St. PeterâÂÂs ward is a defunct Liverpool ward. Established in 1835 when Liverpool was first divided into wards under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, it was abolished in 1953 as part of reordering of Liverpool's electoral wards. It elected three councillors to Liverpool City Council.
It was named after St. PeterâÂÂs Church, which stood in Church Street. The church was demolished in 1922. The ward was in the city centre area, covering part of what is now Central Liverpool around Church Street, Seel Street, Concert Square, and nearby districts, with St PeterâÂÂs Church and Church Street at the core of the shopping district.
St Peter's was one of the original sixteen wards established under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, each sending three councillors to the newly reformed Liverpool City Council. It took its name from the prominent St PeterâÂÂs Church on Church Street, LiverpoolâÂÂs first post-Reformation parish church, built in 1700, consecrated on 29 June 1704, and designated a pro-cathedral upon the establishment of the Diocese in 1880.
The church was widely considered architecturally unattractive: its doorways were each in a different design. It featured an octagonal tower rising to 108 ft with a peal of eight to ten bells, an admired oak altar, stained-glass east window depicting St Peter, and a grand organ. St PeterâÂÂs hosted LiverpoolâÂÂs first oratorio (HandelâÂÂs Messiah) and served as pro-cathedral until Liverpool Cathedral took over .
By 1919, services had ceased; the church was demolished by 1922 to widen Church Street and to free up land for retail development, most notably a Woolworths store, later part of Liverpool ONE. The site is now marked by a brass Maltese cross embedded in the pavement.
Politically, following its abolition in the 1953 boundary reorganisation, much of St PeterâÂÂs became part of newly created central wards such as Church Ward.
Polling place : At the two windows of the Horse and Jockey public-house fronting Seel-street
Polling Place : The Horse and Jockey, in Seel-street.
Polling Place : The Public-house, sign of "The Horse and Jockey" in Seel-street'
John Ferguson, a determined pro-rater and chairman of the National Federation.
John Charles Fernihough and Thomas Clarke were both opposed to the Rivington Pike water scheme.
Polling Place : The Public House, sign of "The Ring of Bells" in School Lane, occupied by Mr. John Bennion.
Parish ward. Formerly St. Peters plus Pitt Street wards.
1952 was the last time elections were held under revised boundaries.
The following wards were abolished: Brunswick, Castle Street, Edge Hill, Exchange, Garston, Great George, Kirkdale, Little Woolton, Much Woolton, North Scotland, St. AnneâÂÂs, St. PeterâÂÂs, Sefton Park East, Sefton Park West, South Scotland, Walton, Wavertree, Wavertree West, and West Derby. The newly created wards were: Arundel, Broadgreen, Central, Church, Clubmoor, County, Gillmoss, Melrose, Picton, Pirrie, St. JamesâÂÂ, St. MaryâÂÂs, St. MichaelâÂÂs, Smithdown, Speke, Tuebrook, Westminster, and Woolton.