News | Royal Visit to Lancashire

The royal train pulls into Lime Street station and crowds of jubilant Liverpudlians throng the streets as Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh make their way to the docks for the opening of a new lock. A reception at the town hall follows and then a visit to Liverpool's new cathedral. Manchester played host the following day with a civic tour and a factory visit, which topped off the busy programme of events.

In 1901, a decision was taken at Liverpool Town Hall to build a new Anglican cathedral. The architect Giles Gilbert Scott won the design competition and construction started in 1904. Gilbert Scott placed the last stone on the tower of the cathedral in 1942, but the building wasn't ready for its completion ceremony until 1978, after work on the nave in the 1960s.

Both Liverpool and Manchester were part of Lancashire until 1974 when, thanks to the 1972 Local Government Act, the counties of Merseyside and Greater Manchester were created.