An Edwardian Pose - Corporation Park c1904

A lovely, posed image from 1904. I have absolutely no idea who any of these people are, but they look quite well heeled, or maybe they were just a very ordinary Edwardian family, dressed in their Sunday best for an afternoon in the park.

I think (though not certain) they're stood on the central steps, just below the Broad Walk in Corporation Park.

A fantastic shot anyway.

Below is another photograph, obviously taken at the same session.

Courtesy of the CP collection

Corporation Park - c1890

The postmark on this card was 1904, but I think the image is from around 1890.

It's a pretty good depiction, when you think that the artist couldn't have ever seen it from this angle. If you study it, you can pick out the features, like the fountain inside the main gate, the smaller one midway up the carriageway, the fountain in the smaller lake and the large lake to the right of that. On the left is the bandstand and 3/4 way up the image, running across left to right, the tree lined Broad Walk. I think that clearing in the trees on the right, a little higher is possibly The Devil's Rock and pretty central towards the top, the battlements (or whatever they're called) that the cannons were once on.

I'm not too sure about the very large property on the horizon, but it's situated right where the Corporation Park pub is, so I'm guessing it supposed to be that, though it's a bit out of proportion.

Note the horse drawn trams on Preston New Rd at the bottom. They were introduced in 1888, I believe.

Courtesy of the CP collection

Queens Park & the flats (Hi-Rise & Deck Access) - 1974

I think this is a superb photo of the lake and the flats at Queens Park. Nice colours, it almost looks like a watercolour painting and great reflections on the lake. 

The photo was taken in 1974 by Nick Clare when he was living in the hi-rise blocks. 

A native of Devon, Nick came to Blackburn for a visit to his wife's parents in 1972. During his visit, he applied for a job here, was successful and they ended up living in Blackburn for the next 12 years or so. 

There's only a handful of photos of the Queens Park hi-rise that I'm aware of, mainly in black & white and even fewer of the deck-access flats that are in the background.

Courtesy of Nick Clare 

East Park Lodge / Gates - Corporation Park - c1908

I think I've a few pictures of the West Park Lodge on here, but this is probably the first of the East Park Lodge.

The rooftops at the top of the park, will be the houses and cottages on Revidge Rd and that gap between them is probably where the path that led up to the 'Tank' is.

Uncertain of the date of this photo, but the attire looks very Edwardian.

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

Tennis Courts - Corporation Park - c1920

An old sepia image of the tennis courts at the top of the park, with the houses on Brantfell Rd (The Sixty Steps) and the corner of Revidge Rd in the background. The church tower in the distance is St James's.

I'm dating it to around 1920 based solely on the clothes the lady and child are wearing. If you know better and can advise me, I'll be happy to amend.

Courtesy of the CP collection

Is this Corporation Park ?

When I was sent the above (old) photo about 6 months ago, I was told it was Corporation Park c1895. Well I've studied it, but I'm not totally convinced it is. The only parts of the park I think it could possibly be, are either just inside the West Park gate (so the conservatory would be to the left, the gate to the right and the lodge directly behind the photographer), but then the properties in the background don't seem to look like East Park Road. Or alternatively it could possibly be just inside the East Park gate (in which case the gate would sort of be to the left of the curved lawn area and to the right would be the pathway up towards the Broad Walk), but from there, I don't think you can see any properties in the distance, except maybe some of the QEGS buildings on West Park Road.

Anyone else got any thoughts or can you confirm it is Corporation Park (perhaps neither of the two locations I mention, but another part of the park)?

Below I have reversed the image, just in case the one above was developed the wrong way around.

UPDATE 8th Jan 2011 -  John Stone has kindly supplied 2 images taken this week. Both of his photos are from the West Park Lodge. You can quite clearly see the similarity above, but as John says in his e-mail to me, you can't see the lake in the older image. Below, I have reversed John's second picture to compare it with the reversed old image (but please bear in mind, John's photo is definitely from the West Park Lodge, that we do know). Personally, I think he should go back up there with a large group of people and take another shot, perhaps a yard or two further back than he was;-)    

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

'NOW' IMAGES COURTESY OF JOHN STONE

( Cheers John )

Boathouse & Lake (x3) - Queens Park

Three images of the Boathouse area and lake in Queens Park. The top one dates to around 1906, the centre one probably a few years later (c1912) and the bottom one, quite recent in comparison, probably dating to the 1970's.

You can see my old school, John Rigby High, in the later photo, just over the tree tops, on the corner of North Road. In fact that might be me in the window on the extreme left, studiously getting on with my Geography.

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

Corporation Park Slide Show - Postcards c1910 - (A Stroll Through The Park)

BEST  WATCHED  SMALL  SCREEN

My stroll is from the main entrance on Preston New Rd, passing the fountain and the flower beds (The Memorial Garden since WW1), up by the smaller fountain (The Dingle) at the side of the Carriage Drive, a quick look at the bandstand on the green facing QEGS, back down for a chat with the ducks and the swans on the lake, then on to the West Park gate (I wanted to see if there was any cricket going on at Alexandra Meadows), passing the conservatory both on the way there and on the way back. Over to the steps by the ornamental gardens, stopping briefly on the Broad Walk to catch my breath, then finally up to the cannons / battery to take in the fantastic view across the Valley of The Black Water. I just hope they knock down some of those factory chimney's one day.

A little exercise does you good and it's still a beautiful park, well worth a visit, whatever the season.

(And it takes just 4 minutes 33 seconds to complete my walk;-)

Queens Park Main Entrance - c1900

Another circa 1900 postcard image. This one taken at the main entrance gates to Queens Park. Look at the lovely ornate lamps on top of the gateposts. I'll bet it looked really lovely, all lit up after dark.

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

New Bandstand in Corporation Park x 4

Four images of the 'new' bandstand in Corporation Park. This bandstand replaced the original one from 1857. Not sure when this one was erected, but it was before the 1st World War, as the black & white image (3rd down) was taken in 1910. Both the old and the 'new' bandstands (I think) were situated on the west side of the park, on the green opposite QEGS. In the top photo, you can see the pavillion and conservatory in the distance.

The bottom image is from a damaged slide, but gives an indication of what the bandstand looked like in its prime, with full band and audience.

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

Early Drawing of Corporation Park - Mid Victorian

A very early image of Corporation Park.

The cannons are already in place, so it's after 1857, as they were a gift in that year.

Not sure where I got this from, but I do remember seeing the same image in the museum a few years ago, so I'm going to credit it to them.

COURTESY OF THE LOCAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF BLACKBURN MUSEUM.

Fountain in Corporation Park & Preston New Rd

Another view of the fountain by the main entrance in Corporation Park, also showing some of the properties (which are still there) on Preston New Rd. The church steeple in the top right corner, is the steeple of Trinity Wesleyan (Methodist) Chapel which stood on the corner of Montague Street and Preston New Rd.

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

The Cannons - Corporation Park

As it says on the card, this is a photo of The Cannons at the top of Corporation Park, just below Revidge Rd. I believe they were Russian cannons, captured at Sebastopol during the Crimean War. The actual metal cannons were later melted down for the war effort in the early 1940's. I think they were originally sat on wooden bases, which rotted and were then replaced by concrete. The concrete remained for decades after and probably still there today (unless they removed it during the Millenium 'tidy up').

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

Corporation Park - Fountain & Entrance c1905

Two more images of Corporation Park. The top one is of the fountain, which is just inside the main entrance gates and the lower one is of the entrance gates. That little white pony sure liked getting in the picture. It's also on one of the pictures of the Cotton Exchange. Maybe it belonged to the photographer, he would have to get his gear around somehow.  

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

West Park Walk & Conservatory - Corporation Park

Another compare & contrast exercise;-) The top image is an Edwarian postcard, depicting the conservatory and 'walk' that leads up to the West Park Lodge / Gate.  Lovely autumnal colours in the trees.

The lower photo, is one I took in the snows of January 2010, from a similar angle.

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

Queens Park - Boating Lake

Early 20th century image of the boating lake in Queens Park.

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

West Park Gates - Corporation Park

These are the gates and lodge on West Park Road, close to Dukes Brow. They face the wall of Alexandra Meadows (cricket ground). This image, including the conservatory, looks very similar today, though the old lamp has gone and the conservatory could do with a lick of paint.

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

Corporation Park c1910 (Pre Garden of Remembrance)

A postcard from circa 1910.

 It's an interesting shot this, as it shows how the area in the foreground looked, before they created the Garden of Remembrance (Please see one of the other images listed under PARKS in the Labels column). The large houses, beyond the fountain, are at the bottom of East Park Road.

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

Corporation Park - The Dingle

As you can see from the old postcard, this attractive little area, just off the main walk, is called 'The Dingle' (No, I didn't know either, until I saw this postcard). The older image probably dates to around 1900, give or take ten years and the bottom image, was taken by myself in the late summer of 2009.

 After the recent refurbishment of many of the features within the park, this little fountain looks just as lovely, over a century later.

Well done to the Parks Dept and Blackburn with Darwen Council.

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION

Corporation Park - The Carriage Drive

Titled 'The Carriage Drive' this is the main walkway, up from the main entrance on Preston New Rd. On the left hand side, not really visible in this image, is the Snig Brook, which runs down from the top of the park, filling both lakes, then falls down the embankment by the statue of Flora, under the walkway to the small fountain (The Dingle - See following posting) which is just out of sight in this view, then carries on down to the Garden of Remembrance, by the entrance to the park. From there the brook runs under Preston N. Rd, eventually winding its way down (underground) to meet the Blakewater in the Wensley Fold district.

COURTESY OF THE CP COLLECTION