The Confederate White House in Europe was at 19 Abercromby Square, in the Georgian Quarter of the place where, nearly 100 years later, The Beatles would emerge.
🕴️ Charles Kuhn Prioleau & Mary WrightCharles K. Prioleau (1827–1887), a Charleston-born cotton merchant, became senior partner at Fraser, Trenholm & Co. in Liverpool—a financial linchpin for the Confederate States . He commissioned the construction of No. 19 in 1862, perhaps envisioning it as a diplomatic node—an unofficial “Confederate Embassy” . Married in 1860 to Mary Elizabeth Wright, the Liverpool-born “Belle of Liverpool,” Prioleau merged Southern money with local prestige . Mary Wright is believed to have helped organize Confederate aid events like the Grand Southern Bazaar held nearby .
⚓ James Dunwoody Bulloch – Confederate operativePraised as the Confederacy’s “most dangerous man in Europe,” James Dunwoody Bulloch (1823–1901) operated from Liverpool as the chief Confederate naval agent . A former US Navy officer, Bulloch arranged the outfitting of commerce raiders like the CSS Alabama, Florida, and Shenandoah via Prioleau’s firm . He remained in Liverpool post-war and is buried here.
đź’° Secret Funds & Booth ConnectionBulloch funneled funds through Liverpool and into Montreal, which then found their way to John Wilkes Booth—the man who assassinated Abraham Lincoln. These funds reportedly financed Booth’s operations, deepening No. 19’s shadowed legacy .
🎥 Watch the History UnfoldHear more from JP Maxwell, author of The Americans of Abercromby Square, as he tours the house:
Catch the full account in the book, The Americans of Abercromby Square, which delves deep into these lives, alliances, and the small but significant symbols left behind. Perfect for history lovers and heritage explorers alike!👉 Get your copy here: The Americans of Abercromby Square
🏷️ Hashtags & Discover More
#AbercrombySquare #ConfederateLiverpool #CharlesPrioleau #MaryWright #JamesBulloch #ConfederateHistory #JohnWilkesBooth #AmericansofAbercrombySquare
🏛️ Why It Matters TodayThis house reflects Britain’s complex entanglement with the American Civil War—not just economically, but ideologically. Prioleau’s palatial residence and the Confederate symbols displayed within served a wider promotional and financial enterprise for a slavery-centric regime. The story of these individuals—Prioleau, Mary Wright, Bulloch—and the covert pipeline to Booth underscores how Liverpool was more than a trading hub; it was a strategic Confederate outpost in Europe.
For further exploration, dive into my book and journey through Liverpool’s overlooked American connections—an intertwined network of commerce, culture, and covert warfare.
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Read more in The Americans of Abercromby Square.https://amzn.to/4eP8fYZ
