Questions about post-war Liverpool

[icburns]

TL;DR
Where are some good places around the city to experience what life may have been like in late '40s/'50s Liverpool (relegation aside)? Does anyone have familiarity with records at the University of Liverpool, or somewhere I could find preserved documents from that period?

I'm hoping you all can help me out here with some suggestions. My girlfriend's grandfather passed away recently. Without boring you too much with family history, here is some context:

In addition to being one fly motherf***er, he was a respected academic and historian in China, which made him a politically controversial figure. Anyway, after being arrested by occupying Japanese forces and facing internal opposition in the aftermath, he sought to complete his doctorate from the Department of Geography at the University of Liverpool in 1946.

Though my girlfriend and I are unable to make the trip, her father is planning to spend a few days in Liverpool later this month in his father's memory. General visiting advice is welcome, but there are loads of existing threads on that topic. I'm more curious how to get a Chinese-American man into libraries to look at old newspapers and stuff. He's a photographer, so even areas with striking visuals of the crumbling remains of 1940s Liverpool might be of particular interest.

Thanks all, it's good to be back on GOT.

 

[COYBL25]

TL;DR
Where are some good places around the city to experience what life may have been like in late '40s/'50s Liverpool (relegation aside)? Does anyone have familiarity with records at the University of Liverpool, or somewhere I could find preserved documents from that period?

I'm hoping you all can help me out here with some suggestions. My girlfriend's grandfather passed away recently. Without boring you too much with family history, here is some context:

In addition to being one fly motherf***er, he was a respected academic and historian in China, which made him a politically controversial figure. Anyway, after being arrested by occupying Japanese forces and facing internal opposition in the aftermath, he sought to complete his doctorate from the Department of Geography at the University of Liverpool in 1946.

Though my girlfriend and I are unable to make the trip, her father is planning to spend a few days in Liverpool later this month in his father's memory. General visiting advice is welcome, but there are loads of existing threads on that topic. I'm more curious how to get a Chinese-American man into libraries to look at old newspapers and stuff. He's a photographer, so even areas with striking visuals of the crumbling remains of 1940s Liverpool might be of particular interest.

Thanks all, it's good to be back on GOT.

I don`t think there`s much of the crumbling remains of the 1940`s left tbh mate, maybe a bit of the docks around by the Titanic Hotel / Bramley Moore Dock ?

A good starting point for historical stuff, would possibly be the University, they have an expert in that period, then the Central library for records and St Georges Hall for records of births and deaths ?

 

[Black Belt Jones]

Your GF's Dad should contact the Liverpool Geography dept and tell them his story - they might have old faculty photographs from that time. A lot of UK academic Schools have a faculty photograph each year with the graduate body. In 1946, this would likely have been just a few people. Obv anyone who taught the man is long gone back to the mud, but there might be names of fellow graduates on the course.

Did your GF's grandfather receive his PhD? Chinese postgraduate students would have been like hen's teeth in those days, in fact - I recall Jung Chang, the author of Wild Swans, claiming she was the first person from China to receive a PhD from a British university and that would have been in the 1970s.

 

[verreauxi]

TL;DR
Where are some good places around the city to experience what life may have been like in late '40s/'50s Liverpool (relegation aside)? Does anyone have familiarity with records at the University of Liverpool, or somewhere I could find preserved documents from that period?

I'm hoping you all can help me out here with some suggestions. My girlfriend's grandfather passed away recently. Without boring you too much with family history, here is some context:

In addition to being one fly motherf***er, he was a respected academic and historian in China, which made him a politically controversial figure. Anyway, after being arrested by occupying Japanese forces and facing internal opposition in the aftermath, he sought to complete his doctorate from the Department of Geography at the University of Liverpool in 1946.

Though my girlfriend and I are unable to make the trip, her father is planning to spend a few days in Liverpool later this month in his father's memory. General visiting advice is welcome, but there are loads of existing threads on that topic. I'm more curious how to get a Chinese-American man into libraries to look at old newspapers and stuff. He's a photographer, so even areas with striking visuals of the crumbling remains of 1940s Liverpool might be of particular interest.

Thanks all, it's good to be back on GOT.

The University of Liverpool will give you a temporary guest pass to use the libraries, if I recall. I got one for a few months when living there.

 

[4737carlin]

Sounds interesting this mate, first thing you could do is go the library on William Brown St, on the top floor in the public records office, they have all kinds of info there, ask those, few times ive done a bit of reserach into things and a few of the staff thrive off helping people find stuff out like this. The uni themselves should have an history department, you could try the LJMU history society

Maybe try this guy, Professor Nick White
https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/research/centres-and-institutes/history-research-group

Or one of the Liverpool History Facebook groups perhas?

Keep us posted how you get on

 

[icburns]

I don`t think there`s much of the crumbling remains of the 1940`s left tbh mate, maybe a bit of the docks around by the Titanic Hotel / Bramley Moore Dock ?

A good starting point for historical stuff, would possibly be the University, they have an expert in that period, then the Central library for records and St Georges Hall for records of births and deaths ?

Based purely on Google maps imagery, that seems like a good shout. Plus, I would get a chance to survey the proposed stadium lot vicariously.

As others have mentioned, I'll be trying to get in touch with the University next week. I think he may have given a commencement address some time in the 1980s, but I'm operating on secondhand translated information here in many cases, so that may not be accurate.

 

[icburns]

Your GF's Dad should contact the Liverpool Geography dept and tell them his story - they might have old faculty photographs from that time. A lot of UK academic Schools have a faculty photograph each year with the graduate body. In 1946, this would likely have been just a few people. Obv anyone who taught the man is long gone back to the mud, but there might be names of fellow graduates on the course.

Did your GF's grandfather receive his PhD? Chinese postgraduate students would have been like hen's teeth in those days, in fact - I recall Jung Chang, the author of Wild Swans, claiming she was the first person from China to receive a PhD from a British university and that would have been in the 1970s.

From what I understand, he finished his studies in Liverpool before returning to be a professor in China. It's possible something is lost in translation here, but it's also possible that there is some tomfoolery going on with the claim:

She received her PhD in linguistics from York in 1982, becoming the first person from the People's Republic of China to be awarded a PhD from a British university.

He technically would have graduated a few months before the People's Republic of China was formed.

Finding faculty photos would be an interesting avenue to explore though, I'll have to get in touch with the department.

 

[icburns]

The University of Liverpool will give you a temporary guest pass to use the libraries, if I recall. I got one for a few months when living there.

That would be boss, do you remember if you needed to fill out anything beforehand, or could you just request one on the spot?

 

[icburns]

Sounds interesting this mate, first thing you could do is go the library on William Brown St, on the top floor in the public records office, they have all kinds of info there, ask those, few times ive done a bit of reserach into things and a few of the staff thrive off helping people find stuff out like this. The uni themselves should have an history department, you could try the LJMU history society

Maybe try this guy, Professor Nick White
https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/research/centres-and-institutes/history-research-group

Or one of the Liverpool History Facebook groups perhas?

Keep us posted how you get on

I definitely will, thanks for the leads. Is that library public? Would any prior arrangements need to be made to access records?

Sounds like these cats down at LJMU may be keen on this type of connection. If they don't know already, they may be pleased to hear that one of China's premier Geographic Historians (their own field, really) was a product of Merseyside academia. We'll see if I have any luck reaching this Professor White for comment.

Cheers.

 

[PhilM]

That would be boss, do you remember if you needed to fill out anything beforehand, or could you just request one on the spot?

Personally, I would contact them before hand. With him being a geographer, I'd contact the Sydney Jones Library rather than the Harold Cohen.

You can contact them on +44(0)151 794 9500, +44(0)151 794 2674 or askus@liverpool.email.libanswers.com

With regards to the Geography department, then try +44(0)151 795 4642 or soesms@liverpool.ac.uk as I'm sure they'll be happy to help.

 

[Seathestars]

I never read the local news paper these days mate (Liverpool Echo) but I know they have a huge archive.
I think the Central Library keep them too.
It may be worth ringing the newspaper to see what they can help with.

 

[Eggs]

I never read the local news paper these days mate (Liverpool Echo) but I know they have a huge archive.
I think the Central Library keep them too.
It may be worth ringing the newspaper to see what they can help with.

..: @icburns the reference library at Liverpool Central Library is amazing and the staff are very helpful. The building itself is worth a visit, but i’m sure if you contact the Reference Library in advance they will point you in the direction of the documentation you seek.

 

[Black Belt Jones]

From what I understand, he finished his studies in Liverpool before returning to be a professor in China. It's possible something is lost in translation here, but it's also possible that there is some tomfoolery going on with the claim:

Yes I think Jung Chang is talking bollox there for silly self-promotional reasons - there will have been a few Chinese scholars like yer man here receiving PhDs in the UK way before her [in fact I know of another one in 1950 from Manchester]. Good luck with the trip!

 

[orly]

Your GF's Dad should contact the Liverpool Geography dept and tell them his story - they might have old faculty photographs from that time. A lot of UK academic Schools have a faculty photograph each year with the graduate body. In 1946, this would likely have been just a few people. Obv anyone who taught the man is long gone back to the mud, but there might be names of fellow graduates on the course.

Did your GF's grandfather receive his PhD? Chinese postgraduate students would have been like hen's teeth in those days, in fact - I recall Jung Chang, the author of Wild Swans, claiming she was the first person from China to receive a PhD from a British university and that would have been in the 1970s.

Total fraud

 

[Groucho]

TL;DR
Where are some good places around the city to experience what life may have been like in late '40s/'50s Liverpool (relegation aside)? Does anyone have familiarity with records at the University of Liverpool, or somewhere I could find preserved documents from that period?

I'm hoping you all can help me out here with some suggestions. My girlfriend's grandfather passed away recently. Without boring you too much with family history, here is some context:

In addition to being one fly motherf***er, he was a respected academic and historian in China, which made him a politically controversial figure. Anyway, after being arrested by occupying Japanese forces and facing internal opposition in the aftermath, he sought to complete his doctorate from the Department of Geography at the University of Liverpool in 1946.

Though my girlfriend and I are unable to make the trip, her father is planning to spend a few days in Liverpool later this month in his father's memory. General visiting advice is welcome, but there are loads of existing threads on that topic. I'm more curious how to get a Chinese-American man into libraries to look at old newspapers and stuff. He's a photographer, so even areas with striking visuals of the crumbling remains of 1940s Liverpool might be of particular interest.

Thanks all, it's good to be back on GOT.

Try Central Library records room on the top floor. Also worth a look is the excellent Angel Cake on twitter.

And please don’t swear.