Mid-20th Century: War and Wholesale Trade
As bombs fell on Liverpool during WWII, the streets around The Tapestry — Gildart, Kempston & Constance — largely stood firm. Their sturdy warehouses survived the Blitz and entered a new era as part of Liverpool’s wholesale heartland. From fabric merchants and hat-makers to Harris’s Toys and short-lived fashion ventures, this was the Fabric District’s mid-century transformation — gritty, industrious, and full of change. By the 1960s, sewing machines hummed, leathers were pressed, and deals were made on every corner… until decline hit in the ’70s.