Comments on: Birkenhead Park

By: ferries

ferries — Sat, 08 May 2010 10:01:07 +0000

Great sharing. thanks Ian - looks like it all boils down to who means what by Ã¢â¬ËparkÃ¢â¬â¢ and Ã¢â¬ËpublicÃ¢â¬â¢ as we though..!!

By: Terry Rourke

Terry Rourke — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:41:23 +0000

I write for two reasons. Firstly about Northwest Tonight TV programme and a competition artist making the same claim as you about Birkenhead Park being the World's first Municipal Park.

Secondly about my claim that the title should go to Philips Park in Manchester.

I have always thought the latter held this unique honour without any research on my part and indeed have always championed it as such to anyone that cared to listen.

When I heard the TV claim (the artist wants to put a brass bandstand at Birkenhead) I thought I would do some research. I already knew that Philips Park was opened in 1846 which is twelve months before Birkenhead and this seems to establish my claim.

In fact THREE parks were opend on the same day in 1846 in the Manchester area, as well as Philips, there were Queens Park and Peel Park in Salford.

Peel was actually the first on the day to be opened although Philips had been established first.

As Birkenhead was not opened until 1847 I would be glad to know how it claims to be the first.

I am sure you have all the facts that I am unaware of but nevertheless I would be grateful if you could help.

When I got on to a website there bold as brass were two titles.

PHILIPS PARK THE WORLD'S OLDEST MUNICIPAL PARK.

BIRKENHEAD PARK THE WORLD'S FIRST MUNICIPAL PARK.

Both cannot be right can they?

I look forward to your reply.

Terry Rourke

By: doug

doug — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:45:10 +0000

Good on you Mark Doughty, thats from a Welchman.

By: Mark Doughty

Mark Doughty — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:48:01 +0000

A very interesting article, I was always a little dubious about the park being the first ever municiple park but coming from Birkenhead I always harboured a hope that it was. Bernadette I am pleased you have chosen now to visit the park as you will see it in its best light with the funding that it has had over the last 5 years , once again the bridges and boathouse look wonderfull now they are restored to there former glory and the landscaping competes with any of the Royal Parks in London.
Honey I promise not to come and find you and lynch you up but I do take umbrige with you saying that the park is surrounded by ugliness. The park has architecture from the last 200 years surrounding it showing Birkenheads heritage, Ok not all very pleasing to the eye but history non the less, the park stretches from the outskirts of Oxton (a beautifull village full of Georgian buildings) to Conway street showing the terraced housing of the working class. If you are refering to Birkenhead as a whole being ugly , well I would say areas such as Hamilton Square, the old library on Bourough Rd and Pine walks in Prenton (amongst others) prove you wrong, these places coupled with the other public parks that are in Birkenhead such as Arrow Park, Mersey Park and little gems such as the Arno and its faboulous rose gardens make me feel that perhaps a visit back to your roots may be in order.
I will happily admit however Honey that Argyle Street on a Friday and Saturday night are one of the ugliest places imaginable.

By: Bernadette Morgan

Bernadette Morgan — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 18:27:42 +0000

My mother used to live in South Lodge Birkenhead Park. My Grandfather was the Gardener and although I have never been there I have heard so many stories. My husband and I live in London and plan to visit the park next month. I want to retrace my mothers memories. Your site has only heightened my interest. Many thanks

By: jazmin hughes

jazmin hughes — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 12:18:16 +0000

i think bhead park is brill !! i got dere almost everyday with my friends its better when its sunny we play games on tha huge grass area at the moment its gettin developed and the pond is getting cleaned out

By: Jack Mottram

Jack Mottram — Sun, 02 Oct 2005 17:10:23 +0000

Belated update - I noticed today that the Wikipedia entry on Birkenhead states:

> Birkenhead Park is acknowledged to be the first publicly funded park in Britain

Vaguely-worded and from a non-authoritative source, but still...

By: honey

honey — Sat, 12 Feb 2005 12:58:58 +0000

Very interesting article - I come from the Wirral, and, apologies to your Dad, the word "backwater" is apt (I don't live there now so won't get lynched), surrounded as the park is by so much ugliness. So it doesn't surprise me they'd claim it was the first - I presume they expect no-one to outside to visit. Oo, I am being rude.

My squiffy child's mind thought somehow that Birkenhead Park was based on NY's Central Park, which is silly - I thought of it a bit like a model village of something big in America. It was nice to see what I thouht of as "the real thing" when I visited New York.

Just found this site via - very nice. I look forward to your thoughts on both Port Sunlight (Wirral connection) and Bourneville: Cadbury's also of course had a factory on the Wirral (in Moreton) in which my father worked. They didn't build pretty houses for people though.

By: bobbydad

bobbydad — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 15:14:05 +0000

manchester got its public parks in 1846 - as jack minds well Glasgow Green, the first public park in europe, was restored in 1828

By: Ian Thompson

Ian Thompson — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 22:52:53 +0000

Sorry.. I just realised you already did know that! But maybe not that when it opened 10,000 people came. There were bands, bellringers, sack races, and other games, including a porridge-eating competition and something called catching the greasy pig.