The Giants visited Liverpool across three years from 2012-2019, which was a spectacular event and loved by many. The event was created by Royal de Luxe and over the three years Liverpool attracted millions of people to the city who crowded the streets to follow the Giants on their journeys. The Giants shared a story of the sinking of the Titanic, sharing the adventure of the Little Girl Giant, her friend Xolo the dog, and the Diver Uncle. The event marked the centenary of the Titanic disaster and was inspired by a letter a 10-year-old girl posted in 1912 to her father who was a bedroom steward on the Titanic. After her father's demise on the ship, she attempts to reconnect with her uncle who promised to dive down to the wreck on the ocean floor to search for her father's letter. The Little Girl visits Liverpool as she heard that there could be news of her father in Liverpool, a city with strong connections to the Titanic. This is where the story of the Giants journey starts in Liverpool.
The first year the Giants visited Liverpool in 2012, the young girl visited to find her Uncle which took the audience on a journey with them. The journey started by showing the Uncle in his fish bowl helmet as he slept in Salthouse Dock before beginning his journey around the city to find the Little Girl Giant. The journey over the three days took the visitors on a journey together of them both finding each other and they finally reunited at King's Dock. After finding each other they said their goodbyes to Liverpool from Canning Dock on a barge and carried on their journey together.
2 years later, in 2014 Liverpool had another visit from the Giants, this time a new Giant that had not visited before, this was the Grandmother who came to share her stories of the impact the preparations of WWI had on Liverpool. The theme of the Giants second trip marked the centenary of the outbreak of World War I. Over the days she was in Liverpool she moved around the city in her wheelchair in 2014 and she even took a nap in St George's Hall where many people queued to come and see her sleep. Not only did the Grandmother Giant come and visit so did the Little Girl Giant and her dog Xolo. When they left at the end of their visit, the Giants sailed away down the River Mersey and said their goodbyes to the city again.
Four years later, in October 2019 Liverpool had a final visit from the Uncle Giant, the Little Boy Giant and Xolo the dog and they were unexpectedly reunited with the Little Girl Giant. As this was the Giants final visit to Liverpool, it attracted 1.3 million people to the city, who wanted to see the giants for the final time. Throughout the four days many people filled the streets to follow around the giants in their final journey through the city. The Little Boy Giant was found asleep in St George's Hall and the Uncle Giant was found washed up on new Brighton beach when arriving to Liverpool. Their journey after the four busy days came to an end at the Liverpool's waterfront, where the Giants said their final goodbyes after three years of visiting Liverpool.
I attended all three years of the Giant visits, but in the first and second year I do not have any good photographs to include as I was so young! But it was so lovely growing up with the Giants in Liverpool, they have created great childhood memories. In 2019, I loved seeing them again with being older and when I became interested in photography too, I really enjoyed it!
The events were incredible and brought together the city as well as many people visiting Liverpool. Everyone working the event worked so hard throughout the 3-4 days of the Giants journey each year.
Below are some of the photographs that I took of the Uncle Giant, the Little Boy Giant and the dog in 2019.
On the waterfront near the Three Gracies, the Little Boy Giant had his lunch and had his teeth brushed while the crowd came to watch him.
The photo below on the right was the last time I saw the Giants, they made their final journey before leaving Liverpool. I went onto one of the carparks floors to have an up close view of the Giants which was incredible. I took that many photos that day so my camera died at the time they were leaving but I managed to take photos on my phone camera!
As you can see from the photo on the left below, the streets were so busy each day of the Giants journey, it was great to see so many people visit Liverpool for the event. When the Giants were passing by I found some stairs nearby to take photographs of them walking past the crowd, it was great to see them from a different angle.
Below is the Little Boy Giant sleeping at St George's Hall, where many people queued to see him sleep!
All the Giants for sure won Liverpool's hearts as each day there was an incredible turnout in all three years, to come and follow the Giants around the city.
I have taken all photographs that are shown in this post, if you want to see more of my photography I share them on Instagram @capturethis._
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