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A new park for a growing population
Have you ever walked through Victoria Park and
wondered how it came to be and how long it has been in existence?
In the late 1800s, Ashford was growing fast, just
as it is now, and more leisure facilities were needed. In 1898, 17
acres of land was bought from local landowner George Jemmett, and
Victoria Park was created.
Before it became the park, this land was
agricultural fields - probably grazed by sheep. A look at old maps
shows that the park's boundaries closely follow those of the
original fields |
Victoria Park in the early 1900s. Note the Edwardian
fashions. The band stand no longer exists.
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More facts
+ George Jemmet owned a lot of land in the area.
He was paid £2,780 for the land that became the park.
+ The Ashford Urban District
Council bought the land from Jemmett. They had been leasing the land from him since
1882 as playing fields.
+ Between 1851 and 1901, Ashford's population more
than doubled, from 5,007 inhabitants to 12,808.
+ Many of the trees you now see
in the park were planted in the early part of the 20th century to
commemorate important townspeople and various members of the royal
family.
+ To see old maps of Ashford and find other
information on its history, visit the Here's
History web site. |
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