11–19 September 2026 | Toxteth Library | Free
As part of Heritage Open Days 2026, Writing on the Wall presents a special exhibition at Toxteth Library celebrating the extraordinary life and legacy of George Garrett (1896–1966) – Liverpool writer, seafarer, playwright, activist and social historian whose work gave voice to the lives and experiences of working-class people.
Garrett was a merchant seaman who travelled the world before becoming an important figure in Liverpool’s political, cultural and literary life during the 1920s and 1930s. A radical activist and what has been described as a “militant advocate of tolerance”, he wrote short stories, plays, autobiographical work and powerful reportage documenting poverty, unemployment and struggle. He was also a founder member of Liverpool’s Unity Theatre.
His remarkable story might easily have been lost. Since 2013, members of Writing on the Wall’s George Garrett Archive Project have worked to research, preserve and bring Garrett’s writing and history back into public life.
Explore the George Garrett Archive
The exhibition brings together original artefacts, photographs, manuscripts, publications, film and archive material, revealing Garrett’s experiences at sea and on Liverpool’s docks, his political activism, his writing and his lifelong commitment to recording the experiences of ordinary people.
It also explores Garrett’s fascinating relationship with George Orwell, who met Garrett in Liverpool in 1936 while carrying out research for The Road to Wigan Pier. Orwell later wrote that he had been “very greatly impressed” by him.
The exhibition forms part of Heritage Open Days, England’s largest festival of history and culture, which opens up places, stories and heritage to communities across the country.
It also continues Writing on the Wall’s wider Creative Heritage work, using archives, oral history, research and creativity to uncover and share the stories that have shaped Liverpool and its communities.
Exhibition opening times
Friday 11 September: 9.30am–4.00pm Saturday 12 September: 10.00am–4.00pm Monday 14 September: 9.30am–6.00pm Tuesday 15 September: 9.30am–6.00pm Wednesday 16 September: 9.30am–6.00pm Thursday 17 September: 9.30am–4.00pm Friday 18 September: 9.30am–4.00pm Saturday 19 September: 10.00am–4.00pm
Venue: Toxteth Library Windsor Street Liverpool L8 1XF
Admission is free and there is no need to book to visit the exhibition.
Don't miss:
Special Event: George Garrett – Liverpool’s Working-Class Writer and Unsung Hero
Wednesday 16 September | 6.00pm–7.00pm | Toxteth Library | Free