The Earle and Langton families most liberally gave £25,000 towards the cost of the Lady Chapel, and ladies of old Liverpool families were most generous in their contributions.
This success would have been impossible of achievement if it had not been for the wonderful influence of the Bishop. Everyone recognised his saintly character, his arduous work, and the statesmanlike manner in which he ruled over his diocese. Perhaps the Bishop's strongest point in dealing with men is his power of "enthusing" others. He always looks upwards, and in the darkest days is full of brightness and words of encouragement.
The next step was the selection of a site, and this aroused considerable discussion. There were many advocates for what was known as the London Road site, at the junction of that thoroughfare and Pembroke Place, a very commanding position; but as the cost of the site alone would have been £150,000 it was placed on one side. The sites of St. Peter's and St. Luke's were considered and pronounced too small. Eventually St. James' Mount was decided upon as being central and commanding, and having picturesque surroundings. The fourteen acres comprising the Mount were purchased from the Corporation for £20,000.
It was decided to advertise for designs and give premiums for the two best, and Mr. Norman Shaw, R.A., and Mr. Bodley, R.A., were appointed assessors.
Many designs were sent in and exhibited at the Walker Art Gallery. From these the assessors selected the design of Mr. Gilbert Scott, a young man of only 19, a grandson of the great Gothic architect, Sir Gilbert Scott, R.A. It was a design which did not commend itself entirely to the committee, and Mr. Scott being a Roman Catholic it was feared some objection might be taken, and the committee very wisely decided to link Mr. Bodley, R.A., with Mr. Scott as joint architects—a very happy combination, for while we secured the genius of Mr. Scott, we also secured the ripe experience and exquisite taste of Mr. Bodley.
We elected the Earl of Derby as our president, and I was made the chairman of the executive committee, a position of much honour and of absorbing interest, but involving considerable responsibility. We were fortunate in having on the committee Mr. Arthur Earle, who has rendered yeoman service both in collecting funds and finding donors of the windows. We have also received great assistance from Mr. Robert Gladstone, the deputy-chairman, and Mr. F. M. Radcliffe.
We had some difficulty with our foundations, as part of the Mount was made-ground, and the rock when we reached it was very friable. The consequence was that on the east side we had to go down forty, and even fifty feet before we obtained a satisfactory foundation. The foundations for the Choir, Lady Chapel, Vestries, and Chapter House cost £40,000.
Foundation-Stone Laid by the King.
It was decided to invite the King and Queen to lay the foundation-stone, as it was the only cathedral likely to be built in this century. The King graciously consented, and fixed the afternoon of July 19th, 1904, for the ceremony, the arrangement being that he was to come down from London in the morning, lunch with the Lord Mayor at the Town Hall, and afterwards lay the foundation-stone; and on the conclusion of the ceremony embark upon the royal yacht in the river to proceed to Cardiff, en route to open the waterworks constructed in South Wales for the supply of Birmingham. The arrangements for the foundation-stone laying required much thought, as my experience has taught me that "functions" are successful only if every detail is well thought out beforehand.
Around the foundation-stone a huge amphitheatre of wood was constructed capable of seating 7,000 persons, and in the centre we erected an ornamental dais upon which the King and Queen were received and where they stood during the religious service; and in front of the dais, about thirty feet away, the foundation-stone stood ready for lifting and laying. We also formed a choir of 1,000 voices to take the musical part of the service, led by the band of the Coldstream Guards.