Unforgettable giant estate stood in Liverpool city centre for just 50 years
It was a landmark in Liverpool
Generations will remember the giant estate that once stood in Liverpool city centre for just 50 years.
And these brilliant images, recently rediscovered from our archives, offer a glimpse into life there in years gone by. Although it was home to hundreds of families through the decades, Gerard Gardens wasn't flattened until quite recently in the late 1980s.
But it remains one of the lost estates in Liverpool that has a legendary, almost mythic status in the city's history, the Liverpool ECHO previously reported. The inspiration for the design of Gerard Gardens was the Karl Marx Hof development in Vienna and people who lived or grew up there still have fond memories of the sprawling estate, and are fiercely proud of their roots.
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Designed and built in the 1930s by architect Sir Lancelot Keay, the site faced what is now the main building of Liverpool John Moores University.
Here, we take a look back at life at Gerard Gardens in years gone by with these photos from our archives Mirrorpix and beyond.
For beautiful, historic images from the past have a look at memorylane.co.uk/ and see what you can discover
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Gerard Gardens, newly opened in 1937
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An imposing entrance. Members of the Liverpool council and corporation officials plus members of the public, photographed entering Gerard Gardens during a visit organised by the Liverpool housing department. September 17, 1937
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Picture from circa 1936 at Gerard Gardens, Lionel House. It was a predominately Catholic area, and the apartments would be decorated for the May procession, in reverence of the Virgin Mary
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King's Regiment soldiers at the start of a march near Gerard Gardens through Liverpool City Centre. May 18, 1962
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A group of youngsters playing outside the city's Gerard Gardens tenements in the 1960s. The flats were demolished in 1987
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Gerard Gardens 1966 from The Streets and Tenements off Scottie Road DVD
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This lovely old photograph shows Gerard Gardens back in 1967.
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Entrance to Gerard Gardens, Christian Street, Liverpool. Circa 1970s.
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Gerard Gardens, Liverpool, 1973
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Happy times for children growing up at Gerard Gardens in Liverpool
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Firemen tackling a blaze at Gerard Gardens, the fire involved a top floor flat and soon spread to the roof, but was quickly brought under control. Circa 1980s
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Dora Molloy, a resident of Gerard Gardens, a tenement block in Liverpool city centre. January 22, 1986
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Gerard Gardens, Liverpool, 1986
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Gerard Gardens on August 7, 1986
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Mr Leonard Boffey at his home in Gerard Gardens, a tenement block in Liverpool city centre. Designed and built in the 1930s by Architect, Sir Lancelot Keay. June 25, 1987
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Mrs Katie Williams ex-resident of Gerard Gardens who has now been re-housed to a new home in nearby St Joseph's Close. She and her neighbours had chosen to stay in Gerard Gardens until they were offered houses near to each other, which has now happened. Gerard Gardens was a tenement block in Liverpool city centre. Designed and built in the 1930s by Architect, Sir Lancelot Keay. October 30, 1987
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