Birkenhead

We are also blessed with a magnificent park and as one would know, it is called Birkenhead Park. This park is the first municipal park in the United Kingdom and it was so successful that its claim to fame is that Central Park in New York, USA, is based on our park.

At around 1810 AD there was a small community of about 110 people which grew very quickly. By 1843 the Commissioners bought 125 acres of marsh land, whereby Sir Joseph Paxton was engaged to turn the land into a great public park for the resident of the growing town. 1000 men were employed to drain the water from the land and to layout the area from the plans. In 1847 among huge festivities, the park was opened. Sir Joseph Paxton also designed the Crystal Palace in London. The main park entrance was designed by Lewis Hornblower, which resembles the Arc De Triumphe in Paris.

During the year many events take place here, for example, Victorian days where the people of Birkenhead promenade in Victorian dress and the children play games from that era. Summer fairs take place and numerous other events.

A short history of the Park by date from 1801 to 1989.

1801 Few dwellings and houses.

1820 First steamship across the river Mersey.

1833 Birkenhead Improvement Commission. Select Committee on Public works.

1841 Isaac Holmes, Birkenhead Improvement Commissioner, first suggests a park.

1843 Second Birkenhead Improvement Act allowing the purchase of land. Improvement Committee. William Jackson as Chairman.

1843 (August) Asked Paxton to view site.

1843 (November) Paxton's plan and Robertson's sketches. Approved preparatory work started on level ground.

1844 Paxton submitted plan to divide peripheral land in 32 plots for 212 houses.

1845 (March) Trees plants and shrubs bought by Kemp. William Kemp planted first tree on mound near to lower lake.

1845 (July) First sale of plots. Less than 16 sold.

1845 (November) Paxton asked to landscape unsold plots into "Boothby Ground"

1846 New plan for addition to park submitted by Paxton.

1846 (September) Second sale of 43 plots. Less than 42 sold. consequently the large terrace plans were amended to villas and smaller terraces to be sold separately.

1846 (October) Park complete. Grass cut for hay and pastures leased.

1847 (April) Opening of Morpeth and Edgerton Parks. Cricket permitted.

1848 Six sculptures by Mr Forest in the park including "Mazeppa and the Horse" (of Byron).

1849 Camera Obscura erected. Refreshment saloon opened on lease to Nathaniel Knight at £30.00 per annum. Aerial suspension bridge erected over part of lower lake.

1853 Aerial bridge collapses. Mersey Curling Club to use upper lake in Winter.

1854 Quoits permitted.

1857 Fishing in lower lake permitted. 2 Russian cannons captured in 1853 at Sebastopol, Crimean War, sited near the Grand Entrance. and later moved to Cannon Hill. They were then scrapped during WW 11.

1858 Archery in the upper park.

1859 1st Cheshire Rifle volunteers permitted to drill in the park.

1860 Street railway (Tram) from Woodside Ferry yo the Grand Entrance.

1861 Football permitted.

1863 Manchester and Liverpool Agricultural Society's Annual Cattle Show in Lower Park.

1864 Oak tree planted to celebrate 300th Anniversary of Shakespeare's birth.

1869 Pillar box sited in Ashville Road.

1885 Cast iron Bandstand erected in Lower Park.

1888 Unsold land in lower park converted to skittle alley, bowling green and quoiting ground.

1902 (August) Oak tree planted to celebrate Coronation of Edward VII.

1914 1st World War began.

1917 (September) Welsh National Eisteddfod held for the first time outside Wales, marked by Logan Stone (1925) on Cannon Hill.

1918 1st World War ended.

1921 Palm House erected on upper park. Demolished after WW11.

1927 Jubilee Celebrations of the Charter of Birkenhead.

1929 (June) New bandstand erected. Old one removed to Mersey Park in Tranmere.

1939 2nd World War began.

1945 2nd World War ended.

1977 Birkenhead Park designated a Conservation Area.

1983 Grand Entrance renovated.

1984 Ranger service began in Birkenhead Park.

1987 Work on lower lake.

1988 Roads resurfaced.

1989 Work began on the Boathouse renovation.