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Newspaper Clippings - Loose - Volume 2 - page 24

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OCR	IA PEN S Bod THE CREATION OF THE PARKS 215 applied to the Dean and Chapter to grant or lease , with a view to enfranchisement , to the town the vacant ground on the north side of the seaward end of Ocean Road , lying between the Old Workhouse and the Sands , formerly a brickyard , and then used as a place of deposit for builders ' rubbish . Eventually , the Dean and Chapter having refused to make a grant of the land , the Corporation decided in June 1867 to lease the land in question at £ 10 a year for twenty - one years . A proposal to construct a pond or lake for the sailing of model yachts was carried through against great opposition . The Recreation Ground , which extended to about four acres , was fitted up with swings , etc. , for children , and was maintained in that condition for nearly twenty years . In September 1874 advantage was taken by the Corporation of the visit to the town of the Earl of Chichester , then Chairman of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners , to urge the claims of the Borough for some consideration at the hands of that body , the principal landowners , in the formation of public parks for the people . His Lordship , after visiting the Recreation Ground , promised to recommend his colleagues to convey to the Corporation absolutely their interest in that land , together with an additional eight acres adjoining it on the north . He also held out hopes that the further fourteen acres to the north , comprising the ballast hills running up to the pilots ' look - out , the greater part of which was then on lease to the Tyne Plate Glass Company , might also eventually be handed over to the town . The grant was approved , and on May 26 , 1875 , the Commissioners formally conveyed to the Corporation , as a free gift , nineteen acres , including what afterwards became the North Marine Park and the Washhouse Hill , forming part of the South Park . Power to purchase additional land for parks was proposed in the draft Bill of 1878. On August 8 , 1882 , three acres , and on November 9 , 1883 , nine acres more of what is now the South Park were conveyed to the Corporation , bringing the southern boundary of the Park- at that time described as ' looking more like a quarry than anything else ' - up to the line of Ravensbourne Terrace . A contract for levelling the land was let , but in 1884 the town suffered severely from depression in trade , and in order to relieve the prevalent distress the Corporation . employed 200 men daily for many months in levelling down the ballast hills and laying out the land . In a few months a complete transformation was wrought . The ugly , unsightly ballast hills became handsome parks , with well - wooded borders , grassy slopes , and blossoming flower - beds . A large lake , for skating in winter and model yacht sailing in summer , was constructed in the South Park , which also contains two fine promenades commanding a view of the North Sea unsurpassed on any part of the coast , while bowling - greens and tennis - courts were formed in the North Park . There had been strong opposition in the Council to constructing parks so near the seashore . Many members declared that neither trees nor flowers would grow in such a position . The result soon falsified this prediction , and the parks are famous as amongst the most beautiful in the North . They were formally opened on Wednesday , June 25 , 1890 , amid great public rejoicing , by Sir John M. Mowbray , one of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners , formerly M.P. for Durham , and who lived to become ' father ' of the House of Commons . Prior to that time , in December 1887 , the Corporation had purchased from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners , for £ 2000 , fourteen acres of ground , comprising the ballast hills lying to the north of the North Park , and running up to the Beacon at the Lawe . These high and unsightly hills were levelled down between 1893 and 1899 , partly by relief labour in times of depression and partly by contract . The area is at present being laid out as an addition to the North Park , the Corporation having also purchased the picturesque building , known as Trinity Towers , formerly used as a pilots ' look - out , and now as a park - keeper's lodge .

OCR

IA
PEN
S
Bod
THE CREATION OF THE PARKS
215
applied to the Dean and Chapter to grant or lease , with a view to enfranchisement , to the town the vacant ground on the north side of the seaward end of Ocean Road , lying between the Old Workhouse and the Sands , formerly a brickyard , and then used as a place of deposit for builders ' rubbish . Eventually , the Dean and Chapter having refused to make a grant of the land , the Corporation decided in June 1867 to lease the land in question at £ 10 a year for twenty - one years . A proposal to construct a pond or lake for the sailing of model yachts was carried through against great opposition . The Recreation Ground , which extended to about four acres , was fitted up with swings , etc. , for children , and was maintained in that condition for nearly twenty years . In September 1874 advantage was taken by the Corporation of the visit to the town of the Earl of Chichester , then Chairman of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners , to urge the claims of the Borough for some consideration at the hands of that body , the principal landowners , in the formation of public parks for the people . His Lordship , after visiting the Recreation Ground , promised to recommend his colleagues to convey to the Corporation absolutely their interest in that land , together with an additional eight acres adjoining it on the north . He also held out hopes that the further fourteen acres to the north , comprising the ballast hills running up to the pilots ' look - out , the greater part of which was then on lease to the Tyne Plate Glass Company , might also eventually be handed over to the town .
The grant was approved , and on May 26 , 1875 , the Commissioners formally conveyed to the Corporation , as a free gift , nineteen acres , including what afterwards became the North Marine Park and the Washhouse Hill , forming part of the South Park . Power to purchase additional land for parks was proposed in the draft Bill of 1878. On August 8 , 1882 , three acres , and on November 9 , 1883 , nine acres more of what is now the South Park were conveyed to the Corporation , bringing the southern boundary of the Park- at that time described as ' looking more like a quarry than anything else ' - up to the line of Ravensbourne Terrace . A contract for levelling the land was let , but in 1884 the town suffered severely from depression in trade , and in order to relieve the prevalent distress the Corporation . employed 200 men daily for many months in levelling down the ballast hills and laying out the land . In a few months a complete transformation was wrought . The ugly , unsightly ballast hills became handsome parks , with well - wooded borders , grassy slopes , and blossoming flower - beds . A large lake , for skating in winter and model yacht sailing in summer , was constructed in the South Park , which also contains two fine promenades commanding a view of the North Sea unsurpassed on any part of the coast , while bowling - greens and tennis - courts were formed in the North Park . There had been strong opposition in the Council to constructing parks so near the seashore . Many members declared that neither trees nor flowers would grow in such a position . The result soon falsified this prediction , and the parks are famous as amongst the most beautiful in the North . They were formally opened on Wednesday , June 25 , 1890 , amid great public rejoicing , by Sir John M. Mowbray , one of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners , formerly M.P. for Durham , and who lived to become ' father ' of the House of Commons . Prior to that time , in December 1887 , the Corporation had purchased from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners , for £ 2000 , fourteen acres of ground , comprising the ballast hills lying to the north of the North Park , and running up to the Beacon at the Lawe . These high and unsightly hills were levelled down between 1893 and 1899 , partly by relief labour in times of depression and partly by contract . The area is at present being laid out as an addition to the North Park , the Corporation having also purchased the picturesque building , known as Trinity Towers , formerly used as a pilots ' look - out , and now as a park - keeper's lodge .