Bob Waterhouse uncovers the dark history of Bramley Moore Dock – site of the new Everton FC ground – tracing the historical links between the city of Liverpool and the slave trade.

From the author of the widely acclaimed Liverpool Football Club Ruined My Life: Sixty Years of Supporting Everton.

The first book to examine the links between slavery and the origins of Everton, this fascinating journey through Merseyside history explores:

• Everton’s historical links with slavery through some of its earliest patrons and through the Methodist church that founded the club
• The background to the Toffees’ move from Goodison Park to Bramley Moore Dock over a 30-year period, including the failed plans to move both to the King’s Dock and Kirkby
• The story of John Bramley Moore’s links to slavery through his ownership of a coffee plantation in Brazil and trade in slave-produced goods
• The port of Liverpool’s rise, fall and subsequent regeneration over an 800-year period, culminating in recent moves to regenerate North Liverpool, including the construction of the new Everton stadium
• The impact of slavery on Liverpool’s wealth and development as Britain’s largest slave port, from the first slave voyage from Liverpool in 1700 to the abolition of slavery in the early 19th century

This compelling book is a must for all Everton supporters and anyone with a personal connection to Merseyside.

"A fascinating new book... [and] an amazing read. A kaleidoscopic history of that empire... It's a must have book"

"Liverpool was once Britain’s largest slave port, its ships thought to have trafficked around a million and a half Africans into lives of forced servitude. John Bramley- Moore, after whom the dock was named, was appointed chairman of the Mersey Dock and Harbour Board in 1842 and would later serve as a Conservative MP. Bramley-Moore’s own personal wealth stemmed from his business interests in Brazil, which at the time was was heavily dependant on slave Labour. He owned a coffee plantation, as one of many Liverpool businessmen whose connections with the slave trade helped build the city’s prosperity."

Bob Waterhouse is a retired teacher who specialises in books about Everton FC. His first tome, the widely acclaimed Everton: The Fans: Born, Not Manufactured, explored the roots of the club's fan base. In 2024, he published his enthralling sequel, Liverpool FC Ruined My Life, interweaving his own football journey with an account of the fortunes of Everton over 60 years and some of the major events of his time.