Great Mersey Street

Denis Hargreaves upload: 1960s Great Mersey St

These superb terraced properties on Great Nelson Street could have easily been lost during demolition, but somehow survived and now thrive (second image) with the vibrant Rotunda community hub and cafe. Mary Thornton, from Netherfield Road & S.A. Facebook was quick to highlight what could have been done across the district.

A remarkable insight into Everton's famous hill, drawn in 1818 from Great Mersey Street. The fields in the foreground would soon become a concrete jungle packed full of terraced streets. The first mansions seen to the left of the image stand on what is now Netherfield Road North. Indeed, these particular properties would later become the famous Victoria Settlement community centre. Canon Thomas Major Lester, a local vicar at nearby St Mary's Church on Walton Road, a champion for local poor children, lived in one of these elevated villas. His name would later be enshrined in the name of two local schools, Major Street and Major Lester. St George's Church is top centre, then just four years old, having opened its doors in 1814. The villa in front of the church tower belonged to James Atherton, the visionary who inspired the building of the 'Iron Church' and the man who later developed New Brighton as a seaside resort for Merseyside. The hill drops down to the right towards Everton Village. This artist's impression provides a remarkable insight into the Everton of that period with its grand houses and mansions, still very much in the countryside. Within 50 years the densely packed terraced street community I was brought up in would already be sweeping up the hill to dominate this scene. By 1880, my own street, Melbourne, was in place to the left of Canon Major Lester's villa, running steeply between Netherfield Road and St Domingo Road. Have you spotted the stagecoach (bottom left) making its way into Liverpool towards Scotland Road, ignored completely by the cattle in the fields.

Do you remember these underground toilets. This one was on Great Mersey Street.They were all over the city, usually very smelly. However, better than today when you struggle to find a public convenience anywhere, even in the city centre. People say use the pubs, but I recall a pub with a sign outside that said: "This is a pub, not a public convenience!" Nothing like a warm welcome.