1847: Ackermann’s Panoramic View of Liverpool

This is a colossal old map of Liverpool which is entirely different from the other old maps on this site. Instead of a top-down view, this is a panorama that sees Liverpool at an angle. Maybe the artist was aboard his hot air balloon (it’s been done!), or was simply trying to come up with something different.

Either way, we’re given an amazing and possibly unique view of the Merseyside Docks in the early Victorian period.

A new angle on Victorian Liverpool

Despite the odd angle, the places shown have a massive level of detail and accuracy. There might be some vertical stretching, but you can look at the Customs House, Albert Dock or the Town Hall and every column and window is present. The Collegiate and London Road’s statue of George III are all shown exactly as they are in real life.

There is even detail of Birkenhead, with Woodside and Monk’s Ferry marked next to Hilliar’s Monks Ferry Hotel. On the river we see paddle steamers and square-rigged ships. The docks in Liverpool are packed with masts, which is how the docks would have looked at the time.

At the finest level of detail on this old map of Liverpool are the people and cranes on the dock side. Some are sitting on bales or trunks, while others carry poles or tools of their trade. At Brunswick Dock we can see cargo being loaded into ships.

Windmills, fields and statues

Because this is such an old map, Liverpool is shown as a small town, surrounded on all sides by countryside. Apparently ‘rural’ features come into the town too, with windmills standing in Everton, around William Brown Street and Islington. In keeping with the shallow angle, fields are shown fading into the distance, and a handful of old houses are visible in the ‘mist’.

In all, this old map of Liverpool is an amazing achievement. Whoever drew it was painstaking in their detail, and this is the nearest many parts of Liverpool came to be photographed at this time.

Family research in early Victorian Liverpool

Whilst all the maps have some use to the family historian, this one might be the one which gives you the greatest insight to walking the streets of Liverpool. You can see your ancestors at work in the dock, and their vessels on the river.

Maybe they owned a small hotel or pub. If you’re lucky, it might be visible on here as a distinct building, even if it’s not labelled. The churches that they visited will be shown on this map (if they existed at this time) and you’ll be able to compare the architecture with sister places of worship.

22 Comments on “1847: Ackermann’s Panoramic View of Liverpool”

  • Where could I find photos of Beaumont Street in the 1950’s to 60’s? Thanks for any help. I used to live there in either 24 or 26, on the south side of the road. I recall the road surface was cobbled, my Dad rode a bike on them with me on the crossbar, the bump of the cobbles was terrible, it shook you to pieces, when you got off you could hardly stand, I was about 7 years old.

    Reply

  • Lorraine Devereux

    says:

    Is it possible to buy a copy of Ackerman’s panoramic view of Liverpool 1847, please?

    Reply

  • Elaine campbell

    says:

    Can I have a copy of this please

    Reply

  • Danika Wilkinson

    says:

    Hi is there a copyright on this map?

    Reply

    • Martin

      says:

      Hi Danika,

      All the material on this site is released under a Creative Commons license, so if you want to use any text or screenshots then you’re free to, as long as you label where you got it from by linking back to the right page. It would be great if you could also let me know, e.g. by commenting on the page, mostly because I’m interested in anything that’s interested in this site!

      Cheers,
      Martin

      Reply

  • Patricia

    says:

    Hi, I would like to know if Ackerman’s 1847 map includes UpperWarwick St and Princes Rd?

    Reply

  • Christian

    says:

    Hello Mr. Greaney. What a fantastic site; I appreciate all your effort in compiling this information (and well presenting it).
    I’m currently engaged in a project that takes me back to an incident that occurred in the streets of 1863 Liverpool.

    If possible to contact me, I’d be grateful to run a few things by you directly (rather than take-up too much space on the site), in regards to a couple documents I’ve found here and elsewhere.

    Many thanks in advance!
    Christian

    Reply

  • Barbara

    says:

    Were can I get pictures off 49 Devon st Liverpool plz as I was born there

    Reply

  • Mai-yee

    says:

    Hello I have been trying to find the name of the illustrator for Ackermann’s 1847 map. I can see that there is a Rudolph Ackermann who was a print maker and publisher. Was this the publishing house for the map please and do you know anything more specific about the illustrator. Rudolph passed away before the date of this map so I assume if it was the publishing house he founded that it continued beyond his death. Any more information you have would be most welcome. we’ve used a cut from the map for a menu cover we are producing so any further information would be greatly received!
    Thanks

    Reply

  • Peter Halsall

    says:

    Hi Mai-yee,

    A good question. I am interested in that too.

    I believe the answer is Banks, John Henry, 1816-1879. Panoramic view of Liverpool. March 26th 1847.

    Ill get back with more details later when child care duties are over for the day!

    Pete

    Reply

    • Mai-yee

      says:

      Amazing thanks so much for the information this is perfect!

      Reply

      • Peter Halsall

        says:

        You’re welcome!

        Tbh, I’m not sure if you have yet received the second post with more details, I think it may be still getting past the moderator?

        Reply

  • Peter Halsall

    says:

    Apologies, I think I messed up the second post not the moderator. Anyway…

    Ackerman & Co continued long after the death of Rudolph, they were publishing until 1992.
    https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG16836

    Their address on the Strand in Liverpool is also shown on these wonderful images of Liverpool trains.
    https://artsandculture.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/asset/railway-conveyances-from-liverpool-to-manchester-ackermann-rudolph-maker/TwHds-oQ5zrpjQ

    There seems little info about Banks, the artist, but this article tells a little about the techniques he used.
    https://ashrarebooks.com/2012/03/29/a-lost-balloon-view-of-london/

    Reply

    • Hi Peter,

      Thanks so much for looking into this and sharing your findings! It looks like this post and the last one got flagged by the system for double-checking just because there were a few links, but don’t let that put you off – I always find them eventually. And sorry you had to see the rather rude and certainly pointless spam message, which the system didn’t catch because it was so short! It’s just me who’s checking the comments, so there can be a little delay in spotting things (luckily, the system has correctly found 800 spam comments in the last two weeks, and deleted them, saving me a great deal of time).

      Best wishes,
      Martin

      Reply

      • Peter Halsall

        says:

        Hi Martin,

        Apologies if I came across as impatient! I was actually blaming my own daftness for messing up the upload of a message.

        The maps here are fabulous, thanks for sharing. My personal favourite is Ackermann’s, because of the unique detail of the buildings etc. I can clearly see the Leeds Liverpool canal coming in from the countryside along which my farming ancestors would bring in their produce from Scarisbrick, cart their goods to the Old Haymarket or other markets and then load up with manure for the return. The map brings it all to life.

        Cheers

        Reply

  • Ken Marlow

    says:

    I am absolutely blown away by this.
    My Great Grandfather ‘James Marlow’ was born on 18 November 1846, and lived in New Bird Street (shown on this wonderful map) just in behind Queens Dock. So he was born just 4 months before the date of this map (26 March 1847) given by Peter above. His father Felix worked on the docks, and James grew up to be a “Fireman’ ie stoker on the steam ships. At the age of 27 he was killed when the boiler on one of the Harrison Line steamship’s the ‘Student’ exploded. His widow Mary (Cullen) Marlow took her three young children and emigrated to the Gold Rush town of Gympie, QLD Australia. No one living knows why. One of those children, also James, was my Grandfather.
    I have never been to Liverpool but am itching to get there.

    Reply

  • Melanie Moser

    says:

    Hi Martin,
    I want to THANK YOU for the amazing job you have done with this website and providing me (and so many others) with the opportunity to see Liverpool in such detail. I live in Seattle, Washington, USA and have been working on a book about my mother-in-laws family the Burnley’s. Her great grandfather was a Mariner and lived on Sir Howard Street. Using the interactive map, and some guidance from you (awhile back), I’ve been about to incorporate the 1851 Tallis map, 1847 Ackermans, and 1859 , Liverpool part of Birkenhead, the docks and Cheshire coast to show where they living on the map and the Queens Dock, where one of his ships sat for two months before he was to depart for Germany. Unfortunately, he didn’t make payment on his ship, the Laurel, and he was sent to debtors prison at Lancaster Gaol for three weeks. Under each image I used there is a citation that includes the artists information and the link to your website.
    Keep up the good work. I’m going to see if I can find you on facebook to show you some images from my book. I tried to buy your book, but it seems because I’m in the U.S. shipping is not available. Are there places here it is available?

    Reply

    • Melanie K Moser

      says:

      Hi Again, Yay! I found your book on Amazon and bought it. I also now remember that I already know about your Facebook page. If you want to see what my book looks like, send me an email!

      Reply

  • Sheila Taylor

    says:

    How interesting to see the docks full of sailing ships. My grandad (born 1889) told my mum that his dad (all born and lived in Liverpool) said that the river used to look like a forest with all the masts! I can see why now.

    Reply

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