Time Team Special: The Lost Dock Of Liverpool

[petromax]

I did expect better I have to admit - there just didn't seem to be any 'goings on' like the normal time team, but rather they were just guests without any diggings.

The thing that annoys me the most is that someone in the history of time, knew that these docks and buildings were there yet for a brown envelope, they were forgotten about and allowed to be built on.

I imagine that when the dock was built on, it was in a pretty bad way - an open and redundant sewer. I can't see anybody needing to bribe anybody to get rid of it. Different attitudes for different times.

I am sure the new Customs House was seen as a great move forward. You cannot blame the past for not relying so heavily on history for their sense of well-being and importance. The damage at the time of construction was significant. Rather less this time round and there will be an exhibition centre including what remains have been exposed, protected by steps that lead to the park on the site of the old headland.

[chris1878]

Just watched, thought it was great but would liked it to be on longer

[quincyg]

It was going good until they mentioned "the slave trade" and showed Nelsons statue with the French Prisoners of war in shackles.Oh dear!!
People not from L/pool may now think we have a statue of a slave?

Yeah, I mentioned that to my hubby when it came on...duh. don't these programmes have researchers?

[Waterways]

I did expect better I have to admit - there just didn't seem to be any 'goings on' like the normal time team, but rather they were just guests without any diggings.

The thing that annoys me the most is that someone in the history of time, knew that these docks and buildings were there yet for a brown envelope, they were forgotten about and allowed to be built on.

The Old Dock was 100 years old when it was filled in.

[Waterways]

What it missed out...

The Old Dock made Liverpool a big port by the standards of the time. Alongside London, Lancaster and Bristol. What propelled Liverpool forwards as a rich major world city was:

• The naturally deep water River Mersey - which accommodated the increasingly large steam ships of the 1800s.
• The steam engine - which would operate the locks and "impound" the docks to deepen them at neap tides to accommodate very large ships. Also, to operate heavy lifting equipment with steam trains taking cargo swiftly to and from other inland towns and cities.

The deep river and steam engines propelled the city and port forwards giving very fast ship turn-arounds. Ports accessed by shallow rivers, like Lancaster and Bristol fell behind being dwarfed by Liverpool. The interconnected enclosed dock system was extended to be the largest in the world. The interconnected docks system meant ships could move from dock to dock to load and unload at any time, without entering the tidal river. The system on the Liverpool side was 7 miles long and about 2 miles long on the Wirral peninsular.

[julieoapw]

Well, I was so proud watching it - all those firsts for us and all those magnificent buildings!

[Waterways]

The city was not built mainly on slavery and it was wrong to have emphasised that. Liverpool dominated the slave trade but it wasn't key to the city. Slavery was a small part of the overall trade.

They even mentioned one merchant who dabbled in slaves, yet was instrumental in all aspects of the sugar trade as the main business.

Liverpool's prime trade after the old Dock was built was salt from the Cheshire mines. It was easy to get to Liverpool via the Mersey flats barges. Hence Salthouse Dock. Liverpool was built on salt.

[julieoapw]

Maybe there's the odd mistake or wrong emphasis but I think that looking at it from the view point of the rest of the country we came out fantastically well and if I lived eleswhere, I'd want to visit here.

[Norm NZ]

Hope we get to see this particular program here! Time Team is on the 'Living Channel' for us but don't know how far behind we are with programs!

[Waterways]

Maybe there's the odd mistake or wrong emphasis but I think that looking at it from the view point of the rest of the country we came out fantastically well and if I lived eleswhere, I'd want to visit here.

They could have had a graphic that superimposed the Old Dock onto the existing city. It wasn't clear where it was. It would be easy to think it was Canning Dock or Pier Head by the air shots.

They never even had an establishing shot of St.George's Hall, just the steps - the European Architectural Commission stated the hall was one of the most significant buildings built in Europe in the past 200 years - the world's first air conditioned building based on the Parthenon - none of this was mentioned.

The Time Team were only observers as Oxford Uni were doing the digs.

It came out fine and positive and informative about the city for once. Except that everyone else will think only slavery founded the city - which is very wrong.

The statement, "the city was not constrained by its past", when observing the city's meteoric rise. Look at the NIMBYs we have here today and why things don't get done. Far too many are obsessed with the past to the point it hinders the future.

[julieoapw]

Quote: "They never even had an establishing shot of St.George's Hall, just the steps - the European Architectural Commission stated the hall was one of the most significant buildings built in Europe in the past 200 years - the world's first air conditioned building based on the Parthenon - none of this was mentioned."

Well, it was a programme about the Forgotten Dock not St Georges Hall

[Waterways]

Quote: "They never even had an establishing shot of St.George's Hall, just the steps - the European Architectural Commission stated the hall was one of the most significant buildings built in Europe in the past 200 years - the world's first air conditioned building based on the Parthenon - none of this was mentioned."

Well, it was a programme about the Forgotten Dock not St Georges Hall

Why did they have a slot on St. George's Hall? If they are going to do it, do it right. The building is unique.

[SteH]

Why did they have a slot on St. George's Hall? If they are going to do it, do it right. The building is unique.

It was to emphasise how wealthy the city was that they could build such grand public buildings. They were just stood on the steps with Tony Robinson marvelling in it, yet they didnt actually show what he thought was so grand, just some pillars.

[lindylou]

Why did they have a slot on St. George's Hall? If they are going to do it, do it right. The building is unique.

yes, I agree. if they are going to mention the hall - well show it in it's full splendour please. Showing just the steps - what's the point in that - steps could be anywhere.

[fortinian]

I'm not too worried about the missing out of St Georges Hall. It was built nearly 150 years after the first dock anyway... and when you have iconic buildings such as the three graces - which have more a visual impact, you really don't need much else.

Remember, it was about the docks not general Liverpool history, we'd be here forever if we all started saying what should have been included.