Keeping the Streets Clean [info and pics]

[Kev]

Cleansing

The streets needed to be kept clean and refuse needed to be disposed of in order to improve the cleanliness of the city. The streets were swept and some were watered down with a hose to clean them of dust. Even in the poorer areas of the city, both streets and passages were to be washed to dispose of anything that could be injurious to health. Also street gullies were cleansed or flushed. In the business areas of the town cleaning was carried out by street orderly boys. During the war women were employed as cleaners to replace the male workers who had gone off to fight for their country.

It was necessary to find an effective way of collecting the city?s refuse. Most houses had ashpits where refuse was thrown. In 1895 the Health Committee decided to abolish ashpits and replaced them with galvanised iron dustbins. The refuse from these fixed bins was collected every week. From 1867, the Corporation organised the collection and disposal of refuse. Refuse was collected in horse-drawn carts and in later years the Corporation used steam wagons. Eventually came the advent of the motor refuse wagon, around 1903.

Up until 1870 disused stone quarries and excavated land were used for the disposal of dry ashpit refuse. Later, arrangements were made with farmers and others to take the refuse and use it for manure. Two steam hopper barges called the Alpha and the Beta were built in the 1880s to dump the refuse at sea. However, by 1890 the amount of refuse being collected had increased and it was decided that the lighter materials could be destroyed in large furnaces. The first ?destructor? was installed at the Chisenhale Street Depot. This experiment was successful and more destructors were built. The burning of refuse produced enough energy to generate electricity. Engine rooms were built at the destructors in Smithdown Road, Charters Street, Lavrock Bank and Cobb?s Quarry, St. Domingo Road. The leftover ?clinker? was used to make concrete for the construction of prefabricated housing.

Info: LRO

[Kev]

Pics courtesy of LRO:

1) Bin Emptying 1900

2) Early Leyland Steam Wagon 1902

3) Gully Flushing Tank 1897

4) Hand Water Cart Islington 1900

5) Horse Drawn Sweeper Sandhills Depot 1903

6) Loading Steam Barge Hopper Delta 1926 (Waste was loaded up and dumped out at sea!)

7) Steam Hopper Barge Alpha 1897 (Waste was loaded up and dumped out at sea!)

8) Steam Hopper Barge Beta 1908 (Waste was loaded up and dumped out at sea!)

9) Stoving Machine Smithdown Rd 1897

10) Washing the Streets 1900

[Kev]

Destructors commonly known as rubbish/garbage furnaces.

Pics: LRO

1) Charters Street Depot 1906

2) Constructing Smithdown Destructor 1906

3) Engine Room Smithdown Road 1907

4) Garston Destructor 1903

5) Smithdown Destructor Rear Boilers 1907

6) Waggon at Destructor 1899 Cobbs Quarry

[brian daley]

When I lived in Lodge Lane ikn the 40's and very early 50's,the bin men had horse drawn wagons. The "driver" would walk along side the wagon hold on to the reins, or sometimes the bridle, and the "ash men",as some called them,would stand on platform on the back. The horses were great big Shires and seemed very docile,they would walk slowly along the kerbside as the men ran and dumped their loads in the back. I saw one of the horses fall over in the shafts at the top of the street by the Pavilion and it was a very distressing site. The men could not get it up and I never saw what happened to it afterwards as I had to catch my Tram. Rumour had it that it was shot , but the image of that behemoth slipping on the cobbles and whinnying with fear stayed with me a long time.

[stargazer]

When I lived in Lodge Lane ikn the 40's and very early 50's,the bin men had horse drawn wagons. The "driver" would walk along side the wagon hold on to the reins, or sometimes the bridle, and the "ash men",as some called them,would stand on platform on the back. The horses were great big Shires and seemed very docile,they would walk slowly along the kerbside as the men ran and dumped their loads in the back. I saw one of the horses fall over in the shafts at the top of the street by the Pavilion and it was a very distressing site. The men could not get it up and I never saw what happened to it afterwards as I had to catch my Tram. Rumour had it that it was shot , but the image of that behemoth slipping on the cobbles and whinnying with fear stayed with me a long time.

[stargazer]

Hi Bri,

Just joined this site,

I lived in Score Lane Childwall, from 1945 to 1969, I also remember seeing those big Shire horses pulling the Bin Carts, how majestic and tame they were, this was I think, in the very early 50s,

I just wondered if any photos are still around, as I've yet to see any.

[pablo42]

When I lived in Lodge Lane ikn the 40's and very early 50's,the bin men had horse drawn wagons. The "driver" would walk along side the wagon hold on to the reins, or sometimes the bridle, and the "ash men",as some called them,would stand on platform on the back. The horses were great big Shires and seemed very docile,they would walk slowly along the kerbside as the men ran and dumped their loads in the back. I saw one of the horses fall over in the shafts at the top of the street by the Pavilion and it was a very distressing site. The men could not get it up and I never saw what happened to it afterwards as I had to catch my Tram. Rumour had it that it was shot , but the image of that behemoth slipping on the cobbles and whinnying with fear stayed with me a long time.

Nice one Brian. Me Nan used to talk of the horses dropping with exhaustion adn getting hauled away by the knackers yard. She used to say it happened quite a lot.

[dazza]

Nice one Brian. Me Nan used to talk of the horses dropping with exhaustion adn getting hauled away by the knackers yard. She used to say it happened quite a lot.

Isn't there supposed to be a carter's horse statue being errected in Liverpool, acknowledging their role in the city?

[pablo42]

Isn't there supposed to be a carter's horse statue being errected in Liverpool, acknowledging their role in the city?

I've heard of this, but have no idea where it is. Anyone know?

[Ged]

A street cleaner in Commutation Row on 13/4/1905.




Uploaded with ImageShack.us

70 years later - my playground.

80 years later - my drinking ground.


.

[Spike]

Its been erected by the new museum. Dont think its open to the public to see the statue yet though? It might be? What do I know anyway?

Someone will tell us.

[squiggs]

How "nice" to see the first picture of the "bins in the wall" they had these around Cockburn Street, they saved space in the back yard and you didnt have to remember to put the bin out...