Incredible photos of the city celebrating Everton FC’s 1966 FA Cup win

Incredible photos of the city celebrating Everton FC's 1966 FA Cup win

David Barker, now 86, postponed his wedding for the final

Incredible photos captured 57 years ago show Liverpool city centre celebrations following Everton FC's 1966 FA Cup win.

In May that year, the Blues beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 to lift the trophy and also made history before a ball was even kicked on the day by becoming the first team to reach the FA Cup final since Bury in 1903 without conceding a single goal in the previous rounds. Originally from Knotty Ash, Dave Barker, now 86, was in Liverpool city centre the following day, May 15, 1966, with his Nikon F camera, to capture the celebrations.

After leaving school, Dave's second job at the age of 15 was as a copy boy at the Liverpool Echo before he signed up with the RAF aged 18, which started his career in telecommunications. In the early 1960s, Dave worked for the Ministry of Defence in Singapore where he met my future wife.

READ MORE: Most popular UK baby names in 1924, 1974 and predictions for 2024

READ MORE: 'Always packed' Liverpool basement bar that was 'the place to be'

Now living in Auckland, New Zealand, Dave told the ECHO: "I did not want to go back to Liverpool at that time and we planned to start a new life in New Zealand. But first I had to go back to Liverpool on my own to see family and tidy up my affairs.

"The plan was that I would return to Singapore in April 1966 where we would get married before moving on to New Zealand. But then Everton reached the FA Cup Final so wedding postponed.

"Then England reach the final of the World Cup against Germany at Wembley. Wedding postponed again! We eventually married in Singapore in October 1966 and arrived in New Zealand in November 1966 – via cargo ship! 57 years later we are still married and have two sons."

Join the Liverpool ECHO's memories and history WhatsApp community

These photos, courtesy of Dave Barker, were taken as the crowd left Lime Street after the team were welcomed home outside St George's Hall. In the images, you can also see the team presentation outside St George's Hall, as well as crowds moving down Church Street, with shops like Marks & Spencer and Littlewoods shown in the background.

In September, Dave was tidying up his garage when he found five 35mm negative albums of old Singapore and was "shocked" to find a set of negatives that did not belong there at all – his 1966 negatives taken in Liverpool. Dave said: "The two Church Street photos I had never even seen before because I had never bothered to print them because at the time I was only interested in the events outside St George's Hall and on Lime Street.

"57 years later the Church Street photos now look interesting but I can't remember what I would have climbed on to get the high viewpoint in the middle of Church Street! Those two images were the last that I took on that day as the crowds, including myself, departed from Lime Street to make our way home."

Below are 16 fascinating photos of that day in May 1966. From Everton FC fans to how the city looked at the time, these are bound to stir some memories.

Do these awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below.

Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here