Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Birkenhead Park Palm House

Hi

Does anyone know where I might find images of the palm house (now long gone) that was in Birkenhead Park?

I was watching a programme and I wondered if there were any pictures of it around. My memory of it is very vague as I must have been under 5 when I went around it.

Britain's Park Story

I'm guessing Snooze you were not born in 1950, so it must be the conservatory you remember. Bit from Friends of Birkenhead Park site.


Originally the Park comprised prestige buildings, an extensive variety of trees, imaginative landscaping, lakes and extensive flat open spaces. In 1921 a new initiative was made with the construction of the of the Palm House - a glasshouse in Upper Park - which had a full sized palm tree at its centre, statues and exotic species of plants for the public to view. It lasted until about 1950 when it was replaced by a conservatory, with a collection of giant cacti at its centre and less exotic but more colourful flowering plants as its attraction. In the 1950s another imaginative attempt was made to add colour to the Park with the introduction of a “Blind Garden” in the site of Paxton’s 3rd Lake. The area had never functioned well as a lake, as the water tended to drain out of it, but it worked well as a sunken garden with a cherry tree and plants and whose flowers were well perfumed to appeal to the senses of blind people. There was a sinuous circular path to walk on with a rail that would help the disabled to find their way round it. These features are now regrettably lost but it is hoped that the gardens round the new Pavilion will go some way to restoring a colourful flowering area in the Park

Ah yes - I remember the cactuses - being told not to touch anything lol Thanks bert

Here's a picture from the book 'Yesterday's Birkenhead', one of the excellent 'Yesterday's Wirral' series by Ian Boumphrey.
There are pictures also of the bandstand, which was moved to Mersey Park in 1929.
That was an interesting programme too, with about 4 minutes on Birkenhead Park.

nice one!

Shame it's been lost.

Was this located on the big concrete base that is in (the bottom?) Birkenhead Park? The one that used to be a few years back, and may still be, marked like a playground thing?

You may be thinking of the area where the band use to play in the Lower Park.

the bandstand area has been grassed over, dont know when it was though.