Events
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.
Special Event: George Garrett – Liverpool’s Working-Class Writer and Unsung Hero
Wednesday 16 September | 6.00pm–7.00pm | Toxteth Library | Free
Alongside the exhibition, join members of the George Garrett Archive group for a special one-hour illustrated talk exploring Garrett’s remarkable life, writing and legacy.
Drawing on more than a decade of research, archive discoveries and the Garrett family collection, the Garretteers will tell the story of a merchant seaman who became one of Liverpool’s most compelling working-class writers and radical voices.
From his years at sea and experiences of unemployment and poverty, to the Hunger Marches, Liverpool’s political struggles, Unity Theatre and his encounter with George Orwell, the talk will reveal why Garrett occupies such an important – but still too often overlooked – place in Liverpool’s literary and social history.
The event is free, but places are limited and advance booking is required.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR FREE TICKET
Remembering Sean Garrett
This year’s exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Sean Garrett (1958–2026), George Garrett’s grandson and a much-loved member of the George Garrett Archive Project.
Sean played an integral part in the project from its earliest days, generously sharing his family’s history, memories and archive material and working alongside the Garretteers to ensure his grandfather received the recognition he deserved.
Through exhibitions, performances, publications, education projects, walking tours, talks and media appearances, Sean helped take George Garrett’s story out of the archive and back into public life.
Writing on the Wall, the Garretteers and everyone involved in the project are proud to dedicate this exhibition to Sean and to celebrate the enormous contribution he made to preserving his grandfather’s legacy for future generations.
Read our tribute to Sean Garrett
Discover more about George Garrett
Find out more about the George Garrett Archive Project and the work undertaken by Writing on the Wall and the Garretteers to recover and celebrate his life and writing.
Garrett’s autobiographical work, Ten Years On The Parish, written in the late 1930s and eventually published in full in 2017, offers an extraordinary first-hand account of working-class life, poverty and struggle between the wars.
Find out more about Ten Years On The Parish
George Garrett: Everyday Histories – Liverpool’s Working-Class Writer and Unsung Hero is presented by Writing on the Wall in partnership with Liverpool Libraries and Information Services as part of Heritage Open Days 2026.
Free exhibition | Everyone welcome
