192
|
The Liverpool Tapestry:
People, Places and Passions
“
Blue Coat Chambers was built in 1717 for Brian Blundell, a sea
captain and merchant. It was built as a school for poor boys and is
now a Grade I listed building and one of the oldest buildings in the
city centre. The dedication on the pediment reads “Dedicated to
the promotion of Christian Charity and the training of poor boys
in the Principles of the Anglican Church. Founded this year of
Salvation 1717”.
It served as a boy’s school until 1906 when it moved to Wavertree.
It was then bought by the first Lord Lever as a centre for the Arts,
and is now owned by the Bluecoat Society of the Arts.”
“
The Blue Funnel Line was founded in 1865 by two sons of
George Holt, a sea captain and Liverpool merchant. Their first ship
was three-masted and called Dumbarton Youth. Aboard the ship
they found some blue paint, which they used to paint the funnel.
The company was registered as Ocean Steam Ship Company and
three more ships were acquired and named Agamemnon, Ajax
and Achilles. So began the tradition of blue-painted funnel ships
named after the heroes of Homer’s Odyssey.
At it’s height, the company owned over 80 ships and were proud
to say that they never lost a ship due to bad weather, although 62
ships were sunk during wartime. With less call for shipping in later
years, they ventured into other fields, such as aviation, until sadly
there were no blue funnel ships left to sail the world’s oceans.”
Blue Coat Chambers
Designed and stitched by Eileen Smith
Blue Funnel Ship
Designed and stitched by Eileen Smith