CLICK HERE FOR STREETVIEW IMAGE OF MADRYN STREET. Ringo's house is the one facing in front. (the one not boarded up. Though it is now all sealed up.)
We have learned that 9 Madryn Street in Toxteth; Liverpool, (and indeed Madryn Street itself) the house that one Richard Starkey was born in (AKA Ringo off the Beatles.) has had a demolition notice served on it by Liverpool council. Several fans and Beatles local tour guides have formed a group called SMS (Save Madryn Street) in response, claiming it has special historic value, being where the former Beatle came into the world 70 years ago. The council disagrees. Ringo was only there for three months (though other sources say five years.). The Starkeys moved to Admiral Grove up the road, when his single mum couldn't pay the rent at Madryn Street. So its relationship with the Beatles is too tenuous to justify saving it - let alone Madryn Street. As this part of Toxteth really needs regenerating as soon as possible. The five year moratorium they put on knocking these houses down is up. So is it worth saving (IMHO.) No. But there is a small nod to sentimental preservation that could be done. So here's my take.
This part of Liverpool desperately needs something doing with it. It is just going to sit there rotting, as well as attracting arsonists and squatters. The houses are in very bad state of repair. They were reputedly cold and damp when inhabited, God knows what state they are in now? They would essentially have to be virtually rebuilt to become habitable again for regeneration. They are the kind of terraces that were lucky to have dodged the bulldozers of the 30's, never mind the and 60's to 80's, let alone now. Indeed Ringos old house has had its outer walls replaced at some later date. So is technically the same building? Demolishing the others and leaving number 9 standing alone has been proposed. Well there is questions about their structural condition from a century of damp. New building s would need new foundations excavated. Shoring up the house to modern standards would be pretty expensive, and would delay construction.
Perhaps the biggest clincher is that a lot in Liverpool are in favour of the clearance. Ringo himself has been lukewarm in supporting preserving them. He upset a lot of people by telling them not to hassle him with autobiographies. (who made you famous by the way anyway?) Liverpool is in the middle of an increase of fortune, with the Capital of culture and all. Could Toxteth follow Hulme in Manchester? Transforming a run down suburb to a more agreeable area. A new Ringo Starr road, or Starkey lane, in the site of old Madryn Street. My suggestion would be one already proposed. Preserve the facade of the house (and the Madryn Street road sign.) at the Liverpool Museum. An in situ rebuild would be really expensive and very time consuming for a really quite tenuous Beatle monument. Paying homage to Liverpools past, but thinking of the future. I can't think of an appropriate Beatles metaphor for this idea, so we'll all get by with a little help, or something.
We have learned that 9 Madryn Street in Toxteth; Liverpool, (and indeed Madryn Street itself) the house that one Richard Starkey was born in (AKA Ringo off the Beatles.) has had a demolition notice served on it by Liverpool council. Several fans and Beatles local tour guides have formed a group called SMS (Save Madryn Street) in response, claiming it has special historic value, being where the former Beatle came into the world 70 years ago. The council disagrees. Ringo was only there for three months (though other sources say five years.). The Starkeys moved to Admiral Grove up the road, when his single mum couldn't pay the rent at Madryn Street. So its relationship with the Beatles is too tenuous to justify saving it - let alone Madryn Street. As this part of Toxteth really needs regenerating as soon as possible. The five year moratorium they put on knocking these houses down is up. So is it worth saving (IMHO.) No. But there is a small nod to sentimental preservation that could be done. So here's my take.
This part of Liverpool desperately needs something doing with it. It is just going to sit there rotting, as well as attracting arsonists and squatters. The houses are in very bad state of repair. They were reputedly cold and damp when inhabited, God knows what state they are in now? They would essentially have to be virtually rebuilt to become habitable again for regeneration. They are the kind of terraces that were lucky to have dodged the bulldozers of the 30's, never mind the and 60's to 80's, let alone now. Indeed Ringos old house has had its outer walls replaced at some later date. So is technically the same building? Demolishing the others and leaving number 9 standing alone has been proposed. Well there is questions about their structural condition from a century of damp. New building s would need new foundations excavated. Shoring up the house to modern standards would be pretty expensive, and would delay construction.
Perhaps the biggest clincher is that a lot in Liverpool are in favour of the clearance. Ringo himself has been lukewarm in supporting preserving them. He upset a lot of people by telling them not to hassle him with autobiographies. (who made you famous by the way anyway?) Liverpool is in the middle of an increase of fortune, with the Capital of culture and all. Could Toxteth follow Hulme in Manchester? Transforming a run down suburb to a more agreeable area. A new Ringo Starr road, or Starkey lane, in the site of old Madryn Street. My suggestion would be one already proposed. Preserve the facade of the house (and the Madryn Street road sign.) at the Liverpool Museum. An in situ rebuild would be really expensive and very time consuming for a really quite tenuous Beatle monument. Paying homage to Liverpools past, but thinking of the future. I can't think of an appropriate Beatles metaphor for this idea, so we'll all get by with a little help, or something.
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