People's Park

The public park was built for Sir Francis Crossley and opened in 1857

The Park was designed by Joseph Paxton and Edward Milner. It stands across the road from the Crossley's Belle Vue home It covers an area of 12½ acres which were previously 5 fields. It was built at a cost of £50,000.

It opened on Friday, 14th August 1857. The day was declared a public holiday for the town. Mrs Sunderland sang at the opening ceremony. At the ceremony, Crossley was given a book containing the address which he mentions in his will

On 13th August 1858, after being open for 1 year, the Park was transferred to Halifax Corporation.

Two large cannons captured at the Battle of Sebastopol [1855] in the Crimean War were placed in the Park in 18??. These were sold for scrap in 1947.

In March 1872, shortly after Crossley's death, Halifax Town Council resolved that a granite pillar or slab should be erected in the Park, on which should be recorded the date of its opening, and also the time when the late Sir Francis Crossley presented 6,000 guineas for its endowment.

The Old Men's Parliament which stood in the Park was demolished in the 1960s.

In 1997, the Council received a £1,000,000 grant from the National Lottery, and other sums from English Heritage and Calderdale College, to restore the Park.

The refurbished Park was opened by Mayor Patrick Phillips on 20th September 2002, and Lord and Lady Somerleyton were guests at the ceremony.

The Park is popular with the local Asian community, and the council are attempting to encourage others to use the facility.

The Park and the buildings in Park Road are listed

Thanks to Malcolm Bull's website for the details