From Penny Lane and Menlove Avenue, made famous by The Beatles, to key roads named after prominent figures during the city’s dark history with the slave trade.
While some of the streets we walk down day to day have impressive origin stories, which pay tribute to brilliant people, including the man who fought for swimming to be taught in local schools.
There are many stories to tell about about the origins of Liverpool’s streets...
1. Mathew Street
The iconic Mathew Street was originally named Mathew Pluckington Street, after a famous merchant and land owner. It began life as a dirt track linking the city to the docks in the 1700s and was called Pluckington Alley for a time. Photo: Local TV
2. James Clarke Street
James Clarke Street was named after a stow-away from British Guiana (now Guyana) who saved countless people from drowning in the docks and campaigned for swimming to be taught in Liverpool schools. Arriving in Liverpool in 1900, he was the first black man to have a street named after him in the city. Photo: Google Street View
3. Berry Street
Berry Street is in the Ropewalks area of the city centre and is named after dock engineer, Henry Berry, who lived on the street. Born in 1719, he built Salthouse Dock, George’s Dock and King’s Docks in Liverpool. Photo: Андрей Бобровский, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
4. Bold Street
Bold Street is named after Jonas Bold, who leased the land from Liverpool Corporation around 1785 to build houses. He is considered to be one of Liverpool’s most influential figures in the slave trade and became mayor in 1802. Before then, the street was originally laid out as a ‘ropewalk’ used to measure the standard length of rope needed for sailing ships. Photo: Emma Dukes