Historic London recreated on streets of Liverpool

Aug 17 2007 by Ashley Wray, Liverpool Daily Post

The old Liverpool Royal Infirmary is transformed into London in 1907 for the filming of Casualty 1907. Picture: Andrew Teebay _320

THE University of Liverpool has been enjoying a royal visit this week – without a crowd or posy in sight. Instead, the university’s Foresight Centre has been playing host to nine days of filming for new BBC period drama Casualty 1907, including an appearance from Queen Alexandra, the “Princess Diana of her day”.

Filming originally took place last year for a pilot episode and now the cameras are back for a four-part mini-series which will be broadcast later this year.

The series highlights the various medical events taking place at the Royal London Hospital around 100 years ago.

Although set in the heart of London’s East End, the film-makers have had to come to Liverpool to recreate that historic setting.

The Foresight Centre, now used for conferencing and offices, was formerly the old Liverpool Royal Infirmary which opened in 1889. It closed in 1978 and was sold to the University for £1 in 1994.

Some of the old wards – a few of which remain intact – were designed by Florence Nightingale, which also intrigued the filmmakers

Paul Elkins, first assistant director on Casualty 1907, said: “The show is based on real archives from the Royal London Hospital from 1906 to 1907 that were kept by the matron and her sisters on the casualty ward.

“The people had many of the same illnesses and problems that we have now, but just with different names, like MRSA. They had problems like rival gangs, which we still have problems with today. It’s 2007 and we’re still having all the same problems. It seems the only thing that has really changed is the fashion.”

Director Bryn Higgins, whose grandfather was a surgeon in the old Royal London, said: “The University of Liverpool is an ideal place to shoot the mini series because of its history. We have been able to recreate the London Hospital, and London's East End. London's East End no longer exists how it used to, so we have come to Liverpool to re-create it, and it’s been great.

“The people from the University have been really good with us.”

The mini series also highlights the gang culture of the 1900s. The film focuses on the Blind Beggar Gang, a real gang in the East End that named themselves after the Blind Beggar pub.

All of the characters in the series are based on real people, said Higgins.

Alfie Allen, singer Lily Allen’s younger brother, is one of the gang members. Former Eastender and “Manageress” Cherie Lunghi stars as the matron of the hospital alongside Sarah Smart from Five Days.

Filming at Liverpool University will continue for another five or six weeks. The first episode has already been aired on BBC as a pilot, but will be re-aired when they show the full series on BBC One in the autumn.