The Idea of North Part 3 - The Middle Passage

The Church of St. Robert Bellarmine, Bootle. Anyone pointing out the history of Bellarmine might be called Woke and we can't be having that, but I heard he was involved in the Inquisition. Sorry if I am wrong Robert. I have it on good authority that I was Christened, had my Holy Communion, and did my Confirmation at this Church. I recall the last two. My parents were married here too. The tower was apparently the highest point in Bootle during the Blitz and was used as a lookout. Not had this verified though. The sun retreats to the west behind the tower. Fences keep people out. Although a critic of organised religion there is something beautiful about these places, and the idea of them.

Harris Drive behind and ahead. Orrell Road to left and right. On corner of St. Robert Bellarmine's Church. Greenery consumes a streetlight. People call this roundabout the 'funny' roundabout, as there is nothing else like it around. Two turns provided, two others require full circumference hugging. Quirky. The white van was where the old phone box used to be. Kids don't seem to hang around on streets any more. I don't know if this is a good thing or not.

Once, and still known as "Silcock's" Playing Fields, Orrell Mount Park is full of green field and bulging trees. My dog used to go in at one end and emerge ten or so minutes later at the far end. In winter it is skeletal and bare. Now used by dog walkers mainly but used to have football goals and pitches and all kinds of sport back in the day. Was nearly used as all weather football pitches but was swerved due to local opposition and direct action. My friends and I used to play football here every day back in the day. When we had knees and backs that worked.

Early Saturday evening. Shops shut. Bin leaning to whisper at the weeds. Midnight Delivery Desserts Bar used to be a video shop, where you hired videos to watch films on a Video Player. Sounds like something medieval these days. There used to be a film night back in the late 80s or early 90s and the lights above the shop would be lit up late on a Friday or Saturday night. You could see it from my family home.

Orrell Road Shops. Used to be rammed these shops. Rammed. Saturday would mean old ladies and families shopping. Now it is the definition of minimalism. All the shops are open along this road though. The internet and the supermarket and the car and the cost of living keep these shops quiet. Where are the people now. As Sitting Bull once said, 'When I was a boy, the Sioux owned the world. The sun rose and set on their land; they sent ten thousand men to battle. Where are the warriors today? Who slew them? Where are our lands? Who owns them?'

My dog used to enter on the right here, emerging at the far end later, as discussed above. The Church used to dominate this view, but summer and time mean the trees compete more each year. We need more spaces like this. Parks. We need houses too, but not on green areas surely.