HIS name is immortalised in one of Liverpool’s most iconic Victorian buildings.

Now 150 descendants of 19th century businessman, politician and philanthropist William Brown are gathering in the city to mark the 200th anniversary of the trading and banking company he helped found.

William Brown is now better known by some for the street and central library named after him. And the get-together of the extended family clan will also celebrate the 150th anniversary of him donating the library he founded to the city.

Brown was a key member of the city’s commercial life during the 19th century when Liverpool was at the peak of its power as a trading and maritime centre.

The company he helped found was originally involved in the import and export business. Today it is known as Brown Shipley and is an exclusive private bank.

Although it has long gone from Liverpool, William Brown Street and library survive as powerful reminders of those pioneering days.

A “clan gathering” is now planned at Liverpool town hall in April to mark the bank’s bi-centenary and between 150 and 200 family members are expected – including representatives from its American branch.

The event is being organised by cousins Anthony and Edward Clifton-Brown who have arranged a weekend of events for all those attending, including an evening reception at the library which bears their ancestor’s name and a visit to as many Brown-related buildings as can be found.

Anthony Clifton-Brown said: “We are very proud to be celebrating 200 years and believe this is quite a feat. We are also very proud of our Liverpool heritage.

“Although the bank’s Liverpool office closed in 1888, the firm’s Liverpool origins are immortalised in the name of William Brown Street and the library.

“The original firm was set up in 1810 and it was a very successful and exciting organisation and very important to Liverpool at that time. William Brown became, in the view of some, Liverpool’s foremost citizen.

“A lot of the family think it’s important to mark this distant ancestor. He was quite a forward thinker in terms of a public library being a public library. He believed education should be available to everybody.”