Mary Elizabeth Wright Prioleau is one of the historical figures that appears in my new book ‘Rebel City: A Story of Liverpool during the American Civil War.’ Called the Belle of Allerton Hall did her portrait once hang at the hall painted by the artist Chevalier Louis Desanges. Mary had married Charles Kuhn Prioleau, who also appears in the book on the 3 May 1860 in Wilton Parish Church. If not there it probably would have when the couple moved to no 19 Abercromby Square. She even had a blockade runner named after her.

Allerton Hall is now a restaurant and no 19 Abercromby Square’s interior is little changed from when the Prioleau’s lived there. There are many other real historical figures in my book from that exciting period in the cities history.