Earl maps out hall’s place on our Liverpool artwork

Dec 11 2007 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

KNOWSLEY Hall is the latest location to be nominated as part of Liverpool – by no less a person than the Earl of Derby.

The peer has been following our Liverpool Map campaign – the Liverpool Daily Post’s contribution to 2008 – with interest and has now submitted his estate for inclusion.

Lord Derby has joined the list of readers busy nominating areas around the world to be part of Liverpool on a specially-commissioned artwork, which will be donated to Museum of Liverpool as part of the 2008 celebrations.

The scope and scale of the map are entirely in the hands of those who nominate locations; no matter where in the world, they can be considered part of the Liverpool Map if you nominate them with a sound reason.

We also want to know what symbol should represent the city on the map – and there are just two weeks of voting left to decide the outcome. So far the Liver Bird is still in the lead but the city’s waterfront is catching up, with 37% of your votes.

Lord Derby said: “I am certain that Knowsley Hall should be on your map. It is the Liverpool area’s only stately home, it is Liverpool area’s only 5 star accommodation and the hall and family have always been inextricably linked to Liverpool’s history.

“The city stops at the green belt boundary which is our boundary.

“We enable many Liverpool charities to raise funds through dinners or balls at the hall or in the grounds, and Knowsley Safari Park is the biggest paying tourist attraction in the Liverpool area. Need I go on?”

Meanwhile, Francis Dolman has nominated Fairfield for inclusion. She wrote to the Daily Post saying: “I am nominating Fairfield to be on your map of Liverpool, as this district has been sadly neglected by so-called local historians.

“There is a lot of Fairfield history that involves Liverpool that has been overlooked.”

And James Samples thinks Halewood should make an appearance.

He said: “I live in Halewood in the phoney borough of Knowsley due to some artificial borders.

“Most (90%) of the inhabitants are Scousers.

“We shop, are entertained, we support football clubs... and call Liverpool our town centre.”

Paul on the Daily Post forum has nominated Bache in Chester. He says: “It is the last but one Merseyrail station on the route to Chester.

“I live in the Bache, but love to use all the cultural facilities Liverpool has to offer.

“ I should also like to point out that according to the new Liverpool Heritage Centre in St. Georges Hall, the original boundary river – the Mersey – ran thorough the Bache, before being diverted to its current course during a storm.”

AREAS nominated so far for inclusion as part of Liverpool: Netherton, Blundellsands, Thornton, Maghull, Melling, Halewood, Wirral, Fairfield, Bootle, Litherland, Waterloo, Crosby, Ormskirk, St Helens, Wigan, Ellesmere Port, Winsford, Hale Village, Huyton, Widnes, Runcorn, Bache, Chester, Newton-le-Willows, Knowsley Hall, Isle of Mann, Wales, Ireland, New York, Czech Republic, China, east India, Uxbridge Ontario- Canada.

Areas nominated for exclusion from the Liverpool Map: Huyton, Whiston, Prescot.

lizawilliams