Sefton Park History
For centuries the South of Liverpool has been well blessed with open space. First there was the vast 2,300 acre Royal Deer ground known as Toxteth Park and now, some nine hundred years later, the site of King John's hunting ground is occupied by three of our present parks, Princes, Otterspool and Sefton. Once the area of the deer park became 'disparked' in 1591 it eventually came under the control of the Earl of Sefton. It remained his property to let and farm until 1867 when the Corporation of Liverpool purchased 375 acres at a cost of over £250,000 with the intention of constructing a huge pleasure ground. For several years prior to this it seems steps had been taken to acquire land for what was intended to be the great aristocratic park in Liverpool. The site was recommended by the Borough Engineer, Mr Newlands, as early as 1862 and steps were taken towards the purchase following an Act of Parliament in 1864. Legislation of the day permitted corporations to borrow sums up to half a million pounds to be repaid over some thirty years.
Despite a growing 'Parks Movement' eager for the development of lungs in Victorian Liverpool, the quarter of a million pound purchase was viewed by some as extravagant and wasteful. This outcry was probably tempered by the subsequent re-sale of some of the land for houses. Indeed this move no doubt helped in funding the lay-out of the remaining 269 acres since its close proximity to a major park development would have increased its value, enabling the re-sale to reap a profit. This purchase and re-sale of building plots adjacent to a park was not a new ploy as the method had been used earlier by Richard Vaughan Yates in funding his private venture, Princes Park.
Following the purchase of the land earmarked to become Sefton Park, a competition was organised with a prize of 300 guineas on offer for the best design tendered. There were 29 entrants and a Mr Nesfield assisted in the selection of the winning entry.
Mr Nesfield may have been William Eden Nesfield, the architect son of William Andrew Nesfield, a landscape gardener famous for his work at Kew. There were entries from all over the country - Yorkshire, the Midlands and four separate submissions from London-based garden designers, including one from Mr Edward Milner of Sydenham (who finished runner up). His design was one of the most ambitious and would have cost an estimated £122,560 to put into effect. By way of contrast, a Scottish entry was received from Alexander Black of Falkirk. Mr Black's proposal would have cost a modest £27,285 to apply to the 269 acre area. Of the 29 entrants, nine were from Liverpool based designers including Messrs Wortley, Henderson and Walker, Mercer, Tynerman, Hall, Middleton, Jahns (who submitted two plans) and the ultimately successful design of Messrs Hornblower and André. The estimated costs of the various schemes ranged from £13,000 to £158,835 so the selection of Hornblower and André to design the park was something of a compromise - they estimated their plan would cost about £85,000 to put into effect. 
André and Hornblower's prize winning design for the new park broke down as follows:-
190 acres - recreation grounds and plantations.
110 acres - building, with plots ranging from 1,200 - 6,000 square yards.
64 acres - boulevard, roads and drives.
15 acres - water features.
Furthermore, the 190 acres set aside for recreation was to be used as follows:-
45 acres - review/volunteer manoeuvre field.
19 acres - botanic garden
12 acres - cricket.
The park buildings were to be the responsibility of Lewis Hornblower, the Liverpool based architect who had also been involved in the development of the nearby Birkenhead Park. Edouard André was the landscape architect who was highly regarded for his previous work at the 'Jardin d'Acclimation' at Bois de Boulogne. This design based on circles, ellipses and tangents with long bulbous water courses was to form the basis of his work at Sefton Park. The original André - Hornblower plan was extremely grand with a central area of formal planting to be sited within the elliptical paths alongside a stately conservatory which would house exotic plants and an aquarium. Equally exotic were the designs of Hornblower for the park lodges and entrances. The elaborate lodges or 'cottage ornees' included a shepherd's hut, swan hut and arbours for tea parties. The lodges and exclusive villas were intended to punctuate the park landscape which was fringed by majestic entrances. These incorporated 19 monolithic columns from A Parker, the builder of Liverpool's new Exchange Building while granite columns superfluous to the building of St George's Hall were also used. The parkland itself was designed to include a deer park and the strong water theme was reflected by the presence of pools, waterfalls, stepping stones and fountains. Indeed, early visitors monitoring the park's progress were amazed to discover that the elaborate rock work and huge grotto (some 60 ft wide) were not natural features - such was the skill with which they were constructed. André incorporated the two natural valleys from a Mersey tributary into his overall design which was enhanced by some imaginative planting schemes.
Sadly not all of the ideas and dreams André and Hornblower had for Sefton Park became reality. Some believe Hornblower was an essential ingredient to the partnership to curb the natural exuberance of the Frenchman but it seems ultimately money was a far greater constraint. Despite the early flourish of activity on the park site, during 1868 many became critical of the venture. In the satirical journal 'The Porcupine' (27.6.1868) it was pointed out that while initial estimates for the park totalled £395,000 (which was considered perfectly acceptable for a 387 acre aristocratic park) the first contract of £75,000 proved far from sufficient and considerably more would be required to complete the André-Hornblower design. Indeed, with the cost of the proposed conservatory and formal garden estimated at £40,000 and other features requiring additional expenditure, the adjusted estimate for the parks cost was £275,479. This failed to take into account the 5% fee for the architects, gardeners, labourers, etc., and so 'Porcupine' was able to exclusively reveal that the true cost of André-Hornblower's Sefton Park would be £567,203 including the purchase of land.
Obviously there was concern expressed about this staggering sum - but there was also anxiety about not the extravagant design, but the way work was being carried out. 'Mr Porcupine' felt much of the construction work could be carried out more thriftily. While it was recognised that any cut in costs should not impair the usefulness of the new park, it was felt that great savings could be made on the more basic and general work. For example, one area of contention was the park roadways, kerbs and pavements. The park was never intended for heavy traffic, yet the roads were constructed accordingly. Of course, with hindsight even the work of 1867-1870 has proved inadequate for the intensive modern use of the Sefton Park roads. However, at the time of its construction these same roadways were considered to be of unwarranted quality.
Eventually on 17th October 1868, the Council, which had partly been elected on the premises of parks at any costs ('expense no object'), were forced to cancel all works not under contract at both Sefton and Stanley Parks. The historian, Sir James Picton, commented, "As the amount authorised to be borrowed fell far short of the requirements, dire was the confusion and bitter the recrimination of the parties concerned. In the end the whole affair was broken up, the contracts cancelled, and the Council proceeded, saddened, but grown wiser by experience, to complete the works on a much more contracted and inexpensive scale". The cost of the parks completion was about £147,000 in addition to the £250,000 expended on the land.
When, at last, the 'grand aristocratic' park was complete, the opening ceremony was a suitably splendid occasion. Whit Monday (May 20th) 1872 was the day when Prince Arthur was scheduled to open Liverpool's Royal Southern Hospital. He stayed with the MP and former Mayor, Mr SR Graves of Wavertree Grange. It was Graves who suggested that the Prince might open the park since that was to be the sight of a fair to raise hospital funds. In fact, the opening of Sefton Park was not the Prince's first visit to Liverpool's largest pleasure ground. He had attended a Review at the park soon after the land was purchased, an event which once the volunteers had had royal approval, would have been concluded by a mock battle. Unfortunately for the organisers this dramatic finale, which was to include cavalry and artillery charges to relieve a stranded garrison, became an embarrassing farce, as hundreds of spectators took over the battleground area not doubt seeking a vantage point to view the royal guest. The Prince was said to be most amused (unlike his more famous mother, no doubt!). The Whit Monday park opening went far more according to plan and after a banquet at the Town hall, a 77 carriage procession of nearly one mile in length proceeded past patriotic crowds lining the streets to a 4,000 strong grandstand at the new park. At the ceremony which followed the Prince declared that Sefton Park should remain for the health and enjoyment of the townspeople. There was a march past which included the crew of HMS Resistance and other military groups, before the opening of the grand fair for the benefit of the hospital and a firework display.
For the thousands who visited Liverpool's largest and most expensive open space, the financial constraints were probably not openly apparent. Many of the original aims of M André were fulfilled. There were cascades and grottoes, a fairy glen with ornate iron bridge and long sweeping paths to look across the undulating land of the former Toxteth Park with fine prospects around every corner. André had paid careful consideration to the planting schemes, ensuring light foliaged specimens were at the park margins, to give the illusion of distance. There was an aviary and some of the exotic lodges survived the tight budget. Sefton Park was also probably quite advanced in its provision for park pastimes with pavilions and club houses. The well established Sefton Cricket Club became based in the park and WG Grace once appeared in a charity match for that club. Equally famous are the Mersey Bowmen, founded in 1790 who also eventually became based in the park and were one of the first members of the Lawn Tennis Association, after being established as an archery club. Other pursuits catered for include bowling and model yachting. There were club shelters and huts alongside the lake, and also horse riding along the gallop or 'Rotten Row' at the park's north and east margins.
During an election of 1816 the Reformers ran the banker, Thomas Leyland, against George Canning and it was during this poll that as treasurer to the Reformers Rathbone gained an insight into the multitude of political misdemeanours. During the aforementioned campaign of 1830, Rathbone encountered a Municipal Corporation Reform Bill with the aim of establishing polling booths at special polling stations with much shorter elections. The Bill was passed in 1835 after much wrangling by all parties, each wary that such a system may give the other an advantage.
William Rathbone had married Elizabeth Greg in 1812. His wife was the daughter of Samuel Greg, of Quarry Bank Mill, Styal. The Rathbone family home was at Greenbank, adjacent to Greenbank Park and we can imagine this was their home when Rathbone was Mayor in 1837. One of the most interesting events of his mayoralty was Queen Victoria's Coronation, an occasion marked in Liverpool by the laying of the foundation stone of Liverpool's grand new court house and concert venue, St George's Hall. Curiously at the time when Mayor Rathbone performed this duty (28.6.1868) it was uncertain exactly where the Hall would be sited, thus the foundation stone lies alongside and not structurally in the present hall.
For many years William Rathbone had many political enemies for his reforms were considered radical by many. However, it has been recorded that his unpopularity turned to respect as the principles he struggled for became facts. On January 2nd 1877 the memorial statue was unveiled by James Aikin and despite quite dreadful weather, the Mayor and councillors paid their tribute. Around three sides of the statue bronze reliefs executed by Thomas Brock (1876) portrayed Commerce, Education and Charity. The memorial itself is 24ft tall surmounted by a 9ft 6ins marble figure of Rathbone by JH Foley. Indeed, the complete work was originally entrusted to Foley but he died 27.8.1874 and Thomas Brock, pupil of Foley was the nominated successor to the work. Brock was born in Worcester in 1847 and after winning a Royal Academy Gold Medal in 1869 went on not only to complete Foley's work but also probably his most famous work - the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace. He was knighted in 1911 and died aged 75 in 1922. Many people subscribed to fund the memorial to Rathbone including Thomas Earle, many of the Holt family, David and Charles MacIver, James and EK Muspratt, JA Picton and Samuel Smith.
Arguably, the most significant addition to Sefton Park came in 1896 with the gift of the Palm House. This splendid, domed conservatory was presented to the people of Liverpool by Henry Yates Thompson, the great nephew of the founder of Princes Park. The structure was the work of the Edinburgh firm of MacKenzie and Moncur and Cost £12,000. Three years later the firm constructed the Gladstone Conservatory at Stanley Park, another gift from the benevolent Yates Thompson. Over the years the Palm House has become symbolic of Sefton Park, originally housing colourful displays of potted plants beneath its three tiered dome. The interior also exhibited some interesting sculpture including a child in a wash tub titled 'One whom the Gods loved' by P Park; 'Two Goats' by C Lombardi; a figure of a woman bearing a garland titled 'Europa' by V Luccardi; a woman bent over a sleeping child titled 'The Angel's Whisper' by B Spence and finally the most famous figure 'Highland Mary' also by Spence. Another feature is a large ornamental bench commemorating the generosity of Henry Yates Thompson and bearing an inscription by the poet, Cowper. All these artifacts are executed in marble. There was another figure, that of 'Flora' but sadly this sculpture by Spence, a gift from the Muspratts of Seaforth Hall, was stolen. The Palm House has four entrances featuring iron gates of elaborate design. This was described by some as an art nouveau style owing its appearance to Herbert MacNair. In 1898 MacNair was appointed Instructor of Decorative Design at the Liverpool School of Architecture and Applied Art, and together with his wife Frances MacDonald, he developed his art nouveau style in pottery and decoration at the Liverpool School. 
The eight 'corners' of the Palm House are marked by figures portraying influential people including mariners and explorers such as Cook, Columbus, Mercator and Prince Henry the Navigator and men of science and botany such as Darwin, Linnaeus and the herbalist John Parkinson. Interestingly enough there is also a sculpture of André le Notre (also le Nostre), a forerunner of Edouard Andre, who was famed for his design of the Versailles palace gardens.
The sculptures of the four mariners were cast in bronze while the four others were fashioned in marble, all being the work of Leon-Joseph Chavalliaud (1858-1921) and many of these representations are highly regarded, indeed some are considered without equal. To many people the most significant of the Palm House figures is that of Christopher Columbus, standing as it does above the dictum 'the Maker of Liverpool' a reference to his discovery of America and the repercussions this had for Liverpool. Of course the subsequent trade between the New World and Liverpool generated enormous wealth in the port and ensured the development of the town into a major industrial city. Columbus Day is a holiday in the United States and from 1962 to 1992, October 12th was marked by a commemorative wreath laying ceremony beneath the Sefton Park Columbus Statue, by the Anglo-Ibero-American Society.
The status of Sefton Park as Liverpool's largest open space has led to many of the City's famous sons being remembered there. During the early 20th century for example, another memorial was erected which has come to dominate the main Croxteth Drive entrance to the park. The Samuel Smith memorial is a 60ft obelisk of polished red granite constructed by Willink and Fluckness from funds contributed by the public. The monument is very informative describing the life of yet another of Liverpool's philanthropists. Born at Borgue Kircudbright in Dumbrieshire 9th January 2834, Smith became a merchant in Liverpool and later represented the City in 1882-85 before representing the Flint constituency 1886-1906. At the time of his death in 1906 he was Privy Councillor and it is significant that he died in Calcutta (26.12.06). Smith was a Christian philanthropist, social reformer and also a 'Friend of India' who did much to alleviate the suffering brought by famine. In his will he left about £60,000 to numerous Liverpool charities including £10,000 to the YMCA and £5,000 to the Seamen's Friend Society. The memorial provides a fitting tribute to his life featuring a number of bronze reliefs illustrating Virtue thrusting aside Evil and famine relief work. There is also a medallion portrait with an accompanying descriptive tablet, all by CJ Allen. It was Allen who was responsible both for the Princes Road memorial to Florence Nightingale and the bronze works of the Queen Victoria monument at the top of Lord Street in Liverpool City Centre. The Samuel Smith memorial also features two drinking fountains bearing the biblical quotation:-
"Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst".
Naturally as the largest and grandest of our City parks, Sefton Park was the scene of many public events. In 1902 for example, India troops visited the park for the celebrations for the Coronation of Edward VII, an event followed by firework displays in many of the parks, including Sefton. In 1903 the newly-crowned King made a gift of two swans to Sefton Park, maintaining a Royal link with park which of course started with the opening ceremony and was perpetuated by Prince Arthur's mother Queen Victoria when her carriage passed through the showpiece of the Liverpool Parks during her visit of 1886.
Probably one of the most famous and fondly remembered events in Sefton Park was the Pageant of Peter Pan in 1928. With music provided by the Police Band and arranged by Percy Corkhill, schoolchildren portrayed a story commemorating the gift of the Peter Pan Statue from George Audley of Birkdale. The statue was unveiled with a niece of Sir James Barrie, the creator of Peter Pan, in attendance on 16th June 1928. A few weeks later, on July 6th 1928, the Pageant was repeated before an assembled audience of reportedly 12,000. The star of this show was Miss Pauline Chase, the wife of Capt. AV Drummond. 
Sadly for Miss Chase/Mrs Drummond, when escaping from the pirates she slipped and fell up to her waist in the lake. The gallant Miss Chase was 'rushed by motor' to the Adelphi Hotel where she changed and, as a true professional, returned for the evening performance, no doubt uttering 'The show must go on'. After receiving a standing ovation from the surprised audience she was presented with an illuminated model of Wendy's hut for her children. Wendy's hut was one of a number of features adjacent to the Peter Pan Statue. There were also two small cannons, said to be off a Royal yacht and then there was one of the 'stars' of the Pageant, the Jolly Roger pirate boat. This was actually a modified lifeboat donated by the Cunard Line, to be followed by three other Jolly Rogers over the years. 
The Peter Pan Statue was the work of Sir George Frampton who sadly died before the pageant and unveiling ceremony. Born in 1860, Frampton won many awards during his 68 years and created many monuments as testimony to his talent, including statues of Queen Victoria as far apart as Calcutta, Winnipeg and Southport. He first created the Peter Pan Statue for London's Kensington Gardens, before creating a replica of the bronze statue for Liverpool shortly before his death in May 1928. The Peter Pan Pageant was followed the next year by quite a different event, the Welsh National Eisteddfod which was held in Sefton Park in 1929, and indication of the importance of Liverpool to the Principality.
The generosity of George Audley to the people of Liverpool is well reflected by the Liverpool parks. After donating Peter Pan to a South Liverpool park, Audley's donations resulted in the creation of a Children's Garden in Stanley Park in Liverpool's North end.
Finally, in 1932 Sefton Park was the recipient once again when another replica of a London feature was erected in what was known as 'Liverpool's Hyde Park'. This capital feature was the Eros fountain or Shaftsbury Memorial, a work in bronze and aluminium by Sir Alfred Gilbert.
Gilbert (1854-1934) was, however, less than happy with his creation, the original of which stands at London's Piccadilly Circus. Initially Gilbert was approached to design a memorial to Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftsbury, a well-known philanthropist. The authorities would have preferred a statue of the Earl, but eventually conceded to Gilbert's design. Sadly, (as Adrian Bury wrote in a biography of Gilbert) the artist began to refer to this work as his 'tragedy'. He made a condition that he could carry the work out in his own way to create an ideal work and not a realistic statue. As Bury wrote 'Although Gilbert stated that he began his design without any particular symbolical meaning, the lyrical beauty of the fountain, as the work proceeded, identified itself with the generous perpetual flow of philanthropy inherent in Shaftsbury's character and career. General movement suggests the sea and thus Gilbert embellished the fountain with an abundance of comely natural forms, improvising fish, shells and heads of amorini. The light footed and light winged God of Love at the apex of the design completes an ecstatic conception. In fact the flying figure of Eros was intended to represent philanthropic rather than erotic love.
It took Gilbert three months to make a small model of his design and one year for the clay model. There were countless delays, one, for example, because the committee had requested the design be altered to include a parapet and canopy holding a portrait bust of Lord Shaftsbury. Originally Gilbert promised his work could be completed for £3,000. However, alterations, etc. affected this estimate. After attempting to compromise and incorporate the bust, he dismissed the idea because it spoilt the overall effect. At one point the frustration of dealing with the Memorial Committee, Board of Works and County Council became too much for Gilbert. "I was so exasperated" he said "that I sent the following message ... 'There is more than £3,000 worth of copper. Take it down, melt it, and turn it into pence and then give it to the unfortunate people who nightly find a place on the Thames Embankment, to the everlasting shame and disgrace of the greatest metropolis in the world, and cease torturing an artist!".
Some of these alterations were forced upon Gilbert's design because of the site. Originally there was to have been a large octagonal basin (where the steps are) into which sprays of water would fall from the upper part of the fountain. The authorities limited the water supply because of the cost to ratepayers and thus "a monument which depended for its beauty on the perpetual and abundant movement of water from jets at all salient points in various shapes and forms" was somewhat nullified. Many critics considered the site too small and awkward for the design, a fact of which Gilbert was only too aware and had endeavoured to overcome by selecting the octagonal shape. While most now agree that Eros is an interesting and attractive design, few disagreed that the architectural background was not aesthetic and that the site lacks the architectural unity and environment to equal the delicacy of Gilbert's work.
After all the heartache and misery which his 'Evil Genius' had caused him, Gilbert ended under-funded for the project, partly because the Government had promised him some melted down guns which hit failed to supply, but also because there had been a sudden rise in the price of copper. The actual cost was believed to be in the region of £7,000. Gilbert received £3,000. An interesting fact is that the Eros figure became the first major use of aluminium in art form, Gilbert choosing the material since a heavier metal would have necessitated further alteration to the design for a more substantial base for the figure. The finished work was unveiled by the Duke of Westminster on June 29th 1893, before 39 years later, at a cost of £32,000 to George Audley, a replica was unveiled in Sefton Park by the Lord Mayor, Ald JC Cross on July 23rd 1932. Gilbert was evidently more satisfied with park setting for his work, attending the unveiling in Liverpool.
The Eros figure completed a fine area of the park which was linked to the Samuel Smith obelisk by an avenue including many elm trees. Sadly another claim to fame of Sefton Park is that it was one of the first areas in this country to contract Dutch Elm Disease which has since destroyed this, and many other great avenues. During the inter-war years Sefton Park retained its position as the people's park, the gifts of George Audley no doubt contributing to this and in 1930 the Evening Express stated about 40 bird species could be seen in the park. Many of these would have occurred in the vicinity of the lake, an ever popular feature for fishing, model boating and of course rowing, there being 35 boats on the seven acre lake in 1933.
During the Second World War the appearance of Sefton Park was altered somewhat by the use of barrage balloons. There were also anti-aircraft guns on the Review Field which for years before had been used as a parade ground for local troops. The greatest change which occurred in War-time Sefton Park was the dramatic transformation of the Palm House from a pre-war 'crystal palace' into a post-war skeleton by bombing until finally, in 1956 it was reglazed and repainted at a cost of £4,000. After a period as a propagating house it was re-opened in an era when square dancing was one of the other evening attractions of post-war Sefton Park. Indeed, during the fifties attendance of 15,000 people were not uncommon during holiday weekends. The park's popularity was reflected by the introduction of 50 new birds, including Amherst Pheasants, to the aviary in 1955. In 1963 skating was permitted on the heavily frozen park lake, the severe winter saw ice up to seven inches thick on many ponds and lakes. Other events that decade included an army display (18.6.61) attended by over 2,000 people and the following year the first wreath was laid at the Columbus Statue. In 1962 there were 11 swans resident on the park lakes, and even today this area is an important part of the park, particularly during the winter when it is visited by a wide variety of wildfowl.
Today, the need for conservation within urban parks is more apparent, and conservation needs are matched with maintaining the historic look of the Park, with its sweeping views and landscaping. Native plants are included in the planting mix to provide a habitat for wildlife. Sightings of Orange-tip and Speckled Wood Butterfly are now common in the Fairy Glen area and it is hoped this is only the beginning. Together with the lake area, urban wildlife is fast becoming a modern feature of this grand old park.
While the need to conserve the countryside in the City was probably not apparent to M André in 1867, he should nevertheless be praised for his foresight in other directions. The popularity of the Palm House, for example, shows he was right to include a conservatory on his original plan and other features which survived the financial constraints have matured very well. The grotto, fairy glen and stepping stones still enchant youngsters and while many maintain Calderstones Park is more beautiful, Sefton Park remains the proverbial 'Park for the People' on account of its size, location and variety of features and can justifiably lay claim to be 'Liverpool's Hyde Park'.