The North-West from the Air Gallery

Aintree racecourse, Liverpool 20434_011

AINTREE RACECOURSE, Liverpool, Merseyside. Opened in 1829 for horse racing on the flat, steeplechasing was officially introduced in 1839, when the first Grand National was run at Aintree. Amongst National Hunt courses, fences such as The Chair, Canal Turn and Bechers Brook make Aintree amongst the most challenging. In the 1950s and 1960s, Aintree also hosted the British Grand Prix and the Aintree 200, a non-championship Formula 1 motor race. Alfonso de Portago is notable for competing in both the Grand National and Grand Prix at Aintree. There is a nine hole golf course within the circuit

© Historic England

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

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