A man renovating an old property on Bold Street uncovered what was said to be "one of the greatest finds in Liverpool city centre."
Back in 2001, businessman Jeff Pearce was in the process of renovating his fashion store, Jeffs, on Bold Street when he stumbled on an amazing discovery. Jeff had started out selling womens' clothes from a stall at Paddy's Market on Great Homer Street with his wife, Gina.
The couple then moved on to bigger things with city centre stores and a fashion label. It was while refurbishing the basement of the Bold Street property that the amazing discovery was made.
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In an interview published on the BBC's website, Jeff recounts the events of the day: "I had about eight men working with me in the basement in the dark and there was this little hole that kept appearing on the floor over a period of three or four days.
"I was convinced it was a little rat hole, but it wouldn’t fill in. I made it bigger and shone the torch down and all I could see for 35, 40 feet was water.
"The following morning inspectors for the Building Regulations came from the Liverpool Corporation. They said they didn't like the look of it and it would be best filled in."
Not convinced, Jeff made a phone call to Liverpool Museum, not expecting to be met with the startling response to his discovery; he was told it was "one of the greatest finds in Liverpool city centre." It turned out, Jeff had stumbled on a 240-year old well shaft dating back to the 17th century.
Archaeologists spent three weeks in the shop's basement, where Jeff said they uncovered other historical items including clay pipes and porcelain. Experts told the shop owner it was likely built when Bold Street was still a field and the well was purely for drinking purposes.
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The water is supplied by little channels and takes years travelling through sandstone purifying itself along the way. Back in the 18th century, Bold Street was used as a ropewalk - a long thin area of land used in the manufacture of rope.
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They used to measure the rope from the top of the street to the bottom because it was the standard length needed for sailing ships. Bold Street takes its name from Jonas Bold, a slave merchant, sugar trader and banker, who became Mayor of Liverpool in 1802.
Bold Street now houses an eclectic mix of mostly independent shops and restaurants from every culture and ethnic group. Following the discovery, Jeff went about building the well on his shop floor leading down to the shaft.
He said: "When people look over, they expect to look about four feet down. When they see it's forty feet down, their breath goes and they think they're going to fall in."
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Jeff eventually sold up and moved out of the Bold Street shop. But the well is still a feature inside vintage fashion boutique, Soho's, who have occupied the premises ever since.
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