The Confederate Embassy Liverpool

It was John who told me about the confederate embassy in Liverpool, sometime last year. Today when I walked past it there were no cars parked outside. So, I managed to get a photo of it.

Apparently, the American Civil War ended in Liverpool when the last Confederate warship, the CSS Shenandoah surrendered on the River Mersey, overseen by the Royal Navy.

Back in the 19th century cotton was Liverpool’s most important cargo. Large quantities of cotton from the Southern US states were imported through Liverpool to the Lancashire cotton mills. During the war the Union blockaded the southern ports, which had serious effects on Liverpool and the Lancashire mills. Resulting in closures and mass unemployment. A fleet of Confederate blockade-runners and naval cruisers were built on Merseyside to keep try to this vital trade open.

There is more about this here and here on the Liverpool Museums website, and on this local wiki site. Well worth reading.