Birkenhead
The former Birkenhead Town Hall, now Wirral Museum, in Hamilton Square
Birkenhead shown within Merseyside
Population	83,729 (2001 Census)[1]
OS grid reference	SJ324890
Metropolitan borough	Wirral
Metropolitan county	Merseyside
Region	North West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BIRKENHEAD
Postcode district	CH41
Dialling code	0151
Police	Merseyside
Fire	Merseyside
Ambulance	North West
European Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Birkenhead
List of places: UK • England • Merseyside

Coordinates: 53°23′36″N 3°00′52″W / 53.3932, -3.0145

Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. Hamilton Square in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England is a Town square surrounded by Georgian terraces Merseyside is a Metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1365900 In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology A nationwide Census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government Wirral or The Wirral (ˈwɪrəl is a Metropolitan borough in Merseyside, North West England, which occupies the northern Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London Merseyside is a Metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1365900 The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one North West England is one of the nine official Regions of England. Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The, also known as the Chester postcode area, is a group of postal districts near the England / Wales border The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. Merseyside Police is the Home Office Police force responsible for policing Merseyside in North West England. The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and The Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service covering the county of Merseyside in north-west England and is The North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust was formed on 1 July 2006 as part of Health Minister Lord Warner's plans to reduce the number of NHS North West England is a Constituency of the European Parliament. This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Birkenhead is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a list of cities, Towns and Villages in the ceremonial county of Merseyside, England. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Wirral or The Wirral (ˈwɪrəl is a Metropolitan borough in Merseyside, North West England, which occupies the northern Merseyside is a Metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1365900 England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland It is located on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool. Wirral or the Wirral (ˈwɪrəl is a Peninsula in the north west of England. See also Mersey River (Tasmania and Mersey River (Nova Scotia. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary At the 2001 Census, the town had a population of 83,729. A nationwide Census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 ^[1]

Historically part of Cheshire, Birkenhead is perhaps best known as a centre for ship building, as a seaport and its related industries. The historic counties of England are ancient subdivisions of England. Cheshire (or archaically the County of Chester) is a county in North West England. See also Shipbuilding (song. Shipbuilding is the construction of Ships It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo Because it is close to Liverpool, many residents commute there.

History

The Woodside terminal for the Mersey Ferry in Birkenhead

The name Birkenhead is possibly from the Old English bircen meaning birch tree, of which many once grew on the headland which jutted into the river at Woodside. Woodside is a small riverside locality in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England, situated almost The Mersey Ferry is a Ferry service operating on the River Mersey in north west England, between Liverpool and the Wirral Peninsula Woodside is a small riverside locality in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England, situated almost

The first Mersey ferry began operating from Birkenhead in 1150 when Benedictine monks under the leadership of Hamon de Mascy built a priory there. The Mersey Ferry is a Ferry service operating on the River Mersey in north west England, between Liverpool and the Wirral Peninsula Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in The first Hamon de Massey was the owner of the manors of Agden, Baguley, Bowdon, Dunham, Hale and Little Bollington Birkenhead Priory is in Priory Street Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. ^[2][3] Distanced from the Industrial Revolution in Liverpool by the physical barrier of the River Mersey, Birkenhead retained its agricultural status until the advent of the steam ferry service in 1820. The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture

Shipbuilding started in 1829. ^[4] An iron works was initially established by William Laird in 1824 and was joined by his son John Laird in 1828. William Laird may refer to William Laird (1780-1841 Scottish shipbuilder and entrepreneur who founded the Cammell Laird shipyard at Birkenhead John Laird ( 14 June 1805 – 29 October 1874) was a Scottish shipbuilder and key figure in the development of the town The business eventually became Cammell Laird. Cammell Laird, one of the most famous names in British Shipbuilding during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries came about following the merger of Laird Notable vessels built at Birkenhead include HMS Achilles, HMS Affray, CSS Alabama, HMS Ark Royal, HMS Birkenhead, HMS Caroline, Huáscar, RMS Mauretania, the pioneer submarine Resurgam, HMS Thetis which sank on trials in Liverpool Bay, HMS Conqueror and HMS Prince of Wales. Service Achilles was originally built for the Royal Navy, and was commissioned as HMS Achilles on October 10 1933 History Early history She was laid down at the Cammell Laird yard in Birkenhead on 16 January 1944 launched on 12 April and commissioned on 25 November History Construction Alabama was built in secrecy by British shipbuilders John Laird Sons and Company in Liverpool, Merseyside Design In 1923 the Admiralty prepared plans for a ten year building programme which included a new aircraft carrier and 300 aircraft for the Fleet Air Arm Description and History The Birkenhead was built in 1845 at John Laird 's shipyard at Birkenhead as the Frigate HMS Vulcan Construction and service HMS Caroline was built by Cammell Laird of Birkenhead. History as a warship Huáscar was ordered by the government of Peru from the Laird Brothers shipyards in 1864 for the war against Spain. RMS Mauretania was launched on 28 July 1938 at the Cammell Laird yard in Birkenhead, England and was completed in May 1939 Resurgam ( Latin: "I shall rise again") is the name given to two early Victorian Submarines designed and built by Reverend HMS Thetis Thetis was built by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, England and launched on 29 June 1938 Further reading Footnotes Naming The Admiralty ordered construction of two new ''King George V''-class Battleships on 29 July 1936 (the other became HMS ''King George V'')

In addition to the ferries, the Mersey Railway tunnel in 1886 and the Queensway road tunnel in 1934 gave rapid access to Liverpool and so opened up the Wirral Peninsula for development, prompting further growth of Birkenhead as an industrial centre. The Mersey Railway connected Liverpool and Birkenhead, England, via the Mersey Railway Tunnel under the River Mersey. The Queensway Tunnel is a Road Tunnel under the River Mersey, in the north west of England, between Liverpool and Birkenhead The town's population had swelled from 110 in 1801 to 110,912 one hundred years later and stood at 142,501 by 1951. ^[5]

Governance

Formerly a township in Bidston Parish of the Wirral Hundred, Birkenhead was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1877, and became a county borough with the passing of the Local Government Act 1888. The Hundred of Wirral is the ancient administrative area for the Wirral Peninsula. Municipal boroughs were a type of Local government which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974 in Northern Ireland from 1840 to County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (excluding Scotland) to refer to a Borough or a City The Local Government Act 1888 (51 & 52 Vict c 41 was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1888 and established County councils and County borough The borough included the parish of Birkenhead St. Mary and the townships of Bidston, Claughton with Grange, Oxton, Tranmere and part of Bebington, later known as Rock Ferry. Bidston is a suburb of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. Claughton (pronounced "Clawton" ˈklɔːtən is a residential district in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England Oxton is a suburb of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. Tranmere is a suburb of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. Bebington is a small town and electoral ward within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England. Rock Ferry is an area of Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. ^[5] The townships of Landican, Prenton and Thingwall were added in 1928, followed by Noctorum, Upton and Woodchurch in 1933. Landican is a hamlet on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. Prenton is a suburb of Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. Thingwall is a village on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. Noctorum is a suburb of Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England, in the Metropolitan Borough of Upton is a large village on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England, situated close to Birkenhead. Woodchurch is an area of the Wirral Peninsula, in Merseyside, England, which is sometimes considered a suburb of Birkenhead ^[6]

Prior to 1 April 1974, Birkenhead and the rest of the Wirral Peninsula, was part of the county of Cheshire. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. The implementation of the Local Government Act 1972 saw Birkenhead lose its county borough status. The Local Government Act 1972 (1972 c 70 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in England and Wales The town has since been administered as part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in the metropolitan county of Merseyside. Wirral or The Wirral (ˈwɪrəl is a Metropolitan borough in Merseyside, North West England, which occupies the northern The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level Administrative division of England. The current Member of Parliament is Frank Field. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Frank Ernest Field (born July 16, 1942) is a British Politician.

Economy

Birkenhead Market was first established on what is now the site of Birkenhead Town Hall, between Chester Street and Hamilton Street, on 10 July 1835. Birkenhead Town Hall is a Town hall and former civic building in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Year 1835 ( MDCCCXXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common ^[7][8] An increase in the town's population by 1841 led to the opening on 11 July 1845^[8] of a much expanded market on a larger site nearby. Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. Year 1845 ( MDCCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Michael Marks, of Marks & Spencer, opened one of his first seven 'Penny Bazaar' stalls here during the 1880s. Marks & Spencer Group plc (also M&S, Marks and Sparks, and Marks) is a British Retailer with 843 stores in more than 30 ^[9]

During the 1970s, the commercial centre of the town was redeveloped around the principal shopping area of Grange Road. Following two fires at the original Birkenhead Market in 1969 and 1974, it was later moved to new premises adjoining the Grange Shopping Precinct development. Commercial expansion continued in the early 1990s when the Pyramids Shopping Centre was opened.

Landmarks

Birkenhead Park

Birkenhead Park is acknowledged to be the first publicly funded park in Britain. Birkenhead Park is a public Park in the centre of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands ^[10] The park was the forerunner of the Parks Movement and its influence was far reaching both in Britain and abroad – most notably on Olmsted's design for Central Park, New York. Frederick Law Olmsted ( April 25, 1822 &ndash August 28, 1903) was an American landscape designer and father of American Central Park is a large public Urban park in New York City, with about twenty-five million visitors annually ^[11] Designed by Joseph Paxton (later Sir Joseph Paxton) in 1843 and officially opened in 1847, it was an immediate economic and social success. Sir Joseph Paxton ( 3 August 1803 &ndash 8 June 1865) was an English Gardener and Architect, best known The park's main entrance, modelled on the Temple of Illysus in Athens, and its 'Roman Boathouse' are notable features. There are sandstone lodges at the three entrances, each with a different style of architecture, Gothic, Norman and Italianate. See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. For other buildings in Normandy see Architecture of Normandy. In the course of the history of Classical architecture, an Italianate style of architecture was a distinct nineteenth-century phase in which Italian sixteenth-century There are also two lakes and an ornate 'Swiss Bridge'.

William Laird, a Scot, and his son John, were influential in the design of the town. Parts were laid out in a grid-iron pattern like Edinburgh New Town with similar architecture. The New Town, a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is often considered to be a masterpiece of city planning and is a UNESCO The chief architect was James Gillespie Graham from Edinburgh. James Gillespie Graham (1776 – 1855 was a Scottish Architect, born in Dunblane. This grid pattern was centred around Hamilton Square which was started in 1826 and, apart from Trafalgar Square in London, contains the most Grade I listed buildings in one place in England. Hamilton Square in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England is a Town square surrounded by Georgian terraces Trafalgar Square is a square in central London, England. With its position in the heart of London it is a tourist attraction its trademark is Nelson's London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. A listed building in the United Kingdom is a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural historical or cultural significance ^[12] including Birkenhead Town Hall. A short distance from Hamilton Square are two other notable landmarks: the Queensway Tunnel Main Entrance and the Woodside Ferry Terminal. The Queensway Tunnel is a Road Tunnel under the River Mersey, in the north west of England, between Liverpool and Birkenhead Woodside is a small riverside locality in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England, situated almost The film Chariots of Fire had scenes shot at Woodside. For the instrumental theme see Chariots of Fire (instrumental. These scenes were as a representation of Dover in the 1920s. Dover is a town and major ferry port in the county of Kent, England. ^[13]

Religious landmarks include Birkenhead Priory & St. Mary's Tower, St. Birkenhead Priory is in Priory Street Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. James' Church and St. Werburgh's Roman Catholic Church. Other notable landmarks include Bidston Windmill on a ridge behind the town, Flaybrick Watertower and Flaybrick Memorial Gardens. The current Bidston Windmill was built on Bidston Hill on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, in about 1800 and continued working as a Flour Flaybrick Hill Cemetery was a municipal Cemetery situated in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England.

Transport

Trams

Birkenhead had the first street tramway in Europe. A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train Opened on 29 August 1860 the first line ran from Woodside (adjoining the terminal of the Mersey Ferry) to Birkenhead Park. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 1860 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year starting Woodside is a small riverside locality in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England, situated almost Birkenhead Park is a public Park in the centre of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England. This early system was horse-drawn and was the brainchild of flamboyant American, George Francis Train. George Francis Train ( March 24, 1829 &ndash January 5, 1904) was a businessman author and an eccentric figure in American ^{[14] [15]} A preserved tram is currently on display in the Woodside ferry terminal booking hall.

Two replica trams, imported from Hong Kong, have been brought into service as part of a heritage tramway between Woodside and Wirral Transport Museum. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders Wirral Transport Museum is a Museum situated 1 mile from the Mersey Ferry service at Woodside, Birkenhead, England.

Railways

Birkenhead and Liverpool became the first major conurbations in northwest England to be served by an underground railway system, which today is part of the Merseyrail network. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary A conurbation is an Urban area or Agglomeration comprising a number of Cities, large Towns and larger urban areas that through Population Merseyrail is the name given to the electric metro-style commuter Train network centred on Liverpool in the metropolitan county of Merseyside

The major underground station in Birkenhead is Hamilton Square, the nearest station to the ferry terminal. Hamilton Square railway station (named on rail tickets as "Birkenhead Hamilton Sq" is situated near Hamilton Square in Birkenhead, Merseyside Hamilton Square station is linked to the "Liverpool Loop" of the Wirral Line, which includes James Street, Moorfields, Liverpool Lime Street and Liverpool Central stations, all of which are underground. The Wirral Line is one of the two lines owned and operated by Merseyrail on Merseyside, England, the other being the Northern Line (the Merseyrail James Street railway station may refer to James Street railway station (England James Street Railway Station (India Moorfields station is an underground railway station in Liverpool, England. Liverpool Lime Street railway station on Lime Street is a mainline and underground Railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England Liverpool Central railway station is a railway station in Liverpool, England, and forms the central hub of the Merseyrail network being on both the Other stations located in Birkenhead include Birkenhead Central, Green Lane, Rock Ferry, Conway Park, Birkenhead Park, Birkenhead North and Bidston. Birkenhead Central is a Railway station serving the town of Birkenhead, Wirral, England. Green Lane railway station serves the town of Birkenhead, Wirral, England, located in the south of the town Rock Ferry railway station is situated in the Rock Ferry area of Birkenhead, Wirral, England. Conway Park railway station is situated in the town centre of Birkenhead, Wirral, England. Birkenhead Park railway station is situated in Birkenhead, Wirral, England. Birkenhead North railway station is situated in Birkenhead, Wirral, England. Bidston railway station is a Railway station near the village of Bidston, Wirral, England.

The Wirral Line from Birkenhead travels south to Chester and Ellesmere Port, north to New Brighton and westwards, across the Wirral Peninsula, to West Kirby. Chester is the County town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77040 Ellesmere Port is a large industrial town and cargo port in the district of Ellesmere Port and Neston, Cheshire, England, situated in the south of the New Brighton is a Seaside resort located in the town of Wallasey, on the north east tip of the Wirral Peninsula, in Merseyside West Kirby is a town located on the north west corner of the coast of the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England, at the mouth of the River Dee The Borderlands Line leaves Bidston station, in the north of Birkenhead and travels through the rural centre of Wirral, ultimately leaving England near Shotton and terminating in Wrexham, Wales. The Borderlands Line is the Railway line between Wrexham, Wales, and Bidston, Wirral, England. Wrexham (Wrecsam is a town and principal area in Wales. It is the largest town in North Wales and lies to the east of the region
View Merseyrail Network Map

From 1878, until its closure in 1967, Birkenhead Woodside railway station was the town's mainline railway terminus. Birkenhead Woodside was a Railway station at Woodside, in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Once located close to Woodside Ferry Terminal, the site has been redeveloped into flats, a bus depot and offices for the Land Registry. Land Registry (officially known under the Land Registration Act 2002 as Her Majesty's Land Registry) is a British Governmental organisation created

Roads

Junctions 1 and 3 of the M53 motorway allow access to the national motorway network. The M53 is a 20 Mile (32 Km) Motorway in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and Cheshire on the Wirral Peninsula in The A41 trunk road connects Woodside with Marble Arch in London. The A41 is a formerly-major Trunk road in England that links London and Birkenhead, although as stated below it has now largely been A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major Road &mdashusually connecting two or more cities, Ports Airports Marble Arch is a white Carrara Marble monument near Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, at the western end of Oxford Street in London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The Queensway road tunnel, opened in 1936, runs underneath the River Mersey and connects the town to Liverpool. The Queensway Tunnel is a Road Tunnel under the River Mersey, in the north west of England, between Liverpool and Birkenhead

Maritime

Birkenhead's dock system is part of the Port of Liverpool facility, operated by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company. The Port of Liverpool is the name for the enclosed dock system that runs from Herculaneum Dock to Seaforth Dock, in the city of Liverpool, The Mersey Docks and Harbour Company (MDHC is the current incarnation of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board which itself had replaced Liverpool Dock Trustees who The Twelve Quays ferry terminal allows a direct freight and passenger service to Dublin, Republic of Ireland and Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Twelve Quays ferry terminal is located on the River Mersey at Birkenhead, Wirral Peninsula, England. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of The Mersey Ferry at Woodside supplies a passenger service to Liverpool, as well as chartered cruising. The Mersey Ferry is a Ferry service operating on the River Mersey in north west England, between Liverpool and the Wirral Peninsula

Airport

The nearest airport is Liverpool John Lennon Airport (formerly known as Speke Airport) located about 8 miles (13 km) from Birkenhead.

Education

Schools

Among the town's schools are two independent schools. Birkenhead's oldest independent school is Birkenhead School. Birkenhead School is an independent co-educational school located on the Wirral, in the north-west of England ^[16] It was exclusively a boys' school from its founding in 1860 until 2000 when its sixth form became co-educational. It also has a preparatory school for boys aged 3–11 and will become fully co-educational in 2008. "Old Birkonians" (as former pupils are known) include the lawyer F. E. Smith (Lord Birkenhead), Andreas Whittam Smith (chairman of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and founder of The Independent newspaper), Andrew Irvine (mountaineer), and Philip Toosey, hero at the Bridge on the River Kwai. Earl of Birkenhead was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Andreas Whittam Smith CBE (born 13 June, 1937, in Birkenhead, Cheshire) is a British financial Journalist, The British Board of Film Classification ( BBFC) originally British Board of Film Censors, is the organisation responsible for Film, DVD The Independent is a British compact Newspaper published by Tony O'Reilly 's Independent News & Media. Andrew "Sandy" Comyn Irvine (born 8 April 1902; died 8 or 9 June 1924) was an English mountaineer who took Brigadier Sir Philip John Denton Toosey, CBE, DSO, TD, JP ( 12 August 1904 &ndash 22 December The Bridge on the River Kwai is a 1957 World War II film based on the novel The Bridge over the River Kwai by French writer

Birkenhead High School For Girls is an independent school for girls, founded in 1885 and catering for girls aged 2½–18. It is a member of the Girls' Day School Trust. The Girls' Day School Trust (GDST is a group of 29 Independent schools in England and Wales, catering for pupils aged 3 to 18 Its alumnae include the actress Patricia Routledge. Katherine Patricia Routledge, CBE (born 17 February 1929) is an English actress and Singer.

In late 2007, both schools announced fundamental changes. Birkenhead High School decided to become a state-funded Academy school and Birkenhead School decided to become co-educational for pupils aged 5-18. Birkenhead High School is currently an independent academically selective private girls' school on the Wirral in the North West of England Birkenhead School is an independent co-educational school located on the Wirral, in the north-west of England ^[17] Both changes are driven by falling numbers of pupils in the schools.

Colleges

Birkenhead's technical college in Woodside (Previously in Borough Road), now called Wirral Metropolitan College, had a theatre named after one of its most famous former students and Birkonian (born 1936), Glenda Jackson, the Oscar-winning actress and Member of Parliament. Glenda May Jackson, CBE, (born 9 May, 1936) is a British actress and Politician, currently Labour "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. The Borough Road campus and the Glenda Jackson Theatre were demolished in late 2005, to make way for flats, although Wirral Metropolitan College flourishes on other sites across the Wirral. The theatre secretly housed an emergency command centre for the region in its basement, accessible via the college. Politicians and officials would have retreated to this secure bunker in the event of nuclear war to coordinate the recovery effort. A military bunker is a hardened shelter often buried partly or fully underground designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks By the 1990s, after the end of the Cold War, the bunker had been decommissioned and the surrounding complex of rooms was used by the college as a rehearsal space and recording studio. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the

Other colleges include the Birkenhead Sixth Form College located in the Claughton area of Birkenhead.

Healthcare

Birkenhead is served by Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (through its Arrowe Park Hospital, St. Catherine's Hospital and Clatterbridge Hospital sites) and Wirral Primary Care Trust. Formerly, Birkenhead was also been served by Birkenhead General Hospital on Conway Street and St. James' Hospital in Claughton.

Arts and leisure

Arts

The Laird School of Art was the first public school of art outside London and was given to the town by John Laird. It opened on 27 September 1871. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Year 1871 ( MDCCCLXXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Williamson Art Gallery was opened in 1928 and houses a fine collection of paintings, porcelain and pottery. The Williamson Art Gallery and Museum is situated in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England and houses the town's collection of art

In 1856, Birkenhead Library was opened as the country's first public library in an unincorporated borough. In Law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any Municipality. ^[18] The library was situated in Hamilton Street until 1909, when it moved to a new building in Albion Street, near Birkenhead Market. In the 1930s, this building (along with much of the surrounding area) was demolished to make way for the entrance to the Mersey Tunnel. The Queensway Tunnel is a Road Tunnel under the River Mersey, in the north west of England, between Liverpool and Birkenhead The present library, Birkenhead Central Library, is situated on Borough Road and was opened by King George V in 1934.

Despite being in England, Birkenhead hosted Wales' National Eisteddfod in 1917^[19] as well as an unofficial National Eisteddfod event in 1879. The National Eisteddfod of Wales ( Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru) is the most important of several Eisteddfodau that are held annually mostly in Wales. As in Liverpool,^[20] migrants from Wales, especially north Wales, contributed greatly to the growth of the town and its cultural development in the 19th century. The first local Birkenhead Eisteddfod, a precursor of the national events, took place in 1864. ^[21] The 1917 National Eisteddfod was notable for the award of the chair to the poet Ellis Humphrey Evans, known as Hedd Wyn. Hedd Wyn ( 13 January 1887 &ndash 31 July 1917) was a Merionethshire farmer and Welsh language Poet of World The winner was announced, and the crowd waited for the winner to accept congratulations before the chairing ceremony, but no winner appeared. It was then announced that Hedd Wyn had been killed the previous month on the battlefield in Belgium, and the bardic chair was draped in black. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those These events were portrayed in the Academy Award nominated film Hedd Wyn, and were apparently intended as a protest against the war policies of Prime Minister David Lloyd George, who was present. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. Hedd Wyn is a 1992 Welsh-language Welsh film written by Alan Llwyd and directed by Paul Turner. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. David Lloyd George 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor OM, PC (17 January 1863 &ndash 26 March 1945 was a British Statesman and the only There is a commemorative stone for the event in Birkenhead Park. ^[22]

The Argyle Theatre was a major theatre and music hall which opened in 1868 and became notable for the calibre of artistes who appeared there. The Argyle Theatre was a Theatre in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Later in its life, it was also used as a cinema. The theatre was destroyed by bombing in 1940. ^[23] The Little Theatre was established in 1958 from a converted former Presbyterian church, whilst more recently, the Pacific Road Arts Centre in Woodside opened in 1999. Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity

Media

Birkenhead is served by local daily newspapers the Liverpool Echo and Liverpool Daily Post. The Liverpool Echo is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror on Merseyside in England. The Liverpool Daily Post is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror on Merseyside in England. The free local weekly newspapers are the Wirral Globe and the Birkenhead News (part of the Wirral News group). The Wirral Globe is a local newspaper for the Wirral area run by the Newsquest media group

The local radio station Wirral's Buzz 97.1 is based in the town. Wirral's Buzz is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to the Wirral Peninsula, sharing its facilities with Marcher Sound and Classic Gold In addition, there are six other local radio stations that transmit to Birkenhead: BBC Radio Merseyside, Radio City 96.7, Juice 107.6, Dune 107.9, Rock FM 97.4 and CityTalk. BBC Radio Merseyside is the BBC Local Radio service for the English metropolitan county of Merseyside and north Cheshire. Radio City 967 (also previously known as City FM and Radio City) is an Independent Local Radio station based in Liverpool, Juice 1076 is an Independent Local Radio, set up in 1998 in Liverpool after the failure of alternative music station 107 Dune FM broadcasts from Southport covering the town and the surrounding borough of Sefton as well as a large part of neighbouring West Lancashire. 974 Rock FM is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to North West England. City Talk 1059 is the name of a new commercial radio station which launched in the Liverpool area of England on the frequency of 105

Birkenhead is situated within the television regions of BBC North West and ITV's Granada Television. Independent Television (generally known as ITV) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters set up under the Independent Granada Television is the United Kingdom ITV contractor for North West England.

Sport and leisure

As well as Birkenhead Park, other recreational open spaces in Birkenhead include Mersey Park and Victoria Park. Arrowe Park is a large area of parkland at the western edge of the town. Arrowe Park is an area of parkland wood heath and leisure facilities to the west of Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside, England In 1929, the 3rd World Scout Jamboree was held there. The 3rd World Scout Jamboree was held in 1929 at Arrowe Park in Birkenhead, United Kingdom.

Birkenhead is the home of Tranmere Rovers Football Club, a professional football team who play at Prenton Park near the Tranmere area of the town. Tranmere Rovers Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League One and based at Prenton Park, Tranmere Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Prenton Park is a multi-use Stadium in Birkenhead, England. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is They are in Football League One. Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Coca-Cola Football League 1 for sponsorship reasons is the second-highest division of The Football Cammell Laird F.C. is the town's semi professional football club who play at Kirklands in Rock Ferry. Cammell Laird Football Club is an Association football club based at Kirklands Stadium in Rock Ferry, Birkenhead, Merseyside, Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered They are in Northern Premier League Division One South. League system When the FA announced the details of the restructuring a number of clubs complained that a 34 game season was too short The town is also the home of several successful amateur football leagues, both 11-a side and six-a side.

The Birkenhead Park Football Club was founded in 1871, the same year as the Rugby Football Union. The Rugby Football Union (RFU is the Rugby union governing body in England The club originally played in the Lower Park but moved to their current home in the Upper Park in 1885. ^[24]

Located in the town are the Birkenhead North End & Victoria Cycling Clubs. Olympic riders from the clubs include Chris Boardman, Steve Cummings and Rachel Heal. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Chris Boardman (born 26 August 1968 in Hoylake) is a former English racing Cyclist who won an Individual pursuit Gold Stephen Philip (Steve Cummings (born 19 March 1981 in Clatterbridge, Wirral) is a British Racing cyclist for Rachel Heal (born April 1, 1973 in Bebington, Wirral) is an English Racing cyclist and became a member of British ^[25][26]

The first two Boy Scout groups in the world were founded as the 1st and 2nd Birkenhead groups at the YMCA on the same night in 1908. Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide Youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical mental and spiritual The Young Men's Christian Association (" YMCA " or " the Y " was founded on June 6, 1844 in London England by a young man The 2nd Birkenhead Scout Group is still operating and therefore is the longest running scout group in the world.

Cultural references

Birkenhead is mentioned in the song "What She Said" on the album Meat Is Murder by The Smiths: What she read/All heady books/She'd sit and prophesise/(It took a tattooed boy from Birkenhead/To really really open her eyes). Meat Is Murder is the second Studio album by the British Alternative rock band The Smiths. The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982

The town is also referred to in the song "Everything Is Sorrow" on the Boo Radleys' C'mon Kids album: I worked in Birkenhead for you/It brings me tears even now. The Boo Radleys were a British Alternative rock band of the 1990s who were associated with the Shoegazing and Britpop movements C'mon Kids is the fifth Album by The Boo Radleys, it was released in September 1996

Notable people

In the arts, Birkenhead has produced several actors and performers including Glenda Jackson, Lewis Collins, Megs Jenkins, Patricia Routledge and Paul O'Grady (also known as Lily Savage). Glenda May Jackson, CBE, (born 9 May, 1936) is a British actress and Politician, currently Labour Lewis Collins (born 27 May, 1946 in Bidston, Birkenhead, Cheshire) is an English Actor. Megs Jenkins ( April 21, 1917 - October 5, 1998) was an English character actress who appeared in a huge number of British films and Katherine Patricia Routledge, CBE (born 17 February 1929) is an English actress and Singer. Paul James O'Grady MBE (born 14 June 1955 Paul James O'Grady MBE (born 14 June 1955 It has also produced poets and authors such as Adrian Henri and Michael Z. Williamson. Adrian Henri ( 10 April 1932 Michael Z Williamson (born 1967 is a Science fiction and Military -fiction author The World War I poet Wilfred Owen, though born in Oswestry, lived in Birkenhead from the age of 4 and was educated at the Birkenhead Institute. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC (18 March 1893 &ndash 4 November 1918 was an English Poet and Soldier, regarded by many as one of the leading Oswestry (ˈɒzwəstɹɪ is a town and Civil parish in Shropshire, England, very close to the Welsh border

The town has produced some notable artists such as Philip Wilson Steer, Bessie Bamber, the workers at the Della Robbia Pottery and two cartoonists: Norman Thelwell and Bill Tidy. Philip Wilson Steer OM ( 28 Dec 1860 &ndash 18 March 1942) was an English artist Bessie Bamber was a British artist from Birkenhead who was active between 1900 and 1910 The Della Robbia Pottery factory was founded in 1894 in Birkenhead by Harold Rathbone and Conrad Dressler (1856-1940. Norman Thelwell ( 3 May 1923 - 7 February 2004) was an English Cartoonist well-known for his humorous illustrations of William Edward "Bill" Tidy MBE is a British Cartoonist, writer and television personality known chiefly for his Comic strips Bill was awarded In music, Indie band Half Man Half Biscuit hail from Birkenhead as do Paul Heaton, lead singer of the Housemartins and the Beautiful South, singer/songwriter Charlie Landsborough and Desmond Briscoe co-founder and original manager of the pioneering BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Half Man Half Biscuit, often "HMHB" is a UK rock band from Birkenhead, active since the mid-1980s known for satirical sardonic and sometimes surreal Paul David Heaton (born 9 May 1962 is an English Singer-songwriter. The Housemartins were an English pop band that was active in the 1980s The Beautiful South were an English Pop group formed at the end of the 1980s by former members of Hull group The Housemartins - Paul Heaton Charlie Landsborough, (born Charles Alexander Landsborough October 26, 1941, in Wrexham, Wales) is a British country Harry Desmond Briscoe (born Birkenhead, 21 June 1925; died 7 December 2006) was a Composer, sound engineer and studio manager

Birkenhead has also produced notable sportsmen such as Matt Dawson, the rugby union player; 'Dixie' Dean (Everton FC), record-breaking footballer, who was born at 313 Laird Street; and several other footballers including Jason McAteer and David Thompson. Matthew James Sutherland "Daws" Dawson MBE (born 31 October 1972 in Birkenhead) is a now retired English Rugby union Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short William Ralph Dean ( 22 January 1907 - 1 March 1980) popularly known as Dixie Dean, was an English football Everton Football Club is an English football club located in the city of Liverpool. Jason Wynne McAteer (born 18 June, 1971 in Birkenhead, England) is a former Irish international football player David Anthony Thompson (born September 12, 1977 in Birkenhead, Merseyside) is a former English football player who In the field of science and engineering Birkenhead claims Sir Thomas Brassey, Victorian civil engineer and Professor Sir John Eric Richardson, electrical engineer, academic and champion of the polytechnic sector. Thomas Brassey (7 November 1805 &ndash 8 December 1870 was an English Civil engineering contractor and manufacturer of building materials who was responsible Institute of technology, and polytechnic, are designations employed in a wide range of learning institutions awarding different types of degrees and operating often at variable

Twin towns

Birkenhead is twinned, as a part of Wirral, with Gennevilliers in France, Lorient in France and Latina in Italy. Gennevilliers is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Lorient, or L'Orient, (An Oriant is a commune and a Seaport in the Morbihan département, of Brittany. Latina is the capital of the Province of Latina in the Lazio region in central Italy. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Birkenhead also has a Sister City Agreement with Midland, Texas. Midland is a city in and the County seat of Midland County located on the Southern Plains of the western area of the U Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. ^[27]

Future

The major redevelopment project under consideration is Peel Holdings' 'Wirral Waters'. The Peel Group is a collection of property and transport companies based in Manchester, England. Wirral Waters is a large scale £45bn development that has been proposed by the company Peel Holdings for Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England This would allow for a £4. 5 billion of investment in the regeneration of the dockland area. This equates with an investment of over £14,000 for each of the 320,000 residents of the Wirral. At the East Float and Vittoria Dock, the development would include several 50-storey skyscrapers, 5,000,000 square feet (465,000 m²) of new office space and 11,000,000 square feet (1,000,000 m²) for new residential flats. The Great Float, is a large dock at Birkenhead, Wirral Peninsula, England. Vittoria Dock is a dock in Birkenhead, Wirral Peninsula, England. A retail and leisure quarter at the former Bidston Dock site would encompass another 571,000 square feet (53,000 m²) of space. Bidston Dock, was a dock at Birkenhead, Wirral Peninsula, England. The whole project would create more than 27,000 permanent new jobs, aside from the employment required for construction and other peripheral employment. The development would be expected to take up to thirty years. ^[28]

References