It’s good to truly understand the city you live in. Recognising a place’s history is just as important as what’s going on in the here and now. We all know about the city’s maritime past - markers of its docks ‘n’ engineering history are littered everywhere - but delve further inland and there are equally colourful, fascinating stories to be told.

Toxteth’s had a turbulent place in Liverpool’s history books, and it’s one that often overshadows the area’s other interesting snippets of the past. A new set of free history sessions, commissioned by the Council and University of Liverpool, aims to unearth some lesser known Toxteth tidbits.

Did you know?

- King Henry VIII ordered a deer to be sent from Toxteth to the Earl of Devon. Crazy name, crazy guy.

- Alois Hitler Jr, Adolf Hitler’s half-brother lived in Upper Stanhope Street.

- Parliament Street got its name from an Act of Parliament granted to the Earl of Sefton.

- Toxteth appears in the Doomsday book as Stochestede, meaning Stockade, and is first recorded as Tokestat in 1207. The document with the King’s signature is stored at Lancashire Record Office.

They’re only a small, soundbite-friendly selection of the area’s rich, bold, fascinating history. Liverpool University historian Paul Booth is set to lead the sessions at Toxteth Library. It’ll cover the tapestry of the area, from its medieval origins right through to its development as today’s vibrant community. If you’ve got a spare couple of Wednesday afternoons, we’d highly recommend it - there’s nothing more satisfying than learning new stuff about a city you think you know everything about.

Talks of Toxteth
Toxteth Library, Windsor St
Free, from 22nd February. Wednesdays at 2pm.
Register by calling 0151 233 5428 or emailing [email protected].
Residents can register at the first session on the 22 February.

- Image via Sue/Flickr