Announcement Date: August 4, 2012
EASY UNDERGROUND – Joseph Williamson lived from 1769 to 1840. He came from a poor family to work in Liverpool and found a job with Thomas Moss Tate, a tobacco merchant. He worked hard, did well for himself and married into the boss’s family. In 1818, Joseph Williamson was rich enough to retire and he bought land and houses in Edge Hill. His Mason Street house was built on solid sand-stone and Williamson started from his cellars and carved out underground rooms, a banqueting hall and a maze of passages stretching for miles. One reason for doing this was to provide employment and an income for poor men of the area. Unemployment was high
because of the Napoleonic Wars. “The Friends of Williamson’s Tunnels” have been able to unearth only a minute part of Williamson’s underground kingdom; but are full of plans for future developments.
