The North-West from the Air

Three Graces EPW003065

A number of vessels plying their trade on the River Mersey. George's Stage and the Three Graces, Liverpool. The "Three Graces" shown here in 1920, are the Royal Liver Building (completed in 1911 with two clock towers crowned by mythical Liver Birds), the Cunard Building (completed in 1916) and the Port of Liverpool Building (completed in 1907). The landing stage at Pier Head served the transatlantic liner service. Aerofilms Collection.

© Historic England Archive

Birkenhead in 1920 EPW004029

BIRKENHEAD, Merseyside, August 1920. Aerial view. Prominent in the foreground are Queens Buildings with St James Church on its roundabout and Corporation Street. On the West Float of Wallasey Pool two Graving docks can be seen (beneath the aircraft wing) adjacent to Brassey's Canada Iron Works (where materials and rolling stock for Canada's Grand Trunk Railway were manufactured in the 1850s and 1860s) and the huge flour mills (including Ocean Flour Mills), which in the 1920s were milling more grain than anywhere else in Europe. The East Float, Mersey and Liverpool's Three Graces can be made out in the distance. Aerofilms Collection (see Links).

© Historic England

Preston Bypass EAW073974

Preston Bypass, Lancashire. Britain's first motorway under construction, photographed in November 1958. It was opened by Harold MacMillan in December. This is the north end at Broughton where the M55 now joins the M6 (M6 Junction 32). Aerofilms Collection.

© Historic England