Albert Dock and its History
© Tate
Tate Liverpool is situated at Albert Dock, amongst the largest group of Grade 1 listed buildings in Britain. The Docks was opened in 1846 by Prince Albert who gave them its name. The architect was the Yorkshire engineer, Jesse Hartley. The complex was registered in 1952 as the largest group of Grade 1 Listed buildings in Britain.
The Merseyside Development Corporation (MDC) was founded and one of their chief aims was the renovation of the docklands. Tate Liverpool was incorporated into the MDC scheme which converted the Albert Dock to accommodate the Merseyside Maritime Museum (now part of the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside) as well as shops, offices and apartments.
Hartley’s greatest achievement was the expansion of the Docks from 45 to 210 acres and the introduction of a closed-dock system, the Albert Dock being the prototype. The system allowed Liverpool to cope with the vast increase in trade in the nineteenth century. The entire Albert Dock complex stretches for seven acres and warehouses were used to store tea, silk, tobacco and spirits from the Far East.