I have been on a variety of tours over the last week. Liverpool
really is enjoying the benefits of being European Capital of Culture.
Mostly the visitors have been over seas visitors, American, Canadian,
South African, Aussies and Kiwis. Many having connections with
Liverpool, their ancestors often sailed from here.
Jan & her husband from just outside Bathurst in New South Wales, Oz,
were on a coach tour of the British Isles and had a morning in
Liverpool.
Jan was really excited about their visit to Liverpool, as she has
been tracing her family tree and her, several greats ago,
Grandparents had been married in Liverpool in 1827. She had a copy
of the Marriage Certificate and her ancestors had been married in The
Parish Church of Liverpool St. Nicholas's.
I said that on the way to the Albert Dock we would be passing St. Nicks.
Needless to say Jan got very emotional as we came along the Pier Head
past St. Nicks. I love it when I can get visitors to cry, means they
are really appreciating their visit.
Jan & her husband got off the coach at the Albert Dock, were the
others were going to have lunch and visit the attractions, and walked
back to St. Nicks. It was the highlight of her trip.
On a tour with a group from the Midlands, one gentleman got very
emotional when I was telling about the bombing of Liverpool during
World War 2.
Frank had been on the convoys escorting merchant ships across the
Atlantic. Frank had survived being torpedoed, the torpedo did not
explode. Dive bombed by German fighters and Atlantic storms.
This was his first visit to Liverpool since the war; living in
Birmingham he is just about as far as you can get in Britain from the
sea. After what he had gone through he said he had no desires to go
to sea again or even look at it.
The only reason Frank and his wife were visiting was because of our
Capital of Culture status.
I asked Frank how old he was and he said “95” He was walking unaided
and was very lively, I suppose when you have been so close to death
the rest of your life is a bonus.
Bob had been an 8 year old when, as an evacuee, he had left Liverpool
for Canada. He said that, apart from missing his family, he had a
great time during the war, he missed it. He has been back to
Liverpool many times since.
Superlambanana has proved a big, big hit. The flocks of “little
lambs” all over the city have created a photographic phenomenon.
Everywhere there are people photographing the lambs. I met one woman,
who is retired, and is taking advantage of her bus pass to photograph
all the lambs.
“I have taken 47 so far and I am off to London on a cheap day return
to get a picture of the one in Euston Station. The only one I might
not get is the one on the top of Moel Famau in Wales, I want to go
there before it is carried up the mountain” She told me.
A French Journalist and Photographer, here on a day visit to see the
Gustav Clint Exhibition at the Tate were really taken with the Lambs
and after a short visit to the Tate, we spent the day looking at
Lambs and photographing as many as possible.
They were really impressed that Liverpool was so “art orientated”.
The lambs, the suitcases on Hope Street and when I showed them
Richard Wilson’s “Turning the place over” on Moorfields they went
into raptures. More good publicity for Liverpool.
We did not have enough time for them to see the Iron men, and as I
dropped them off at JLA, they made arrangements to come back in
August to coincide with the Mathew Street Festival and visit the
Ironmen.
10th of July is going to be the annual Beatles day, as a guide for me
every day is Beatles day. I was on The Breakfast Show with Kim &
Phil, (Citytalk) who looked very good in their Beatle wigs.
The “Big Issue” of the day was “have we had enough of The Beatles and
is it time to move on”
Millions come here to see the sites associated with The Beatles, but
do locals, well no is the answer.
I am afraid in a lot of cases people go on holiday and visit places
but do not visit their own City. Very few Liverpudlians ever take a
Magical Mystery Tour, unless they have relatives visiting from far
far away.
Most people have been on the Ferry, but I speak to so many people who
have never set foot in the Cathedrals, St. George's Hall or the Town
Hall and they are all free to visit.
I gave an example of 2 friends who have never been to Speke Hall
because recently I was fortunate to go on a special tour of Speke
Hall and attend a presentation about the community projects the
National Trust are involved in supporting wider access to heritage.
These projects involved diverse groups of people from adults with
learning disabilities to the young people of Speke and Garston.
The youngsters photography and pod casts certainly gave a different
slant on Heritage.
It is worth visiting Speke Hall, even if you have been before, just
to listen to the pod casts.
The evening I visited, the group I was with were given a tour of the
Hall by Taya Drake.
Taya was dressed in Tudor Costume, she not only looked great but also
really knew her stuff and brought the place to life with her stories
about the Norris family and others who lived in Speke Hall.
The school holidays are upon us so make the most of your holiday
pennies by spending time locally. Go and visit a place that you have
always promised to visit but never have. Do it now.
We have a wealth of fantastic opportunities on the doorstep and it
doesn’t have to cost the earth to have a good time in Liverpool.
"It's a Wonderful Life"
(Thu 02/12)
TURN IT DOWN.
(Thu 11/11)
Do we need another Beatles book.
(Mon 11/10)
President or Pope, who is most welcome?
(Mon 16/08)
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