Page:The Grand junction railway companion to Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham; (IA grandjunctionrai00free).pdf/159

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Liverpool Guide.
147

the erection of St. George's Church. The feuds of the Stanleys and Molyneux are equally uninteresting; and nothing worthy of notice appears in the history of the town till, in 1644, it was garrisoned and fortified by the Parliament, and held out against Prince Rupert for twenty-four days, when it was treacherously surrendered, with its internal fortress, by the governor, Colonel More; but the royal cause being soon after utterly ruined, at the battle of Marston Moor, it was re-taken for the Parliament by Lieut. Gen. Meldrum, and held till the Restoration. From Dr. Enfield we learn that in addition to the charters mentioned above, Liverpool accumulated various charters and privileges, from the time of Henry I. George III., in 1808, confirmed the whole, and constituted the mayor a justice of the peace for life, provided he should continue a member of the common council.

The present Corporation consists of a Mayor, Recorder, sixteen Aldermen, forty-eight Councillors, two Bailiffs, a Town Clerk, and various subordinate officers. The Mayor is elected annually by the Council, on the 9th of November.

Liverpool sends two members to Parliament; the constituency is 17,427 in number, and consists of the old freemen and householders of £10 and upwards.

The town is second only to London in commercial importance, wealth, and foreign trade. As it is therefore so essentially commercial, we shall commenee our Guide to the town by recording the necessary information respecting the Post Office.