Following the opening of the new Shakespeare North playhouse in Prescot earlier this month, another Merseyside town is being linked with a famous author - this time one known as "the father of science fiction."
Jules Verne was born in 1828 and his first trip from his homeland of Nantes in France was to the shores of Merseyside when at 31, in 1859, he visited Birkenhead and then again in 1867. At the time, the town was at the cutting edge of industry and innovation and, it is thought, would have been the perfect place for Verne to pique his imagination and help inspire some of his famous novels.
The author of Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Around the World in 80 Days, Verne's works of fiction have gone on to inspire generations of science fiction - and former geography teacher John Lamb thinks it is time the links with Birkenhead should be celebrated.
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John, who was born in Wirral but now lives in Allerton, Liverpool, is looking to uncover the famous French novelist's passion for Birkenhead and how Cammell Laird may have appeared in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The classic novel follows the adventures of Captain Nemo in the fictional submarine the Nautilus - and it is this sub that John believes was built in the book's own version of the Birkenhead shipyard.
Speaking in 2021, John, 59, who taught at Blue Coat School, said: "We know Laird's is mentioned in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, it says some of the iron plates of the hull were built at Laird's of Liverpool, which is obviously implying the Birkenhead shipyard.
"There are new translations of Verne's works all the time and I think some recent ones actually uncover that up to 70-80% of the fictional submarine was built at his version of the Birkenhead yards."
John has used his research to create a new website, 'Jules Verne and the Heroes of Birkenhead' after finding no real reference of the author's links to Merseyside online.
The website now boasts more than 30 articles on Jules Verne and his connections to Birkenhead. There is also a special feature linking a man named George Francis Train, who John claims was Birkenhead's Phileas Fogg and the first man to go Around the World in 80 Days, inspiring Verne's most famous novel.
John said: "All of Verne's books were serialised in magazines before they became books, so I think it makes sense that my articles are serialised."
John said he wanted to champion Birkenhead and hopes that comes across in his new research. He said: "I think there are very exciting times ahead for the area with the new council plans and Wirral Waters. I think if we look at what Prescot has done with its links to Shakespeare and how it has used that to secure more funding and celebrate the area and find an identity - that could be done in Birkenhead.
"Birkenhead could use Jules Verne like this because he is the father of science fiction and is known internationally, he is one of the most translated authors in the world."
John said he had already received some positive feedback about the website from people in the US, Germany and Hong Kong and said it has also been featured in Societe Jules Verne - a French website celebrating Verne.
He is in talks with Wirral Council to see how they could capitalise on the historic links between Birkenhead and Verne.
John added: "Just think if you have people visiting Merseyside and you have the history with The Beatles in Liverpool, Shakespeare in Prescot and Jules Verne in Birkenhead."
You can see all John Lamb's articles exploring Jules Verne's connections to Birkenhead here.
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