Chinese Laundry

One of the exhibits in the Global Port gallery of the new Museum of Liverpool concentrates itself on the Ah Thi laundry. This was a laundry owned by our friend Kit in the 1970s.

The Ah Thi was one of the earliest Chinese Laundries in Liverpool and was inherited by Mr Lou from his father-in-law. Originally it was based on Scotland Road but was bombed in 1941, the equipment being rescued from the rubble whereupon new premises were opened on Richmond Row in 1959.

Later, Kit turned those premises into the chippy we frequented so much during school dinner hours and at weekends and he transferred his laundry business into premises on Soho Street facing Birkett Street tenements, living overhead.

One of the exhibits is an actual 19th Century stove. I was talking to some of the Chinese who were taking an interest in this exhibition yesterday who said Kit was known to them too and remarked what a small world it is.


Workers at the Ah Thi laundry.


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The 19th century stove


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The Ah Thi was at one time located on this block before Kit ventured out into becoming a fried fish dealer which was situated between Railtons sweet shop and Joe Mitchells scrap dealers. Photo by Frank Lenhan.


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The Ah Thi would end its days here on nearby Soho Street next door to Leo Cotter's barbers. Photo by Joe Devine.


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Thanks for those images Ged, I noticed there was quite a bit of interesting information and viewable objects relating to the Liverpool chinese community. I well remember that Laundry and Barbers in Soho Street from my days of travelling with my dad on a Saturday to Paddys Market....I also well remember a Chinese laundry opposite Kensington library.

collegepudding

---------- Post added at 11:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:00 PM ----------

Interesting enough ,i had a blow out on one of my tyres on Islington on saturday afternoon, and after swapping over onto the spare i headed down Everton brow for a Tyre repair garage i have previously noticed on Richmond Row just around the corner from the location of that Chinese Laundry in Soho street. Low and behold it too is run by a member of our chinese Community........he even has some of his signs inside the garage supplemented with Chinese translations. :D.

collegepudding