THE DEDICATING OF QUEENS PARK 
There was great excitement on the afternoon of the 4th July 1887 as the people of the Town celebrated the Dedication of Queens Park. This was deliberately in conjunction with Queen Victoria's Jubilee (celebrated on 21st June 1887) and the Fiftieth Anniversary of the opening of the Grand Junction Railway fifty years before. Records of the day are evocative of the power and prestige of both royalty and the railway companies of the time.

A large number of venetian masts, streamers and flags were placed along Victoria Avenue and all around the Park and town. Banners with "Best Wishes" messages were hung from buildings and an array of other carefully constructed decorations could be seen.

 

At 2.30pm the streets were lined with spectators excitedly awaiting the arrival of the Grand Procession, the highlight of which was the "Fireman's Arch". This was formed at the entrance to Victoria Avenue, the arch being constructed from fire escape ladders, decorated with bunting, shields, mottos and Coat of Arms by the Crewe Volunteer Fire Brigade. Six men manned each fire escape under which the procession passed, on its way to the Park.

Sir Richard Moon, Bart., the Chairman of the Railway Company, conducted the proceedings of the Dedication on behalf of the London North Western Railway Co.  To mark the occasion, he was presented with a scroll of parchment, enclosed in a beautiful silver casket, enrolling him as the First Honorary Freeman of the Borough. A cascade of balloons and a firework display concluded the day's celebrations.

 

A year later on, on Saturday 9th June 1888, the Park was officially opened to the public by HRH The Duke of Cambridge KG then the Field Marshal Commander-in-Chief for the Cheshire Volunteers who was presented with a suitable gold key.

 

Today, the Park retains the original Victorian layout as designed by F W Webb and Edward Kemp. Webb had used his influence with the Chairman of the Railway Company (Sir Richard Moon) to acquire the necessary land and £10,000 for the construction of the Park). It covers a total of 45 acres, is oval in shape, with a principal axis, subsidiary cross axis and a man-made lake.

 

An 1882 map shows the site of the Park to be spread over 11 fields and part of the old sewerage works, which were closed in 1874. The site chosen, was farmlands which straddled the River Waldron (Valley Brook) that one day would flow into a newly constructed lake. The best access to the area before the construction of the Park would have been along a straight footpath from West Street using a bridge over the Chester line and into Coppenhall Hayes. The Victoria Avenue access coincided with the opening of the Park.

 

The park is still widely regarded as one of England's finest. George Latimer, the first Curator of the Park from 1888 to 1906 contributed greatly to its charm with his forestry skills, as did his successor Lawrence Morgan (1906 to 1935). Another notable contributor was Herbert W Probert  Probert (regarded by many as the wizard of the Park) whose turn of office was from 1935 to 1960.  He was responsible for the laying out of the neighbouring King George V Playing Fields and the Coronation Walk, to commemorate the Coronation of George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937. This is a landscaped walkway, through rock gardens with a small stream, which commences from the side of the Aviary running through a series of small waterfalls until it reaches a fountain in the former golden carp pond by the lake.

 

From 1960 to 1984 the last Curator was Colin Farmer, after this date the system was changed. He was responsible for the re-location of the greenhouses and carefully designed such additions as the Burma Star Island Memorial, the Scented Garden, and the Jubilee Cafeteria with its patio terrace overlooking the lake.

 

It has been rumoured over the years that the LNWR gave the land to prevent the Great Western Railway from building a station in the area. This can now be totally dispelled as records show the LNWR Co. originally thought their line to Chester would run alongside the river. However, it was discovered the ground was not firm enough and a more northerly route was decided upon. Had the original thought gone ahead it would have taken the land that was eventually used for Queens Park? Its obvious that a rumour became mixed with a proposal to open a station on the present Chester line called Queens Park Halt. To further clarify the situation an entry on the 18th December 1886, in the Minute Book of the Board of Directors of the LNWR, refers to the area being given for a public park. Certainly, not a rumour but an absolute fact that in part of Sir Richard Moon's dedication speech, in giving the Park to the people of Crewe he said "he hoped the Park would bring pleasure and happiness to the community for generations to come".