The name Toxteth is believed to be derived from the Norse ‘Toc’s teth’ – meaning farm or homestead – and is also found in other Liverpool place names such as Croxteth and Bixteth (which now only survives as a street name in the City Centre).
Mentioned in the Domesday Book (q.v.), Cromwell’s troops are believed to have been billeted there (q.v.), specifically at the Ancient Chapel of Toxteth which remains one of the city’s oldest surviving buildings – it celebrates 400 years next year.
In Victorian times it was the most exclusive suburb of Liverpool, as evidenced by the huge mansions around and leading to Princes Park and Sefton Park, which were surrounded by high density terraced streets for workers in the nearby docks.
Popular rumour has it that one Adolf Hitler lived in Toxteth with his brother in 1912-13 – although it is fact that his brother did live on Stanhope Street, there’s no evidence that Adolf ever resided there.
Toxteth is probably the most multi-cultural area of Liverpool and is home to arguably one of the UK’s finest soul bands, The Real Thing. If your only knowledge of them is “You to me are everything” and “Can You Feel the Force?” then I would strongly recommend tracking down a copy of their “Four from Eight” LP from the late 70s.
Despite this rich history, you’ll probably only know the name – and I’d guess the only reason it is mentioned in this song – from a few days of rioting 36 years ago.
PS I think your image (now replaced – Ed) shows Elswick Street, the location for the Carla Lane (qv) ‘comedy’ Bread. That’s actually in the neighbouring area of the Dingle, rather than Toxteth. They share a postcode (L8) so are frequently lumped together in the media.
(Fair point, GWA. Although I guess Dingle is in the larger Toxteth area. So to encourage even further pedantic bickering, I’ve posted a map above instead. – Ed)
6 April 2017
dr desperate
According to the Daily Mirror Book of Facts, holds the world record for stuffing marshmallows up one nostril (604).
6 April 2017
paul f
It was a very British riot. At one point there was a ceasefire as the flames were getting close to an old people’s home. So they all stopped for a bit and the rioters helped the police evacuate the home so the riot could continue (relatively) safely.
Oily rocky black from Granby St. Back in the day, don’t touch the stuff now.
6 April 2017
hendrix-tattoo
Birthplace of Ringo Starr and Lennon’s old man.
6 April 2017
Cream cheese and chives
My late father in law was a GP who lived there. He was coming home from work when the rioters stopped him. They let him get his medical bag out of his car before they torched it on Upper Parliament Street. Is a doctor without his bag desperate?
GOK WAN ACOLYTE
The name Toxteth is believed to be derived from the Norse ‘Toc’s teth’ – meaning farm or homestead – and is also found in other Liverpool place names such as Croxteth and Bixteth (which now only survives as a street name in the City Centre).
Mentioned in the Domesday Book (q.v.), Cromwell’s troops are believed to have been billeted there (q.v.), specifically at the Ancient Chapel of Toxteth which remains one of the city’s oldest surviving buildings – it celebrates 400 years next year.
In Victorian times it was the most exclusive suburb of Liverpool, as evidenced by the huge mansions around and leading to Princes Park and Sefton Park, which were surrounded by high density terraced streets for workers in the nearby docks.
Popular rumour has it that one Adolf Hitler lived in Toxteth with his brother in 1912-13 – although it is fact that his brother did live on Stanhope Street, there’s no evidence that Adolf ever resided there.
Toxteth is probably the most multi-cultural area of Liverpool and is home to arguably one of the UK’s finest soul bands, The Real Thing. If your only knowledge of them is “You to me are everything” and “Can You Feel the Force?” then I would strongly recommend tracking down a copy of their “Four from Eight” LP from the late 70s.
Despite this rich history, you’ll probably only know the name – and I’d guess the only reason it is mentioned in this song – from a few days of rioting 36 years ago.
PS I think your image (now replaced – Ed) shows Elswick Street, the location for the Carla Lane (qv) ‘comedy’ Bread. That’s actually in the neighbouring area of the Dingle, rather than Toxteth. They share a postcode (L8) so are frequently lumped together in the media.
(Fair point, GWA. Although I guess Dingle is in the larger Toxteth area. So to encourage even further pedantic bickering, I’ve posted a map above instead. – Ed)
6 April 2017
dr desperate
According to the Daily Mirror Book of Facts, holds the world record for stuffing marshmallows up one nostril (604).
6 April 2017
paul f
It was a very British riot. At one point there was a ceasefire as the flames were getting close to an old people’s home. So they all stopped for a bit and the rioters helped the police evacuate the home so the riot could continue (relatively) safely.
6 April 2017
bobbysvarc
Probe Plus (PP2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDcwe8k5jfk
6 April 2017
WARDEN HODGES
Oily rocky black from Granby St.
Back in the day, don’t touch the stuff now.
6 April 2017
hendrix-tattoo
Birthplace of Ringo Starr and Lennon’s old man.
6 April 2017
Cream cheese and chives
My late father in law was a GP who lived there. He was coming home from work when the rioters stopped him. They let him get his medical bag out of his car before they torched it on Upper Parliament Street. Is a doctor without his bag desperate?
9 October 2018