Secrets of Sudley: Blue Funnel, Alfred Holt, and China

Name: Secrets of Sudley: Blue Funnel, Alfred Holt, and China
Start: 2026-06-06T11:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-06-06T13:00:00+01:00
Location: Mossley Hill Road, Aigburth, L18 8 Aigburth, United Kingdom

Schedule

Sat Jun 06 2026 at 11:00 am to 01:00 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

Mossley Hill Road, Aigburth, L18 8 Aigburth, United Kingdom | Liverpool, EN

Step inside Sudley House and journey into Liverpool's maritime history in this fascinating handling session and talk uncovering the global connections between one of Liverpool’s most influential shipping families, the Blue Funnel Line, and the city’s Chinese community.
Explore the little-known story of Alfred Holt, the Victorian shipowner with close connections to Sudley House who revolutionised maritime trade with his pioneering steamship company. Through objects, images, and expert insights, this session reveals how Holt’s shipping empire helped shape the movement of people and goods across the globe—especially between Liverpool and China.
You'll discover the story of the Blue Funnel Line, one of the most prestigious shipping lines of its time, and how it employed and transported Chinese sailors and workers. These seafarers played a crucial role in the city’s maritime economy and were instrumental in forming what became Europe’s oldest Chinese community, right here in Liverpool.
Through original objects, documents, photographs, and personal stories, the session will highlight both the business of empire and the lives behind it—offering space to reflect on migration, memory, and the legacy of global trade.
Sessions run 11am-1pm on-
6 June, 4 July, 1 August.
Tickets cost £10 per adult and £6 per child, and we recommend purchasing in advance to avoid disappointment.
Discover the global past hidden behind Sudley’s doors and the lasting ties between shipping, seafarers, and the shaping of Liverpool’s Chinatown.