Mapping out everyone’s memory lane

Jun 30 2008 by David Charters, Liverpool Daily Post

“We are not really bothered about the artistic merit of the photos, though they can be arty and some are, but we do want an accurate representation of the street at a particular time.”

“I think this is the most photogenic city in the UK and that includes London itself,” says Dave Wood, who lived in Hughes Street, near the famous Grafton dance rooms, before the family was moved to Cantril Farm.

“Photographing every street in the city is a fantastic idea, one of those Don Quixote things.

“I just want this to go on and on. I will be quite sad when it finishes.”

He need not worry. It will never finish. “Don’t forget that in the fullness of time, the houses which are about to be built will have their own history,” says Robin Riley.

“Just imagine what the personal history of Liverpool would have been like if we had had this kind of facility in the 19th or 20th centuries.

“This project will not provide a Domesday Book (William the Conqueror’s census to ascertain the potential revenue of his realm) – but a total humanity book of Liverpool.”

Some argue that online facilities lack the warmth of old-fashioned reference books, but you couldn’t contain all the material from a project like this between covers.

In the past, the city engineers’ department photographed streets and buildings for the official records.

The difference here is that the Gallery is being filled by the people themselves, contributing what would once have been dismissed as “snaps” of street parties celebrating great national events, as well as more personal memories.

In this way, history is being taken away from the college professors and returned to the people who made it.

“It’s all about the street where you were born,” says Tony.

As the idea grows, arrange- ments could be made for people without computers to post their photographs. For search purposes, the website has listed the streets and roads in their postal districts.

You probably didn’t know as a child, when you were playing hopscotch or skipping on a rope, that you were making history.

But you were.

Now you have to make sure that its recorded for posterity.

* THE website is www.liverpoolstreetgallery.com

davidcharters@dailypost.co.uk