Editing Toxteth (section)

==History==
===Toponymy===
There is some ambiguity as to the origin of the name. One theory is that the etymology is "Toki's landing-place". However, Toxteth is mentioned in the ''[[Domesday Book]]'' of 1086, and at this time, it appears as "Stochestede",<ref name="toxteth">{{citation|title='Townships: Toxteth Park', A History of the County of Lancashire: Volume 3 (1907), pp. 40-5|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=41287|publisher=British History Online|access-date=29 October 2006}}</ref> ''i.e.'' "the stockaded or enclosed place", from the [[Anglo-Saxon]] ''stocc'' "stake" and Anglo-Saxon ''stede'' "place" (found in many English placenames, usually spelled ''stead'').

===The manor===
Before the time of the [[Norman conquest of England|Norman conquest]], Toxteth was divided into two [[Manor house|manor]]s of equal size. One was owned by Bernulf and the other by Stainulf. After the conquest, part was granted by Count [[Roger of Poitou]] to the ancestor of the [[Earl of Sefton]]. From this time to about 1604, the land formed part of [[West Derby]] forest. The boundaries of the manor are described in the perambulation of 1228 as follows, "'Where Oskell's brook falls into the Mersey; up this brook to Haghou meadow, from this to Brummesho, following the syke to Brumlausie, and across by the old turbaries upon two meres as far as Lombethorn; from this point going down to the 'waterfall' of the head of Otter pool, and down this pool into the Mersey."<ref name="toxteth" /> In 1327, Toxteth was granted to [[Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster|Henry, Earl of Lancaster]].

Over the years, various leases and grants were made and the park was owned by Adam, son of William de Liverpool, in 1338. In 1385, William de Liverpool had licence "to take two cartloads of [[gorse]] weekly from the park for 12d. a year rent." In 1383 a grant was made to William Bolton and Robert Baxter, in 1394 the lease was resigned and handed over to Richard de Molyneux. The park finally came into the hands of [[Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby|Sir Thomas Stanley]] in 1447. The parkland descended within the Stanley family until 1596, when it was sold by [[William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby|William Stanley]], [[Earl of Derby]], to Edmund Smolte and Edward Aspinwall. In 1604, the Earl sold it to [[Richard Molyneux, 1st Viscount Molyneux|Richard Molyneux]] of Sefton<ref>{{cite news |title=The grand dream and 200-year legacy of Liverpool's failed suburb |url=https://www.livpost.co.uk/p/liverpool-failed-suburb?s=r |work=www.livpost.co.uk}}</ref> at a cost of £1,100. The estate descended from this time until 1972 with the death of [[Hugh Molyneux, 7th Earl of Sefton|the 7th Earl]].<ref name="toxteth" />

===Toxteth Park===
[[File:Toxteth Town Hall 2017-1.jpg|thumb|[[Toxteth Town Hall]]]]
The ancient township of Toxteth contains the village of ''Smeedon'' or ''Smithdown''. It stretches over an area of three miles along the [[River Mersey]] and two miles inland, the highest point being on the corner of Smithdown Lane and Lodge Lane. A brook ran from the northern end of the area, near the boundary of Parliament Street, where it was used to power a [[water wheel]] before it ran into the river. Along the river are two creeks; the one near the middle is known as Knot's Hole, and another further south, called Dickinson's Dingle, received a brook which ran past the east end of [[St Michael's Church, Aigburth]].<ref name="toxteth"/>

At some time in history the creeks were filled in. The [[Dingle, Liverpool|Dingle]] is now in the area where the old northern creek was situated, and [[St Michael's Hamlet]] is situated around the southern creek. Outside the southern boundary of the area lies the creek known as Otterspool, which formed the boundary between Wavertree and West Derby. The major road through the area was Park Lane, now Park Place and Park Road. The road ran from the Coffee House, which stood near Fairview Place, down towards the Dingle, and the "Ancient Chapel of Toxteth".<ref name="toxteth"/>

Toward the end of the 16th century, the royal park ceased to be and [[Puritan]] farmers from [[Bolton]] settled in the area. Setting up 25 farms on land outside [[Church of England]] control, which became Toxteth Village, these [[English Dissenters|Dissenters]] worshipped at the "Ancient Chapel" on Park Road, now known as the [[Toxteth Unitarian Chapel]] (not to be confused with [[Ullet Road Unitarian Church]], in Toxteth, south Liverpool). In 1611, they built a school at the Dingle, appointing [[Richard Mather]] as schoolmaster. Some years later, he began preaching to the local farmers in the chapel.<ref>{{citation|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mather/Mather/Liverpool/Liverpolitan1948.jpg|title=The Ancient Chapel of Toxteth|publisher=The Liverpolitan|date=August 1948|access-date=29 October 2006}}</ref> [[Toxteth Town Hall]], which as "Toxteth Park Public Offices" was the municipal centre of Toxteth Park, was completed in 1866.<ref>{{NHLE|desc= Public Offices (now Health and Social Security)|num=1075218|access-date=24 February 2022}}</ref>

In 1796, the [[Herculaneum Pottery]] was established on the site of an old copper works. The site later became [[Herculaneum Dock]], which was filled in during the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Herculaneum_Dock,_Liverpool | title=Herculaneum Dock, Liverpool - Graces Guide }}</ref>

The Pavilion Theatre opened on Lodge Lane in 1908, and hosted a Beatles concert in 1962. It later became a bingo hall and then a supermarket.<ref>{{cite web |title=Historic theatre and bingo hall to become supermarket |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/historic-theatre-bingo-hall-become-27474301 |website=Liverpool Echo |access-date=7 August 2023}}</ref>

===Smithdown===
Smithdown, referred to as ''Esmedune'' in the Domesday Book, and variously as ''Smededon'', ''Smeddon'', ''Smethesdune'', ''Smethedon'', ''Smethdon'', ''Smethden'',<ref name="toxteth" /> has been merged into Toxteth Park since the granting of the Liverpool Charter in 1207. The definite boundaries of Smithdown have never been fully recorded, but the name continued in use from 1207 until the 16th century, although it is thought to have reached from Lodge Lane to the eastern boundary of Toxteth Park. In 1066, Smithdown was held as a separate manor, by Ethelmund. During the reign of [[John of England|King John]] the Manor of Smithdown was taken from its owner, and the king gave him [[Thingwall]] instead.

===Second World War===
During the Second World War, the [[Free French]] [[13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion|13th Demi Brigade]] of the [[French Foreign Legion]] were stationed in Toxteth. On 30 August 1940, the Demi Brigade departed Liverpool for operations against [[Vichy France|Vichy forces]] that would include the abortive [[Battle of Dakar]] and the [[Battle of Gabon|storming of Libreville]].