shots taken from the top of the building anybody that hasn't been to Liverpool for a few years would get a real shock at the change in the area.It looks down on where the Pool was and Kingston House the mission and Albert Dock of course.Someone can put the whole thing up I hope.
Regards.
Jim.B.

unfortunately the Liverpool Echo distribution dept don't deliver in my neck of the woods, so i will send for a copy of the relevant issue, thanks for the info Jim.
gilly
.

[John Gill]

Jim, it was the White Star Line Head Office at the time of the sinking, not Cunard's. Cunard's offices were at that time on the junction of Water Street and Rumford Street. They were there till 1917 when they moved to the newly built Cunard Buildings on the Pier Head. It will be good to see Albion House being used again and associated with the White Star Line. Thank goodness they did not decide to demolish it.

interesting info Chris. incidentally, anyone know why the building was named Albion House?

[John Gill]

For once sanity prevails and the place will be saved for future generations to see and hopefully learn from. So many buildings do not get the treatment they deserve rather than the wreckers ball.

I went to a Wreckers Ball once- got smashed.

[John Arton]

Many years ago my mother took in an old lady to live with us. She was one of 3 sisters who originally came from the Crosby area of Liverpool. She was born in around 1878 and her father was a ship owner in Liverpool, being owner/master of his own sailing ship.
She was actually working for the White Star line in their offices at the time of the Titanic disaster and used to tell us of the shock and disbelief in the office when news of the disaster reached Liverpool. Apparently many of the office staff had been given a tour of the Titanic before she sailed on her maiden voyage and she had been amongst those.
She was well into her 80's by the time I got to know her and in the ignorance of my youth failed to really question her on her life experiences, especially regarding the diary she left us of not only her European tour as a young lady, but also of the voyage she made with her father on board his ship from Swansea round Cape Horn to San Francisco and back around the turn of the century.
The offices of the Liverpool shipping companies were certainly built on a grand scale.
I remember when I joined C.P. as a first tripper being met at the entrance to their offices in the Liver building and being escorted across the foyer by a liveried doorman who took you to the huge reception desk and announced you to one of the receptionists there who then took you to see the person your appointment was with (early ISPS?). Never saw any more of the building beyond that entrance, which if my memory is correct was down one side of the Liver buildings and not the main entrance facing onto the pier head which was for passengers booking.
Personnel was down in the basement and you had to go through the printing room and get round stocks of print materials until you came to a long narrow room that had one wall covered in pigeon holes stuffed full of papers above a desk that ran its length, again covered in papers, where the personnel officers sat. I was actually interviewed by an ex. Blue Flue guy named Alec Duncan, who took me back up to the foyer to the C.P. docs office for my medical. (a joke, stripped buff naked, blood pressure taken, docs secretary comes in with papers for him to sign, she was asked by the doc what she thought of that one on the couch, she looks me over and says "well he's not going to die tomorrow is he", get up says the doc, you've passed). After medical went back to a small reception area just off the foyer and eventually after a number of tries got hold of the personnel guy who asked me did I want a job at sea, I said yes, he said o.k. can you sail tomorrow. This was Tuesday and I had just gone down to the federation on a whim on the off chance of getting a cadets job and C.P. was my 3rd interview of the day. Had to phone home to tell my mother where I was and that I was off to sea on Thursday.
Rest of the day spent at Greenbergs getting loads of unnecessary as well as necessary gear and uniforms and then home.
Back down to Liverpool on Thursday, eventually got hold of Mr. Duncan who did not know who I was but did offer me the job as 5th mate on the Empress of England, when I pointed out that I did not think I could do that he got a bit annoyed until I pointed out to him I had never been to sea before. It was then he realised he had got me mixed up with someone else so he dashed off upstairs to Operations and came back to tell me I was joining one of C.P.'s newest ships, a tanker. How big is it I asked, Oh Big he says, Where is it I says, Coming to Tranmere says he and with that he dashed out of the side door that led straight up onto the street (believe this door was used for signing on the Empress crews as it had a fold down flap that covered the door that doubled the door up into a desk. He came back all windswept and said that it was just passing the pier head and he had organised a taxi to take me to Greenbergs to pick up all my gear and then take me over to Tranmere. So a few hours later saw me struggling up the gangway of the Lord Mount Stephen with a huge suitcase mostly full of gear I was never to use and shortly after being in a boiler suit being led round the deck of the beast by the Chief Officer (ex. Royal Marines and fit as a lop) who had me swinging all sorts of heavy cargo valves, which I thought was a bit off as valves were Engineers work, not deck Officers. After he recovered from rolling round the deck in laughter he told me in no uncertain terms the truth and for the next 11 happy months I spent days swinging valves, chipping and painting decks and pipelines, polishing brass, splicing ropes, overhauling flame screens, learning the COLREGS and fixing positions on the occasional bridge watch as well as spending 14 days in the engine room overhauling purifiers and clarifiers' and fixing steam leaks on boilers that produced more steam than those of the Empress's.
Happy days and would give anything to be that callow youth once more starting out in the best job in the world.
Never saw any more of the Liver Buildings interior beyond that impressive foyer but it certainly made an impression on me as I remember that the doorman treated everyone who turned up as if they were royalty whatever and whoever they were.
rgds
JA

[Jim Brady]

John (gilly) you don't have to send off for a copy of the Echo see post#9 posted by Don.I see that they intend having an open day next month anybody can go in and have a look over the place.I'l keep my eye open for the date and maybe we could meet up have a look over the place and finish up around the corner in the PEN&WIG for a few John Smiths.The previous owners of this building were purposely letting it fall into disrepair so it could be demolished and the land would''ve been worth mega bucks.You may notice the resemblance to Old Scotland Yard both done by the same architect.
Regards.
jim.B.

[John Gill]

Thanks for that Jim. Always been fascinated with that building and would certainly enjoy a look inside. I was aware of the matching Old Scotland Yard architecture. The first floor corner office was occupied by Joseph Bruce Ismay,the (alleged) disgraced chairman of White Star Line. I clicked on the link in post #9 but could not access the info. A visit along Harrington Street sounds a good idea although that uphill walk up Water street may be a little taxing for me and i would probably need copious amounts of Smiths to restore me to an even keel.
gilly

[Jim Brady]

Gilly,that was on this morning(9#) Just tried it not available.Not being computer literate maybe it was not "downloaded"is what they call it.However if you just google Liverpool Echo todays scroll down and you will come across something like things you may have missed click onto that and its there.Always remember with the Echo it is very slow so be patient.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[John Gill]

found all the Albion House info and pics on the Echo website Jim- fascinating stuff, can't wait to book bed & breakfast in there.
gilly

[Jim Brady]

Just heard on Radio Merseyside that the building is being converted into 35 short stay appartments.I wonder do they mean self catering?that will be something unique for the area.
Regards.
Jim.B.