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.
frederick johnson
says: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.
Martin
says:There’s a photograph of Beaumont Street (1967) here on the excellent Liverpool Picturebook website: https://web.archive.org/web/20210731092116/https://www.liverpoolpicturebook.com/p/l8.html
There’s also a slightly lower quality image here from 1973 (you’ll have to use the search tool in your browser to get to the right spot on the page): http://www.liverpool-city-group.com/cgi-bin/liverpooldb.cgi?db=liverpool&uid=default&category=streets&letter=P&sb=17&so=descend&view_records=Go
Martin
Lorraine Devereux
says:Is it possible to buy a copy of Ackerman’s panoramic view of Liverpool 1847, please?
Elaine campbell
says:Can I have a copy of this please
Martin
says:Hi Elaine,
Yes, all my maps are available on this website. You can buy a copy of Ackerman’s Panorama from https://historic-liverpool.co.uk/product/ackermanns-panoramic-view-of-liverpool-1847-print-of-old-map-of-liverpool/
If you’d like a different size to the one here then just reply to this and I can get you a quote.
Martin
Danika Wilkinson
says:Hi is there a copyright on this map?
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
Patricia
says:Hi, I would like to know if Ackerman’s 1847 map includes UpperWarwick St and Princes Rd?
Martin
says:Hi Patricia,
No, I’m afraid that map only goes as far south as Stanhope Street, which is the next street north from Upper Warwick Street and the end of Princes Road.
The closest equivalent is the Illustrated London News View from the Mersey, which is from 1865 and goes much furth south. You’ll have to check my guess, but I think this road is Upper Warwick Street with the windmill on it: https://historic-liverpool.co.uk/old-maps-of-liverpool/1865-illustrated-london-news-view-of-liverpool-from-the-mersey/#6/62.380/-36.145
Regards,
Martin
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
Barbara
says:Were can I get pictures off 49 Devon st Liverpool plz as I was born there
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
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
Mai-yee
says:Amazing thanks so much for the information this is perfect!
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?
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/
Martin Greaney
says: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
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
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.
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?
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!
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.
Denise Boot
says:Hi, is there anything about The Dickens Street L8. I lived there between 1954 and 1980. especially Copperfield Street.
Sam Phillips
says:Wow! What an amazing resource, I want all of these maps!
I really love these maps and find them fascinating, is there anyway of buying high resolution files?
I’d love to have these set as my tablet, phone and laptop screen savers?
Martin Greaney
says:Hi Sam,
Glad you like them!
These are massive files, so if you want backgrounds for your tablet then the easiest thing might simply to click on the ‘full screen’ icon (under the zoom out button on the map) and take a screenshot, then edit it to your liking. If you’re not sure how to do that, just let me know which part of the map you like and I’ll post a link to an extract centred on that.
Regards,
Martin