Water " ... used for culinary and other purposes was formerly brought to town in carts and sold to the inhabitants. The poor could thus "barely afford themselves a sufficient quantity for the most necessary purposes".   At this time the main springs were at Copperas Hill, Bevington Bush and Soho Street.  Under the improvement act of 1786 the corporation had already taken powers to construct waterworks but these powers had lain dormant. Picton records that "in the year 1799 the Liverpool and Harrington Company for supplying the town with water from springs on the spot, was established".

Stimulated by the incorporation of the Bootle Waterworks Company the council made over their privileges to a company now created. The Liverpool Waterworks was established on 26th January 1800 by a Parliamentary act under George III in shares of £200 each. Immediately on the subscription list being open, all of the shares were taken up, but it was not incorporated (by a further act) until 1822.

1826 "As a consequence of a solicitation from the inhabitants of Toxteth-park and Harrington the proprietors of these works were induced again to petition Parliament for a further act to enable them to serve those populous districts; and they have since erected a station in the park for that purpose, in addition to the former springs possessed by the company.  In this act the title of the company is changed  to "The Liverpool and Harrington Waterworks" by which name it is now known.


The next mention is not for almost 20 years, when in 1843 the Company were to be found advertising in Gores directory of that year.


1845 Gores reports that an Iron Tank belonging to Toxteth and Harrington waterworks burst on being filled.  Six lives were lost  December 25th 1845.

1846 A Waterworks and Pumping Station (shown on this 1849 map) at the Upper Parliament Street end of Lodge Lane were constructed.  At 192 feet above sea level, this is the highest point in the area*.  The rectangular development of 'Windsor', to the right of the boundary along Upper Parliament Street, is also clearly visible on this map.

(*The other high point of Toxteth was the summit of High Park Street, also at 192 feet.  The latter is the site of the covered reservoir which although not in use as such, still exists today).

1848 on March 1st the Liverpool Corporation bought two waterworks. The Toxteth and Harrington which cost them £330,719 and 13 shillings and Bootle which cost £204,087 and 8 shillings. The development to the right of the words 'Water Works' represent short terraces, some are gone but nearby Grierson Street survives today. Traces of the old waterworks can also be found.  The long straight lines are some of the rope walks for which this area was well-known at this time.

1905 The site of the water works on Lodge Lane is shown on the1905 map as a pumping works (map 0f), Corporation Yard and Public Baths (map 1f). The Public Baths persisted until at least the 1960s perhaps beyond that.

  · · · · · · ·  toxteth boundary