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Farringdon Park

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Farringdon Park
Map
LocationNew Lane, Preston
Coordinates53°46′00″N 2°39′22″W / 53.76667°N 2.65611°W / 53.76667; -2.65611
Opened1877
Closed1932

Farringdon Park was a multi-use park, gardens and sports stadium on New Lane, east of Preston, Lancashire, England.

History

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Preston Pleasure Gardens

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Advert circa.1900

In 1875 the Preston Nursery and Pleasure Gardens Company (headed by James Huddart, from the Hesketh family) acquired the 90 acres Farringdon Hall Estate and began to construct a 44 acres public facility including gardens and eight miles of paths. Two years later on 5 May 1877, the Preston Pleasure Gardens, featuring ornamental lakes, a small wooded valley and a waterfall, opened to the public.[1] A large dancing platform and bandstand were added and the site hosted the 1878 Royal Horticultural Society Show.[2]

A sports ground was then added next to the dancing platform, the ground consisted of a football field surrounded by a bicycle racing track, with adjacent croquet, tennis and bowls greens. In the early 1880s a shortlived zoo was created with 100 species of animals but by 1885 it was closed down due to mismanagement.

Farringdon Park

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The Pleasure Gardens were purchased and renamed by George Green in 1901, taking on the name Farringdon Park, due to its origins being on the Farringdon Park Estate.[3] The football pitch was home to a team called Preston (not Preston North End) and the cycling track was used by Preston West End Cycling Club.[4] A pavilion was built in 1902 and the site was let out for fetes and galas over the following years.[5]

On 13 August 1903 a half-mile trotting and galloping (horse) track was built and garden allotments and greenhouses were also let and George Green even acquired the tram terminus.[6] Green died in November 1915, leaving the Park in the management of his brother John, who then sold to Messrs, Horrockses, Crewdson Ltd.[7]

From 18 September 1924, the stadium was leased by Preston Grasshoppers R.F.C.[8] and in 1929 the club agreed a six-year sub-tenancy with Preston speedway team, and a dirt track was constructed around the perimeter of the rugby pitch.[9]

The speedway, run by a company called Preston Speedways Ltd,[10] was very popular with regular crowds of 14,000 fans.[11] George Formby won a race at the stadium on a two stroke machine. The track marshall was Norman Jackson and the team raced for three years.[12] The track was one of the most dangerous circuits in the country with three fatalities within 14 months. John Proctor Stockdale died on 18 May 1929,[13] John Seith was killed on 18 August 1929[14] and on 24 July 1930, James Carnie became the third racing death.[15]

Preston Speedways Ltd was wound up in December 1930[16] but Ossie Wade took over a three year sub-lease and installed Norman Jackman as manager for the 1931 season. However, the speedway ended for good after the 1931 season.[17]

In July 1932 Preston Grasshoppers surrended their lease for £2,000 (a very large sum at the time) and vacated the ground shortly afterwards.[18] The new lease owner was a greyhound racing syndicate based in Liverpool that called themseleves the White City Sports Stadium (Preston) Ltd but their timing was dreadful because less than a mile to the west the Preston Greyhound Stadium had recently opened in May of the same year. Seven months later in December and despite assurances that £50,000 would be spent on the sports stadium, the Preston Town Council rejected the planning application for a greyhound track and adjacent sports facilities.[19] The owner of Farringdon Park during this turbulent time was W. J. Jones and in 1935 he sold the 42 acres site for £15,250 to the Preston Corporation (the same council that refused planning permission just two years previous).[20]

Housing

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Farringdon Park had begun the process of constructing housing as early as 1934 and by 1938, 300 new council homes were built on the Farringdon Park and adjoining Thirlmere estates.[21] By the 1970s, the stadium and gardens were long gone and had been cleared. The site of the stadium today is the modern day Farringdon Crescent.

References

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  1. ^ "Preston Pleasure Gardens Opening of the gardens in Ribbleton". Lancashire County Council. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  2. ^ "On this day … 5 May 1877". Preston History. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Pleasure Gardens, Preston". Lancashire Evening Post. 14 September 1901. Retrieved 27 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "Preston vs Chorlton-Cum-Hardy". Lancashire Evening Post. 18 January 1902. Retrieved 27 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "To be let". Lancashire Evening Post. 1 July 1902. Retrieved 27 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Trotting and galloping". Manchester Courier. 14 August 1903. Retrieved 27 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Death of Mr George Green". Lancashire Evening Post. 18 November 1915. Retrieved 27 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Rugby Union". Lancashire Evening Post. 19 September 1924. Retrieved 27 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Club History 1900 – 1930". PGRF. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  10. ^ "New Companies registered". Liverpool Daily Post. 5 February 1929. Retrieved 27 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Fast and furious world of Preston's speedway racers". Lancashire Post. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  12. ^ "Preston Speedway". Defunct Speedway. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  13. ^ "A fatal track ride". Morecambe Guardian. 18 May 1929. Retrieved 27 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Dirt Track Rider Dies". Leicester Evening Mail. 19 August 1929. Retrieved 31 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ "Speedway rider killed". Daily Herald. 25 July 1930. Retrieved 1 March 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ "Preston Speedways Ltd". Lancashire Evening Post. 16 December 1930. Retrieved 1 March 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ "Preston Speedway". Defunct Speedway. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Grasshoppers seeking new ground". Lancashire Evening Post. 26 July 1932. Retrieved 27 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. ^ "Dog Track Plans rejected". Lancashire Evening Post. 23 December 1932. Retrieved 27 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. ^ "Proposal to buy Farringdon Park". Lancashire Evening Post. 6 November 1935. Retrieved 28 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  21. ^ "Preston's Council Housing, Part I to 1939: 'Compactness, Convenience and Taste'". Municipal Dreams. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
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