CSS ‘Alabama’ Sunk off Cherbourg

By Our American Civil War Correspondent

June 19^th 1864
Confederate steam ship Alabama was today reported sunk off Cherbourg, France.
She was attacked by the USS Kearsarge after being forced to leave port by the French authorities.
Many sailors were reported killed or injured although some were taken on board the Kearsarge and a British vessel The Deerhound which was steaming close by the action.
Many men in the long boats are thought to have fled to the French coast to avoid being taken prisoner by the Kearsarge.
The CSS Alabama had waged war on United States’ and Europe during the war between the States.
She was built in the Birkenhead shipyard of Jonathon Laird and fitted out in Liverpool. 

The USS Kearsarge in the foreground is pictured attacking the CSS Alabama off the North West coast of France. The action took place on Sunday 19th June 1864. 

The Good Ship ‘Whip

Jamboree’ Arrives in Port

By Our Maritime Correspondent

Sailors from the Good Ship ‘Whip Jamboree’ came ashore last night and headed for Dan Lowerie’s public house on the Dock Road intent on having a good time.
Police reported several arrests for drunken behaviour, gambling and fistfights and a local woman Jenny Oates was taken into custody suspected of prostitution outside the establishment.
She claimed to be selling hot cakes but Police believe she was selling considerably more than just pastries. Offenders will appear in Dale Street Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Seaman's Association Gives Advice to Members

By Our Family Affairs Correspondent

The Seaman's Institute for Care and Kindness (SICK) has advised its' members not to leave girl friends and fiancées and travel for long periods overseas.
The case of Liverpool sailor, Johnny Todd has highlighted the problem said SICK. Johnny Todd left his fiancée to satisfy his yearning to go to sea, even though she wept and begged him to stay at home.
'I always wanted to go to sea and travel and this was a great opportunity,' explained Johnny.
When Johnny returned home after nine months at sea, his fiancée had married another sailor and was expecting a child.
'I was gob-smacked, you just can't trust anybody these days. I told her in a letter that me infection would clear up in a couple of weeks once I got the right medicine but she still went and married him,' bemoaned the jilted sailor.
Johnny's ex-fiancée was not available for comment last night but her mother claimed her new son-in-law was a much nicer young man who had come home from the sea for good. 'He's bought her a real wedding ring, sheets and blankets and a gilded cradle for their new baby,' she said.
SICK has now circularised all its' members advising them to marry their partners before they leave for long sea journeys.

'Liverpool Judies' the Best in
The World - It's Official!

By Our Marine Correspondent

The Sailor's Institute for Care and Kindness (SICK) have published the results of a recent survey analysing members' likes and dislikes.
Included in a number of questions was one concerning the most popular girls in the world.
The survey revealed that 87% of sailors who returned the questionnaire preferred home town girls.
It transpires that wherever in the world the members of SICK travel the Liverpool Judies are never far from their thoughts. Even in the worst weather conditions the men gained comfort in the thoughts of a warm bed and a loveable judy back home.
Asked what thoughts were in their minds while at sea, many men cited entering the Liverpool Docks, being greeted by the fair judies of Liverpool and having a bevy and a dance in the nearest pub. Simple pleasures!

New Sociology Report Shows No Change in Liverpool

By Our Public Affairs Correspondent

A recently published report by a distinguished sociologist indicates that social distinctions in the Liverpool area have changed very little over the past fifty years. 
There is still a very strong division between the rich and the poor with the “haves” still exploiting the “have nots”. 
The lower classes still tend to be dominated and controlled through a mixture of fear and religion so that the “poor but honest” label is still prevalent. 
This ranges from the street urchin who is taught to pray for his mother and the pope to the teenager who sees football or music as the golden key to escape from his surroundings. 
This is not without foundation since the rich plethora of talent which has eminated from this area has not gone unrecognised or unexploited. 
Sadly, the report concludes, very few of the aspiring stars ever enjoy the fruits of their efforts. 
The agents, as ever, are the ultimate winners in this Mersey River race.

Infamous Street Walker Deported

By Our Court Correspondent

Maggie May, the infamous street walker has cruised down Lime Street for the last time. Judge John Dread, sentencing her at Liverpool Crown Court told her she was a menace to society and that he was deporting her to the Australian colony. Maggie was carried screaming from the Court to be taken to the prison ship SS Fagin and the long arduous voyage to the Antipodes. Maggie was arrested after a complaint from a homecoming sailor who had his wages and clothes stolen by the girl. The sailor, who asked not to be named, in case his girlfriend got to hear about the incident, told reporters that he picked Maggie up in Canning Place but when he woke all his money and clothes had gone. He was still wearing ill-fitting trousers and a shirt donated by SICK the local seaman's charity. His own clothes have never been found even though Maggie May claimed to have pawned them at Kelly's, a well known local pawn shop. 'I don't know how I'm going to explain this get-up to me bird,' the sailor said.
 

Liverpool Blues?

By Our Sports Correspondent

Word was circulating around the City today, that Liverpool FC are to change their world famous red strip for one of a sky blue shirt with matching shorts and socks. Furious Liverpool supporters have jammed the Liverpool FC switchboard all day seeking assurances that this is unfounded and is not part of the unsubstantiated rumour of a merger with neighbours Everton FC. Many overseas calls have been received from ex-pats who have picked up the rumours from the Internet. Directors of both clubs were unavailable for comment today. We were informed they were all away at an important meeting.

The Quality of Mersey Water

By Our Public Health Correspondent

The quality of water flowing down the River Mersey to the Irish Sea has long been a cause for concern. The dangerous nature of the river water was highlighted some years ago when the crew of the dredger "Leaking Sal" was forced to drink the water when their engine failed and they drifted for days from the Manchester Ship Canal to the Pier Head and Wallasey.

Had they not been saved by the inshore rescue boat and plied with much strong liquor at a local pub, the medical team who attended the drama, claimed they would have suffered severe consequences. However, today it has been announced by the Environment Agency that, for the first time in decades salmon and sea trout have returned to the river. The Agency does not recommend, however, that people should rush to drink the water, which is still somewhat short of potable quality!

Police Hunt for Missing
Local Girl

By Our Home affairs Correspondent

29th February 1965
Police are becoming increasingly concerned over the whereabouts of local Liverpool girl Lou Liverbird. She was reported missing by her boy friend over two weeks ago. Boyfriend Max Spede told The Echo, 'Everyone told me it would never last and she would leave me. The kids used to shout after us and me mates warned me it would all end in heartache. The thing is I still love her and just want to know she's OK.' Lou was last seen walking by the Mersey with another man before they both got into a car and drove away. Anyone with information is asked to contact any Police officer or Police Station.

Liverpool 'Tommies' Re-Write
'Take Me back to Dear Old
Blighty'

By Our War Correspondent

April 1915
Liverpool 'Tommies' from The Lancashire Regiment, arriving by train in London, en route for the Western Front, were heard singing alternative words to the well known marching song 'Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty'. Marching from Euston Station to transport waiting to move them to the docks, the new words mentioned many local places and made an amusing reference to the Dingle 'where all the mothers are single!' A slight exaggeration we feel!

Liverpool Poet Pete McGovern Extolled the Virtue of Liverpool

By Our Arts Correspondent

4th April 2006
Pete McGovern the well known and much lamented Liverpool poet, singer and songwriter did much to put the City on the world map.

His song 'In My Liverpol Home' extolled the many facets of Liverpool life, the sights and the sounds, the humour and pathos that go to make up our wonderful City and it's people. Recorded many times the song is still able to set feet tapping and any audience singing. The original song has been added to many times, one estimate claiming there are over thirty verses, although no one can remember them all at the same time - thankfully!

Residents of Back Buchanan Street Refuse to Move

By Our Local Affairs Correspondent

Planning Officers have issued compulsory purchase orders on a section of Victorian housing in the Back Buchanan Street area of Liverpool. The 'slum' properties are to be demolished and residents moved to new housing in Kirkby, Skelmersdale and Speke. However Jimmy O'Doyle, chairman of the local residents association has criticised the decision and demanded the householders are allowed to stay.
"Many of the people are old and infirm and rely on their neighbours for help and assistance. Our life revolves round the pub, the corner shop and the chippy and we don't want to move into high-rise flats in an area where we don't know anyone."
It is likely that the pleas will fall on deaf ears, however, as the City Council is determined to press ahead with the demolition of the slums and the improvement of the housing stock. The bulldozers are expected to start work as soon as the last residents have moved out. This will be forcibly done if necessary.

Liverpool Barrow Boy Fined

By our Court Correspondent

Liverpool barrow boy Fred 'Fingers' Smith was fined £10 at Dale Street Magistrates Court yesterday for selling fruit and vegetables from his barrow in London Road.
Prosecuting Council Nick Evans told the court, Smith had been warned several times by the Police but had persisted in flouting the Law. Smith was adept at 'fingering the scales' ensuring customers received light weight, according to the arresting Officer, WPC Anne Cuffs. Smith told the Court he would have to sell his barrow in order to pay the fine and told the Magistrates they could have a few pounds of ripe tomatoes if they met him outside the Court later. There was sustained laughter in court.

Much Loved Tune Adopted

By Our Tourism Correspondent

Liverpool Office of Tourism has adopted the well-known tune 'Galway Bay' to promote the sights visitors to the City can enjoy. Ms Jaquie Hall, spokesperson for the Office explained that a local folk group had revived a parody from the 1960's and written several new verses. 'The words describe the delights of the City so well', enthused Ms Hall. 'We hope it will be sung all over the City and maybe all over the world'. It is understood that the new version of the song was penned by 'The Mersey Wreckers' but we have been unable to locate the band despite many searches in and under the bars they are known to frequent.
 

Letters to the Editor

Home Sweet Home

Dear Sir,
I have now been in America for seven years and I miss the wonderful City of Liverpool. When I arrived in Baltimore I asked to be taken back home but nobody would pay my passage and I can't earn enough to pay it myself. I helped to build the Mersey Tunnel back in 1933 and really miss my mates. I also miss the night-life, the many nationalities and even the pigeons in Clayton Square. I know there aren't any trees or fields of waving corn and the River niffs a bit from time to time but I miss the girls with peroxide curls and seven pints of black and tan on a Friday night. I'm even prepared to bunk up with a few others at the Pier Head if I can just get home.
Could you ask your readers to send donations to -
Jimmy Riddle, c/o The Seaman's Mission, Wharf Street, Baltimore, Massachusetts, USA.
Thanks very much.
Yours missing Liverpool
Jimmy Riddle
(letter sent by pigeon post)

Obituary

SETH DAVY - 1825 - 1905
It is with great regret that we announce the passing of Seth Davy. Mr Davy was famous throughout the City for his dancing doll puppet show which he performed outside the Bevington Bush public house. Here he used to amuse the children while their parents were relaxing inside.
It had been planned to save his dolls but they had been thrown into a jowler bin and lost. The plank on which his dolls danced was stolen and we are told now holds together a local's back door!
Mr Davy will be sadly missed but we received a visit from a local lady this morning claiming that during last night's gales she swore she heard him singing again as she walked home from the pub.
More water with it next time we think!

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