thumb|upright=1.1|Liverpool Pier Head, with the [[Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building and Port of Liverpool Building, and the Anglican cathedral in the background, 2005]]

thumb|upright=1.1|Liverpool Pier Head, aerial photograph, 2024

The Pier Head (properly, George's Pier Head) is a riverside location in the city centre of Liverpool, England. It was part of the former Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was inscribed in 2004, but revoked in 2021. As well as a collection of landmark buildings, recreational open space, and a number of memorials, the Pier Head was (and for some traffic still is) the landing site for passenger ships travelling to and from the city.

History

thumb|upright=1.1|View of the [[Port of Liverpool Building from the River Mersey before 1914, showing a gap on the left, where the Cunard Building now stands]]

By the 1890s, the George's Dock, where the Pier Head now is, was essentially redundant. Built in 1771, it was the third dock built in Liverpool, and was too small and too shallow in depth for the commercial ships of the late 19th century. The board and the corporation had differing priorities, and the former were not inclined to forgo any commercial advantage for the benefit of the latter.

In 2007, work began on a new scheme, to re-house the Museum of Liverpool Life. The new museum, known as the Museum of Liverpool opened in 2011. Work also started in 2007 to build a canal link between the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the South Docks. The £22 million pound, 1.6-mile extension to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal was officially opened on 25 March 2009 and opened to boaters at the end of April 2009. It links the of the existing canal to the city's South Docks, passing the Pier Head and its landmark buildings.

Landmark buildings

The site encompasses a trio of landmarks, built on the site of the former George's Dock and referred to since at least 1998 as "The Three Graces":

  • Royal Liver Building, built between 1908 and 1911 and designed by Walter Aubrey Thomas. It is a grade I listed building consisting of two clock towers, both crowned by mythical Liver Birds. The building is the headquarters of the Royal Liver Friendly Society.
  • Cunard Building, constructed between 1914 and 1916 and a grade II* listed building. It is the former headquarters of the Cunard Line shipping company.
  • Port of Liverpool Building, built from 1903 to 1907 and also grade II* listed. It is the former home of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board.

Also on the site is the Grade II listed George's Dock Building, to the east of the Port of Liverpool building. It was built in the 1930s and contains offices and ventilator equipment for the Queensway Tunnel.

Landing stages

Trans-Atlantic shipping

thumb|The floating landing stage, Prince's Landing Stage,

Originally, the Prince's Landing Stage was situated at the Pier Head to serve the trans-Atlantic liner service. There were a number of these stages built during Liverpool's history, the most recent opened in the 1890s and was joined to the neighbouring George's Landing Stage, situated to the south. After further lengthening took place in the early twentieth century, the combined structure originally measured 2,478 feet, almost half a mile. Both were scrapped in 1973, following the termination of trans-Atlantic services from Liverpool.

Mersey Ferries

The Mersey Ferries operate from George's Landing Stage, owned by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company. Ferries travel to Woodside in Birkenhead and Seacombe in Wallasey.

Only a few months after a new stage (to replace the previous combined structure) was opened on 13 July 1975, it had to be refloated, after sinking in freak weather. A temporary landing stage was installed until early 2010, when work began on a new Mersey Ferries landing stage. Mersey Ferries services switched to the Cruise Terminal. Services to Liverpool had to be suspended on 14 occasions during the year when large cruise ships were visiting.

A brand new dedicated landing stage for the ferry was towed into place in November 2011, with the linkspan bridge being craned into place shortly after. The new landing stage was officially opened in January 2012, with services resuming on 9 January.

Isle of Man Ferry

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company ferry service formerly operated from Princes Landing Stage, at a berth adjacent to those used by the Mersey Ferries.

Land transport

In addition to the Mersey Ferries, the Pier Head previously served as a major tram and later bus interchange.

Merseyrail's James Street station is a short walk away. The station was formerly part of the Mersey Railway. The Pier Head was also originally served by Liverpool Riverside station, connecting to main line services via the Victoria tunnel, and Pier Head station, on the Liverpool Overhead Railway. Both have since been demolished.

Open space

thumb|The Liverpool Canal Link at the Pier Head, 2010

thumb|The plaque on Canada Boulevard at the Pier Head

thumb|[[British Merchant Navy|Merchant Navy memorial]]

The open space at the Pier Head has also seen several developments. In the 1960s the area was given over to a bus terminal; in 1963 the terminal building for the Mersey Ferry was refurbished to include an adjoining restaurant. In 1991 the ferry terminal itself was reconfigured to its present style.

Running the length of the plaza is the Canada Boulevard, a walkway containing memorial plaques in memory of Canadians who gave their life in the Battle of the Atlantic.

In the centre of the space is an equestrian statue of Edward VII, dating from 1921.

In 2009 the Liverpool Canal Link was opened, extending the Leeds Liverpool canal to the dock system and passing through the Pier Head with open water and tunnels.

Memorials

The space also contains a number of memorials;

Clockwise from the north are:-

  • The Titanic Memorial, to the engineers who remained at their posts during the sinking of the RMS Titanic,
  • the Cunard War Memorial.
  • the Memorial of Sir Alfred Lewis Jones
  • the Merchant Navy war memorial.

There are several recent additions to the memorials at the Pier Head. In 2013, memorials were unveiled to the Second World War convoy escort group commander Captain Johnnie Walker and to the RMS Lancastria. The Chinese Merchant Seamen's Memorial, remembering the Chinese merchant seamen who served and died for Britain in both World Wars, was unveiled on 23 January 2006.

See also

  • List of public art in Liverpool
  • Transport in Liverpool

References

Sources

  • Aerial photograph from multimap.com
  • Historical photographs from the trans-Atlantic service
  • World Heritage Site
  • The Three Graces of the world famous Liverpool Waterfront
  • Pictures of the Pier head landing stage as it sank (2006)