The first significant date in the seaport's history is 1207 when King John of England granted a charter for the town. Before then it was known only by its handful of inhabitants and such was it's obscurity, despite the proud ownership of a Castle, the 'Pool' as it was known is not even recorded in the Domesday Book. The original naming of the town is still unconfirmed and remains open to speculation.

The Pool itself was a long creek which ran from near the existing Pier Head through Canning Place along Paradise Street and up to the entrance to the Queensway Tunnel.

The first census of Liverpool was taken in 1272, when the population was 840. The growth of the town was slow and even by 1558 it's population was just 500. The town emerged as a port at about this time and over a hundred years later in 1658, Liverpool was recognized as a Customs port. The town was now trading heavily with Ireland and other parts of Britain. Liverpool ships were also beginning to embark on trading journeys to Europe and Mediterranean countries.

Towards the end of the 17th Century, it was decided that the pool would have to be expanded to accommodate the growing trade which was now as far afield as the West Indies. Thomas Steers was brought in to create a dock to enclose the waters of the pool and therefore, cut off the tidal flow. The dock was opened in 1715 and it was then that Liverpool became a major international port. As a result, the town itself expanded as did it's population.

In the 18th Century, Liverpool became one of the busiest slave-trading ports on the Atlantic. With landowners and merchants financing the shipping ventures, the town's ships accounted for over 40% of the European slave trade from Africa to the New World. As a result, Liverpool prospered until the voyages stopped in 1807 when England abolished it's involvement with the evil trade.

By this time, Liverpool was known as 'The Port of a Thousand Ships' and the town continued to expand like never before. The growth was accompanied by high levels of immigration from surrounding areas and from Ireland, especially during and after the Irish famine in the mid 1800's.

Famous buildings were erected, streets were widened, the Liverpool & Manchester railway was opened in 1830 and the docks were extended to the north and south of the original Steers Dock. The development did not go unnoticed and in 1880, Liverpool was granted City Status by a Royal Charter, such was it's dominance and importance.

Following the First World War there were almost thirty thousand people employed in some capacity as a result of the success of the City's docks and shipping. The famous Liverpool waterfront and it's three graces were built and work began on the building of the Anglican Cathedral. The City continued to grow outwards and by the 1930's it's population had grown to over 800,000.

The Coat of Arms of Liverpool has a history which is unclear. It was finally granted official use in 1797. It shows Neptune and Triton standing beside a shield containing the Liver Bird. The heraldic description is as follows:

"The Dexter Neptune with his sea-green mantle flowing, the waist wreathed in Lava; on his head an eastern crown gold; in the right hand his trident sable; the left supporting a banner of the arms of Liverpool; on the sinister a triton, wreathed as the dexter, and blowing his shell; the right hand supporting a banner, thereon a ship under sail in perspective all proper the banner-staves"

Underneath is the motto Deus Nobis Haec Otia Fecit, a quotation from Virgil. There are several translations of the motto, the commonly accepted ones being:

'God has given this leisure to us'

or

'God has given us these blessings'

Liverpool Castle ----->