Kevsy21
01-09-2010, 07:17 PM
The Cunard Building is a Grade II* listed building located in Liverpool, England. It is sited at the Pier Head and along with the neighbouring Liver Building and Port of Liverpool Building is one of Liverpool's Three Graces, which line the city's waterfront.
It was designed by William Edward Willink and Philip Coldwell Thicknesse and was constructed between 1914 and 1917. The building's style is a mix of Italian Renaissance and Greek Revival, and its development has been particularly influenced by Italian palace design.
The building was, from its construction until the 1960s, the headquarters of Cunard Line, and the building retains the name of its original tenants. It was also home to Cunard's passenger facilities for trans-Atlantic journeys that departed from Liverpool.
One of the most notable features of the Cunard Building are the large basement and sub-basement levels that initially acted as storage facilities for both the Company's property and also the luggage of passengers. Coal was also stored in the basement, with a small railway track providing a link to the boiler room, which was used to heat the building. Many original features of the basement still exist, including the timber baggage racks, ship logs and other maritime documents. Several secure vaults, which in the past were used to store the most valuable passenger items, are still used today to hold historic documents, drawings and blueprints relating to the Cunard Building and also some of Cunard's Liners, such as the RMS Queen Mary.
Visited with Georgie.
This was not an official tour.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1849.jpg
Basement store rooms.The railway track ran down the centre of the corridor.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1668.jpg
George's Dock Wall,part of the original dock the building was built over.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1650.jpg
The secure vaults room, each one sealed by a safe door - where valuable passenger luggage would be stored.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1678.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1735.jpg
One of the vaults contained loads of memorabilia.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1687.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1705.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1730.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1721.jpg
Original Cunard White Star soap
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1714.jpg
The general baggage and stores area located just beyond the vaults.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1757.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1743.jpg
Some of the racks still retain the names of the ships which served Liverpool.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1771.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1755.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1753.jpg
The sub-basement of the Cunard Building was utilised throughout the Second World War as an air raid shelter for not only the occupiers of the building, but also the staff of the adjacent office buildings. The original signs are still visible along the reinforced steel joist’s which were installed to add to the strength of the shelter.
The shelter covers the full length and width of the sub basement.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/SAM_0692.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1782.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1776.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1778.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1783.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1837.jpg
It was designed by William Edward Willink and Philip Coldwell Thicknesse and was constructed between 1914 and 1917. The building's style is a mix of Italian Renaissance and Greek Revival, and its development has been particularly influenced by Italian palace design.
The building was, from its construction until the 1960s, the headquarters of Cunard Line, and the building retains the name of its original tenants. It was also home to Cunard's passenger facilities for trans-Atlantic journeys that departed from Liverpool.
One of the most notable features of the Cunard Building are the large basement and sub-basement levels that initially acted as storage facilities for both the Company's property and also the luggage of passengers. Coal was also stored in the basement, with a small railway track providing a link to the boiler room, which was used to heat the building. Many original features of the basement still exist, including the timber baggage racks, ship logs and other maritime documents. Several secure vaults, which in the past were used to store the most valuable passenger items, are still used today to hold historic documents, drawings and blueprints relating to the Cunard Building and also some of Cunard's Liners, such as the RMS Queen Mary.
Visited with Georgie.
This was not an official tour.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1849.jpg
Basement store rooms.The railway track ran down the centre of the corridor.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1668.jpg
George's Dock Wall,part of the original dock the building was built over.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1650.jpg
The secure vaults room, each one sealed by a safe door - where valuable passenger luggage would be stored.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1678.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1735.jpg
One of the vaults contained loads of memorabilia.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1687.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1705.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1730.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1721.jpg
Original Cunard White Star soap
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1714.jpg
The general baggage and stores area located just beyond the vaults.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1757.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1743.jpg
Some of the racks still retain the names of the ships which served Liverpool.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1771.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1755.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1753.jpg
The sub-basement of the Cunard Building was utilised throughout the Second World War as an air raid shelter for not only the occupiers of the building, but also the staff of the adjacent office buildings. The original signs are still visible along the reinforced steel joist’s which were installed to add to the strength of the shelter.
The shelter covers the full length and width of the sub basement.
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/SAM_0692.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1782.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1776.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1778.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1783.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu312/Kevsy21/Cunard%20Buildings%20Basements/DSCF1837.jpg