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Bootle is a town in Sefton, Merseyside, North West England, within the historic borders of Lancashire. Located on the Mersey Estuary, today it forms part of the Liverpool urban area, and the town centre is situated approximately 4 miles north of Liverpool city centre. Bootle is the main administrative headquarters for the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton. The town contains the two postcode areas of L20 and L30.
The old civic centre of the town contains impressive Victorian buildings such as the Town Hall and Municipal Baths. East of this is a large area of large office blocks: to the west is the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and large areas of Docks lining the River Mersey.
To the north is the New Strand Shopping Centre, which gained notoriety after the abduction and gruesome murder of two-year-old James Bulger in 1993, a case that sparked a lot of discussion about media violence and the prosecution of minors.
History
Bootle was originally a small hamlet built near the 'sand hills' or dunes of the river estuary. The settlement began to grow as a bathing resort for wealthy residents of Liverpool in the early 19th century. Some remaining large villas which housed well-to-do commuters to Liverpool are located in the area known locally as 'Bootle Village'.
The Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway arrived in the 1840s and Bootle experienced rapid growth. By the end of the 19th century the docks had been constructed along the whole of the river front as far as Seaforth Sands to the north. The town became heavily industrialised. Bootle was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1868 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, and was granted the status of a county borough by the Local Government Act 1888 in 1889, becoming independent from Lancashire. During this time period it was sometimes formally known as Bootle cum Linacre. Orrell was added to the borough in 1905. There are still large areas of Victorian terraced houses in Bootle, formerly occupied by dock workers. These are built in distinctive pressed red brick.
The docks made Bootle a target for German bombers in World War II and approximately 90% of the houses in the town were damaged.*
After World War II large social housing estates were built inland from the town centre, including the area of Netherton which was built on New Town principles. The Liverpool Overhead Railway and Liverpool Tramways Company closure in the 50s reduced Bootle's connection to Liverpool.
The docks declined in importance in the 1960s and 1970s, and Bootle suffered high unemployment and a declining population. The establishment of large office blocks housing government departments and the National Girobank provided employment, but this was filled largely by middle class people from outside the town.
In 1974, when county boroughs were abolished, Bootle combined with towns further up the coast to form the metropolitan borough of Sefton, rather than be annexed by Liverpool, as had been suggested, for example by the Redcliffe-Maud Report. A combined Liverpool and Bootle Constabulary had been formed in 1967.
Bootle is undergoing a massive regeneration project, which has already begun with the new HSE buildings and the new look Strand Road. Many old houses are being demolished to make way for new housing projects and some regeneration projects for existing property are to begin shortly.
Place-name
Bootle derives from Old English botl 'building', although what building referred to exactly is unknown as of now. It was recorded as Boltelai in the Domesday Book in 1086.
Transport
There are two railway stations served by frequent electric services from Liverpool to Southport. These are Oriel Road near the Victorian civic centre, and New Strand, serving the Shopping Centre. A freight line, the Bootle Branch, is still in use. Sefton has pushed for the reopening of the North Mersey Branch.
The Bus Station is underneath the New Strand Shopping Centre. The town has a leisure centre, many pubs and a couple of restaurants.
Famous people
- Tom Baker, of Doctor Who fame, born in Fountains Road, Bootle
- Ste McNally: (born Stephen Patrick McNally, on 4 July 1978, in Bootle) electric guitar and vocals for pop group BBMac
- Jamie Carragher (born January 28, 1978 in Bootle, Sefton) is an English international footballer. He currently plays his club football at Liverpool F.C., where he was taken on as a trainee youngster and wears the number 23 shirt.
- Steve McManaman (born February 11, 1972 in Bootle, England) was a famous English footballer of the 1990s and early 2000s who played as a midfielder in a career that spanned two of European football's biggest club sides in Liverpool and Real Madrid.
- Tom O'Connor (born October 31, 1939 in Bootle, Merseyside) is a British comedian. He is best known for presenting game shows such as Crosswits and Gambit. His TV break came when he appeared on The Comedians. During the 1970's and 1980's he was one of the most popular faces on British TV.
- George Davies (born 1941, in Bootle) is a British fashion retailer who founded 'Next' in the 1980s and 'George at Asda' in the 1990s. Subsequently, he has also produced the successful Per Una fashion collection, launched in September 2001 at Marks & Spencer stores.
- Alvin Martin (born July 29, 1958 in Bootle) is one of West Ham United's all-time greats, a true professional respected by fans and players alike. Alvin was rejected by his local club Everton before joining West Ham United straight from school
- Roy Evans (born Bootle, Sefton, England, 4th October 1948) was a Liverpool player who eventually rose through the coaching ranks to become team manager.
- Craig Charles (born Bootle, Sefton, England, July 11, 1964) is a British actor, poet and radio and television presenter. He is best known for playing Dave Lister in Red Dwarf.
Geography
"Bootle"