48 Fun Facts About Liverpool

Whose letters patent of 1207 founded the borough of Liverpool?

King John issued the letters patent in 1207, spelling the place 'Liuerpul'; the settlement stayed a minor port for centuries before Atlantic trade transformed it.

Liverpool sits on the eastern side of which river's estuary?

The Mersey estuary separates Liverpool from the Wirral Peninsula; the Queensway and Kingsway road tunnels run beneath it to Birkenhead and Wallasey.

The nickname 'Scouser' for a Liverpool native comes from what?

Scouse is short for lobscouse, a Scandinavian-rooted stew that sailors brought through the port; the word became the dominant demonym only in the mid-20th century.

Who designed the two copper Liver Birds that top the Royal Liver Building?

German-born sculptor Carl Bernard Bartels designed the two 18-foot copper birds, which were made by the Bromsgrove Guild of Applied Arts and stand on the building's clock towers.

The Liver Bird on Liverpool's coat of arms is normally depicted as which real bird?

The Liver Bird is shown as a cormorant carrying a sprig of laver seaweed in its beak, a visual pun on the city's name; the original medieval seal bird was probably an eagle.

According to local legend, what happens if the two Liver Birds mate and fly away?

Legend says the city would cease to exist if the birds flew away, which is why they face away from each other, one watching the sea and one the city; another version says they are chained down.

In which year was the Royal Liver Building officially opened?

Lord Sheffield opened the building in 1911 as the home of Royal Liver Assurance; it is one of the Three Graces on the Pier Head with the Cunard and Port of Liverpool buildings.

What global first did the Albert Dock's warehouses claim when they opened in 1846?

They were the world's first non-combustible warehouses: Jesse Hartley and Philip Hardwick built them from cast iron, brick and stone with no structural wood, and the five blocks are Grade I listed.

In which year was the Albert Dock granted a royal charter and renamed the Royal Albert Dock?

The dock became the Royal Albert Dock in 2018, when it was granted royal status; Prince Albert himself had opened it in 1846, and it now houses Tate Liverpool and the Merseyside Maritime Museum.

Which Liverpool MP was killed by a locomotive on the opening day of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway?

William Huskisson, MP for Liverpool, was struck by a locomotive on 15 September 1830 after stepping down to greet the Duke of Wellington; he became the first widely reported railway passenger fatality.

Which locomotive won the 1829 Rainhill Trials to haul trains on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway?

Rocket, built by Robert Stephenson and Company, was the only one of the five engines that turned up to complete the course, winning the £500 prize and the contract.

How old was Giles Gilbert Scott when his design for Liverpool's Anglican cathedral was chosen in 1903?

Scott was 22, an articled pupil with no completed buildings, and joked that his only work so far was a pipe-rack; the cathedral was not finished until 1978, 18 years after his death.

Which size record does Liverpool's Anglican place of worship hold?

At about 189 metres (620 feet) externally, including the Lady Chapel, Liverpool Cathedral is the longest cathedral in the world and the largest religious building in Britain.

What is the local nickname of Liverpool's Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral?

The circular 1967 building is nicknamed Paddy's Wigwam, or the Mersey Funnel; it sits on the crypt of Edwin Lutyens's abandoned 1930s design, which would have been the second-largest church in the world.

Which architect won the worldwide competition to design the present Metropolitan Cathedral?

Frederick Gibberd's design was built between 1962 and 1967, with the altar at the centre so the whole congregation faces it; the lantern glass is by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens.

In which year did UNESCO strip Liverpool of its World Heritage Site status?

UNESCO removed the Maritime Mercantile City, inscribed in 2004, from the list in 2021, only the third site ever delisted, citing dock developments including Everton's new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

Which Liverpool-based shipping company operated the Titanic?

White Star Line was headquartered at Albion House on James Street, and Titanic's port of registry was Liverpool, although she sailed from Southampton and never visited the city.

Which horse won the Grand National at Aintree in 1973, 1974 and 1977?

Red Rum, trained on Southport beach by car dealer Ginger McCain, remains the only horse to win the National three times; he is buried beside the Aintree winning post.

Which 100/1 outsider won the 1967 Grand National after a pile-up at the 23rd fence?

The horse was so far behind that jockey John Buckingham could steer around the chaos; his owner had such little faith he went to Worcester races instead.

When the Cavern Club opened on Mathew Street in 1957, what kind of music was it for?

Alan Sytner opened it as a jazz club in January 1957, modelled on the cellar clubs of Paris; the original cellar was filled in during Merseyrail construction in 1973.

How many times did the Beatles play the Cavern Club between 1961 and 1963?

The Beatles played the Cavern 292 times, from 9 February 1961 to a final show on 3 August 1963, a month after recording 'She Loves You'; Brian Epstein first saw them there in November 1961.

Liverpool is home to the oldest community in Europe of people from which country?

The first residents arrived as seamen in the 19th century, and the ceremonial gateway in Chinatown is the largest of its kind outside China.

Since 1952 Liverpool has been twinned with which German city?

Liverpool and Cologne were twinned in 1952, one of the earliest Anglo-German links, prompted by the heavy bombing both cities suffered in the Second World War.

In which year was Liverpool the European Capital of Culture?

Liverpool held the title in 2008, sharing it with Stavanger in Norway; Ringo Starr opened the year playing on the roof of St George's Hall, and the programme is credited with reviving the city centre.

Who ran the earliest ferry across the river from Birkenhead Priory to Liverpool?

The Benedictine monks of Birkenhead Priory rowed passengers across for a small fare, and Edward III granted them formal ferry rights in 1330; the priory was dissolved under Henry VIII in 1536.

Which brewer and Anfield landowner founded Liverpool FC in 1892 after Everton left the ground?

Brewer John Houlding, who owned Anfield, formed Liverpool FC in March 1892 after the FA refused to let him keep the Everton name; he led the club as president until his death in 1902.

Liverpool's first team, which beat Rotherham 7-1 in 1892, was made up entirely of players from where?

Players who came south to play in England at the time were known as the Scotch Professors.

Anfield's Kop stand is named after a hill in which country?

Spion Kop is a hill in South Africa where Lancashire regiments suffered heavy losses in a January 1900 Boer War battle; the Anfield terrace took the name in 1906.

Which club did Bill Shankly leave to become Liverpool manager in December 1959?

Shankly left Huddersfield Town, frustrated by a board that sold his best players; at Anfield he released 24 players and turned a boot store into the famous Boot Room.

Before becoming Liverpool manager in 1974, Bob Paisley had served the club in which backroom role?

Paisley was the club's self-taught physiotherapist and was said to diagnose an injury just by watching a player walk; as manager he won 20 trophies in nine seasons.

From which club did Liverpool sign Kenny Dalglish for a British record fee in 1977?

Liverpool paid Celtic £440,000 for Dalglish to replace Kevin Keegan; he scored on his league debut at Middlesbrough and on his Anfield debut against Newcastle three days later.

Who is Liverpool's all-time record goalscorer, with 346 goals in all competitions?

Ian Rush scored 346 goals over two Anfield spells either side of a season at Juventus, and also holds the records for most League Cup goals and most FA Cup final goals.

Which sponsor's logo did Liverpool wear in 1979, a first for a top-flight English club?

Liverpool's 1979 deal with Hitachi made them the first top-flight English club with a shirt sponsor, though the logo was banned from televised games; Crown Paints, Candy and Carlsberg followed.

The 1989 Hillsborough disaster happened during an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and which club?

Liverpool were playing Nottingham Forest on 15 April 1989 when 97 people died in the crush at the Leppings Lane end; the Taylor Report led to all-seater stadiums in England's top two divisions.

'You'll Never Walk Alone' was originally written for which 1945 Broadway musical?

Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote it for Carousel in 1945, where Nettie sings it to console the widowed Julie Jordan; the words are worked into the Shankly Gates outside Anfield.

Whose 1963 version of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' is played at Anfield before every home game?

Gerry and the Pacemakers took it to number one in 1963; singer Gerry Marsden, a lifelong Liverpool fan, recalled hearing the Kop sing it and realising they were singing his song.

Which Liverpool goalkeeper saved Shevchenko's penalty to win the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul?

Jerzy Dudek saved Andriy Shevchenko's kick to win the shoot-out after Liverpool, 3-0 down at half-time, scored three goals in six minutes; the comeback became the Miracle of Istanbul.

Which Milan captain scored inside the first minute of the 2005 Champions League final?

Paolo Maldini volleyed in Andrea Pirlo's free kick inside the first minute, and Hernán Crespo added two more before half-time; it was Maldini's seventh European Cup final.

What privilege did Liverpool earn by winning the European Cup for a fifth time in 2005?

Winners normally hand the trophy back after ten months; Liverpool were given the trophy every winner had lifted since 1995 and the right to wear a multiple-winner badge.

Who scored Liverpool's second goal in the 2019 Champions League final win over Tottenham in Madrid?

Substitute Divock Origi struck after 87 minutes to seal a 2-0 win, following Mohamed Salah's penalty in the second minute; Origi had also scored twice in the semi-final comeback against Barcelona.

With how many games to spare did Liverpool clinch the 2019-20 Premier League, a record?

It was the club's first top-flight title in 30 years; they finished with a club-record 99 points and equalled the record of 32 wins in a season.

What did Jürgen Klopp jokingly call himself at his first Liverpool press conference?

Klopp called himself 'The Normal One' in October 2015, a parody of José Mourinho's 'Special One' line from 2004; his pressing style was later dubbed 'heavy metal' football.

Jürgen Klopp arrived at Liverpool after managing which German club from 2008 to 2015?

Klopp managed Borussia Dortmund from 2008 to 2015, winning the Bundesliga in 2010-11 and the club's first domestic double the following year; Mainz was where he played and first managed.

Who succeeded Jürgen Klopp as Liverpool manager in 2024?

Arne Slot arrived from Feyenoord; Klopp led the Anfield crowd in chanting his name at his farewell, and the Dutchman won Liverpool's 20th league title in his first season.

From which club did Liverpool sign Mohamed Salah in 2017 for a then club-record £36.9 million?

Salah joined from Roma, where he had rebuilt his career after limited chances at Chelsea; he scored 32 league goals in his first Anfield season, then a record for a 38-game campaign.

Steven Gerrard's injury-time 35-yard equaliser in the 2006 FA Cup final came against which club?

Gerrard's strike made it 3-3 against West Ham United in Cardiff; he scored twice and Liverpool won on penalties, a year after he had been Man of the Match in the Istanbul final.

With so many families split between the clubs, what was the Everton–Liverpool derby called?

It was known as the friendly derby because families and workplaces were split between the clubs and fans were rarely segregated; in the Premier League era it has produced more red cards than any other fixture.

Anfield and Everton's old Goodison ground stood on either side of which green space?

Stanley Park lies between Anfield and Goodison Park; Liverpool once had planning permission for a new stadium in the park, but after Fenway Sports Group bought the club in 2010 they expanded Anfield instead.