Photo: Rodhullandemu, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Liverpool docks: maritime trade and the slavery story
Your local guide
Danny Kearney
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Highlights
- The Three Graces at Pier Head
- Royal Albert Dock's 1846 warehouses
- Canning Dock, the first commercial wet dock
- Street names that remember slave traders
- The International Slavery Museum, from the entrance
About this tour
This session follows Liverpool's docks and the trade that built them, from the Three Graces at Pier Head to Canning Dock, said to be the first commercial wet dock in the world. You see the 1846 warehouses of Royal Albert Dock, street names that still carry the names of slave traders, and the entrance to the International Slavery Museum, where the guide explains what the galleries inside cover. It is a walk through the city's maritime wealth and what that wealth was built on.
The call opens with a sound check at the waterfront, then follows the docks in the order they were built, with time to take in each building before moving on. Questions are welcome throughout, and a short list of the docks, streets and what they are named for follows afterwards.
This suits anyone interested in Liverpool's history beyond the postcard waterfront, including the harder parts of that story. It also suits those who want context before or after visiting the museum themselves.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 10 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Liverpool before heading out.
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Pier Head and the Three Graces 21 min
At Pier Head, the camera takes in the Three Graces, the three landmark buildings that have faced the river since Liverpool was one of the world's busiest ports.
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Royal Albert Dock 21 min
At Royal Albert Dock, the guide points out the 1846 warehouses, built for a trade that once made this one of the busiest ports in Britain, now holding museums and bars instead of cargo.
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Canning Dock 21 min
Canning Dock, next door, is described by the guide as the site of the first commercial wet dock in the world, the engineering that let Liverpool's shipping trade grow so fast.
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Street names and the Slavery Museum entrance 21 min
The guide reads out street names nearby that still carry the names of slave traders, then stops at the entrance to the International Slavery Museum, describing what the galleries inside cover.
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Your questions 18 min
Time to ask anything about Liverpool: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 8 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Fish and chips and Baltic Triangle, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in London time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 12 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Liverpool, showing you Merseyside Maritime Museum and Cavern Club live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Liverpool live with my phone and you ask anything as we go.
Times shown in London time (GMT)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Thu 5 Nov · 12 seats left From 19,00 €
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