Last Surviving Example Of A Georgian Bowed Shop Window in Liverpool

This is the last surviving example of a Georgian bowed shop window in Liverpool.

When strolling along Wavertree High Street in Liverpool, you’ll stumble upon Ray Jones' World of Wood Turning.

This hidden treasure boasts the distinction of being the sole surviving Georgian shop front in the city.

Throughout the years, it has housed a variety of businesses including a cobbler, a saddler, and a boot dealer.

Presently, Raymond Jones, hailing from Knotty Ash, stands as the esteemed proprietor of the establishment.

Since 1984, he has been operating his wood turning enterprise from this very shop.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Raymond said: “When the first lockdown came everybody was just going out doing exercise.

”I only live a walk away from my shop so I came into my workshop and just pottered about.

"I could definitely not have just stayed at home watching daytime TV all day, it would have driven me mad.

"I like being here anyway, I wasn't making a living but I made maybe a dozen children's chairs."

Fuelled by an unwavering passion for his craft, Raymond is dedicated to imparting his skills to others.

He conducts wood turning classes from his shop, a venture he extends globally through teaching demonstrations in Finland, America, and across the UK.

In a previous interview with the ECHO, he said: "I've been a wood turner for 62 years now and I've been in the building for 35.

"I knew that I wanted to work with wood ever since I was 11 when I had my first wood working class in school.

"From then on I knew that's exactly what I wanted to do and I got tools for every Christmas and Birthday after that, I didn't want anything else."

Raymond first moved to the premises on Wavertree High Street in 1984, and worked carefully to restore the shop front.

What is a Georgian Bowed Shop Window?

A Georgian Bowed Shop Window refers to a type of architectural feature commonly found in buildings from the Georgian era, which spanned from the early 18th to the early 19th century.

The term "bowed" in this context typically refers to a window that protrudes outward from the building's facade in a curved or rounded shape.

This architectural style was popular during the Georgian period and is often associated with buildings of that time.

These windows were often incorporated into the design of Georgian buildings to create a sense of grandeur and sophistication, while also allowing for ample natural light to enter the interior space.

The bowed shape of the window not only adds visual interest to the facade but also serves practical purposes.

It provides a wider field of view from inside the shop, allowing for better display of merchandise and attracting passersby.

Additionally, the curvature of the window adds structural stability to the building, distributing weight more evenly along the facade.

In many cases, Georgian bowed shop windows were adorned with decorative details such as intricate mouldings, pilasters, and pediments, further enhancing their aesthetic appeal.

These architectural features exemplify the craftsmanship and attention to detail characteristic of the Georgian period.

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