A History of Liverpool

Liverpool has a long and interesting history, of 800 years. In the early 1800s, Liverpool’s docks handled over 40% of the world’s trade1. During World War II, the city was heavily bombed. After the war, Liverpool struggled more than other northern cities because it relied so much on its port industries.

Liverpool has led the way in health improvements. In the 1800s, it made big changes to improve public health. The city-built Britain’s first municipal housing in 1870 and opened centers for mothers and babies. Liverpool also had the UK’s first Medical Officer of Health, Dr. William Henry Duncan, in 1847. It continued to innovate, starting one of the first TB screening programs in 1959 and the UK’s first needle exchange program in the 1980s. More recently, it was the first city to pilot mass Covid-19 testing.

Today, Liverpool is known around the world, with culture at its heart. Its people are diverse, proud, and care about fairness and community. Over the past 20 years, Liverpool’s economy and population have grown, and this is expected to continue. The city has a younger population than many other UK cities because of its large number of students.

Still, Liverpool faces challenges. Parts of the city need rebuilding, and some older buildings and areas are empty. These problems come from past struggles, but they also bring big opportunities for change.