The Corn Exchange, Brunswick Street, Liverpool. “Drawn by G. and C. Pyne about 1827, engraved by T. Dixon.” Source: Muir's Bygone Liverpool, Plate 35.
Text accompanying the engraving
Previous to the year 1807 the corn merchants of Liverpool transacted their business in the open space in front of the Town Hall, but in this year they decided to erect an Exchange of their own, and the building was erected by J. Foster senior, at a cost of £10,000 in shares of £100 each. Liverpool from an early date has always been a considerable corn centre, and it is interesting to note that in 1809, the first year after the opening of the Corn Exchange, the quantity of wheat imported was 114,000 quarters; oats 460,000 quarters; flour 13,000 bags and 1 70,000 barrels. In 1912 the figures were — wheat 5,8 13,187 quarters; oats 599,603 quarters; flour 407,285 sacks; maize 1,756,712 quarters; beans 115,881 quarters; barley 244,515 quarters; peas 106,506 quarters; oatmeal 89,073 loads — figures which show the great stride the trade has made in the century.
Brunswick Street was opened in 1790, and made a new approach to the river between Moor Street and Water Street. When Brunswick Street was made, it cut through a portion of the old Theatre in Drury Lane, to which was attached a famous bar; and a writer of the period calls particular attention to the excellence of its cakes and ale, stating "a young woman attends to accommodate the company with such refreshments as they require, on very moderate terms."
Formatting and text by George P. Landow. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the Internet Archive and the University of Toronto and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.
Reference
Muir, Ramsey. Bygone Liverpool illustrated by ninety-seven plates reproduced from original paintings, drawings, manuscripts, and prints with historical descriptions by Henry S. and Harold E. Young. Liverpool: Henry Young and Sons, 1913. Internet Archive version of a copy in the University of Toronto Library
Last modified 14 January 2013