Pitt Street was one of the original electoral wards in Liverpool, established under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. It elected three councillors and was part of the city’s internal divisions until the reorganisation of wards in 1895.
Overview Pitt Street ward was established on 1 November 1835, when Liverpool was first divided into 16 wards. It participated in Liverpool City Council elections during the 19th century. On 31 October 1895, the original set of wards were reorganised, and many were abolished or restructured. Pitt Street was one of those that ceased to exist in its original form at that time.
Pitt Street ward covered the area around Pitt Street in Central Liverpool, which includes what was once a dense urban area close to the docks. The area had a mixed population, including immigrant communities, boarding houses, and shops. Over time, the street and surrounding neighbourhood became known for poorer housing and overcrowding. The living conditions were reported in various 19th- and early-20th-century sources to be quite difficult.
Pitt Street is historically linked with Liverpool’s Chinese community. Many Chinese-run boarding houses, laundries, restaurants, etc., were located around Pitt Street. It was one of the focal areas for Chinatown early on. There was a Pitt Street Wesleyan Chapel, one of the older Methodist chapels in Liverpool, which was rebuilt and served the area; it was part of the South Circuit of chapels.
Elections
1835
Polling place : At two compartments in the South Free School in Park-lane.
1836
1837
1838
Time Hugh Hornby Thomas Toulmin Votes % Votes % 10:00 57 49% 60 51% 11:00 113 53% 100 47% 12:00 113 13:00 167 56% 131 44% 14:00 172 55% 140 45% 15:00 194 55% 156 45% 16:00 210 56% 166 44%
1839
1840
Time Thomas Toulmin William Rathbone Votes % Votes % 10:00 75 57% 56 43% 11:00 105 56% 84 44% 12:00 135 54% 115 46% 13:00 149 53% 134 47% 14:00 164 53% 146 47% 15:00 170 51% 164 49% 16:00 189 50.1% 188 49.9%
1841
1842
Time William Fawcett John Taylor Votes % Votes % 10:00 51 57% 39 43% 11:00 76 56% 60 44% 12:00 87 57% 66 43% 13:00 107 56% 83 44% 14:00 138 54% 116 46% 15:00 160 52% 145 48% 16:00 190 53% 171 47%
1843
Polling Place : The Committee-room of the South Corporation School, in Park-lane.
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
Polling Place : The Committee-room of the South Corporation School, in Park-lane.
Thomas Robinson was a pro-rater.
1849
Thomas Toulmin was opposed to the Rivington Pike water scheme.
1850
1851
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856
1857
1858
Polling Place : The Committee room of the South Corporation School, in Park Lane.
1859
Time Walter Powell Jeffreys James Steel Votes % Votes % 10:00 53 54% 45 46% 11:00 114 55% 95 45% 12:00 141 54% 121 46% 13:00 173 56% 136 44% 14:00 181 55% 149 45% 15:00 203 54% 170 46% 16:00 209 55% 174 45%
1860
1861
1862
1863
1864
Time John Rimmer William McMillen Votes % Votes % 11:00 107 49% 111 51% 11:30 135 52% 123 48% 12:00 154 52% 141 48% 12:30 166 53% 147 47% 13:00 183 53% 165 47% 13:30 183 53% 165 47% 14:00 192 53% 171 47% 15:00 210 52% 192 48% 15:30 214 52% 195 48% 16:00 216 52% 197 48%
1865
1866
1867
1868
1869
1870
1871
1872
1873
1874
1875
1876
1877
1878
1879
1880
1881
1882
1883
1884
1885
1886
1887
1888
1889
1890
1891
1892
1893
1894
References