Local History @ Kitty's : Scouse on the page and the screen

Scouse: it’s the name we give to the language of Liverpool, but, how and when did it become the way we describe the identity of its citizens? Representations of Liverpool and its language can be traced from the eighteenth century; however, it wasn’t until the 1950s when Frank Shaw and Fritz Spiegl published the Lern yerself Scouse series, that Scouse became a commodified linguistic and social identity. This was followed by the onslaught of representations of Scouse on page and on screen think Bread, The Liver Birds and the novels of Kevin Sampson- all of which were shaped by their contemporary political climate. This talk will trace the emergence and construction of Scouseness across literature and media and consider to what extent these stereotypes distort the reality of being from Liverpool. It will also touch upon how modern artists from Liverpool are responding to inheriting the Scouse identity.

Jenni Lynam is from Liverpool. She completed her BA in English at the University of Oxford in 2023 and is now a Postgraduate Researcher at the University of Leeds. Her current research project explores the representation and construction of Liverpool English and the Scouse identity, the emergence of social stereotypes and the role of gender performance.

Kitty’s Launderette is a community launderette and social hub based in Anfield/Everton. We want to use our space to facilitate a place for people to gather, talk and learn.This series of local history events aims to do just that with the programme reflecting the diverse histories of our beautiful city.

If you have any further questions or are intrested in speaking as part of our future local history programme please email creative@kittyslaunderette.org.uk