Whilst the
district of Canning is mostly Georgian in its provenance, there exists
in Percy Street and particularly in St Bride's Church, an enclave of
neo-classicism. St Bride's with its Ionic columns and temple-like
appearance is said to be the finest surviving neo-classical church in
Liverpool. (Had St Catherine's in Abercromby Square survived 'The
University's utilitarian ambitions' there would have been stronger
competition). These days it scrapes a survival on a part-time basis and
although it is still possible to catch a service there you are more
likely to encounter 'avant garde' music than religion, at least in the
summer months. It has been a biennial venue on several occasions and 'The Kif and Fracture' are amongst the users of the gallery space sub-divided
and let to a number of tenants in the arts. The notable gate piers are
cast iron. Inside there are monuments to the Reverend J.H. Stewart and
to Mr W.M. Foster, his wife and their servant who were lost in the 1831
wreck of 'The Rothesay Castle' near Puffin Island. The captain refused to
turn back to port in foul weather and subsequently presided over the
grounding of the grossly un-seaworthy boat during a trip from Liverpool
to the North Wales coast. The only lifeboat was holed and without oars
and the bilge pumps broken. The ship was broken by the storm, bringing
130 fatalities, although 23 survived to condemn the captain who had been
drunk and perished himself when the funnel collapsed. Alan Maycock © 2007 |
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