Sport

For centuries, the effect of Liverpool in Great Britain has been felt. Equally, these effects have spread all around the world. Traced back to the 12th century, Liverpool has grown in terms of commerce, infrastructure, art, sports and culture, which has had an effect in Great Britain. The City has been instrumental in the rise of Great Britain as an empire through a number of effects over hundreds of years that have streamlined the city into one of the most successful cases across the world.
This paper aims to find out the different factors that depict Liverpools influence on Great Britain. The main influential factors are highlighted and discussed, from the Mersey, Inventions and Innovations, Slave Trade, Industrial Revolution, the Immigrant Factor, Second World War, Liverpool in 20th Century, Tourism, Liverpool World Heritage Site, and Liverpool Sport to Music. The conclusion echoes the main ideas.

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The Mersey
One of the reasons that have made Liverpool what it is today is the River Mersey, through its strategic positioning in terms of trade and accessibility to the world. The first major cargo that opened Liverpool to the world is recorded to have been from Americas in 1648. However, the real development of the town rose after 1660, after the restoration, as the growth of commerce with West Indies and America grew. From that time, the rapid successful increase of commerce and population has seen Liverpool rise to Great Britains second metropolis. As the access to the sea catalyzed commerce in Liverpool, coal, salt and cloth from Cheshire and Lancashire were traded for tobacco and sugar. In fact, Liverpool got its first sugar refinery in 1670.  Other notable developments in Liverpool were recorded by 1699, when it became its own Parish through an Act of Parliament, by being separated from Walton-on-the-Hill and getting a different  customs authority distinct from Chesters.

Inventions and Innovations
If there is anything that is significant and genius about Liverpool, it is the spirit of ingenuity, innovations and inventions in all spheres of human life and culture.  Railways, municipal trams, helicopter, electric trains, ferries and transatlantic steamships were all started and pioneered as mass modes of transport in Liverpool (Liverpool Museums). Even the first ever School of Tropical Medicine began in Liverpool, which saw the first ever Nobel Prize in Great Britain go to Ronald Ross in 1902, a professor in the School. In societal issues, Liverpool was also a pioneer in creating the first high school arrangement for girls the first school specifically for the Blind. Juvenile Court, and Council house, all were founded in Liverpool.

Such issues as Age Concern, Citizens Advice Bureau, Legal Aid and Relate evolved and perfected from works in the Merseyside city. In terms of health, Liverpool has also been tremendous and first in transforming the welfare of the Great Britain people. This is because it originated such issues as public health, public baths, first lifeboat station, sanitary act, washhouses, X-ray medical diagnosis, medical officer for health, slum clearance, district nurse, cancer research centre, purpose-built ambulance, zoonosis research centre, and motorized municipal fire-engine. Also, school of tropical medicine, free school meals and milk originated from Liverpool. In addition, Hugh Owen Thomas also pioneered orthopedic surgery as well as the first modern medical usage of anesthetics through Thomas Cecil Gray.  In finance, the trend of origin and pioneering continues from Liverpool, where the first Great Britain Underwriters Association in Finance came into being, together with the creation of the first Institute of Accountants.

Liverpool also has the arts depicting its spirit of ingenuity and innovation, where it was the home of the first lending library, the athenaeum society and arts centre, as well as public art conservation centre. The oldest surviving orchestra from the UK is also found in Liverpool, known as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (British Broadcasting Corporation).  In architecture, Peter Ellis in 1864 built the first iron-framed building in the world, an office building that was also curtain-walled, known as the Oriel Chambers a perfect prototype of the modern skyscraper.  The English Heritage made Liverpool the first city outside London to receive an award of blue plaques in recognition of the ingenious, innovative and significant contributions that the daughters and sons of Liverpool have effected in all occupations and lifestyles.

Slave Trade
The real rise of Liverpool to global eminence came after it has received its own customs authority and Parish, through its global trade in slavery. This was on October 3, 1699, where the first ever slave ship in Liverpool known as Liverpool Merchant sailed from Africa and left for Barbados with slaves as the cargo. Trades in slaves characterize significant revenue that was so lucrative and had a far-reaching effect on the citys status as an economic giant.  The first ever wet dock in Great Britain was completed in 1715 in Liverpool, the first commercial enclosed wet dock across the world and could hold about 100 ships. This was very important since the worlds forty percent and Britains eighty percent trade in slaves was accounted for from the Liverpools docks (British Broadcasting Corporation, Liverpool local History, updated July 2002). Huge profits from trade in slaves changed Liverpool into one of the foremost very important British city (Muir, 191-193).

The international trade through Liverpool in a way was triangular. Goods from such towns as Manchester were offered to Africans who would offer slaves. These slaves were transported through the Atlantic to places which had high demand for slaves such as West Indies. Sugar was again brought back to Liverpool. This trade was making merchants in Liverpool huge profits. Beaten by London alone and rivaled by Bristol, Liverpool became a progressive financial centre where the huge presence of the black community is because of the successful slave trade that took place in its docks. Through the returns of the slave trade, Liverpool was transformed from just a mere port city to a financial success and contributed to the development of Britain into an empire (New York Times). When the high seas were a major war and piracy zone, where the British ships used to carry out Privateering from government by attacking Spanish ships and stealing all the spoils from the Americas, Liverpool saw many ships sail from its dock towards this activity.

Industrial Revolution
The rise in trade and finances are the main factors that saw Liverpool rise from just a port to an excellent city and metropolis. As much as slave trade helped carve a new and stronger Great Britain largely in terms of commerce, there were other commercial factors as well. There was a rise in international trade alongside slave trade, on a vast range of commodities, particularly cotton, and Liverpool became the worlds leading market. It largely supplied the textile mills of Lancashire and Manchester. Other contributing factors to the financial independence of Liverpool and its subsequent rise to one of the best and important towns in Great Britain were such industries as sugar refining, shipbuilding, rope making (needed for the huge number of ships), ironwork, pottery and watch making (Liverpool Museums).

Since through water transport Liverpool was growing rapidly, rivers had to be deepened in the 18th century, thus making it easier for all kinds of ships to sail through them. In fact, the Irwell and Mersey rivers were deepened by 1720 while the Sankey Brook faced the same in 1755. With the new thinking and commercial success of the 18th century, the population of the town was growing, from a mere 6,000 to more than 80,000, which was significant for the industries that required a huge work force. At this time, Liverpool started opening up Great Britain by increasing communication with the northern cities and hinterland. In fact, it was linked through a canal in 1721 to Manchester, St. Helens coalfield and Leeds in 1755 and 1816 respectively. The rail link to Manchester, one of the first between two urban centers was via the Liverpool-Manchester Railway.

Another strategic change in Liverpool that led to its influence in Great Britain is the Town Hall designed by the Great architect, John Wood for merchants, opening its first ever office buildings, as well as the corn exchange.  The rise of Liverpool in terms of trade hardly halted in the 19th Century as the population continued to rise and expand. As the growth in Cotton trade continued, Liverpool developed strong trading with the Far East and India after the end of the monopoly of the East India Company in 1813. As the international trade blossomed, Liverpool had to enlarge its docks and between 1824 and 1858, there was an opening of over 140 acres of new docks with a space of 16 kilometers. Through this, since International trade conducted through the ocean, Liverpool was very significant in the rise of the British Empire, as it opened the commercial links between Great Britain and the world, where finances trickled down to the heart of Britain through the towns link with the northern regions and the hinterlands. The granted city status in 1880 saw Liverpool continue with its effects on the British economy and culture, more so because of the establishment of its University in 1881. This expanded the city and in so doing, its boundaries enlarged to encompass Everton, Kirkdale, Garston, Toxteth, West Derby and Walton.

The Immigrant Factor
Due to its status of being a port city, Liverpool maintains a diverse population historically drawn from different cultures, religions and peoples, more so from Ireland. Liverpool is also the home of Britains largest Black African Community as well as the oldest community of Chinese in all Europe. This is one of the most exotic hybrids of a society contributing to its place in Britain and transformed the course of Great Britain in all spheres.

The Irish migrants arrived in their thousands by 1840s, because of the worst famine of 1845-1849. In fact, in 1847 alone, about 300,000 Irish folks arrived in Liverpool, while a quarter of the entire population in 1851 was Irish born. This is reflected in the Irish and UK political history where Liverpool produced the only parliamentary member from the Irish Parliamentary Party outside Ireland. In the years 1851-1911, the Welsh came to Liverpool, 20,000 in every decade, mostly in the 1880s, flourishing the Welsh culture (Mersey Gateway). With such an intense blend of cultures, the city rose in terms of their input, to the second largest and important city after London, in basically every sphere. In fact in 1851 Liverpool was called the European New York, with its heroic buildings standing supremely as a witness of the citys ambition.

Second World War
Apart from being the first ever-provincial airport in the UK, operations commencing from the 1930s, the port city played a crucial role in the ensuing Second World War. It was a city of critical importance, recognized by both Churchill and Hitler. This made the city to suffer a blitz that was only second to that suffered London. It is the spot where the Battle of the Atlantic was planned, fought as well as won. This is historically one of the most important parts of the history of Great Britain in the 20th century and strengthened the position of Liverpool in terms of Great Britains involvement in the Second World War.

Liverpool in 20th Century
The 20th century also saw Liverpool maintain its industrial prowess and presence, thus effectively maintaining the position of Great Britain in the financial limelight. In the late 20th century, Liverpool had such industries as cement manufacture, flour milling, engineering and sugar refining. These tenets made the economy in the city to boom between the 1950s and 60s. However, just like in other parts of the country, the economy of the city was affected by the recession in the 1970s and 80s. However, this has not affected the position of the city in United Kingdom. It is still one of the most important port cities in Great Britain. Since it is strategically positioned in the Northwest, it has the main port that trades with the entire North America.   Other changes abound that still make the city very crucial, such as the redevelopment of Albert Dock in the 1980s, turning it into an area of commercial excellence in terms of restaurants, shops and bars.

Tourism
Due to its lavish and rich history, Liverpool has been increasing in terms of tourism and tourist attractions because of different factors, such as the rise of the Liverpool music, arts and culture. Its Merseyside Maritime Museum had its doors opened in 1980 while the Modern Art TATE gallery was opened in 1988. Other significant art museums include the Museum of Liverpool Life that was opened in 1993 and the 1994s Custom Excise Museum. These rose due to the demand of such museums in the City, as people came into the city in large numbers. In fact, a conservation Center was opened within Queens Square around 1996, plus the Institute for Performing Arts in the same year. These sites are offering tourists visiting the city the chance to see great and historic paraphernalia, contributing in a great way to the economy of Great Britain (Office for National Statistics, 2001)

Liverpool World Heritage Site
There are less than 900 inscriptions of UNESCOs World Heritage Sites since the list started being made in 1972. When the Dock Front in Liverpool was honored in 2004, the citys tourism and effect in Great Britain in modern times took a different dimension. The list is made in recognition of historical and cultural significance in different sites, natural or man-made. What made Dock Front in Liverpool to be recognized was because of its crucial role in the expansion of the British influence and trade in the age of the British Empire, its architectural supremacy and innovations depicted by its engineering. It was referred to as the Maritime mercantile City. Currently, the Dock Front has joined officially such significant places in world history as the Pyramids, Great Wall of China and the Statue of Liberty. The site is divided into six unique regions, the Pier Head, Albert Dock and its environment, Stanley Dock and its environment, the cultural quarter (Dale St, Castle St, Old Hall St regions), Duke St region where the merchants housing and warehousing is situated. Today, these areas are as significant and important as when they were built, although used wholly for other different purposes, but still maintain the architecture, character and demeanor they had when they were being constructed.

Liverpool Sport
When someone speaks of Liverpool in another place across the world, the first impression is Liverpool Football Club, arguably the most successful club in Great Britain. It has fanatical following not only in Liverpool and UK but also across the world. The name Liverpool has thus been made famous, an advocate of the Great Britains supremacy in the world of soccer. However, this is also the hotbed of soccer success in the Northwest, being the home of Liverpool and Everton, two Premiership clubs, as well as hundreds of others. Football and Liverpool are almost the same, but not the only thing that the city has a story influence on in Britain in terms of sports.

Liverpool is a City of sporting success. In fact, the citys passion for basically any sport made the 1860s Liverpool Olympics a success, heavily influencing Pierre De Coubertin towards reviving in 1896 the first modern Olympics. Down the historical pages of Great Britain is the Citys list of great Olympians, such as Austin Rawlinson, Steve Smith, Mary Peters and much more. Liverpool is also a host of the international Tennis Tournament that attracts great tennis maestros and big names (Liverpool City Council, Organized Sports). With a new seats arena of 10,500 enough to stage the best ever indoor sports, Liverpool has invested in sports heavily, since it is the breathing matter of the City and its environs. Another world famous racecourse in Liverpool is the John Smiths Grand National in Aintree. Innovative technology in Liverpool has not avoided the route of sports, through facilities courtesy of the Citys three main Universities. For instance, Liverpool John Moores University has a science department playing a critical role in the research and development of technology and sports technique. In such, it helps the Liverpool City Council in pioneering the Sportslinx Scheme, which is the largest program in Europe tackling issues of youth obesity.

Music
Musicians from Liverpool have been involved in the production of top singles that is not equaled by any other City across the world. The birthplace of the world famous musicians, the Beatles, as well as the forefront in the Beat music movement of the 1960s that led to the British music invasion that followed, Liverpool is known for such all time musicians as Billy J. Kramer, the Searchers, Cilla Black and Gerry and the Peacemakers (Liverpool History Society).

Liverpool has arguably transformed Great Britain in terms of culture, commerce, innovations and art more than any other city in Britain, as the Blue Plaques award suggests. It is a city carved out of success.