The Williamson Tunnels: Edge Hill, Liverpool UK.
I came across this recently whilst looking around for other curiosities in my favourite city, Liverpool on the UK.
It is taught as fact that these were all built to give workers some work, or because Joseph Williamson was eccentric!
After reading briefly, I thought, come one, built for no reason? So I had to look further.
According to waki: Image below: 'The "banqueting hall", which is about 70 feet (21 m) long, between 20 feet (6 m) and 25 feet (8 m) wide and 20 feet (6 m) high'
That is some construction for the sake of it... 10 to 15 metres underground too...
Wiki, the ‘friends of Williamson’ website, and any other source claims that Williamson perhaps built these tunnels as a means to offering employment to the out of work of the Edge Hill area of the city, post the Napoleonic wars, or simply because he was eccentric (They've no idea)
So a self-made millionaire (Tobacco) buys a plot of land, builds some houses on it, then quarries it out and builds tunnels, chambers and banquet halls, just to give the local populous work? For 30 years he built away down there, but no one knows why? Give me a break. Look at the details in the buildings, these were built to be lived in, not simply made for the sake of it and to be filled in.
However, using the ‘not knowing why’ narrative certainly is an easy cover story to use, after all, is who doesn’t love a mystery, and it adds to the appeal of the tunnels.
The official line is no one knows why he did this? They know who he is, what he is worth, the houses he has built, but no one knows why he built these tunnels?
Friends of WT
Waki
Let us look at Joseph Williamson:
The Mole of Edge Hill, or the King of edge Hill, born 1759 and dies 1840. Even his history is a mystery, born in Warrington, oh no, after some more research, actually he was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire (still debated) He had a bit of luck in business and this allowed him to buy a plot of land in Edge Hill, Liverpool. He built some houses and landscaped the land, and for no apparent reason dug miles of tunnels beneath it. After his wife dies he becomes more eccentric. He meets George Stephenson who was building the extension of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway from Edge Hill to Lime Street stations and whose own excavations passed through those of Williamson.
Even his Portrait may not even be him according to the FOW website...
Joseph Williamson?
That is pretty much it for waki and the FOW website FOW
Joseph Williamson Waki
Further investigation brings up the same info. It seems very little is known about this highly successful and wealthy business man… In fact, it seems without the writings of James Stonehouse, it seems even less would be known about Williamson and the tunnels.
Who was James Stonehouse?
I could find very Little about this guy, other than he was the author of this book 'The streets of Liverpool' book which celebrated the achievements of Williamson. Other than this, the guy is a ghost...
On the Fiends of Williamson website they state about Stonehouse:
'Reading Stonehouse’s writings on the tunnels with the benefit of modern research, it is clear that in a small number of instances he makes factual errors. Equally, a few of his notes appear the subject of slight exaggeration (though this is difficult to prove)'
Fabrication
I am beginning to believe this whole story and its characters are fabricated...
So according to the official narrative, from 1840 after Williamson's death, the 'Tunnels' were filled in and forgotten. Until the early 1900's when some mining surveys were done and produced some maps of part of the site, the and then some military investigations which discovered some tunnels, and then the 'association?' in 1907 produced some incomplete maps due to back fill, then no further investigation of interest until 1995 when a student from Liverpool University carried out a micro-gravity survey of the site. Interesting, why this survey on this site? Link to paper The narrative of this paper places the tunnels firmly 150 years old.
Micro Gravity: Gravimetry is the measurement of the strength of a gravitational field. Gravimetry may be used when either the magnitude of gravitational field or the properties of matter responsible for its creation are of interest. Waki
I also noticed this in a paper written on the tunnels Paper The paper however follows the official narrative mostly .
'Other possible explanations for the ‘tunnels’ construction range from a refuge for an impending apocalypse, contraband warehouses, and as a means of moving unseen through the area. There does not appear to be any evidence for these theories other than Williamson’s reported religious fervour and highly secretive nature'
Spidy senses tingling.
Here is a drawing depicting the area in 1550. Have tried to find a source showing the terrain prior, I have not as yet. This artist must have spent so much time up there in their balloon....
Noticed how there was almost no interest in the tunnels for almost a century? Why could that be? Allow the populous to forget about them?
Waki
Some guy called Charles Hand visited the tunnels in the early 1900's and made some amendments to Stonehouse's work, other than this, Hand is another ghost.
Hand
Lets have a look at the history of the tunnels, again there is very little, from the FOW website which manages the tunnels, or waki.
‘The manner in which matters developed from this point on is the subject of much Chinese whispering and even more speculation. A choice has to be made here without the benefit of any significant documentary evidence. Most casual and many serious observers today maintain that Williamson had his men continue digging, building and tunnelling, perhaps making use of the old quarries on the site, as a response to the poverty which surrounded his neighbourhood. Certainly, the construction stepped up a gear and a labyrinth began to take shape, but was it genuinely the product of philanthropy on Williamson’s part?’
I am back where I started. Who in their right mind would build this to give people work, or for giggles? What about the planning, the tools, the skills, the spoil? The FOW website admits Williamson may not even have made any plans!
Below is hand drawn map of the tunnels supposedly drawn by Stonehouse, but again can we believe this guy?
And here is the most recently proposed map, including know and suspected tunnels.
It seems that more tunnels are regularly being unearthed (surprise) Link Note how these tunnels have names: Banquet Hall, Boiler room, Kitchen.... Tunnels my #rse.
If we look at the terrain around Edge Hill, could it possibly suggest a mud flood? I have driven up there before, and it is certainly on a steep incline with a mound on top of the hill. The train lines and tunnels do appear to be cut into the hill, when it appears it would have been easier to run over ground, but if there are tunnels already there?
Old drawing (Published 1847) and recent google earth screen grab: Again, this artist must have spent so much time up there in their balloon....
Red marks the location of the the tunnels. Link to original
Below, google earth similar view today, you can see the railway cut into the 'mound' and yes there is rock.
I am not buying any of the official narrative.
Could it be, that these (and many more tunnels were already in existence, were discovered and simply dug out, perhaps when laying railways? Further, could Joseph Williamson be another one of these dubious historical fugues, perhaps from the imagination of Stonehouse? Or are they both fabricated figures to sustain the narrative?
Could it be that this labyrinth of buildings have simple been rediscovered, and this Williamson guy has been introduced to the narrative, to cover up the actual origin of the tunnels/ rooms/ chambers?
It is pretty obvious that these are not simply tunnels. But by calling them tunnels, people do not look past that.
What also struck me when seeing these tunnels is their similarity to some other ‘Victorian’ tunnels which I came across near me, which are said to have been built in the same mid-1800s, and serve as storm drains…
Sheffield Megatron:
I have lived in Yorkshire for 47 years and not a single friend or member of my family had heard of these tunnels when I asked. It seems these tunnels have been rediscovered over the last decade by Urban explorers.
Urbex
TS Conclusion:
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that there is more here than meets the eye. I am not convinced that any of these structures are what they are said to be, I believe they all had a prior use/ function. These Williamson tunnels are certainly not what they are being sold to be.
The next time I visit Liverpool, shall book on a tour and take my own images, I will also ask some awkward questions, I know what the responses will be, but I have to ask
Would love to hear your thoughts, and does anyone have experience of similar across the UK or worldwide?
Cheers, TS.
I came across this recently whilst looking around for other curiosities in my favourite city, Liverpool on the UK.
It is taught as fact that these were all built to give workers some work, or because Joseph Williamson was eccentric!
After reading briefly, I thought, come one, built for no reason? So I had to look further.
According to waki: Image below: 'The "banqueting hall", which is about 70 feet (21 m) long, between 20 feet (6 m) and 25 feet (8 m) wide and 20 feet (6 m) high'
That is some construction for the sake of it... 10 to 15 metres underground too...
Wiki, the ‘friends of Williamson’ website, and any other source claims that Williamson perhaps built these tunnels as a means to offering employment to the out of work of the Edge Hill area of the city, post the Napoleonic wars, or simply because he was eccentric (They've no idea)
So a self-made millionaire (Tobacco) buys a plot of land, builds some houses on it, then quarries it out and builds tunnels, chambers and banquet halls, just to give the local populous work? For 30 years he built away down there, but no one knows why? Give me a break. Look at the details in the buildings, these were built to be lived in, not simply made for the sake of it and to be filled in.
However, using the ‘not knowing why’ narrative certainly is an easy cover story to use, after all, is who doesn’t love a mystery, and it adds to the appeal of the tunnels.
The official line is no one knows why he did this? They know who he is, what he is worth, the houses he has built, but no one knows why he built these tunnels?
Friends of WT
Waki
Let us look at Joseph Williamson:
The Mole of Edge Hill, or the King of edge Hill, born 1759 and dies 1840. Even his history is a mystery, born in Warrington, oh no, after some more research, actually he was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire (still debated) He had a bit of luck in business and this allowed him to buy a plot of land in Edge Hill, Liverpool. He built some houses and landscaped the land, and for no apparent reason dug miles of tunnels beneath it. After his wife dies he becomes more eccentric. He meets George Stephenson who was building the extension of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway from Edge Hill to Lime Street stations and whose own excavations passed through those of Williamson.
Even his Portrait may not even be him according to the FOW website...
Joseph Williamson?
That is pretty much it for waki and the FOW website FOW
Joseph Williamson Waki
Further investigation brings up the same info. It seems very little is known about this highly successful and wealthy business man… In fact, it seems without the writings of James Stonehouse, it seems even less would be known about Williamson and the tunnels.
Who was James Stonehouse?
I could find very Little about this guy, other than he was the author of this book 'The streets of Liverpool' book which celebrated the achievements of Williamson. Other than this, the guy is a ghost...
On the Fiends of Williamson website they state about Stonehouse:
'Reading Stonehouse’s writings on the tunnels with the benefit of modern research, it is clear that in a small number of instances he makes factual errors. Equally, a few of his notes appear the subject of slight exaggeration (though this is difficult to prove)'
Fabrication
I am beginning to believe this whole story and its characters are fabricated...
So according to the official narrative, from 1840 after Williamson's death, the 'Tunnels' were filled in and forgotten. Until the early 1900's when some mining surveys were done and produced some maps of part of the site, the and then some military investigations which discovered some tunnels, and then the 'association?' in 1907 produced some incomplete maps due to back fill, then no further investigation of interest until 1995 when a student from Liverpool University carried out a micro-gravity survey of the site. Interesting, why this survey on this site? Link to paper The narrative of this paper places the tunnels firmly 150 years old.
Micro Gravity: Gravimetry is the measurement of the strength of a gravitational field. Gravimetry may be used when either the magnitude of gravitational field or the properties of matter responsible for its creation are of interest. Waki
I also noticed this in a paper written on the tunnels Paper The paper however follows the official narrative mostly .
'Other possible explanations for the ‘tunnels’ construction range from a refuge for an impending apocalypse, contraband warehouses, and as a means of moving unseen through the area. There does not appear to be any evidence for these theories other than Williamson’s reported religious fervour and highly secretive nature'
Spidy senses tingling.Here is a drawing depicting the area in 1550. Have tried to find a source showing the terrain prior, I have not as yet. This artist must have spent so much time up there in their balloon....
Noticed how there was almost no interest in the tunnels for almost a century? Why could that be? Allow the populous to forget about them?
Waki
Some guy called Charles Hand visited the tunnels in the early 1900's and made some amendments to Stonehouse's work, other than this, Hand is another ghost.
Hand
Lets have a look at the history of the tunnels, again there is very little, from the FOW website which manages the tunnels, or waki.
‘The manner in which matters developed from this point on is the subject of much Chinese whispering and even more speculation. A choice has to be made here without the benefit of any significant documentary evidence. Most casual and many serious observers today maintain that Williamson had his men continue digging, building and tunnelling, perhaps making use of the old quarries on the site, as a response to the poverty which surrounded his neighbourhood. Certainly, the construction stepped up a gear and a labyrinth began to take shape, but was it genuinely the product of philanthropy on Williamson’s part?’
I am back where I started. Who in their right mind would build this to give people work, or for giggles? What about the planning, the tools, the skills, the spoil? The FOW website admits Williamson may not even have made any plans!
Below is hand drawn map of the tunnels supposedly drawn by Stonehouse, but again can we believe this guy?
And here is the most recently proposed map, including know and suspected tunnels.
It seems that more tunnels are regularly being unearthed (surprise) Link Note how these tunnels have names: Banquet Hall, Boiler room, Kitchen.... Tunnels my #rse.
If we look at the terrain around Edge Hill, could it possibly suggest a mud flood? I have driven up there before, and it is certainly on a steep incline with a mound on top of the hill. The train lines and tunnels do appear to be cut into the hill, when it appears it would have been easier to run over ground, but if there are tunnels already there?
Old drawing (Published 1847) and recent google earth screen grab: Again, this artist must have spent so much time up there in their balloon....
Below, google earth similar view today, you can see the railway cut into the 'mound' and yes there is rock.
I am not buying any of the official narrative.
Could it be, that these (and many more tunnels were already in existence, were discovered and simply dug out, perhaps when laying railways? Further, could Joseph Williamson be another one of these dubious historical fugues, perhaps from the imagination of Stonehouse? Or are they both fabricated figures to sustain the narrative?
Could it be that this labyrinth of buildings have simple been rediscovered, and this Williamson guy has been introduced to the narrative, to cover up the actual origin of the tunnels/ rooms/ chambers?
It is pretty obvious that these are not simply tunnels. But by calling them tunnels, people do not look past that.
What also struck me when seeing these tunnels is their similarity to some other ‘Victorian’ tunnels which I came across near me, which are said to have been built in the same mid-1800s, and serve as storm drains…
Sheffield Megatron:
I have lived in Yorkshire for 47 years and not a single friend or member of my family had heard of these tunnels when I asked. It seems these tunnels have been rediscovered over the last decade by Urban explorers.
Urbex
TS Conclusion:
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that there is more here than meets the eye. I am not convinced that any of these structures are what they are said to be, I believe they all had a prior use/ function. These Williamson tunnels are certainly not what they are being sold to be.
The next time I visit Liverpool, shall book on a tour and take my own images, I will also ask some awkward questions, I know what the responses will be, but I have to ask
Would love to hear your thoughts, and does anyone have experience of similar across the UK or worldwide?
Cheers, TS.
