Victoria Park

Victoria Park, one of the oldest parks in London, was originally created for ordinary people to use – truly The People’s Park. It is a veritable oasis within busy East London and an ideal spot in which to while away a summer’s day. Fringed by the Regents and Hertford Union Canal it stretches towards Hackney and provides a scenic route across East London. Large ponds and Victorian tea rooms create an atmosphere reminiscent of Regents Park.

In the 1830s, a local movement was formed to campaign for a park in the East End, one to rival the Royal Parks of the West End. A park, it was argued, would benefit the local working class population by making them healthier, as well as helping to fight disease – an important social concern for Victorian society. More pointedly, it was hoped that by having their own park they would stay in their own part of the capital and stop making the trip up west!

The campaign was successful and Queen Victoria, an active supporter, gave permission for the park to be given her name. In 1842 the 218 acres of land for Victoria Park started to be laid out by London planner and architect Sir James Pennethorne. There was never an official opening! For even while it was being built, the Park began to be used by the public. By 1845 Victoria Park was in general use.

From the start magnificent Victoria Park offered the public a variety of attractions: swimming, cricket, gymnastics, rowing, model yacht racing, a sandpit, athletic track, paddling pool, bandstand and dancing, just to name a few. The park also had wide avenues, beautiful gardens, lakes, bridges, pagodas, aviary and a palm house, as well as two stone seats from Old London Bridge. A magnificent gothic drinking fountain, with four clocks, green copula and purple slate roof, was donated by Angela Burdett-Coutts in 1862. In 1936 an outdoor art-deco swimming pool, The Lido, with blue and white tiles, was built on the eastern side of Grove Road, but unfortunately closed and was demolished later in 1989.

Victoria Park from its opening became famous for its public meetings. In 1848 the Chartists rallied there. Then during the Great Dock Strike of 1889, the striking dockers were addressed by Tom Mann, Ben Tillet and John Burns. In fact, it was a tradition that whenever an important proposal was to be voted on local dockers would rally at the Park.

During the Second World War Victoria Park, with allotments, anti-aircraft batteries, barrage balloons and the Home Guard, became part of the Home Front. The land was also used to fill thousands of sand bags. After D-Day it housed German prisoners-of-war.

Looking at the pictorial history of the park shows the changes the park has undergone. But what jumps out of the pictures is something that never changes – the people. Whether it is a postcard from the 1860s or a photo from 2006, the image is of East Enders having a great time in their very own park. Victoria Park – The People’s Park.