Birkenhead in historic gazetteers

Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887). John Bartholomew

Birkenhead, mun. and parl. bor. and seaport town, Cheshire, opposite Liverpool, on the left hank of the Mersey, 13 miles NNW. of Chester, and 194 miles from London by rail, 3849 ac., pop. 84,006; 2 Banks, 2 newspapers. Market-days, Wednesday and Saturday. It is of modern growth, its prosperity being due to its large docks, and has wide and regular streets, with many fine buildings, and an extensive public park. It possesses a free public library, and a theological college (St Aidan's) for the training of students as clergymen for foreign missions. The water supply is derived from abundant springs within the bor. itself, the water being forced, by pumping, into reservoirs built on the heights of the town. Its chief industries are shipbuilding and machinery mfr. Communication with Liverpool is kept up by fine large steamboats plying from each side of the River every 10 minutes, and has been further improved by the Mersey Tunnel Ry. (The shipping statistics are included in those of the port of Liverpool.) Birkenhead was made a parl. bor. in 1861, and a mun. bor. in 1877. It returns 1 member to Parliament.