In 1863 Patrick Byrne, a young man of seventeen years, arrived in Liverpool from Ireland with empty pockets and only the clothes that covered this young man who stud over six-foot.

Patrick Byrne, was born in 1845, in the Townland of Tinneshrule in the Parish of Ferns, County Wexford. Ferns. At the end of the twentieth century it was probably the most unaltered small towns in Ireland and Patrick would still be able to recognise it today except for the modern mode of transport. The village is situated on the N11, between the market towns of Gorey and Enniscorthy and whichever way you turn its rich history holds you in its embrace.

In his boyhood years Patrick was employed for some time under the Irish Board of Works.  He laboured on farms, attending thatches, helping stone masons and the hours of his labours were long. His young head would have been filled with adventure. like so many young people before him when he decided to leave his homeland to sail for Liverpool in 1862/63. He settled in the Vauxhall area, which housed many of the victims who fled the Famine in 1847. Many of those who arrived during those tragic years were still recovering from their ordeal when Patrick entered the town.

Patrick soon found work as a dock labourer; working under conditions enforced by employers who cared little for the welfare of those in their employ as Labour was cheap and plentiful. He soon made many friends among the ranks of those who toiled alongside him. Patrick ceased to be a dock labourer after three years. Liverpool was a town of opportunity for a young man who had set his goals in life much higher than the toil of a long day on the docks. Almost every penny he earned he saved to open a small lodging house in the town and it was not long before he became the occupier of “The Tichfield” a public house in Tichfield Street in the Vauxhall area.

It was during the time that he was landlord of this establishment, that Patrick acquired the sobriquet of ‘Dandy Pat’ He would often wear a sealskin coat with vent and a white hat and although he was a very popular landlord, he was also a very shrewd businessman. He began to prosper with his boundless energy and in November 1876, at the age of thirty-one, he was able to acquire the “Morning Star” a very large hotel in Scotland Place, Byrom Street. The hotel was in a bad state of repair but Patrick renovated it and the local people flocked to it. It was during this period that the Temperance League warned of the evils of alcohol.

Many people in Liverpool, during the late nineteenth century, lived in some of the vilest conditions imaginable, houses in the courts lacked even the basic means that we expect today, such as running water. And so pubs such as the  “Morning Star” offered a warm environment during the short winter days. Drink was a business and the more a man could imbibe the greater his welcome. Patrick felt people should be able to do more than just get drunk so he installed two billiard tables at a time when such recreation in licensed premises was unheard of. The proprietor of the “Morning Star” also organised tournaments, formed billiard teams and put up prizes. The “Morning Star” was to become his flagship, and Patrick went on to acquire more property, including public houses in several parts of the city. He acquired The Rock Ferry Hotel, which at one time was a very fashionable establishment. Patrick also had under his control, it is said, a very well known hotel in Dale Street, the business centre of the town.

The Dock Strike of 1887 was one of those occasions when Patrick Byrne immersed himself in trying to alleviate the suffering of dockers’ families. A committee was set up for this purpose, headed by Mr. Hugh McAleavy, a man who lived among the poor of Liverpool. Mr. McAleavy at once enlisted the sympathy of Councilors Patrick Byrne, Purcell and George Jeremy Lynskey and these three formed themselves into a provisional committee. Letters were sent to a number of people whom they thought would respond to their invitation to assist in relieving the distress among the wives and children of the Dock Labourers on strike.

This relief movement was suggested and undertaken from humanitarian motives and entirely outside any idea of politics, religion or nationality. The result of this circular was a meeting at the Albert Hall, Liverpool, at which a sum of nearly £350 was subscribed. At this meeting a committee was formed with the Rev Father Dowling of St Anthony’s as chairman and the first committee meeting was called at his presbytery. On the following day they decided to give immediate relief to the extent of £200 and the members of the committee were requested to seek out the most pressing cases. A member of the committee generously offered the use of a shop in Great Howard Street as headquarters for that day. A notice stating that relief would be given, was put upon the shutters of the shop. When they arrived at the shop a large crowd of eager applicants, including men, women and children were already assembled in front of the premises. J. R. Grant, Liberal Councilor wrote:

On the Saturday morning members of the committee with Mr. Pat Byrne, treasurer, who, I found, has a heart as big as his body and Mr. Purcell, the secretary, who was untiring in his devotion to the work, met at the office in Bevington Bush. It was pitiful to see the women and children who came to draw the five shillings in exchange for the tickets they had received. This was to me a sad experience. The women with pinched faces and the children pale and hungry would have touched any heart. It was wonderful how grateful they were. I think the Committee never received so many blessings as they did that day. I noticed that one member of the Committee quietly slipped an additional half-crown into the hand of one or two poor women and I have no doubt that other members did the same.

Up until Friday of last week it was unfortunately assumed that the relief movement was actuated by Party motives. I do not wonder that this impression should have got abroad, because the Committee up to this time composed of Pat Byrne and the majority of the subscriptions came from the persons of one political colour, the cause of this chiefly accidental. The three gentlemen who, in the first place, called together the meeting were nationalists. No doubt this was in a large measure due to the district in which the principal served, however we soon satisfied two Conservative gentlemen that the charity was perfectly free from political or religious bias. Those two gentlemen were Mr. A. J. J. Bamford and Mr. Robert Foote and by their exertions we received a substantial addition to the funds. Mr. Pat Kearney has also done yeoman’s service to the cause. Indeed, all the members of the Committee worked with marvelous industry from the beginning.

By 1889 his two brothers and sister had passed away, along with his parents. Moses his father was the last to die after having worked for many years helping his son in building up his business interests. Just a few months after the appearance of this article, Patrick Byrne was dead. Patrick died the 5th May 1890, aged 45. The Mercury published an obituary the same day.

Mr. Patrick Byrne, one of the most respected of the Irish representatives in the Liverpool City Council, died this morning at his residence and place of business. ‘The Morning Star’, in Scotland Place. Mr. Byrne until quite recently was possessed of a vigorous constitution, which no amount of hard work seemed to shake.

He was the owner of several licensed houses in this district, and no more than a fortnight since he was proceeding from Rock Ferry to this city, when he had occasion to wait for a train. It was during the few minutes that he stood upon the railway platform that he caught a chill.  This acted so seriously upon his general health that he determined to remain in bed the next day.  The evil however, was never arrested, though every possible care was bestowed upon the patient, and though Dr. Wade had the further assistance and counsel of Dr. Carter.

Yesterday there was considered to have been an improvement in Mr. Byrne’s condition, and in the evening he saw one or two friends, who remained in the sick chamber. However, no more than a few moments, towards one o’clock there was a change for the worse, whereupon Dr. Carter was summoned, but upon his arrival at 1-15 Mr. Byrne was breathing his last. The cause of death was pneumonia, which was the immediate and direct result of the cold.  Mr. Byrne occupied a somewhat singular position in relation to the Irish party in Liverpool, and, though he was returned for Vauxhall Ward no more than six years ago, there was no one more closely acquainted with the needs and aspirations of his fellow countrymen.

It was the end of a dream and a sad day for the people of the Scotland Road and Vauxhall area.  

Copyright © Michael Kelly, November 2004