Statue “comes alive” on quirky walking tour to celebrate city heroes and heritage

Visitors to Liverpool can explore the lives of two local heroes through unconventional walking tours of the city that combine “theatre, heritage and civic pride”.

In the excursion to celebrate the life of Liverpool heroine Catherine Wilkinson her statue “comes alive” at the start of the tour at St Georges Hall and is led around Liverpool.

Wilkinson, also known as “Kitty”, is played by actor Samantha Alton.

Born in Londonderry in 1786, Wilkinson moved across the water as a child and pioneered the public bath and wash house movement in Victorian Liverpool, allowing people to wash their clothes and themselves - preventing infection and helping them during the cholera pandemic.

Participants of the two-hour tour will hear about the life and times of Wilkinson at various landmarks across the city.

ArtsGroupie, a Liverpool-based community interest company that provides access to the arts across the North West, run the tours which will be on every month for the rest of the year.

William Roscoe

The company is also inviting the public to join a William Roscoe tour celebrating the life of the renowned writer and one of England’s first campaigners for the abolition of the slave trade.

In 1802 Roscoe wrote The Butterfly’s Ball and The Grasshopper’s Feast for his son, Robert. King George III liked it so much, he had the poem set to music.

ArtsGroupie creative director John Maguire said: “Roscoe was is often known as the father of culture in Liverpool.

“He opened the first botanical gardens, helped raise the profile of the city with books and became a member of parliament to vote against slavery.

“He also called used the term Liverpolitans for the people of Liverpool, which I love.”

The tour will also pass the Walker Art Gallery that now houses Roscoe’s former collection of Italian art and will finish at the Nelson monument, Exchange Flags.

Maguire said funds raised from the tours will be put towards community theatre events.

Kitty Wilkinson Walking Tours commence at 2.00pm on the following dates in 2021:

Sunday 5th September – 2.00 pm

Sunday 3rd October – 2.00 pm

Sunday 7th November – 2.00 pm

Sunday 5th December – 2.00 pm

Sun 05 Sep 2021 10:30

Sun 03 Oct 2021 10:30

Sun 07 Nov 2021 10:30

Sun 05 Dec 2021 10:30

To book tickets go to artsgroupie.org