ABSTRACT
TheboroughofBirkenheadwassituatedintheWirralpeninsula,ontheopposite bankoftheRiverMerseyfromLiverpool.Immediatelyadjoiningittothenorth wasthecountyboroughofWallasey.ThelargesttowninCheshire,itwasthe twenty-fourthlargestcountyboroughin1931withapopulationofjustunder 150,000.Ithadgrownrapidlyfromthe1840sduetothreemaindevelopments. First,Laird's(laterCammellLaird's)shipyardwasestablishedin1824,andgrew intooneofthelargestshipbuildersinthecountry.1Second,dockswere constructedfromthe1840s,andbecameanimportantsectionofthedocksystem controlledbytheMerseyDocksandHarbourBoard.Third,astransportlinkswith Liverpoolweresteadilyimprovedbetweenthe1840sandthe1930s,increasing numbersoftheLiverpoolmiddleclassbegantomovetothepleasanter surroundingsoftheWirralandcommutetoworkacrosstheriver.Bythe1930s, 14percentofthepopulationoftheboroughworkedinLiverpool?
