Ringo and Liverpool: Saying goodbye to Madryn Street
Visiting Madryn Street this week it’s hard not to reflect on what a shame this, not especially because Ringo was born there, but because the streets are the kind of terraced accommodation seen throughout Liverpool, and say so much about the city.
The street – part of the Dingle ‘Welsh streets’ – is now largely abandoned, but it’s easy to imagine a time when there were few cars, plenty of kids playing football and a thriving working-class community.
It aseems more unlikely than ever that Starr’s place of birth will be saved from the bulldozers, after his rather ill-conceived remarks about what he missed about the city
It’s easy to write these notions off as a kind of false nostalgia, but I remember streets like these in Hartlepool in the early 80’s, now gone to rack and ruin with ephemeral tenants and boarded-up houses the order of the day.
They were thriving places where everyone knew everyone, people would swap gossip on a daily basis and kids ran riot. They seemed like happy places to me.
Looking at those 19th Century Madryn Street houses now it’s sad to imagine the place bulldozed to make way for identikit estate houses with their individual rubbish bins and car ports.
Madryn Street shouldn’t be saved because Ringo lived there, they should be saved because those streets as as much a part of Liverpool as The Beatles.
Comments
I agree!
I have just visited Liverpool and when I went on the Magical Mystery Tour, we passed so many rows of lovely houses like these. It broke my heart when we were told they are going to be demolished!!!
I loved them so much I wish that something could be done to save them. And I did not even grow up in this country!
I can only imagine what it must feel like for everyone who has a story or two to tell about these fantastic buildings!
Why are they being demolished? I just can’t understand it. To give way for modern apartments with no soul? It just does not make sense.
I agree but dont forget that not only did ring live here, it was also the area where Bread! WAS SITUATED AND SOME OF THE HOUSES WERE USED IN THE SERIES
My great grand father lived in this street, with his family, along way from his home of jersey he was a dock gateman, his grand father was captain jean chevalier who was harbour master at st helier jersey 1843 – 1861, who drawned in the cause of doing his job in 1861, his story is in the magizine the town crier jersey.
It is a shame , I grew up in 33 Madryn st until I was 12 and have many happy memories of playing in the street. The houses though were cold and had no bathrooms only an outside loo and no running hot water. I would have thought it was cheaper to renovate these properties rather than demolish them , that said I have no plans to return either way !
PLEASE DONĀ“T DEMOLISHED THIS HOUSE!!!
c’mon people let’s not get over sentimental about this situation. Ringo lived here for a matter of months and therefore this can hardly be deemed a house of historical significance. It’s unfortunate that it sits in a terrace that has been identified for demolision, but believe me this and other areas of the city are in desperate need of regeneration. Don’t let over-sentimentality get in the way of progress people.
yes agree these streets shouldnt be demolished
Its quite correct that theres more to the streets other than Ringo Starr once living there
i wrote a short play with Dingle Community Theatre looking at the contribution of the Welsh Builders and heritage to the area and the present day so called regeneration issues.
Yes i agree they could have been great renovated starter homes instead of the highly priced new gems that many older people in the area cannot raise mortgates for after losing out to the bulldozer
I wonder how long all these numerous bulldozed Post CPO sites of which there are many now around Liverpool will remain grassed over and undeveloped.
Still thats progress isnt it.
We are campaigning to prevent the demolition of the Welsh Streets and 9 Madryn Street in particular. Liverpool City Council have lied about the area, first Ringo lived here for FIVE years not a couple of months and secondly the majority of residents were AGAINST demolition, the Council kept having a vote until the the council got the correct result by only inviting supports of the demolition to the meetings. Send your objections to Sheridan.Scott@liverpool.gov.uk Liverpool Planning Officer andCouncil Leader Joe.Anderson@liverpool.gov.uk but don’t expect a reply.