Queen’s Park, Loughborough
Queens Park is in the centre of Loughborough, and as such is ideal for a short walk at any
time of the day, and when used in conjunction with the Loughborough Town Trail, will
enrich any town walk route.
This park has a long and vibrant history, and below is some information which you might
like to use if taking a walk to include the park.
How the park was created
As part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria in Loughborough, a new
park was agreed for the town.
Four acres of land previously belonging to the Old Island House Estate were adapted at a
cost of £1,500.
Mr. W. B. Paget of Southfield, after whom Paget Street was named, began the park fund
with a donation of £500 in 1897, and 38 people subscribed a total of £770, leaving £230
to be raised by the townsfolk.
On 22 June 1897, Jubilee Day, the Mayoress planted an Oak tree in what was to become
Memorial Park.
The official opening was on 7th June 1899 when the Mayor issued a request that a
general holiday should be observed in the Town. A large marquee was erected across
Granby Street, and the park was decorated with flags and bunting. During his speech the
Mayor declared that the park was well situated, made beautiful by nature and art, and its
situation was very nice. It was sheltered from the east and also from the north winds and
the public had free access to the air from the health-giving forest. Therefore, he trusted it
would be a place that would be much used by the people, and that there, they would not
only be able to rest, but to refresh themselves.
Mr. W. B. Paget opened the park formally, and intimated that many open spaces were
required to keep the town healthy, and that both the inhabitants and visitors should be
deterred from going to public houses. Public parks were the next best thing to each house
having its own garden, as much building was taking place in the town at that time, and
space was very limited.
Celebrations during the afternoon included dancing, Punch and Judy, a recital by the
Volunteer Band and refreshments. At dusk the grounds were lit electrically with the help
of the Brush Electrical Engineering Company. In the baths there were several events,
swimming, tub racing, a life-saving demonstration, ornamental swimming and an
exhibition of trick swimming by a one-legged schoolboy
The Bandstand
The bandstand was moved to its present site after the extension to the park between 1901
and 1916.
Space had originally been left during the construction of the park in order to erect a
bandstand. It was built by Councillor Wootton, and presented to the Borough in 1902 on
the condition that the Corporation provided the materials and laid the foundations.
It was officially opened by Captain Burns-Hartopp, High Sheriff of the County on
Saturday, 6th September 1902 after a civic procession from the Town Hall to the park.
The gate to the bandstand was unlocked using a silver gilt key, which had a quarter foil
shaped head with scroll ornaments around it, and Captain Burns-Hartopp’s crest in the
centre. On the reverse of the head was the inscription:
“Opening of the Queen’s Park bandstand, given to the Borough of
Loughborough by councillor W. H. Wootton, 6” September 1902.”
The key was supplied in a case by Mr. F. Stubbs of Loughborough.
Councillor Wootton explained during his speech that it had often occurred to him when
he had seen young people about the streets after the shops were closed, that it would be a
good thing if they had an opportunity of listening to a bit of good music.
After the speeches, two concerts were given by the Band of the Grenadier Guards
including music by Wagner, Strauss, Sullivan and Rossini, and during the evening the
Borough Prize Band played music for dancing in the park.
A plaque was placed on the side of the bandstand which reads:
THIS BANDSTAND
WAS PRESENTED TO THE BOROUGH BY
COUNCILLOR W. H. WOOTTON
IN COMMEMORATION OF THE CORONATION
OF THEIR MAJESTIES
KING EDWARD VII AND QUEEN ALEXANDER
AUGUST 9th 1902
..……………….
R. Sutton Clifford
Mayor
Thomas Mayo
Deputy Major
Harry Perkins
Town Clerk
Albert M. Walker
Borough Surveyor
Development of the Park 1908 – 1914
During 1908 an additional 6 acres of land were acquired by the Corporation and £1,250
borrowed in order to develop the park over several years. New paths were made, trees
formed shady avenues, grass plots were prepared and ornamental shrubs planted.
Labelling was introduced to provide “an educational object lesson in botany.” Toilets
were also built beside the Memorial Baths.
A circular space, 140 foot in diameter, was covered with gravel so that the bandstand
could be moved and listeners would not get their feet wet.
It was anticipated that a real park would develop, with tennis courts, near Browns Lane,
which was expected to develop as a street in time, and a bowling green nearby. An
ornamental lake with an island was planned, to be dug out between the bandstand and the
bowling green. It was to have a long, winding “tail” towards Browns Lane, and the corner
would be crossed by a rustic bridge.
The War Years 1914 – 1918
In 1916, the third and final phase of the park was agreed upon, after the death of
Mr. John Clarke. The executors of his will negotiated the sale of 3,064 square yards of
land to the Corporation, including the land and buildings forming the site of the old
Bleach Yard, and a portion of land adjoining the bowling green in the park.
In 1918 it was proposed that an additional, temporary, bowling green should be laid out
opposite the Memorial Baths at a cost of £38.17s.6d, with temporary fencing.
This caused great controversy in the town, as the Food Control Committee wanted the
land for the production of potatoes and cabbages, and the Councillors declared that the
space was required for children’s recreation.
Councillors believed that it was preferable for all people to relax in healthy surroundings
as opposed to public houses, and space should not be restricted to a limited number of
users. Therefore, the green was abandoned, and the temporary fencing used subsequently
on a sewage farm.
The Carillon 1918 - 1923
Early in 1918, the Mayor, Mr. Walter Coltman, decided that a memorial was needed for
all the men who had been killed during the war years, and on 2nd January 1919 the new
Mayor, Mr. Wilfred Moss proposed that a Tower and Carillon should be erected. This
would be particularly appropriate since Loughborough had established a reputation for
bell-making worldwide, and the original idea had been conceived in Belgium during the
Middle Ages. Of particular significance were the close links between Belgium and
England during the First World War.
Mr. Walter Tapper, consulting architect to York Minster, was appointed by the Royal
Society of British Architects to draw up the plans, and donations of £500 from both
Brush Electrical Engineering Company and Herbert Morris started the fund to pay for the
memorial.
Insufficient cash had been raised towards the £10,000 target when work was started by
William Moss & Sons Limited early in 1921, so seven members of the Carillon advisory
committee made themselves personally responsible.
It had been proposed that the Tower should be built at the entrance to the Queen’s Park
on Granby Street. However, this was altered and the foundation stones were laid during a
religious and civic ceremony at the present site, on 22nd January 1922. One stone was laid
by General Lord Horne, a distinguished officer who had commanded the section of the
British Army in France, to which the local units were attached. The other stone was laid
by Mrs. J. T. Godber who was chosen by lot to represent the relatives of the fallen.
John Taylor & Sons made the 47 bells for the Carillon at a cost of £7,000, although the
company gave £2,000 as a contribution to the memorial. Almost all of the bells were
subsequently paid for either by individuals or local organisations.
Two promising local musicians were selected to play the Carillon and Mr. William Eric
Jordan was Borough Carillonneur from the opening in 1923 until 1975. Mr. Sidney
Potter was his deputy, and both went to the Royal Carillon School at Malines to study.
The opening recitals were given by Chevalier Jef. Denyn of Malines after Field Marshall
Sir William Robertson performed the unveiling ceremony on 21st July 1923.
A bazaar was organised in the park for 21st, 22nd and 23rd July and each stall was named
after a Carillon Tower in Belgium, such as:
MONS
44 Bells
Perfumery and novelties stall
ANT WERP 47 Bells
Tea Gardens and Restaurant
COURTRAI 47 Bells
Oriental Stall
The present Borough Carillonneur is Mr. Peter K. Shepherd, who was appointed in 1980,
and has also studied at the Royal Carillon School at Malines.
Post War Changes
By December 1926, the toilets beside the Memorial Baths had been knocked down. The
tennis pavilion remained and it was retained on the grounds that it was useful for
listening to Carillon recitals in the rain, but finally that too was demolished.
Birds in the Park 1948 – 1956
“Even ducks have a Council house at Loughborough”
(Loughborough Monitor. 9th December 1948)
“Ideal family house containing good-sized room (none-up, one-down)
Outside: Private swimming pool; good fishing within easy waddling distance.
Small garden tended free of charge by the Corporation”
This was how the newspaper described the home constructed by the Parks Department,
and sited on the island in the centre of the ornamental lake. The ducks were reported to
have approached the building with cautious curiosity, and appropriate names were
suggested for it such as “Dun-paddlin”, “Ducks’ Nook” and “The Willows”.
On Saturday, 13th August 1955, the first section of a new 48 foot long aviary was opened
by the Mayor, Alderman Mrs. Cope. It was built in four days by the Parks section, and
the 45 inhabitants were supplied by the Loughborough Budgerigar and Foreign Bird
Society.
The aviary was divided into three sections to house the budgerigars and foreign birds
such as Bengalese Lavender Finches, Orange Cheeks and Green Singing Finches.
In April 1956, Harry Yates volunteered to take on the role of official bird keeper, and he
would leave jars of seed on top of the aviaries to help stray budgerigars and wild birds, as
well as supplying the needs of the captive birds for maggots, meal worms, nuts, biscuits
and soft-bill insective foods.
Amongst others in his charge were Golden and Silver Pheasants, a Peacock and Peahen,
given by Leicester City Council, and Gertie the Goose, who was a well-known character
for many years, and who would bite any of the children who dared to tease her.
A display of exotic birds was included for one Mayor-making ceremony and such was the
birds’ popularity, another aviary was built, situated beside the Memorial Baths where the
toilets had previously been.
On 4th July 1956, a pair of Humboldt Penguins were given to the Borough by Mr. W. A.
Deakin. A new igloo was built on the island near the ducks’ house, to provide a home for
them after their journey from Holland to Prestwick Airport, as they were supplied by a
Dutch firm. “Echo” and “Re-echo” as they were named, fed on a diet of sprats arid fresh
herrings at 11am daily, and proved to be a great attraction. Unfortunately, the female
penguin died within a month of arriving and the male died in September 1956, it was
thought from eating only freshwater fish and not the salted fish provided.
To add to the collection of birds, it had been hoped that a pair of Red Flamingos could
have been brought from Cuba in August 1956, but unfortunately this could not be
arranged.
Queen’s Park from the 1960’s onwards
In the early 1960’s, a playground was laid out in the park near the Carillon, and in 1968 a
second play area was built beside the Wards End entrance to the park. In 1975, the Rotary
Club donated three play domes to the second playground in order to celebrate the close of
its Golden Jubilee year.
The overall area of the park has not changed since 1916. However, there is much more
emphasis on providing flowerbeds than previously. The 1950’s passion for crazy paving
around the ponds has gone. Ornamental flowerbeds are planted to commemorate special
years or occasions, such as “1982 Year of the Scout.”
The mode of transport for the staff working in the park has changed too, from the single
tractor, which sufficed until a converted, ex-Army decontamination van was acquired, to
the present-day custom built vans.
The aviary is now tended by two private individuals on an annual agreement basis. They
are responsible for the re-stocking, feeding etc., of the birds. The Peacocks which lived in
the old aviaries have been moved to a pen in the Outwoods car park.
The Carillon is still without doubt the best-known feature of the park, and recitals are
played regularly throughout the summer season.
The park is open all the year round, and Alderman Griggs’ words on its opening have
come true - it is certainly “much used by the people.”