Liverpool tours

[James Curry]

This is very interesting, well if you are from Merseyside.

This plaque on Lord Street, Liverpool is not in great shape and it is very difficult to read now but there is an incredible story behind it! George Francis Train was born in Boston in the United States on the 14th March 1829 - he was an entrepeneur, politician, businessman, land speculator, traveller and eccentric. At an early age he went into business with his fathers cousin, Enoch Train and the White Diamond Line, a shipping company, which ran services between Boston and Liverpool, England.
Aged 21, he moved to Liverpool, England to work. The family firm had offices in Water Street and later at 23 Lord Street - the plaque on Lord Street today marks the spot. It is by Tesco if you want to see it!
In 1853, he moved to Australia were he was instrumental in setting up further sailing routes between Australia and Liverpool.
In 1860, he returned to Liverpool. In the U.S.A, trams or 'street railways' were up and running and George Francis Train was determined to introduce them to Europe. His motivation for doing this remains a mystery.
He offered the city of Liverpool a new tram system - for free - the city declined his offer. So he crossed the River Mersey and made the same offer to Birkenhead. George Francis Train offered to pay all costs, accept all liabilities and promised to rip up all the tracks if asked to do so at some point in the future. Birkenhead accepted the offer and on the 10th July 1860, Europes first street tram system was running there. So pleased was he that he threw a lavish opening party - he invited 1,200 people including numerous politicians, thirty members of different European Royal families and the Pope! The Pope had more pressing matters to attend to. Only 350 local people turned up.
George Francis Train went on to do many things. He helped create the Union Pacific Railroad between 1862-1869, in 1870 he travelled aroud the world in eighty days and was most probably the inspiration for Jules Vernes Phileas Fogg in the book 'Around the world in eighty days' and he tried his hand at politics - later running for U.S President.
In his twilight years, he became more eccentric- he campaigned to be installed as a 'Dictator of the United States,' on meeting people he refused to shake their hand but shook hands with himself instead. In his last years, he refused to speak to adults and spoke only to children and animals.
George Francis Train passed away in 1904.
Plaque George Francis Train.jpg

I was looking at the ships list for The White Diamond Line.
The SS Sagamore was built in 1892

An article caught my eye about the SS Sagamore a ship built for the Sagamore SS company.
In 1899 she joined the White Diamond SS Company
She was sank in March 1917 by a German U Boat.

What a terrible death these poor souls must have had.

On 27 February 1917 Sagamore left Boston on her usual route to Liverpool. On 3 March she was in the Western Approaches when the German U-boat SM U-49 hit her with one torpedo amidships on her port side. She took half an hour to sink, giving her crew time to get clear in three lifeboats. But overnight a gale separated the three boats, and two of them were never seen again.[8]

On 12 March the Blue Funnel Line steamship Deucalion, outbound from the UK to South Africa, found one of Sagamore's lifeboats. By then ten men had died in the boat, only seven survivors remained and several were suffering from frostbite. On 6 April Deucalion landed them at Cape Town, where they were hospitalised. In five cases the frostbite had led to gangrene and the men's feet had to be amputated

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Liverpool has probably the biggest and longest association with the MN. Through two world wars and during peacetime ships dominated it's history, and yet today not many people would know about it, Manchester seems to have taken over as the big city, sure Salford was a busy shipping port, but Liverpool I think would be the best remembered by seamen.
Des

[j.sabourn]

And the legs of man when getting off or on the train at Lime Street. JS.
Never did see Maggie May though JS

[happy daze john in oz]

You obviously did not look in the correct places.

[j.sabourn]

Well tried the American Bar and Yates Wine Lodge. JS

[John Gill]

Considering the gender climate today, it would be a brave homeward bounder who would engage with the present Maggie May.

[James Curry]

For John S and others who may have walked the length of Lime street

https://youtu.be/Yd03wH13Lcg

- - - Updated - - -

And the legs of man when getting off or on the train at Lime Street. JS.
Never did see Maggie May though JS

That is because they have taken her away

[j.sabourn]

#6 Well in think it was in 1972 did the shipmasters medical course in Liverpool at the MN hotel. On the days which were on VD the average age of the girls who carried it was if remember correctly 12/13 . Won’t go into the days devoted to drug addiction or Child Birth as like those at the time of the course may be a bit squeamish and ask to leave the room. JS
Just a quick one on childbirth as the time rapidly or slowly approached it was advisable to have a pocket full of coins of the Realm as some of them , won’t say yardstick , but were used as a measuring instrument. JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

John.
When I was born, Yes I as born, my birth wasn't registered for seven days, I asked my sister why, she said I was so small that I could fit into a ping jug, Probably the way they used to carry me when they went down the farm for the milk.
Des

[j.sabourn]

Do you have relations that are kangaroos Des.? They reckon you can get 5 on a tablespoon when they are first born , but by the time they come out of the pouch they have grown somewhat , that’s the real reason they stay there in case someone stands on them .Should maybe have been christened Hoppy ? Or maybe Joey. JS