Liverpool had the worlds first enclosed commercial wet dock, known as the Pool it was built
by Thomas Steer’s between 1709 & 1715 because the River Mersey was totally exposed
to the full force of the Atlantic weather which could be merciless.
That is how Liverpool got its name, it also lead to the Port of Liverpool growing to become
the most advanced dock system in the world.
At its zenith it was made up of severn and a half miles of enclosed docks which worked 24 a day independent of the rivers tilde system. It also had its own high level railway system.
The calm after the storm.
The end of Hurricane Bertha to be exact, she passed by last night.
Boy what an experience, even in the enclosed dock we had white caps, the boat rolled
& twisted against our pontoon which was only half the size it should have been.
No wonder Steers built his dock.
Canning Dock
This originally gave access to the old wet dock, it now provides access to the
Liverpool Link Canal & the Albert Dock.
The red & white building in the background was designed by Norman Shaw & was the Head Office of the White Star Line, owners of the Titanic, Britannic & Olympic. If the building looks familiar it is probably because you have seen the design in old British black & white films
which had an almost standard shot of a Black Maria emerging from Norman Shaw’s
(old) New Scotland Yard building on London’s embankment. It is now a hotel.
Albert Dock
