Remembering the Liverpool carters

For more than 250 years horses had a regular presence on our streets. Liverpool carters and their horses even kept supply lines open during two World Wars. Their contribution to the city’s economy was considerable.

By the 1960s horses had largely disappeared from the streets of Liverpool, but displays in our Great Port gallery keep alive the memory of their important work.

We like to maintain the colourful May Day tradition, when carters would decorate their horses and parade through the city, with craft activities for families at our museum.

We’ll end the afternoon by decorating 'Waiting' the Monument to the Working Horse with the garlands we’ve made, and honour the memory of this proud profession and these loyal horses.

There will be talks during the afternoon as follows:

• 1.30pm Arrival and welcome 

• 1.40pm Talk: ‘They had no choice’ – curator Sharon Brown talks about the animals that worked in the First World War

• 2.20pm Break for tea,coffee and making flowers

• 2.40pm Talk: All dressed up – Liverpool Carters on parade, with curator Sharon Brown

• 3.15pm Gather flowers and process to the monument (weather permitting)