Canning History Project

                                     Coming Up & Curious

CURRENT PLANS
As we continue our research into various aspects of the Canning area’s history, we’ll also be beginning the main phase of our recorded interviewing, talking with residents and ex-residents of the area, asking them about both their experience of the area and their own story within it.
    We’re in the process of organizing an arts competition open to the community – no grand prizes, but instead the opportunity for works to be displayed as part of the project, and with the overall winner’s piece being featured in the book at the end of the project.
    From February to May, we’ll be having group-visits to the various Edward Rushton exhibitions in Liverpool’s museums.
    As winter turns to spring, and as spring turns to summer, so our volunteers’ researches shall bud and flower magnificently…

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Some questions sparked by our research...  If you happen to have any useful info, please get in touch!

WANTED: PHOTO OF FEMALE PENITENTIARY.  Does anyone know of any photos showing the Female Penitentiary on Falkner Street (previously Crabtree Lane)?  It was on the north side of the street, between Mulberry Street (on the line of St Bride Street) and Bedford Street South.

O EDGE HILL HIGH STREET, WHERE ART THOU?  The Minute Book of the Gentlemen’s Committee of Liverpool Female Penitentiary, founded 1809, refers to its first building as being on the High Street, Edge Hill.  From its context, we guess it’s fairly near the east end of Myrtle Street, and today’s Minster Court – but can we work out exactly what road it is?  No, not yet we can’t.  Does anyone know of any other mentions of Edge Hill High Street?

EDWARD RUSHTON’S BURIAL PLACE.  There’s a common belief that poet, blind people’s advocate and anti-slavery campaigner Edward Rushton was buried in St James’s Cemetery, and that his gravestone is still somewhere there; but as Rushton died in 1814 and as the old quarry didn’t become a cemetery till 1826, this doesn’t seem likely.  Does anyone out there know anything about it?




Canning History Project