1887

From Wikipedia: At the end of her cable-laying career [1878] she was refitted once again as a liner but once again efforts to make her a commercial success failed. She was used as a showboat, a floating palace/concert hall and gymnasium. She acted as an advertising hoarding—sailing up and down the Mersey for Lewis's Department Store, who at this point were her owners, before being sold. The idea was to attract people to the store by using her as a floating visitor attraction. By the time she was sold piecemeal at auction in 1888 she had become an embarrassment.

Thank you for the photo. So sad to see her in that state.

From PortCities : Eventually, in 1885, the unwanted hulk was hired by Lewis's department store in Liverpool. The store wanted to use her as a music hall, fun fair and a giant advertising billboard. The tired old screw engines were coaxed into powering the ship to the River Mersey, where it was opened to the public at a shilling (5 pence) a head. After exhibition trips to Dublin and the River Clyde, which did not make much money at all, the Great Eastern returned to the River Mersey in 1888.

great photo and unusual end use!

From History of the Atlantic Cable & Undersea Communications : By the time the Great Eastern reached Liverpool the port side facing Birkenhead carried the slogan ‘LADIES SHOULD VISIT LEWIS’S BON MARCHE CHURCH STREET’, while on the starboard side facing Liverpool: Towards the stern: LEWIS’S ARE THE FRIENDS OF THE PEOPLE Lewis’s name was painted in 30 feet high letters. Towards the bows: RANELAGH STREET LEWIS’S BON MARCHE LIVERPOOL BASNETT STREET MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, BIRMINGHAM On the paddle box: THE BON MARCHE LIVERPOOL

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Cigarette Cards, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

Harry Wright originally was the star of the first pro team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings of 1869.

Taken by Pall Mall Gazette journalist Henry Norman the day after Widow MacNamara's eviction. The first sheriff, called McMahon, had turned up with a large force several days earlier but had epileptic fit and the police withdrew. The tenants saw this as divine intervention and made this effigy of him. Incidentally the title was attributed by Norman to a photo he took of Michael Davitt and two priests, full term: "the firebrands, lay and clerical".

Taken on or around June 2nd, 1887.

The Bodyke evictions have been well and truly covered in other posts and on other shots. You can just see Canon Hannon in this one, he was very much the ringleader though he insisted on no violence and intervened when he felt the tenants were getting too hot under the collar. Great shot and a very interesting story!

Swordscookie Sorry, Sean. Don't mean to be a slave driver - just having a good old tidy up, and was astonished that there'd never been a comment on this one. :)

creepy looking thing that is.