Liverpool, St George's Hall c.1881

Photo ref: 7813

More about this scene

Started in June 1838 to accommodate the Liverpool Music Festival, which was held every four years and had become a very popular event, St George's Hall is one of the greatest buildings in England. The designer Harvey Longsdale Elmes was only 23 when he won the design competition, firstly for the Music Hall and then for new Law Courts for Liverpool; he put the two buildings into one. Because of the change of plans and uses of the hall, the building was not started in earnest until 1842. Elmes never saw his magnificent work completed. The extra work put such a burden on him that he fell ill, and was sent on a sea journey to the West Indies to rest. He died just after arriving in Jamaica, and is laid to rest there. His work was taken over by C R Cockerell and the hall was opened on 18 September 1854. It is a strange mixture - concert hall, law courts, theatre, cells and jail - but it worked well, and is a marvellous and unique building.

An extract from Liverpool and Merseyside Photographic Memories.