Place    From 5/11/1887 

Queen's Park

Categories: Gardens / Agriculture

An information board in the Park gives "The area that is now Queen's Park was part of the site of the 1879 Royal Kilburn Agricultural Show, which had been attended by Queen Victoria, after which the Ecclesiastical Commissioners gave up the 30-acre site for the free use and enjoyment of the public' and so the City of London Corporation acquired the land in 1886. William Ward made a bequest, towards development of a public park, which was 'to be applied and expended in the erection and maintaining of some institution and the creation of some fund for the benefit of the poorer classes.' Major Alexander McKenzie, the second Superintendent of Epping Forest, laid out the site, which was originally called Kilburn Recreation Ground, but an application was made to Queen Victoria who then gave her permission for the name to be changed to Queen's Park in honour of her Golden Jubilee. the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Reginal {sic} Hanson, officially opened Queen's Park on the 5th November 1887."

More information at Queen's Park History. It's a rather complicated story but London Gardens Online made us understand that the City of London had to accept both Queen's Park and Highgate Wood, or lose both. Queen's Park was going to be more expensive to maintain and it was the funds from William Ward's will that made the double acquisition possible.

The park was laid out by Alexander McKenzie, and opened in 1887, serving the newly developed area around. The Park is managed by the City of London. The bandstand has been there from the start.

The 2013 Queen's Park Conservation Management Plan may be of interest, though the historical appendix is missing.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Queen's Park

Commemorated ati

Bandstand - Queen's Park

Queen's Park Centenary 1887 - 1987

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Other Subjects

Robert Weir Schultz

Robert Weir Schultz

Scottish Arts and Crafts architect, artist, landscape designer and furniture designer. He did much work on the Isle of Bute. Almost all of his buildings are now category A listed buildings, reflect...

Person, Architecture, Craft / Design, Gardens / Agriculture, Scotland

1 memorial
Vauxhall Park

Vauxhall Park

An information board near to the Fawcett house plaque gives: "Vauxhall Park was created by a special Act of Parliament in 1888 on land whose history can be traced back to the 11th Century. A group ...

Place, Gardens / Agriculture

1 memorial
Portman Square Garden

Portman Square Garden

Laid out and the plane trees planted following private Acts of Parliament of 1780 and 1823.

Place, Gardens / Agriculture

1 memorial
River Effra

River Effra

At the Brockwell Lido plaque there is an information board which begins by explaining the function of stink pipes: "What is a stink pipe? The lofty green pipe behind you is a Victorian stink pipe, ...

Place, Gardens / Agriculture

17 memorials
William Curtis Ecological Park

William Curtis Ecological Park

The William Curtis Ecological Park was the United Kingdom's first urban ecology park. Max Nicholson and the Trust for Urban Ecology (created at the same time, by Nicholson) created it on a derelict...

Place, Community / Clubs, Gardens / Agriculture

1 memorial