Today, Bootle is an urban town, with industrial heritage.  If you look at docks such as the Brocklebank or the Langton, you would be forgiven for thinking that nothing else existed before they were built.  However, there used to be a beach in Bootle. 

The town ended up becoming a popular seaside resort, especially for the wealthy.  You see, before the growth of the docks in the mid-1800s, there were far less factories belching out fumes.  This meant tourists flocked to this area to escape from the dirty cities and taste some fresh sea air.