Wirral From Old Photographs

The Wirral peninsula in North West England lies within Cheshire and Merseyside but has its own distinct identity. In the east, on the estuary of the River Mersey, lie the two largest urban centers on the Wirral, Birkenhead, and Wallasey. These grew rapidly in the 19th century with large docks in both, increasing industrialization and improved access to Liverpool across the Mersey. At the same time the resort of New Brighton was also established. On the eastern side of the Wirral, on the estuary of the River Dee, development in the towns of Hoylake, West Kirby, and Heswall was slower although improved transport links with Chester and Liverpool in the 19th and 20th centuries saw these towns grow too. Away from these heavily populated towns, there are more rural areas in the south and west of the Wirral. Wirral from Old Photographs presents a fascinating portrait of the Wirral over the last 100 years. Drawing on an extensive collection of historical photographs, the author surveys how the area has changed in the last century, from the height of its industrial development, when the docks were busy, through the intense destruction of areas of the Wirral from aerial bombardment in World War 2, postwar industrial decline and later regeneration. The photographs cover not only the main towns of Birkenhead, Wallasey, Hoylake, West Kirby, and Heswall but also smaller places on the Wirral and will appeal to all those who know this part of North West England.