The dock was built by George Fosbery Lyster between 1880-3.[2] Opened in 1884, Hornby Dock marked the completion of Liverpool dock system's period of expansion in the nineteenth century.[1] The dock was named after Thomas Dyson Hornby, chairman of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board between 1876 and 1889,[3] and was used by the timber trade during its early years.[1] The dock had a lighthouse which, because of its foghorn, was known as the Bootle Bull.[4] The lighthouse was demolished in 1928, being replaced by one built north of Gladstone Dock.[4] In 1940, during World War II, the Hornby River Entrance was bombed and very badly damaged, which restricted use of the dock throughout the war.[1] The dock was still receiving significant traffic by 1992, mainly in the form of general cargo and containers, with new quayside sheds being built.[1]
Present
Apart from an access channel along the river wall, the dock has been filled in to provide additional space for the coal terminal at Gladstone Dock.[5]
