TOXTETH Flashcards
LOCATION
In Inner city area of Liverpool, on banks of River Mersey
NATURAL/PAST CHARACTERISTICS
Is on banks of River Mersey
- position of river meant it was good location for fishing in Saxon era (small villages set up in 11th Century)
- good location for major port from 18th century
Had undulating land - part woodland part open area, good location for hunting ground for deer (Toxteth Park in 13th century where King John would go hunting)
Stream running through Toxteth made it ideal location for farming (could use it for irrigation) + esp in 16th century when it could be dammed + water power used from it (small scale cottage industries)
Location on west coast made good location as port/stop-off point for transatlantic slave trade in 18th century
Port grew in 18th-19th century - increase in wealth -> changed demography + changed built environment
BUILT ENVIRONMENT/PAST CHARACTERISTICS
Large Georgian houses built followed in Victorian era by more grand houses - “Georgian Quarter” became home of rich slave merchants/industrialists (18th/19th century)
(Toxteth went from being rural deer park -> large homes built)
Toxteth was also area for middle class to commute into main city during early 19th century (as time went on more houses built)
In low density open areas - “greenfield site/rural-urban fringe” middle class people would have built houses there
Growth + industrialisation of Liverpool + successful port + Liverpool became important industrial place for manufacturing -> lead to more change…
- Toxteth (1860s/70s) filled up with cheap, terraced housing for workers in docks + industry to fill demand for labour + migrants entering/getting jobs (poor conditons so went from area of middle class + low density housing to area of working class + high density - source of disease being spread quickly) - became inner-city suburb - mass industrialisation
- there was mass exodus of middle class to rural-urban fringe
DEMOGRAPHIC - TOXTETH
currently 78% white, 22% other ethnicities - reflects long history of immigration that has been steeped in Toxteth for long time - started in 18th/19th century where port influence meant that African/Chinese sailors would end up in Toxteth + stayed there so demography were descendants of these migrants
- another wave of migration from Commonwealth (from Caribbean, India, Africa) after WW2 to help rebuild England
- cities like Liverpool are hubs for economic activity + so attractive to migrants
- cheap housing + established migrant communities also attractive
- white 78% - migration within UK - Irish to Liverpool after Potato Famines
CULTURAL
Large Caribbean Christian community
Mosques (friday prayers/Eid)
Greek Orthodox Synagogue since 19th century (jewish community)
Religion reflects multicultural diversity of demography
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
Several areas in Toxteth are within 1% most deprived areas in country
Nearly 40% of children in riverside are in poverty
45% of Toxteth own car - suggests less disposable income
Less than 25% own home - lower overall wages/savings
40% students with 5A*-C GCSEs - poorly funded schools/no access to priv tuition -> poor employment opportunities
- indicates this is poor/deprived area socio-economically, lacking opportunities + wealth
Causes of why socio-economic conditons dropped (used to be successful port - since 1930s onwards there was slow decline)
Port eventually became on ‘wrong side’ of UK as business switched to link with Europe more so closer ports favoured (east of UK)n
- lead to mass deindustrialisation in 70s-80s (containerisation of ships meant less dock workers needed, Mersey too shallow for big ships, manufacturing moves abroad - loss of jobs)
Large unemployment + unrest (esp black community who were worst affected) led to Toxteth Riots 1981
Modern industries clustered in South east of UK
UK economy shifted to more tertiary + quaternary - resources + investment would shift south - LDN
POLITICAL
1/30 wards make up Liverpool city council - “Riverside ward”
National gov influence e.g Liverpool Riverside MP
Past gov influence - Merseyside Development corporation - central gov funding in 1980s - start of regeneration
Community groups also have influence e.g regeneration of 4 streets in Toxteth + offering affordable housing
Rebranding/shifting resources
Merseyside Development Corporation - successful investment, central gov funding since 1980s was trying to promote tertiary employment (museums) + was largely part of regeneration of docks + rebranding e.g European Capital of Culture in 2008
Tate Liverpool - old warehouse at docks that was regenerated + made into museum - rebranding docks as area for tourists, art, culture
- EU Investment funds given to encourage new sectors of Liverpool to economy e.g ‘low carbon sector’ - large offshore farms in Liverpool Bay + Liverpool science park established
Problem with shifting resources
Many of residents of Toxteth do not have qualifications/skills to access new service industry/knowledge economy jobs
So poses question will flow of investment + resources into city help residents of Toxteth + will they be able to make any socioeconomic change?
