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 and with opportunities to find out more about the work of the carters and their horses.

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.

Join us throughout the afternoon to make garlands of flowers. There will be also talks during the afternoon as follows:

• 1.30pm Arrival and welcome 

• 1.45pm Talk from Merseyside Mounted Police about the selection, training and operational duties of their magnificent horses

• 2.30pm Break

• 2.40pm Talk from curator Sharon Brown about the history behind the Working Horse Monument Project, and a tribute to former Chairman Joe Hartley

• 3.20pm Procession to decorate the Working Horse Monument and a pause to remember the Liverpool carters