Jones o Gymru goes on Holiday!
And on we go, the Jones tour continues on its travels around Wales, once again highlighting some locations, activities and attractions we love and believe you will enjoy.
But hold on… a trip to Liverpool? Surely some mistake you say? Is the Jones o Gymru SatNav on the blink?! Absolutely not, the historical links with this amazing city are historical and deep, which continue to this day.
We’ll touch on a few of these links as we follow in the late Gerry Marsden’s footsteps and take the ferry across the Mersey.
Liverpool, or Lerpwl as we refer to it, has strong historical and cultural connections with Wales. Many Welsh migrants moved to Liverpool during the industrial revolution, seeking employment in the city's thriving industries leading to a significant Welsh community forming in Liverpool, with Welsh-language churches, societies, and cultural institutions. To this day, many Welsh families still retain strong family ties with the city.
Liverpool continues to maintain close ties with Wales, with the Liverpool Welsh Society still going strong and still meeting at Bethel Chapel near the famous Penny Lane!
There are several streets in Liverpool that have Welsh connections, built by architect Richard Owens and the builder D Roberts, Son and Co, who built over 4,000 houses in Toxteth. The streets included Wynnstay Street, Voelas Street, Rhiwlas Street, Powis Street, Madryn Street, Kinmel Street, Gwydir Street, Pengwern Street and Treborth Street.These are just a few examples, and there may well be other streets in Liverpool with Welsh connections as well.
In a way, nothing epitomises the strong connection between Wales and Liverpool more than the fact that the Welsh National Eisteddfod was held at the city, the last staging being in 1929, not forgetting earlier visits across the Mersey to Birkenhead. There was talk of a return in 2008, when Liverpool’s tenure as the City of Culture, but alas this did not take place.
The Liverpool Welsh Choral is a renowned choir based in Liverpool established in 1900 ( the Eisteddfod was held in Liverpool that year too) and consists of both Welsh and non-Welsh members who share a passion for choral singing and Welsh music. They have performed at numerous prestigious venues and events, including the Royal Albert Hall, The Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool Cathedrals, and the Welsh National Eisteddfod. The Liverpool Welsh Choral continues to promote Welsh music and culture, contributing to the rich musical tradition of both Liverpool and Wales.
And when we think of Liverpool and music, we inevitably turn to The Beatles, who famously came to Bangor during 1967 for a meditation conference, staying at the University dormitories
“Cyn and I were thinking of going to Libya, until this came up. Libya or Bangor? Well, there was no choice, was there?”
John Lennon, 1967
It is almost impossible to think of Liverpool without referring to football, with the city boasting two world famous football teams, the reds of Liverpool FC and blues of Everton. Once again, there has, over their long and distinguished histories, some great Welsh connections - Ian Rush, the Reds’ leading goal scorer was born in St Asaph, and Llandudno’s Neville Southall, was once regarded as one of the world’s finest goalkeepers.
We hope you enjoyed our brief sojourn across the water, another taste of what it is to be ‘o Gymru’. Perhaps something new to think about when you next wander around the wonderful city of Liverpool and hopefully with some Jones o Gymru products in hand to make your visit that extra special!