A former geography teacher is working to reveal the secret links between Birkenhead and the father of science fiction, Jules Verne.
John Lamb, who was born in Wirral but now lives in Allerton, Liverpool, is looking to uncover the famous French novelist’s passion for Birkenhead and how Camell Laird may have appeared in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
The classic novel follows the adventures of Captain Nemo in the fictional submarine the Nautilus – and it is this sub that John believes was built in the book’s own version of the Birkenhead shipyard.
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John, 58, said: “We know Laird’s is mentioned in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, it says some of the iron plates of the hull were built at Laird’s of Liverpool, which is obviously implying the Birkenhead shipyard.
“There are new translations of Verne’s works all the time and I think some recent ones actually uncover that up to 70-80{13aab5633489a05526ae1065595c074aeca3e93df6390063fabaebff206207ec} of the fictional submarine was built at his version of the Birkenhead yards.”
(Image: Mirrorpix)
John has used his research to create a new website, ‘Jules Verne and the Heroes of Birkenhead’ after finding no real reference of the author’s links to Merseyside online.
His articles exploring the ties between his books and the area are being serialised and he said more will be revealed in the coming weeks.
John said: “All of Verne’s books were serialised in magazines before they became books, so I think it makes sense that my articles are serialised.”
(Image: Mirrorpix)
Jules Verne was born in 1828 and his first trip from his homeland of Nantes in France was to the shores of Merseyside when at 31, in 1859, he visited Birkenhead and then again in 1867.
John said at the time Birkenhead was awash with industry and innovation and would have been the perfect place for Verne to pique his imagination and help inspire some of his famous novels.
The author of Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Around the World in 80 Days, Verne’s works of fiction have gone on to inspire generations of science fiction – and John thinks it is time the links with Birkenhead should now be celebrated.
(Image: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
John said he wanted to champion Birkenhead and hopes that comes across in his new research, he said: “I think there are very exciting times ahead for the area with the new council plans and Wirral Waters.
“I think if we look at what Prescot has done with its links to Shakespeare and how it has used that to secure more funding and celebrate the area and find an identity – that could be done in Birkenhead.
“Birkenhead could use Jules Verne like this because he is the father of science fiction and is known internationally, he is one of the most translated authors in the world.”
John said he has already received some positive feedback about the website from people in the US, Germany and Hong Kong and said it has also been featured Societe Jules Verne – a French website celebrating Verne.
He said he is now in talks with Wirral Council to see how they could capitalise on the historic links between Birkenhead and Verne.
John added: “Just think if you have people visiting Merseyside and you have the history with The Beatles in Liverpool, Shakespeare in Prescot and Jules Verne in Birkenhead.”
You can see all John Lamb’s articles exploring Jules Verne’s connections to Birkenhead here.
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