Cunard Buildings (Basements,War Bunkers,and rooftop) - liverpool - sep 2010

[georgie]

The Cunard Building was the third building to be constructed at the Pier Head on the site of the former George's Dock. Located between Brunswick Street and Water Street the plot was acquired by the Cunard Steamship Company in 1914 as a site for the company's headquarters.

Construction of the building continued through World War I with completion in 1917. The freize around the upper part of the building is carved with shields of WWI allied countries.

Built in the Italian Renaissance style the building is constructed of reinforced concrete clad in Portland Stone with an Italian marble clad corridor on the ground floor. Marble from the same Italian quarry being obtained in recent years to refurbish the building's lift cars.

The building is now owned by The Merseyside Pension Fund with accommodation let to a variety of business and government tenants as well as providing conference facilities which are available for hire. However, much maritime memorabilia remains whilst the building accommodates around 1200 employees. Whilst the building was in the ownership of the Cunard Steam Ship Company, the ground floor provided public facilities including booking offices and waiting facilities for first class passengers.


easily got to be one of the best things ive seen/explored in liverpool to date this place was a pure mini museum with letters of correspondence to the queen,shipping logs,safe keys etc etc far to many to mention...this place had it all and not to mention the war bunkers ,that just topped it...and of course a little look up on the roof

visited with kevsy21





first place we came to was this long corridor the basement store rooms now used to store documents for the different companies that use the building.
right through the middle lies a concreted over narrow gauge railway track this was used to move heating coal and passenger baggage from entrance hatches on the Strand.



at the bottom and through a set of double doors lies a side door,inside lies part of the remainig george's dock wall (this is facing the strand side of the building) the white stuff is sea salt residue



just near to this also is the remains of the first class passenger access only the stairs remain the rest was covered up



multi faith prayer rooms,this was located just before the secure vault room



next the secure vault rooms ,this room was used to store passengers baggage that was of some value



the best part for me was this..a vault containing various items from when the building was in use as the cunards headquaters..what was inside was simply unbelievable...what a cracking lot they were



wow wtf kev get in here and see this..a desk in the middle of the room had a seal stamper and ship key box with various items in,also at the other end letters in a tray recovered dating from 1936 and a shipping log in the middle



shipping log



this was inside the ship key box on the table,a letter with an original cunard seal on it



letters in the tray on the desk (moran towing & transportation co ltd new york)



film reel couldnt work out what this was for



various ship keys line a rack on the wall from cunard ships



other stuff recovered,various paintings,and letters relating to queen mary



other paintings and also various letters and tickets and luggage notes.....it would take days to read through all the stuff in this room



ohh and not forgetting a bar of cunard soap...this was something i didnt expext to see it was quite a surprise



various books also recovered...a few books to mention were municipal buildings preston (foundations and drains) 1930
also walker art gallery quantities and dimensions volume 1+2 mainly all architecture books



leaving the vault room behind we headed for the luggage storage rooms











various ruggage racks with different ship name labels still attached to them..various liner documents now rest in these racks





next stop was the war bunkers..this was the first thing we was graced with...control hq


beyond the lit up area it was totally dark and damp torches at the ready....

[georgie]

after that we headed for the roof...after passing this room