The city of Liverpool is famous throughout the world. This once small fishing village was transformed into a mighty commercial powerhouse, seen by many as the second city of the British Empire. Over the centuries her influence grew and her population soared. Town planners were forced to draw up designs to accommodate the town’s increasingly diverse demographic. Humble terraced properties were laid out for the thousands of labourers in the region’s core shipping industry, while luxurious town houses were constructed for the region’s wealthier elite.

Vast brick-built warehouses were raised for the storage of goods and imports, while merchants from far and wide took up shop on many of the city’s bustling high streets. Hotels, taverns and theatres appeared on nearly every corner to impress the weary traveller, and an array of parks, monuments and public buildings adorned the urban landscape for as far as the eye could see. Sadly the twentieth century cast a grave shadow over Liverpool’s good fortunes and the city lost its old allure and prestige. The Second World War cost the city dear, and many of the most awe-inspiring buildings were lost in the carnage or demolished in the name of progress. This book steps back in time and rediscovers Liverpool’s lost buildings and remembers the forgotten architectural heritage that once embellished this impressive maritime metropolis.