Litherland Town Hall

Following significant population growth, largely associated with its proximity to the Liverpool Docks, the area became an urban district in 1894.{{cite web|url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10193953|title=Litherland UD|publisher=Vision of Britain|access-date=23 February 2022}}{{cite web|title='Townships: Litherland', in A History of the County of Lancaster|volume=3|first1=William |last1=Farrer |first2=J.|last2=Brownbill |location=London|year=1907|pages=95–98|publisher=British History Online|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp95-98 |access-date=23 February 2022}} The new council initially based itself in offices at Summerhill Cottage before acquiring Litherland House in 1904.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hf-3DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT137 |title=Sefton The Postcard Collection |first=Hugh|last=Hollinghurst |year=2019|publisher=Amberley Publishing|isbn=978-1-4456-7190-1}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6_Y9AQAAMAAJ |title=The Surveyor & Municipal & County Engineer |volume=25 |year=1904|page=791}} In the 1930s, civic leaders decided to commission a purpose-built town hall: the site they selected formed part of the open land alongside Field Lane which later became known as Hatton Hill Park.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wRz8AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT190 |title=Waterloo, Seaforth & Litherland Through Time |first=Hugh |last=Hollinghurst |year=2014|publisher=Amberley Publishing|isbn=978-1-4456-1519-6}}

The foundation stone for the new building was laid by the chairman of the council, Councillor J. W. Anderson, on 25 February 1939.{{cite web|url=https://sefton-digital-archive.org/archive/categories/people/261115-litherland-town-hall-laying-the-foundation-stone-1939 |title=Litherland Town Hall, laying the foundation stone|year=1939|publisher=Sefton Digital Archive|accessdate=23 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://sefton-digital-archive.org/archive/townships/litherland/261181-laying-the-foundation-stone-litherland-town-hall-25th-february-1939?q=Litherland%20Town%20Hall |title=Laying the foundation stone, Litherland Town Hall|date=25 February 1939 |publisher=Sefton Digital Archive|accessdate=23 February 2022}} It was designed by Gerald de Courcy Fraser in the Italianate style, built in red brick with stone dressings at a cost of £20,000 and was officially opened by the chairman of the council, Councillor John Eaton in February 1941.{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_wVVAAAAYAAJ |title=The Surveyor|volume=93|year=1938|page=398|quote=Litherland Town Hall and offices scheme…The architect for the scheme is Mr G. de C. Fraser}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TZhVAAAAYAAJ |title=The Surveyor|volume=99 |page=110|date=7 February 1941|quote=Litherland's new Town Hall, which has been erected at a cost of £20,000, was formally opened last week.}}{{cite web|url=https://sefton-digital-archive.org/archive/townships/litherland/202431-litherland-town-hall-official-opening?q=Litherland%20Town%20Hall |title=Litherland Town Hall official opening |publisher=Sefton Digital Archive|accessdate=23 February 2022}} The design involved a symmetrical main frontage with nine bays facing southeast towards Sefton Road; the central bay featured a doorway flanked by pairs of pilasters supporting an entablature and a wrought-iron grill. There was a French door on the first floor. The other bays were fenestrated by square headed casement windows with architraves on the ground floor and by round headed windows on the first floor. Internally, the principal room was the main assembly hall which was equipped with a stage.

The Beatles, having just returned from Hamburg, performed in front of a live audience of 1,500 enthusiastic fans at the town hall on 27 December 1960, in what is regarded by some commentators as the birth of Beatlemania.{{cite news|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/local-news/beatles-plaque-idea-litherland-town-6971574 |title=Beatles plaque idea at Litherland Town Hall banned as too popular|date=24 December 2009|newspaper=Liverpool Echo |accessdate=23 February 2022}} The band performed 20 shows at the town hall including their final performance there in November 1961.{{cite web|url=https://www.beatlesbible.com/1961/11/09/live-cavern-club-liverpool-76-brian-epstein-meets-beatles/|title=Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime) – Brian Epstein meets The Beatles|publisher=The Beatles Bible |accessdate=23 February 2022}} The building continued to serve as the headquarters of Litherland Urban District Council but ceased to be the local seat of government when the enlarged Sefton Council was formed in 1974.{{cite book|title=Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70|publisher=The Stationery Office Ltd|isbn=0-10-547072-4|year=1997}} It was then used as a community events centre until being converted into a health centre, under an initiative led by Lord Darzi to provide wider access to healthcare, in 2009.{{cite news|url=https://www.champnews.com/papers/pdf/C0415.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223202152/https://www.champnews.com/papers/pdf/C0415.pdf |url-status=usurped |archive-date=23 February 2022 |title=Patient Anger at GP Practice Closure Move|date=21 January 2015|newspaper=Crosby and Litherland Champion|volume=22|page=1 |accessdate=23 February 2022}}

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Category:Government buildings completed in 1940

Category:City and town halls in Merseyside