Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Courtesy of the Liverpool Echo.
The large sign to the left of the Town Hall entrance reads: “The Lord Mayor’s Appeal for Prisoners of War”. A barometer on the other side shows £50,000.
So, this photograph might well have been taken sometime during the 1914-18 World War. But why are so many Greek flags being flown from these Dale Street buildings?
The white “first class” tram, turning into Castle Street from Water Street is bound for the Dingle. In its centre lower deck window, it carries the notice “First Class Inside Only”.
The driver is wearing oilskins and the conductor can be seen on the rear platform.
Liverpool then and for many years to come, remained a city of smoke-blackened buildings.

The text, including the heading, are taken from the newspaper article, but I do wonder if anybody has any suggestions as to why these particular flags were flying.

If the photograph is definitely WW1 ish, there's little point in suggesting the visit of King George II of Greece in 1941. With that many Greek flags, it could be a royal visit at sometime.

I had a look at the Annals of Liverpool, as published in the back pages of Gore's/Kelly's Directories for many years [as re-published by Fritz Spiegl], and found no reference to Greek flags being flown during the years of the Great War, or anything likely to cause such an event. More surprising was the absence of any note of the outbreak of WW1 or of the 1918 armistice!

Wikipedia tells us that Greece formally entered the war, declaring war against the Central Powers [Germany and friends] on 30 June 1917. Its main victory came in May 1918 when Greece defeated Bulgarian forces at the BATTLE OF SKRA-DI-LEGEN (not one we hear of often).

D

Perhaps we were applauding them then.

From Liverpool Echo 15th May 1917 and Liverpool Daily Post 16th May 1917
"A new collection has been made to our display of national emblems of our Allies at some of our exchanges. At the Cotton Exchange the flag of the Provisional Government of Greece is now seen flying from the gallery alongside thirteen others..."

Alex

Thanks Alex, I suspect you have nailed it there.