One of Liverpool's most influential sons - William Gladstone - Liverpool Echo News One of Liverpool's most influential sons - William Gladstone INTERNATIONAL statesman, political reformer, three times Chancellor of the Exchequer and four times British Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone was born in Rodney Street, Liverpool on December 29, 1809. Share Lord Alton with statue of William Gladstone Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Peter Elson speaks to Lord David Alton about putting Gladstone on the city’s tourist trail INTERNATIONAL statesman, political reformer, three times Chancellor of the Exchequer and four times British Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone was born in Rodney Street, Liverpool on December 29, 1809. And on Tuesday the city will celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the ‘Grand Old Man’s’ birth. A wreath will be laid at his statue in St John’s Gardens and a special Gladstone exhibition opened at St George’s Hall. The statesman is a hero of Lord David Alton who feels now is the time for the city to make more of his birthplace on the tourism trail.

He says: “He was born at 62 Rodney Street and brought up in Liverpool and in the palatial Seaforth Hall. So why not package that with the historic links in his home city for visitors? “Once again, Gladstone’s reputation is growing and Liverpool should make the most of its greatest son, especially as this month is the bicentennial of his birth. “The city’s tourism is based on the Beatles and football, for which we’re very grateful, but there is so much more. The place is bursting with potential. “It would have been truly fitting for our Culture year if his home was turned into a museum dedicated to his memory and achievements.” As 62 Rodney Street is now divided into flats, even partial conversion would be difficult. Yet the former Irish Centre, or Wellington Rooms lies derelict. Surely that would be ideal? “Gladstone’s family would have used the Wellington Rooms, which were built in 1815 for assemblies, or gatherings, of Liverpool’s great and good,” says Lord Alton.

“Better still for a museum would be St Andrew’s Scottish Presbyterian Church, in Rodney Street, which is one of three churches which Gladstone’s father John built.” John Gladstone, of Scottish Presbyterian stock, embraced his wife’s evangelical Anglicanism and built up a formidable trading empire. High over the town in their Rodney Street mansions these merchant princes could easily see the Mersey – the source of their wealth. “In his childhood reminiscences Gladstone recalled the picturesque nature of the white-winged vessels waiting to catch the winds out of Liverpool,” says Lord Alton. “But these great sailing ships represented something darker; and as the young Gladstone grew up he would have encountered the anti-slavery movement – and its leading figures, Wilberforce, Thomas Clarkson and Granville Sharp.” With the West Indian sugar plantations a major source of the Gladstones’ wealth being worked by slaves, John Gladstone fell out with Liverpool MP William Roscoe who opposed the slave trade. “Young William had his first political encounters at Rodney Street, in 1812,” says Lord Alton. “His father John was one of the merchant princes who invited George Canning to accept the Tory nomination for the Liverpool constituency against Henry Brougham for the Whigs.

“They were the two greatest orators of their age. John Gladstone, now alienated by Roscoe’s intellectualism and opposition to the slave trade, deserted the Whigs to support Canning. Every evening the crowds gathered to hear Canning declaim from the Gladstones’ house in Rodney Street. St George’s Hall was the scene of both political triumph and disaster for Gladstone as he lost his South West Lancashire seat in 1868, but kept his Greenwich one and so formed his first premiership. Says Lord Alton: “His support for Irish Catholics, mission to pacify Ireland and desire for Irish Home Rule had put him on collision course with the Tories and the Orange Lodgers.” On December 3, 1892, Gladstone returned to St George’s Hall to receive the freedom of the city. Lord Alton says: “Revisiting his life in his bicentenary year, his life still shines as the scourge of tyrants and a great son of this city.” The Gladstone Exhibition is in the Gladstone Gallery, St George’s Hall from December 29– March 7, 2010 Like us on Facebook Most Read Most Recent Most Read Most Recent Liverpool Picturebook Loading...

62 Rodney Street Liverpool Rodney Street in Liverpool, is noted for the number of doctors and its Georgian architecture. It is sometimes known as the "Harley Street of the North", this street provided homes for many of Liverpool's elite merchants, and the buildings still reflect that wealth. History: The street is named in honour of Admiral Lord Rodney, triumphant defender of British interests in the West Indies from 1779 to 1782. Rodney Street was laid out by William Roscoe and others between about 1782 and 1801, and continued to be developed into the 1820s. The beginning of a Georgian residential development built to house the affluent away from the old town centre. The length, width, and straightness of Rodney Street were unprecedented in Liverpool. It was developed piecemeal up to the 1820s with pairs and short runs of substantial houses, mostly three-bay but some, like no. 62, with five bays. Number 62 was commissioned by John Gladstone (1764-1851).

Born John Gladstones in Leith, Edinburgh, the son of a corn merchant, Gladstones left school at thirteen to serve as apprentice in a rope and sailcloth company before entering his father's business. A new partnership brought him to Liverpool, where in 1787. Their business was in American grain and tobacco, the goods on which Gladstone's fortune was founded. In 1803 Gladstone began trading sugar and cotton in the West Indies; that year he purchased the Belmont estate in Demerara. Over the next quarter century, Gladstone increased his sugar estate holdings in Demerara and Jamaica; he never visited the islands that brought him such immense wealth. Not surprisingly, he was an ardent defender of the plantation system, and was from 1809 chairman of the Liverpool West Indian Association. In 1830 he published his 'Statement on the Present State of Slavery', which opposed total abolition whilst acknowledging the responsibilities of slave owners. After emancipation, Gladstone sold most of his West Indian property and invested in Bengal sugar instead.

Politically active in Liverpool, Gladstone's allegiances gradually changed from radical whig (a one-time supporter of the abolitionist William Roscoe) to tory (managing several of George Canning's election campaigns). Gladstone was an MP from 1818-27, representing three separate constituencies. He was knighted in 1846, and died in 1851 at Fasque, the Scottish estate he had bought in 1833. John Gladstone's political ambitions were realised through his son, William Ewart Gladstone, four times prime minister between 1868 and 1894. William Gladstone was born on 29 December 1809, at the house in Rodney Street which was his home until the family moved in 1818. After attending a small school at Bootle near Liverpool run by an Evangelical connected with the family, William was sent to Eton. John Gladstone was determined to give his son the educational advantage he himself had lacked, and from a young age William was encouraged to follow a career in politics.

During a distinguished career at Christ Church, Oxford, William expressed the desire to take holy orders, but this was discouraged. In 1832 William Gladstone was elected MP for Newark, a seat largely controlled by the tory Duke of Newcastle, with whom John Gladstone is said to have exerted influence. His maiden speech was delivered shortly before the final reading of the Slavery Abolition Bill in July 1833; Gladstone argued against full emancipation. In the wake of the Act, Gladstone became a spokesman for the West Indian interest, seeking higher reparation payments for plantation owners. The Gladstone family received over £90,000 in compensation for the slaves they lost. Gladstone did not defend the principal of slavery, though he later counselled against interceding with foreign powers engaged in its practice, and protected the products of slave labour in the name of free trade. In common with many Liverpool people, Gladstone was a supporter of the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Gladstone's parliamentary career was one of exceptional distinction. Besides being a great orator, he was active, powerful, and successful in every branch of government; he was chancellor of the exchequer three times.

His political allegiance changed gradually: in 1846 he became a Liberal-Conservative, and in 1859 joined the Liberal party; it was as a Liberal that he held the post of prime minister (1868-1874; 1880-5; 1886; 1892-4). A supporter of the Reform Bill and Catholic emancipation, Gladstone was passionately interested in the Irish question, campaigning for home rule. The defeat of the second Home Rule Bill in 1893 signalled Gladstone's retirement from the House of Commons, but the bill had far-reaching effects on Britain's constitution. From 1874 Gladstone lived at Hawarden Castle, the home of his wife's family, where he became known as an exemplar of the English country gentleman. It was here that he died in 1898. John Cardwell From 1818 to 1831, 62 Rodney Street was home to John Cardwell, merchant, and his family. Cardwell's son Edward (1813-86), also became a politician, and he and Gladstone were for many years political allies.

From 1847 to 1852 Cardwell represented Liverpool; thereafter he was MP for Oxford City. An advocate of free trade, his financial expertise was valued by William Gladstone. Cardwell served as Gladstone's secretary of state for war from 1868 to 1874. The greatest reformer of the British army, Cardwell's most important legacy was the abolition of the system whereby many officers' commissions could be bought and sold. When Gladstone resigned in 1874, Cardwell was a strong candidate for the succession but, exhausted by his time at the War Office, he accepted a peerage instead, becoming Viscount Cardwell of Ellerbeck. He continued to be politically active, speaking out against slavery in the late 1870s' As the birthplace of one of Britain's greatest prime ministers, 62 Rodney Street is of undoubted historic interest. But seen in relation to the history of the slave trade, particularly in Liverpool, its story acquires an extra dimension.

Laid out by William Roscoe, who was to become Liverpool's most prominent abolitionist, Rodney Street was named in celebration of Britain's naval supremacy in the West Indies - Lord Rodney claimed that the greatness of the navy was fostered by apprenticeship in the slave trade. In 1788 Lord Rodney had given evidence to the parliamentary select committee appointed to examine the slave trade, saying that during many years in the West Indies he had seen no evidence that Africans were treated with brutality (he himself was master of a devoted white servant). Rodney Street was built to house Liverpool's prosperous merchants, the wealth of many of whom depended on slaves and the products of their labour; members of the Tobin and Houghton families were amongst those who established themselves on the street. John Gladstone was one of the richest of these merchants; his investment in West Indian plantations transformed the family's status, enabling Gladstone to pave the way for his son's political career. Once in government, William Gladstone, generally regarded as an advocate of social reform, exemplified the complacent attitude towards slavery. which persisted in much of British society. Other Famous Rodney Street residents over the years include Henry Booth Merchant, Entrepreneur, Engineer.

Henry Booth Henry Booth was an engineer and part of one of Liverpool’s big merchant families; he had no doubt by 1824 that the railway was the future. Opposition to the railway was fierce, even vicious – surveyors planning a rail route to Manchester had to be protected from the angry locals by hired bruisers, and Liverpool’s pro-railway lobby was mugged at every turn by influential canal owners, road trustees and landowners. A declaration was signed by 150 Liverpool men – including a Rathbone, a Gladstone, and a Ewart, that ‘new means of communication were indispensable’. Booth’s foresight was remarkable, but even he was probably astonished at the speed and spread of the radical changes in society that the railway age was to bring Arthur Hugh Clough (1 January 1819 – 13 November 1861) was an English poet, an educationalist and a fine poet whose experiments in extending the range of literary language and subject were ahead of his time, was born the first day of 1819 to James and Ann (Perfect) Clough in Liverpool.

One biographer describes his father as an "intermittently unsuccessful cotton merchant from the North Wales landed gentry" and notes that his mother was more solidly middle-class. The family moved to Charleston, S. C., in 1822, William Henry Duncan first Medical Officer of Health in 1847. Dr William Duncan was Liverpool's first Medical Officer of Health. He was born in Seel Street in Liverpool in 1805. Duncan studied medicine at Edinburgh University, graduating as a Doctor of Medicine in 1829. He started his professional career as a General Practitioner (GP) working in two practices in Liverpool. He became interested in the health of the poor and started researching the living conditions of his patients. He was shocked by what he found and started a lifelong campaign for improved sanitation and housing for the poor. E. Chambré Hardman BBC News - Liverpool exhibition to mark Gladstone's bicentenary Liverpool exhibition to mark Gladstone's bicentenary William Gladstone served as prime minister four times The bicentenary of the birth of the 19th Century prime minister William Gladstone is to be celebrated with an exhibition about his life in Liverpool.

The four-times Liberal prime minister was born at 62 Rodney Street in the city on 29 December 1809. An exhibition at St George's Hall, which is less than a mile from his birthplace, will begin on Tuesday. Records, books and diaries from his career and other memorabilia will be on show until the end of March. Councillor Gary Millar, of Liverpool City Council, said: ''William Gladstone was a true colossus of British politics, his influence and beliefs can still be felt today and continue to inspire many to take an interest in politics. 'Greatest inspiration' ''Liverpool is fortunate and honoured to have him as a son and I'm delighted the city is celebrating his fascinating life on this landmark anniversary." Gladstone was the son of a Scottish merchant and served as an MP for more than 50 years including a spell as Chancellor of the Exchequer. He was responsible for numerous reforms and innovations including the modern budget, the secret ballot, school attendance and legislation regulating Victorian railways and was also involved in the debate that led to the introduction of the Post Office Savings Bank.

He was cited by Winston Churchill as one of his greatest inspirations and was also famous for his frosty relationship with Queen Victoria and his political rivalry with Benjamin Disraeli. He died on 19 May 1898 at Hawarden Castle, Hawarden, Flintshire, aged 88. Bookmark with: Liverpool - History - People Contact Some Prominent Liverpolitans Frederick Agnew � A businessman who started the Liverpool Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 1883 which developed into the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in Britain. He adopted the idea after studying the work of the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and other societies in America. Richard Ansdell � Was considered Liverpool's greatest 19th century animal artist. His picture "The Hunted Slaves" was raffled for the benefit of laid-off Lancashire Cotton Workers during the American Civil War and raised �700. John Bellingham � Lived in Duke Street and was the man who assassinated the Prime Minister, Spencer Perceval in 1812. The new Prime Minister was the 2nd Earl of Liverpool.

Junius Brutus Booth � Was a popular actor at Liverpool's Theatre Royal which opened 1772 at Williamson Square. He emigrated to America in 1821 where he continued his acting career. His son John Wilkes Booth was the person who assassinated President Lincoln at Ford's Theatre, Washington in 1865. Junius B Booth also had a brother Algernon Booth who was the great great grandfather of Liverpool actor Anthony Booth who in turn is the father of Cherie Booth , wife of Tony Blair. Bryan Blundell � Liverpool�s earliest philanthropist of consequence who was master of the "Mulberry" one of the first ships to enter the "Old Dock" on it�s completion in 1715. He transported hundreds of emigrants to Virginian planters. He founded Liverpool�s first charity school which was completed in 1718 and survives today as Bluecoat Chambers. William E Gladstone � The son of a wealthy Scottish merchant, he was born at 62 Rodney Street on 29th December 1809. William E was baptised at Saint Peter's in Church Street. He became Britains Prime Minister, holding office four times.

Saint Peter's church had been built over the "pool of Liverpool" and was the oldest building in the city when it was demolished in the 1920's. Mr Haies - Helped finance Sir Humphrey Gilberts voyage to found the first English colony in Newfoundland in 1582. Jesse Hartley � Appointed as Dock Engineer in 1824. His favourite material was Scottish granite. His supreme achievement was the Albert Dock which was opened by the Prince Consort in 1845. Felicia Hemans � Was born at 118 Duke Street in 1793. A poetess, she wrote some famous work including "The Boy Stood on the Burning Deck" and "The Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers" which is traditionally recited at Thanksgiving. Frank Hornby � Successful entrepreneur who invented the construction kit "meccano" as well as producing the world famous Hornby model railways and also "Dinky Toy" die-cast cars. Jeremiah Horrox � Born at Toxteth in 1618, at 14 he gained a place at Cambridge. He was interested in the secrets of the universe and the motions of the heavenly bodies.

After graduating he returned home to Toxteth where he took every opportunity to measure the positions of the moon and planets against the stars. He discovered they did not fit the positions given in the tables of Longomonitus which had remained unchallenged as the bible of astromoners for thirteen centuries. Horrox was able to fit his observations to an astronomical theory and became an admirer of the then controversial and radical ideas of Copernicus and Kepler. Horrox died young in 1641 but he was later acknowledged by fellow astromoners as the father of English astronomers. When Isaac Newton first published his "Principia" in 1686 he acknowledged his debt to Horrox. William Huskisson � The member of parliament who was the first person to be killed by a train when he was knocked down by Stephenson�s Rocket at the opening of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway in 1830. David Lewis � Was one of Liverpool�s outstanding benefactors. He was a Jew who arrived from London aged 16 in 1856 and established a modest outfitters shop that developed into a great department store.

From the fortune he left to Liverpool and Manchester came funds to build a hospital, a hotel and a club where later Frederick marquis, who was to become the first Lord Woolton served as warden. Thomas Leyland � Known as Lucky Leyland because the basis of his fortune was a lottery prize. He was one of the wealthiest of the slave ship owners of 18th century Liverpool. Father James Nugent � Was engaged in the relief of poverty and squalor. He opened a Ragged School to get small children off the streets. His allies included William Rathbone and Canon Major Lester. In 1854 they held a meeting in the city with "Save the Child" as it�s slogan. Father Nugent found homes for many of his orphans in the United States and Canada, many of whom later prospered. His statue is in St. Johns Gardens in the centre of Liverpool. William Rathbone � Introduced district nursing for the first time in Britain. With the advice of Florence Nightingale he established a training school for nurses. William Roscoe � Was born in 1753 at the top of Liverpool's Mount Pleasant. He died in 1831 and is buried in Roscoe Gardens in Mount Pleasant.

In 1802 he was responsible for Liverpool Botanic Gardens, the same plan later being used for Philadelpia's botanic garden. He was sympathetic to America's independence and a friend of President Jefferson. In 1831 Roscoe, Ohio was named in commemoration of him. George Stubbs � Considered Liverpool's greatest 18th century animal artist. A number of his best works are displayed at Liverpool's Walker Art Gallery and include "Molly Longlegs" and "Horse frightened by a Lion". Kitty Wilkinson � Came from Londonderry and became a cholera heroine in 1833 with the assistance of Mrs William Rathbone. They helped bring the country�s first public baths and wash-houses. Some Past Liverpool Characters "Arthur" Douglas � joined the privateer "Resolution" aged 19 and served in her for several months before being discovered to be female! "Jack" Roberts � Drank grog and chewed tobacco and signed on as a member of the crew of the slave ship "Anne". She was later found to be Jane Roberts aged 18.

Kwok Fong � Came from Canton on a Liverpool ship and set-up the "Far East Restaurant" in Great George Square. Mad Anne Bailey � Born about 1742 in Liverpool as Anne Hennis, she went to Virginia aged 19 and had a "fine black horse" she called "Liverpool". She is famous for riding alone through 100 miles of wilderness to get gun powder to save Fort Lee when under attack by local Indian tribes. Shanghai Davies � Of the "Red Lion" on Seabrow and Da Costa the Yank � two arch-crimps. Maggie May, Tich Maguire, Mary Ellen, "The Battleship", Harriet Lane, Jumping Jenny, Cast-Iron Kitty and "The Dreadnought" � All famous nineteenth century prostitutes who hung around Liverpool's Paradise Street or Lime Street. Maggie May was famous for frequenting the "American Bar" in Lime Street. A guidebook of 1816 advised visitors of the "spectacle of vice and misery in their lowest forms" when referring to Paradise Street.

Ma Smyrden � A landlady of a seaman�s lodgings in Pitt Street noted for bamboozling crimps into shanghaiing a corpse. Some Famous Adopted Liverpolitans William Brown � He was Irish born but emigrated to America at the age of 16. However, he later came to Liverpool to set-up a branch of his fathers US business. His father was Alexander Brown of Baltimore. In 1857 he presented a complete library to Liverpool in celebration of Liverpool's 650th birthday. He is buried in the grounds of Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral. James Dunwoody Bulloch � Captain James was the naval representative of the American Confederate States in Europe with a brief from Jefferson Davies. He was involved with the construction of "Alabama" and a total of 35 Confederate ships on Merseyside. He made his home in Liverpool and died there in 1898. His office was at 10 Rumford Place and his grave is at Toxteth Park Cemetry in Smithdown Road and in 1968 a special tombstone was erected by the United daughters of the Confederacy.

Captain Hugh Crow � Born in 1765 he was a Manxman from Ramsey and sailed with a number of famous Liverpool ships. He died in 1829. Samual Cunard � Was born in Nova Scotia and came to Liverpool to set-up his transatlantic steamship company in 1840. His first liner "Britannia" made her maiden voyage for Boston leaving Liverpool on 4th July 1840. The Cunard Building can still be seen at Liverpool's Pier Head. James Maury � He was America's first ever Consul and appointed by George Washington. Maury lived at number 4 Rodney Street and had his office in Paradise Street. He was US Consul in Liverpool from 1790 to 1829 and President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Liverpool. One of his roles was to arrange release of American sailors from the Tower of Liverpool after they had become involved in drunken brawls at waterfront pubs. Some Distinguished Visitors to Liverpool Buffalo Bill (Colonel W F Cody) � Visited Liverpool to present his "Wild West Show" including Little Annie Oakley.

The first visit was in 1891 when the performance was at Newsham Park. Later he returned to do another show at the old Exhibition Ground in Edge Lane. Andrew Carnegie � He provided Liverpool with five branch libraries. One which is at West Derby is named after him and he came to open another at Toxteth, in person. Jefferson Davies � Who stayed at the Adelphi Hotel with his family in 1868. Daniel Defoe � He visted Liverpool several times between 1680 and 1715 and recorded how impressed he was with growth of the city. Charles Dickens [1812-1870] � Who stayed at the Adelphi Hotel and considered it the best hotel in the world. In 1869 he gave a speech at St. George's Hall. Nathaniel Hawthorne � The author who was US Consul in Liverpool from 1853 to 1857. His office was in Washington Building, now long demolished. Herman Melville - Born August 1st, 1819 in New York, he was the author of Moby Dick.

He explored Liverpool in 1839 using his fathers old guidebook in which he read about the Liverbird believing it to be real. In 1849 he wrote "Redburn : His first voyage", a novel, in which the Liverbird is mentioned. Teddy Roosevelt � Who came to visit his uncle James Dunwoody Bulloch who lived in Liverpool. David Steward Salmon - Born 1704 he sailed around the world with Lord Anson and died aged 105 at Cable Street, Liverpool. Roy Rogers & Trigger � Who stayed in the Adelphi Hotel. Mark Twain � Who stayed in the Adelphi Hotel. Rodney Street, Liverpool Online Quiz Rodney Street Rodney Street is one of the most historic Liverpool roads that reminds one of the naval hero Lord Rodney hailing from the 18th century, after whom the street is named. Lord Rodney had gained victory over Comte de Grasse. The Rodney Street was constructed in the year 1783 by William Roscoe. Rodney Street: A close introspection Rodney Street in Liverpool is noteworthy for its Georgian architecture, which are evident in its 60 Grade II buildings.

It is also an integral part of the Rodney Street Conservation area, along with Hope Street and the Gambier Terrace. The Rodney Street is essentially a posh area of Liverpool that has homes of the affluent and well-to-do families. Home to some of the most famous personalities in Liverpool, the Rodney Street is a residential district. Apart from the residential areas in the Rodney Street, the Scottish Presbyterian Church of St. Andrew, proves to be another sightseeing attraction of Liverpool. Built between 1823 and 1824 and designed by Daniel Stewart, the church exhibits simplistic architectural traits with an array of Ionic columns, facades made of blackened ashler and Corinthian columns and domes. Rodney Street: Places to visit Some of the world famous personalities who have their origins linked to the Liverpool street of Rodney include four times Prime Minister William Gladstone, who was born in house Number 62 in the year 1809. Poet Arthur Clough was born in house Number nine, and Nicholas Monsarrat, who was the author of 'Cruel Sea' , was born in house Number 11. Renowned author and biographer Lytton Stratchey resided in Number 80.

Number 59 was the home and workshop of renowned photographer Edward Chambre Hardman. Dr. William Duncan, who was United Kingdom's first public health officer also resided on this street in house number 54. Situated at the heart of the Georgian quarter in Liverpool, the Rodney Street will soon be renovated. The initiation of the plan has already been taken by the head of Rodney Street Association, Dr. Emlyn Williams who aspires to convert it into an important sightseeing attraction. One of the most significant streets in Liverpool, the Rodney Street represents the Liverpoolean culture in a nutshell. Last Updated on 26 march 2013 St John's Gardens - Liverpool City Council St John's Gardens St John's Gardens This memorial garden is part of the William Brown Street conservation area in the city centre, and lies adjacent to the magnificent St George's Hall. It’s a beautiful place to relax or have a picnic, and escape the hustle and bustle of the city centre. The gardens also have an active park friends group. Formerly a church and cemetery, the terraced sculpture gardens display listed monuments from the late Victorian and Edwardian era including: Alexander Balfour monument, a merchant shipowner.

Regimental monument, memorial to the King’s Liverpool Regiment. William Gladstone monument, who was Prime Minister and born in Rodney Street. James Nugent monument, a founder of schools and orphanages. Thomas Lester, founder of Kirkdale Industrial School for children of the working classes and of Stanley Hospital. Arthur Forwood, merchant and shipowner, Liverpool’s mayor and conservative MP. William Rathbone, founder of the district nursing movement and the University of Liverpool. Opening hours 62, RODNEY STREET - 1072958| Historic England 62, RODNEY STREET List Entry Summary This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest. Name: 62, RODNEY STREET The building may lie within the boundary of more than one authority. County: National Park: Not applicable to this List entry. Grade: II* Date of most recent amendment: 19-Jun-1985 Legacy System Information The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System: LBS UID: 359352 Asset Groupings This list entry does not comprise part of an Asset Grouping. Asset Groupings are not part of the official record but are added later for information. List entry Description Legacy Record - This information may be included in the List Entry Details. Reasons for Designation Legacy Record - This information may be included in the List Entry Details. History Legacy Record - This information may be included in the List Entry Details. Details 392/56/1002 RODNEY STREET 28-JUN-52 (West side) 62 (Formerly listed as: RODNEY STREET 58-72) II* This list entry has been amended as part of the Bicentenary commemorations of the 1807 Abolition Act. House, 1792-3, for John Gladstone. Probably designed by John Whiteside Casson. Red brick in Flemish Bond with burnt headers, stone dressings, slate roof. Three storeys with rendered basement; eight bays.

The last five bays form a symmetrical composition centred on a slightly projecting three-bay pedimented centre; blank oeil-de-boeuf window in pediment. Stone basement plat band over ground floor, first-floor sill band to three-bay centre and top cornice with blocking course. Sash windows, some with glazing bars. All windows above the basement have wedge lintels. Five steps to central round-headed entrance. Doorcase is an aedicule with foliated capitals to the attached columns and swag and urn decoration to the frieze, surmounted by a pediment. The first three bays are of one storey with a recessed rear section, the second floor of which has been rebuilt and has a parapet with balustraded sections. Plain iron area railings curve from the entrance. Set into the wall, to left of the entrance, is a rectangular lead plaque with cable moulding inside a convex moulded frame. The inscription reads: 'GLADSTONE / FOUR TIMES / PRIME MINISTER / BORN IN THIS HOUSE / 29.TH DECEMBER 1809'.

HISTORY: The street is named in honour of Admiral Lord Rodney, triumphant defender of British interests in the West Indies from 1779 to 1782. Rodney Street was laid out by William Roscoe and others 1783-4, the beginning of a Georgian residential development built to house the affluent away from the old town centre. The length, width, and straightness of Rodney Street were unprecedented in Liverpool. It was developed piecemeal up to the 1820s with pairs and short runs of substantial houses, mostly three-bay but some, like no. 62, with five bays. John Gladstone (1764-1851), who commissioned no. 62 (originally no. 1) in 1792, had moved to Liverpool in 1786. Born John Gladstones in Leith, Edinburgh, the son of a corn merchant, Gladstones left school at thirteen to serve as apprentice in a rope and sailcloth company before entering his father's business. A new partnership brought him to Liverpool, where in 1787 he became known as Gladstone.

The business was in American grain and tobacco, the goods on which Gladstone's fortune was founded. In 1803 Gladstone began trading sugar and cotton in the West Indies; that year he purchased the Belmont estate in Demerara. Over the next quarter century, Gladstone increased his sugar estate holdings in Demerara and Jamaica; he never visited the islands that brought him such immense wealth. Not surprisingly, he was an ardent defender of the plantation system, and was from 1809 chairman of the Liverpool West Indian Association. In 1830 he published his 'Statement on the Present State of Slavery', which opposed total abolition whilst acknowledging the responsibilities of slave owners. After emancipation, Gladstone sold most of his West Indian property and invested in Bengal sugar instead. Politically active in Liverpool, Gladstone's allegiances gradually changed from radical whig (a one-time supporter of the abolitionist William Roscoe) to tory (managing several of George Canning's election campaigns). Gladstone was an MP from 1818-27, representing three separate constituencies.

He was knighted in 1846, and died in 1851 at Fasque, the Scottish estate he had bought in 1833. John Gladstone's political ambitions were realised through his son, William Ewart Gladstone, four times prime minister between 1868 and 1894. William Gladstone was born on 29 December 1809, at the house in Rodney Street which was his home until the family moved in 1818. After attending a small school at Bootle near Liverpool run by an Evangelical connected with the family, William was sent to Eton. John Gladstone was determined to give his son the educational advantage he himself had lacked, and from a young age William was encouraged to follow a career in politics. During a distinguished career at Christ Church, Oxford, William expressed the desire to take holy orders, but this was discouraged. In 1832 William Gladstone was elected MP for Newark, a seat largely controlled by the tory Duke of Newcastle, with whom John Gladstone is said to have exerted influence.

His maiden speech was delivered shortly before the final reading of the Slavery Abolition Bill in July 1833; Gladstone argued against full emancipation. In the wake of the Act, Gladstone became a spokesman for the West Indian interest, seeking higher reparation payments for plantation owners. The Gladstone family received over £90,000 in compensation for the slaves they lost. Gladstone did not defend the principal of slavery, though he later counselled against interceding with foreign powers engaged in its practice, and protected the products of slave labour in the name of free trade. In common with many Liverpool people, Gladstone was a supporter of the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Gladstone's parliamentary career was one of exceptional distinction. Besides being a great orator, he was active, powerful, and successful in every branch of government; he was chancellor of the exchequer three times.

His political allegiance changed gradually: in 1846 he became a Liberal-Conservative, and in 1859 joined the Liberal party; it was as a Liberal that he held the post of prime minister (1868-1874; 1880-5; 1886; 1892-4). A supporter of the Reform Bill and Catholic emancipation, Gladstone was passionately interested in the Irish question, campaigning for home rule. The defeat of the second Home Rule Bill in 1893 signalled Gladstone's retirement from the House of Commons, but the bill had far-reaching effects on Britain's constitution. From 1874 Gladstone lived at Hawarden Castle, the home of his wife's family, where he became known as an exemplar of the English country gentleman. It was here that he died in 1898. From 1818 to 1831 62 Rodney Street was home to John Cardwell, merchant, and his family. Cardwell's son Edward (1813-86), also became a politician, and he and Gladstone were for many years political allies.

From 1847 to 1852 Cardwell represented Liverpool; thereafter he was MP for Oxford City. An advocate of free trade, his financial expertise was valued by William Gladstone. Cardwell served as Gladstone's secretary of state for war from 1868 to 1874. The greatest C19 reformer of the British army, Cardwell's most important legacy was the abolition of the system whereby many officers' commissions could be bought and sold. When Gladstone resigned in 1874, Cardwell was a strong candidate for the succession but, exhausted by his time at the War Office, he accepted a peerage instead, becoming Viscount Cardwell of Ellerbeck. He continued to be politically active, speaking out against slavery in the late 1870s. As the birthplace of one of Britain's greatest prime ministers, 62 Rodney Street is of undoubted historic interest. But seen in relation to the history of the slave trade, particularly in Liverpool, its story acquires an extra dimension.

Laid out by William Roscoe, who was to become Liverpool's most prominent abolitionist, Rodney Street was named in celebration of Britain's naval supremacy in the West Indies - Lord Rodney claimed that the greatness of the navy was fostered by apprenticeship in the slave trade. In 1788 Lord Rodney had given evidence to the parliamentary select committee appointed to examine the slave trade, saying that during many years in the West Indies he had seen no evidence that Africans were treated with brutality (he himself was master of a devoted black servant). Rodney Street was built to house Liverpool's prosperous merchants, the wealth of many of whom depended on slaves and the products of their labour; members of the Tobin and Houghton families were amongst those who established themselves on the street. John Gladstone was one of the richest of these merchants; his investment in West Indian plantations transformed the family's status, enabling Gladstone to pave the way for his son's political career. Once in government, William Gladstone, generally regarded as an advocate of social reform, exemplified the complacent attitude towards slavery which persisted in much of British society throughout the C19.

The street is remarkably well preserved, with over 70 listed Georgian houses, as well as 14 listed early C19 lamp posts. SOURCES: J. Sharples, 'Liverpool (2004), 231; Dictionary of National Biography' J. A. Picton, 'Memorials of Liverpool', 2 vols (1873, 1875) II, 244-7 Hugh Thomas, 'The Slave Trade' (1997) L. Westgaph, 'Read the Signs: street names with a connection to the transatlantic slave trade and abolition in Liverpool', (booklet produced by English Heritage, 2007) R. Pollard and N.

Pevsner, 'Buildings of England, Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West' (2006) REASONS FOR DESIGNATION 62 Rodney Street is designated at Grade II* for the following principal reasons: * Good example of a substantial late C18 merchant's town house in Liverpool, one of the earlier and more substantial in a remarkably well-preserved Georgian street * Birthplace of William Ewart Gladstone, one of Britain's greatest prime ministers * Numerous connections with the slave trade add to historical interest of building; the house was built for John Gladstone, father of the future prime minister, and West Indian plantation owner.

Selected Sources Pevsner, N, Pollard, R, The Buildings of England: Lancashire, Liverpool and the South-West, (2006) Picton, JA , Memorials of Liverpool Volume 2, (1875), 244-247 Sharples, J, Pevsner Architectural Guides: Liverpool, (2004) Thomas, H, The Slave Trade, (1997) National Grid Reference: SJ 35344 89755 Map © Crown Copyright and database right 2017. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100024900. © British Crown and SeaZone Solutions Limited 2017. All rights reserved. Licence number 102006.006. Use of this data is subject to Terms and Conditions . The above map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.

For a copy of the full scale map, please see the attached PDF - 1072958 .pdf The PDF will be generated from our live systems and may take a few minutes to download depending on how busy our servers are. We apologise for this delay. This copy shows the entry on 20-Jan-2017 at 09:40:40. End of official listing BBC - City marks Gladstone bicentenary City marks Gladstone bicentenary William Ewart Gladstone was born in Liverpool in 1809 Liverpool is celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of William Gladstone with a special exhibition. The four times British Prime Minister was born at 92 Rodney Street, on 29 December, 1809. St George's Hall is hosting a free three month exhibition of records, diaries and books from Gladstone's career. An MP for 50 over years the 19th century statesman reformed voting rights, introduced free education. Situated in the Gladstone Gallery the exhibition includes pottery and ceramics, newspaper cuttings from the 19th century and a bust of Gladstone donated by John Moores University.

The son of a Scottish merchant Gladstone was also Chancellor of the Exchequer, where he paved the way for cheaper newspapers by cutting publishing duties. Liverpool City Council Community Historian Steve Binns has studied Gladstone's life for 30 years, "Gladstone is my hero because of his journey from opposing any change to championing the right of the people to be at the heart of the government," Steve Binns explains. "He arguably invented modern politics from public speaking and public campaigns to the secret ballot - all of which was centred on the revolutionary idea of persuading people to vote and to trust them to do so." "His attitude to life is fascinating and in my opinion he is probably Liverpool's greatest son. "He famously said he always backed the masses against the classes and made so many comebacks that the remark 'you could take Gladstone out of Liverpool but not Liverpool out of Gladstone' always proved accurate." Gladstone's last noteworthy speech was in Liverpool at Henglers Circus, which was near West Derby Road, where he spoke to 7000 people denouncing Armenian massacres by Ottomans. The exhibition at St George's Hall is open until 27 March, 2010.

Bookmark with: William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898) William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898) [ Victorian Web Home —> Political History —> Prime Ministers ] William Ewart Gladstone served as Prime Minister four times — from 3 December 1868 to 17 February 1874; from 23 April 1880 to 9 June 1885; from 1 February to 20 July 1886; and from 15 August 1892 to 2 March 1894. Gladstone, who was born on 29 December 1809 at Rodney Street, Liverpool, was the fourth son and fifth child of a family of six born to Sir John Gladstone and his wife Anne Mackenzie Robertson. Sir John Gladstone made his fortune in trade especially with America and the West Indies: it was there that he owned sugar plantations. William Gladstone was educated at a preparatory school at Seaforth Vicarage near Liverpool before attending Eton between 1821 and 1827.

From there he went to Christ Church, Oxford, between 1828 and 1831. In 1831 he spoke at the Oxford Union against the Reform Act, saying that any electoral reform would lead to revolution. His Degree was in Classics but he also studied Mathematics and in 1831 was awarded a Double First in the subjects. In the 1832 election following the passing of the Reform Act he was elected as the Tory MP for Newark-on-Trent, on the influence of the Duke of Newcastle; he took the seat of Michael Sadler, the factory reformer . He then went on a Grand Tour of Europe, visiting Belgium, France and various centres in Italy. On his return in 1833 he entered Lincoln's Inn, but by 1839 he had requested that his name should be removed from the list because he no longer intended to be called to the Bar. Gladstone's maiden speech was made on 3 June 1833 during the Committee stage of the Bill for the Abolition of Slavery in the British empire. His father was a West Indian slave-owner and Gladstone defended him against allegations of maltreating his slaves.

The following year Gladstone was appointed as a junior Lord of the Treasure by Sir Robert Peel who had just formed his first ministry. Two weeks later Disraeli and Gladstone met for the first time: Gladstone was appalled by Disraeli's "foppish" attire. Later in life the two would become great parliamentary rivals; there was no friendship between them throughout their long political lives. On 27 January Gladstone was made Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies but his appointment lasted only until April when Peel resigned. In June 1839 Gladstone became engaged to Catherine Glynne, the daughter of Sir Stephen Glynne of Hawarden Castle. The Glynnes were an old Whig family and Catherine was related through the maternal line to the Grenville family. The couple were married the following month and had a family of four boys and four girls. In January 1840 Gladstone began his work of rescuing and rehabilitating London prostitutes, and in 1848 he founded the Church Penitentiary Association for the Reclamation of Fallen Women.

Following the defeat of Lord Melbourne 's government in 1841, Sir Robert Peel formed his second ministry and Gladstone was appointed to the post of Vice-President of the Board of Trade; he accepted reluctantly on the grounds that his lack of knowledge of trade made him unfit for the appointment. It was in his official capacity that he first dined with Queen Victoria at Buckingham palace and was appalled to find that there was no chaplain present and that grace was not said prior to the meal. In May 1843 Gladstone was made President of the Board of Trade and a Cabinet member; he was responsible for the passing of the ' parliamentary train Act ' in 1844 that provided for one train each way, each day, carrying third class passengers at no more than 1d. per mile at not less than 12 miles per hour. In 1838 Gladstone had published his book The Church and its Relations to the Church, in which he said that the State possessed a conscience and had a duty to distinguish between truth and error in religion. Doctrinal differences were, therefore, matters of great importance.

The Established Church was the conscience of the English state, and that State was bound to give an active , informed, consistent, and exclusive financial and general support to the Anglican religion which was of the purest and most direct Apostolic descent. [Magnus, p. 35.] He had also attacked the annual grant of £9,000 that was given to the Maynooth Seminary in Ireland, saying that giving money for the training of Roman Catholic priests was inappropriate for a Protestant nation and would lead to mortal danger. However, in 1844 Peel was attempting to pursue a policy of conciliation in Ireland . A perpetual grievance of the Catholic Church in Ireland was the disparity in finances between the wealth of the Anglican establishment that ministered to about a twelfth of the people and the poverty of the Catholic Church, that ministered to the vast majority of the population. Peel had no intention of changing the privileges of the Anglican Church but did enter into indirect communication with the Vatican about how to conciliate Catholic opinion. In February 1845 Peel proposed to increase — and make permanent — the Maynooth grant from £9,000 to £30,000 p.a.

Although in the interim, Gladstone had changed his mind about the value of the grant, he had not repudiated his book: he wanted to vote for the increase but felt that he could not do so as a Minister in the government. He tendered his resignation rather than compromise his integrity. Peel's reaction was, 'I really have great difficulty sometimes in comprehending what Gladstone means'. In 1846 Gladstone's sister Helen had been restrained by the Lunacy Commission; she had a long history of instability and opium addiction; she also had had a series of lovers but the final straw for Gladstone was her conversion to Roman Catholicism. He could tolerate her other failings but not her apostasy. However, Gladstone was happy to join with Disraeli in 1847 in voting for Lord John Russell's motion to allow Jews to take the oath on becoming a member of the House of Commons. Gladstone's high moral stance was a source of irritation to his colleagues. As Henry Labouchere said: while he had no objection to Gladstone's habit of concealing the ace of trumps up his sleeve, he did object to his reiterated claim that it had been put there by Almighty God.

In 1848 the third Chartist petition was presented; Gladstone served as a Special Constable, as did Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, soon to be the Emperor Napoleon III of France. Gladstone did not return to office until 1852 when the Earl of Aberdeen formed his ministry; Gladstone was appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer and based his first Budget on public expenditure economies. One of his first acts was to order the Foreign Office to stop using large thick sheets of double notepaper when single, thinner sheets would do. Gladstone also 'invented' the postcard on grounds of economy. He also decided to maintain income tax as an equitable means of collecting revenue for the government. Soon it became necessary to increase the levels of tax because Aberdeen allowed Britain to drift into the Crimean War in 1854; Gladstone increased taxation from 7d in the £1 to 10½d in the £1. Aberdeen's handling of the war led to the ministry's downfall and in 1855 Palmerston formed his first ministry without Gladstone who resigned in protest at Palmerston's acceptance of a Committee of Inquiry into the conduct of the war.

He did accept the post of Lord High Commissioner Extraordinarily to the Ionian Islands- a British protectorate-between November 1855 and June 1859 when he returned to take up the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer in Palmerston's second ministry; along with Palmerston, Gladstone was one of the founding members of the Liberal Party in 1859. However, their working relationship was not easy and Gladstone said later that he never attended a Cabinet meeting during this time, without ensuring that he carried a letter of resignation in his pocket. Gladstone's second Budget followed the Cobden Treaty with France, a reciprocity agreement that called for another increase in income tax to cover the shortfall of revenue for the government. The treaty did bring about a decrease in the standard of living, however, since foodstuffs became cheaper. His introduction of the Post Office Savings Bank enables small savings to be made by ordinary people and gave an extra source of revenue for government purposes. As a result of this, he was able to reduce income tax in 1861; he also brought about the single Money Bill form of the Budget; this meant that henceforward, Budgets had to be accepted or rejected in their entirety.

The Hon. Emily Eden commented to Lord Clarendon in 1860 that if Gladstone 'were soaked in boiling water and rinsed until he were twisted into rope, I do not suppose a drop of fun would ooze out'. Disraeli's assessment of Gladstone was that he 'had not one single redeeming defect'. During the American Civil War (1861-65) Gladstone provided relief work on the Hawarden estates for workers in the Lancashire cotton industry who had been put out of work because of the blockade of the Confederate ports by the North, preventing the export of raw cotton. Nevertheless, in 1863 he attempted to tax the incomes of charities on the grounds that all money was a trust from God and should be taxed like everything else. His proposal was defeated in the Commons. He supported the second Reform Bill that was intended to lower the franchise qualification in towns, saying, 'I venture to say that every man who is not presumably incapacitated by some consideration of personal unfitness or of political danger is morally entitled to come within the pale of the Constitution'. This was seen by the radicals as a move towards universal suffrage, which horrified the Queen and also resulted in him losing his seat at Oxford.

Following the death of Palmerston, Gladstone served in Lord John Russell 's ministry as Leader of the House of Commons and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He was responsible for the first attempt to extend the franchise, in 1866; he also continued to reduce duties on imported goods. In December 1868 Gladstone was appointed as PM for the first time following the Liberal victory in the General Election that followed the passing of the second Reform Act and Gladstone announced that his 'mission was to pacify Ireland'. The ministry ( 1868-74 ) passed a whole spate of reforms but lost the 1874 general election at which Disraeli 's Tory party won a majority. In 1876 Gladstone published The Bulgarian Horrors and the Question of the East, attacking the government's policy towards the Ottoman Empire. During this period, Gladstone constantly attacked the PM and ultimately launched his Midlothian Campaign prior to the next general election on 1880.

He was able to discredit Disraeli and the Liberals won the election; Gladstone had offended Queen Victoria in 1866 when he refused to support the purchase of gun metal for a memorial to Prince Albert that was to be erected in Kensington Gardens, and relations between the two were always difficult. Gladstone formed his second ministry even though Queen Victoria attempted to appoint Lord Hartington instead. The queen was widely reported to have commented that, 'He speaks to me as if I were a public meeting'. Just before she appointed Gladstone, Victoria wrote to Sir Henry Ponsonby that she would 'sooner abdicate than send for or have anything to do with that half-mad fire-brand who would soon ruin everything and be a dictator'. The second ministry was taken up mainly with Irish affairs. Gladstone was obliged to increase income tax from 5d to 6d in the £ and he also increased the duty on beer. A Coercion Act for Ireland was passed in an attempt to deal with increasing violence and Gladstone was able to pass the second Irish Land Act that introduced the 'three Fs"-fixity of tenure, fair rents, and free sale of land.

Just after the Bill went through parliament, Disraeli died; not surprisingly, Gladstone did not attend the funeral. Although Gladstone was a committed Anglican, in 1881 he introduced a Bill that would enable non-believers to affirm their allegiance to the Crown. Jews and Quakers were already able to do that, but not atheists. Charles Bradlaugh had been expelled from the House of Commons on four occasions because of his atheism. Eventually Bradlaugh moved his own Affirmation Bill in 1888 but in the attempt to secure fair treatment for Bradlaugh, Gladstone brought down a great deal of criticism on his own head. The following year, Lord Frederick Cavendish and Thomas Burke were murdered in Phoenix Park, Dublin. Cavendish — Gladstone's nephew-by-marriage-was the Chief Secretary for Ireland; Burke was his Undersecretary Gladstone introduced an even more severe Coercion Act as a result of the murders. Gladstone's foreign policy was less successful than his domestic policies. The British army was involved in actions in the Sudan and Afghanistan.

General Gordon disobeyed orders to evacuate Khartoum in 1884 and Gladstone was blamed for his death when the town fell to the Mahdi and his troops. In the same year, Gladstone's ministry passed the third Reform Act and also the Redistribution Act that provided for alterations being made to constituency boundaries. However, the Conservatives and Irish Nationalists worked together to remove Gladstone's ministry; he resigned on 9 June 1885 and was replaced by the Marquess of Salisbury . On 17 December 1885, Gladstone's son Herbert revealed to the press that his father was dedicated to achieving Home Rule for Ireland: the incident has become known as the 'Hawarden Kite'. Herbert Gladstone's announcement did nothing to endear his father to the Liberals or the Irish and gave the Conservatives another stick with which to beat the elderly statesman. The Irish saw an opportunity to wring concessions from the British government and joined the Liberals to defeat the Conservatives : this political seesaw continued for many years.

In January 1886 Gladstone formed his third ministry at the age of 76; by that time the Liberal Party was divided over his Irish policies and he failed to have the legislation passed. Gladstone called an election but found himself attacked from all directions; the Conservatives won and he resigned. In 1890 the Liberal-Irish alliance ended with the Parnell scandal and in 1891 Gladstone announced the 'Newcastle Programme' that included a battery of reforms as well as Home Rule for Ireland. The Liberals won a majority at the 1892 election and Gladstone formed his fourth and last ministry. Soon afterwards he introduced another Home Rule Bill that failed in the House of Lords; almost concurrently he refused to accept the increased Naval estimates and resigned on 2 March 1894. His last speech was delivered in Liverpool; it was a protest against the Armenian massacres in Turkey. On 19 May 1898 Gladstone died at Hawarden and he was later buried in Westminster Abbey. He was 88 years old. Recommended reading Feuchtwanger, E.J. Gladstone. London, 1989. Magnus, P.

Gladstone: A Biography. London, John Murray, 1954 Matthew, H.C.G. Gladstone 1809-1898. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1996. The history of the Hardmans' House | National Trust The history of the Hardmans' House Photography wasn't just their business, it was their passion National Trust Images / ECH Collection Many famous faces passed through the studio to have their portraits taken, as well as thousands of ordinary people. Find out more about the people behind the business. Edward Hardman Renowned portrait and landscape photographer, Edward Chambré Hardman lived and worked at 59 Rodney Street for 40 years. The photographic archive he left behind contains hundreds of thousands of photographs, prints, negatives, letters and business records. Margaret Hardman Although Edward was the better known half of the couple, Margaret was a gifted photographer in her own right. Acknowledged as the brains behind the business, he often said that he 'could not have done it without her'. They made the perfect match. She was sparky; he was quiet. Their shared passion for photography drove the business and gave them many happy years together.

Kenneth Burrell Burrell and Hardman served in the Army together in India. Looking for a profession beyond their Army career, they established a photography business in Liverpool in the early 1920s. He left the business within five years of its establishment but the two remained friends and the business name Burrell & Hardman remained. Did you know? Building work on the street began in 1782 Rodney Street is named after Admiral George Rodney The houses have been used by doctors and consultants since the 1800s Prime Minister William Gladstone was born just over the road at No.62 Rodney Street has always been a very prestigious address Rodney Street is part of Liverpool's beautiful and historic Georgian Quarter. Why not explore the surrounding streets after a visit to the Hardmans' House?

Question: Which Prime Minister was born on Rodney Street, Liverpool?
Answer: William E Gladstone