Bloggers of a certain age may remember the popular 1970's television programme, The Liver Birds.
As a little girl growing up in Manchester I used to watch the programme and dream about living in Liverpool in a flat with my best friend just like Beryl and Sandra - the Liver Birds.
I didn't understand the double meaning until I was much older.
The title of the programme is a pun on the slang name for a young woman and The Liver Bird is the name of a famous landmark in Liverpool where the drama was set.
Liverpool has one of the most famous waterfronts in the world and the three large buildings overlooking the River Mersey are called The Three Graces.
One of the Three Graces is The Royal Liver Building and at the top of the building are two mythical birds - The Liver Birds.
Legend has it that if they leave Liverpool the city is doomed.
Train 2000's offices, where I deliver a monthly PR workshop, has offices overlooking The Liver Building and the two birds.
Here I am standing by the window of the training room and the view from the window.
Whenever I am working for Train 2000, as I was today, I look out of the window at the two liver birds and am secretly thrilled that I am now a real (although slightly older) Liver Bird at last.
*Note: the liver is pronounced like the -iver in diver and not as in an internal organ!
8 comments:
What a great memory!
Thank you for the clarification on the pronunciation! I'm not planning a trip to Liverpool just yet, but if and when I do I'd hate to be the dopey American asking the whereabouts of the building named after an internal organ.
What a great post, learning about places I've never been.
I really like your plum cardi too!
fashionafterforty.blogspot.com
interesting piece of information!
Thanks for this, Jane. Having researched some family history, I'm now very keen to see Liverpool myself because some of my ancestors lived there. Did you see my post on the sculptor Benjamin Spence, from Liverpool? I'm fascinated to learn anything I can about this city.
Your outfit's really pretty, too. Love the colors.
I used to love Beryl and Sandra. Do you remember the theme tune?
I always get a little heart flutter when I see a picture of the Liverpool waterfront, with the three graces in the foreground and the two cathedrals in the background.
As a leaving present, some friends bought us a book of Liverpool landmarks - I often flick through it stopping at fave sites: Penny Lane, St. Lukes, The Walker, The Old Tunnel Entrance, the Town Hall, and of course, The Liver Buildings.
I'm going to think of Liverpool all day now (although, I bet I don't recognise it now all the work has been done)
Heather x
Have a great weekend.
Like the photo of you in front of the window. Don't know of the show you mention but I liked reading the bit of history.
Darla
Hi again Jane, thanks for your comment this morning on the Etsy things. If you're interested, the post about Benjamin Spence from Liverpool has just been archived. It's in the April posts--or, if you click on the category "art," it should be in there.
Benjamin's father, William, was also a sculptor in Liverpool; and my cousin just told me that we had an even older ancestor--I think around the early 1800s--who was the choirmaster at Chester Cathedral. It's really satisfying to me that I've met someone through the blog world who lives where that side of my family came from! The Internet is amazing, no?
Have a great weekend.
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