Municipal Buildings

[AK1]

Was the Municipal Building in town bombed during WW2? I ask because the back of it seems to have been replaced with red brick at some point, rather than the large stones that cover the rest of the building. It would be nice to see them replaced at some point.

[PhilipG]

Was the Municipal Building in town bombed during WW2? I ask because the back of it seems to have been replaced with red brick at some point, rather than the large stones that cover the rest of the building. It would be nice to see them replaced at some point.

The building at the back (where the car park is) was Government Offices, and received a direct hit, which resulted in its demolition.
Perhaps the back of the Municipal Buildings was damaged at the same time.

[skgogosfan]

I remember reading somewhere that car park area was the last bomb site in Liverpool not to be built on. How true that may be I don't know.

Dave.

[PhilipG]

I remember reading somewhere that car park area was the last bomb site in Liverpool not to be built on. How true that may be I don't know.

Dave.

Probably.
I wonder if there's any reason why nothing has been built there?

Until the Met Quarter was built, the Post Office site on Victoria Street was the most famous (notorious?) bomb site in Liverpool, but because it was surrounded by walls, it went unnoticed by most people.

[theninesisters]

The tower was totally untouched though, the bells have sat there in situ since 1865.

[marky]

I guess no-one else has heard this rumour, which stems from the re-furbishment carried out in the mid-90s. Apparently the builders were asked why they were taking so much 50 Newton concrete (strong stuff), and the replies were 'underground car-park' or 'it's to support the filing cabinets'. There then started a rumour that they were building a fall-out shelter for Councillors. Now the thing with rumours are that they're hard to prove or disprove. Then facts get added, such as why is the only plot of land in the centre of town, and worth millions of pounds, used just as a car-park. This is one of the more fanciful rumours I've come across.

[Ged]

Another piece of prime real estate is at the back of the Railway pub at Tempest Hey, another car park. Other 'ollers' such as Russell street midway up Copperas Hill. I wonder where the councillors would park if they never had their badge scheme at the back of the Municipal - they might then get in the real world like the rest of us.

[PhilipG]

I guess no-one else has heard this rumour, which stems from the re-furbishment carried out in the mid-90s. Apparently the builders were asked why they were taking so much 50 Newton concrete (strong stuff), and the replies were 'underground car-park' or 'it's to support the filling cabinets'. There then started a rumour that they were building a fall-out shelter for Councillors. Now the thing with rumours are that they're hard to prove or disprove. Then facts get added, such as why is the only plot of land in the centre of town, and worth millions of pounds, used just as a car-park. This is one of the more fanciful rumours I've come across.

There could be some truth to that, Marky.
Filing, not fall-out shelters.
In the 1980s, I went to the Building Surveyor's Department in Hatton Garden (the 1960s building - Kingsway House?) when I was researching cinemas.
They let me see whatever plans I wanted (just as long as I could find the reference numbers in the Ledgers).
The plans were all stored at the Municipal Buildings.
I never asked, but it comes as no surprise to hear they may have been kept underground.
They always smelt very musty!

[theninesisters]

There could be some truth to that, Marky.
Filing, not fall-out shelters.
In the 1980s, I went to the Building Surveyor's Department in Hatton Garden (the 1960s building - Kingsway House?) when I was researching cinemas.
They let me see whatever plans I wanted (just as long as I could find the reference numbers in the Ledgers).
The plans were all stored at the Municipal Buildings.
I never asked, but it comes as no surprise to hear they may have been kept underground.
They always smelt very musty!

I have a good friend at LCC who is involved in all the buildings work - I'll ask him and see what he can tell me!

[Ged]

I got a box of piccies out of the cellar in there in the mid 80s. No one seemed to know what they were of, why they were there, who's they were - needless to say I didn't need telling twice when the bloke said take them if you want them, he obviously wasn't into local history. They're not captioned, i'll have to get around to scanning them and asking for help on here :)

[theninesisters]

I guess no-one else has heard this rumour, which stems from the re-furbishment carried out in the mid-90s. Apparently the builders were asked why they were taking so much 50 Newton concrete (strong stuff), and the replies were 'underground car-park' or 'it's to support the filing cabinets'. There then started a rumour that they were building a fall-out shelter for Councillors. Now the thing with rumours are that they're hard to prove or disprove. Then facts get added, such as why is the only plot of land in the centre of town, and worth millions of pounds, used just as a car-park. This is one of the more fanciful rumours I've come across.

Asked a high up bod tonight about this in LCC - he was once part of Sub Brit so the answer is genuine. He says that there were two large basement rooms which were once a control centre but there is no fall out shelter at all under the car park. Situated there used to be a warehouse which was bombed in the war, that is why you drive down in to the car park as that was once the basement of the warehouse.

[wsteve55]

Was the Municipal Building in town bombed during WW2? I ask because the back of it seems to have been replaced with red brick at some point, rather than the large stones that cover the rest of the building. It would be nice to see them replaced at some point.

hi AK1,
found this pic' of what used to be in the carpark behind municipal buildings.Looks like it might have been worth restoring,but as seemed to be the case so often, it was "lets have another car park" understandable i suppose, considering the volume of traffic in the photo!?!:disgust:

[Cadfael]

I've updated my website to show the inside of the tower at the Municipal Buildings:

http://liverpoolbells.moonfruit.com/municipalbuildings