Description

Given that many of the author’s sources are stated to have been local newspapers, it is hardly surprising that the historical parts of this work tend to be Liverpool biased. Coverage of early services to Ireland and of coastwise services from and to the Mersey is pretty thorough, but elsewhere descriptions of the steamer services operated by the railway companies  for example are confined to contemporary operations, with little historical content.

There is a comprehensive description of the development of the Liverpool transatlantic trade, to the point just before the introduction of the big four funnel liners. Two years after the publication of this book, on 1905, the London & South Western Railway opened the World’s biggest dry-dock at Southampton. It was part of a calculated strategy to woo transatlantic liners away from Liverpool. This was ultimately successful, with White Star transferring in 1907 and Cunard just after the end of the Great War. The illustrations vary from the well- known, to pictures of some obscure subjects which I have not seen elsewhere.

PREVIEW BELOW – MAY TAKE A WHILE TO LOAD.