by Malcolm Pheby | Jul 7, 2018 | 1960s, Industry, Liverpool
Murmurs of discontent were rumbling round the Liverpool Docks during the stormy summer of 1960. Frustrated dockers went out on strike in early July demanding a cut in hours and an increase in wages – and the city’s seafarers soon followed suit. The seamen wanted their...
by Malcolm Pheby | Jun 23, 2018 | 1960s, Liverpool, Transport
For a few brief months in 1962, the Wirral made history as the location of the world’s first ever passenger hovercraft service. The Vickers VA3 was a wonder of modern engineering. It weighed 10 tons and could carry 24 passengers at speeds of up to 60 knots. It was...
by Malcolm Pheby | Jun 16, 2018 | 1950s, Liverpool, Sport
He may have been born on the banks of the Cross River in Calabar, Nigeria, but world boxing champion Hogan ‘Kid’ Bassey was proud to call Liverpool his home. One of five children, Okon Bassey Asuquo already held the West African and Nigerian bantamweight titles when...
by Malcolm Pheby | Jun 9, 2018 | Liverpool
It was hard to believe it was the 15th of July when the cars lined up for the 1961 British Grand Prix at the Aintree circuit. The skies were solid grey and the heavens had opened just 15 minutes before the start of the 225 mile race over a gruelling 75 laps....
by Malcolm Pheby | Jun 2, 2018 | Liverpool, Music
Forget about the Spice Girls and Sugababes – back in the 1960s two Merseyside bands blazed the trail for girl power! Their names may not be so familiar now, but the Vernons Girls and Three Bells aimed to be the All Saints and Atomic Kittens of their day! The...
by Malcolm Pheby | May 26, 2018 | 1960s, Industry, Liverpool
Thanks to the movie Made in Dagenham, everyone remembers the 1968 Ford sewing machinists’ strike for the 187 women who walked out in Essex. But 195 women at the Halewood car plant went on strike too! Much less is written or heard about them. But their fight for fair...
