Interesting Local Facts.

[Paul D]

Neill Gorton is from Huyton Liverpool and he owns Millennium FX which is one of Europe's leading creators of make up fx,prosthetics,animatronics and character make up for films,television and commercials.He's worked on everything from the amazing battle scene on Omaha Beach at the start of Saving Private Ryan to the current Doctor Who,is there any area of creativity of boys don't touch?

Here's a couple of interesting websites about him.
http://gortonstudio.blogspot.com/

Here's some of the films and show's that he's worked on.
http://imdb.com/name/nm0003929/

http://www.millennium-fx.co.uk/

http://www.mfxreplicas.com/about.php

[Paul D]

The Derby family gave their name to the "The Derby" horse race when Lord Derby organised racing on Leasowe Common, long before the race moved on to Newmarket and Epsom.

[ChrisGeorge]

The Derby family gave their name to the "The Derby" horse race when Lord Derby organised racing on Leasowe Common, long before the race moved on to Newmarket and Epsom.

Hello Paul

I have heard this story and it is a well-told story, appearing for example on Visit Liverpool on their page on Horse Racing in Liverpool. Yes Leasowe Castle was supposedly built in 1593 as a racing box to watch races on Leasowe Common (there is a datestone on the Tower with the Stanley family crest, the Legs of Man dated 1593). But presumably a number of gentlemen of the day sponsored horse racing, so why do we presume that the racing at Leasowe was the origin of the Derby? Leasowe Castle was built by Ferdinando, 5th Earl of Derby, who was a patron of Shakespeare's rival, Christopher Marlowe, and has been suggested by some as the author Shakespeare's plays and in line to succeed Queen Elizabeth I (see below). He died in Ormskirk on 16 April 1594 at the age of about 35. It was rumored that he had been poisoned by the Jesuits. His "gentleman of horse" was greatly suspected of administering the poison, for on the same day that the Earl was attacked, he fled on one of the Earl's best horses and was never heard of again. However, Wikipedia traces the Derby to much later:

"The Derby, as it is known today, originated at a celebration following the first running of the Epsom Oaks in 1779. Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby (whose horse Bridget had been victorious in the race) and Sir Charles Bunbury flipped a coin and whoever won the toss was to have the race named after him. Despite losing the toss Sir Charles was to claim victory with his horse Diomed in the inaugural running the following year, collecting prize money of £1,065 15s. The Earl achieved his first success in the race in 1787 with Sir Peter Teazle."

Chris



Ferdinando Stanley, Lord Strange, 5th Earl of Derby, a patron of Marlowe in the early 1590s. From an essay on Shakespeare and Marlowe, http://"Whose Grave Was It? Or did M... of April 2005. Courtesy of John Baker.

[Paul D]

At Broughton Hall in West derby,over a game of snooker,owner Gustavus C Schwabe,struck a deal to set up the White Start shipping line with Thomas Henry Ismay.

[Gerard]

Saw Chuck Berry on The Empire about 12 Years ago?..
Got some good piccies of him getting in his Limo after the show..
Now where are thee !

[Paul D]

St Francis Xavier's Church in Everton was the first catholic church to be built in Britain after the reformation in the 16th century.Following a meeting a meeting in the Rose and crown pub in Cheapside,the church was eventually erected in 1848.

John Brodie improved road transportation when he built the World's first ring road (Queens Drive).

[Kev]

Liverpool Roman Catholic Cathedral is the ONLY CATHEDRAL IN THE WORLD with an underground car park.

[ChrisGeorge]

Liverpool Roman Catholic Cathedral is the ONLY CATHEDRAL IN THE WORLD with an underground car park.

Thanks, Kev. Great to know! Hope you are keeping well!

Chris

[Cadfael]

The choir stalls from the Lady Chapel in Liverpool Cathedral were taken out and put in All Saints, Childwall.

[taffy]

The choir stalls from the Lady Chapel in Liverpool Cathedral were taken out and put in All Saints, Childwall.

Not any more, they've sent them back to the cathedral !!!

[Cadfael]

Not any more, they've sent them back to the cathedral !!!

I know, so they can fit more 'happy clappy' bands in to the church Sang in those stalls for many a year too.

[AK1]

I'm not sure if this has already been said, but Larkhill Gospel Hall on Larkhill Lane is the first place that John Lennon ever performed in public. Wether it was as part of the Beatles I don't know.

[Paul D]

Sefton Park is the biggest urban park in the country outside of London.

[Paul D]

Oriel Chambers is one of the most important buildings ever designed,without it there would be no skyscrapers.This building revolutionised how we work in an office and this building is one of the most historically important in the UK and indeed the World as it is the first modern building.

[Cadfael]

The longest peal on the bells at Liverpool Cathedral took place yesterday which was 5 hours (none stop).

It was also the heaviest ten-bell peal yet rung.