About Corporation Park Blackburn Lancs

ABOUT THE PARK 1857 - 2020
1857 The Grand Opening

The Grand opening of the park was in 1857, and created a sensation in the town.

Blackburn was deserted as the Mayor led the procession from the town hall to the park to the official opening. Shops were closed at noon and manufacturers let loose their thousands of employees so that they could participate.

There was plenty of drama on the opening day. The cannon battery at the top of the park roared and thundered to welcome over 60,000 attendees.

Many of the crowd had their own guns and they fired them enthusiastically into the air. There were fireworks & rockets which launched cascades of coloured fire into the air.

The park inspired the generosity of public benefactors; Mayor William Pilkington donated three fountains, Alderman Cunningham donated two black swans to adorn the lake which had already been stocked by gifts of duck and geese from local people.

In 1958
Mr Walsh an ornithologist from Beardwood,opened the aviary and donated thirty birds.

1863 The Broad Walk was constructed providing work for hundreds of cotton workers during the Cotton Famine. The paths were paved with stones from the quarries on the upperslope.

1900s The original bandstand was demolished and a larger one built on the same site at a cost of £2,000.

2006 The Park is reopened by the Mayor & Mayoress celebrating the 3 million pound refurbishment.

The Park in 1857 looking from the canons.

1923 First two bowling greens are laid below the eastern end of the Broadwalk.

The Sebastopol cannons

1870 Some of the original stone steps

1970'sThe childrens play area is very popular.

1863 Rail Bill to Blackburn. Day trip to Corporation Park

1890 The Preston New Road Entrance

1950's White swans adorn the lake.

Activities

Childrens cycle track, 6 Tennis courts, older childrens adventure area, 3 bowling greens with new bowling pavilion, younger childrens play area with slides & swings, basket ball court and new discovery trail, with discovery stones which take the visitor right around the park.

The Parks Wildlife

The park has an array of wildlife, including many birds

Structures of Interest

1923 The tennis courts.

1923 The park landscape before the Italian gardens were laid.

Pigeons & Woodpeckers
Wood pigeon
Collared Dove
Rock Dove
Great Spotted Wood Pecker

Water Birds
Mallard
Tufted Duck
Mandarin
Canada goose
White Goose
Greylag Goose
Goosander
Grey Heron
Moor hen
Blackheaded Gull
Common GullRare visitor
Herring Gull
King FisherVery rare visitor
Cormorant
Coot
Heron

Birds of prey
Tawny Owl
Sparrow Hawk

Perching Birds & Song Birds
Tree creeper
Chaffinch
White throat
Siskin
Willow warbler
House sparrow
Tree sparrow
House Martin
Swallow
Swift
Jay
Jackdaw
Magpie
Rook
Raven
Carrion crow

Chiff chaff
Black cap
Wood warbler
Dunnock
Robin
Wren
Blackbird
Starling
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Nuthatch

Long tailed tit
Blue tit
Great tit
Tree pipit
Coal tit
Gold finch
Gold crest
Field fare
Green finch
Yellow wag tail
Grey wagtail
Pied wag tail
Waxwing
Redwing
Brambling
Bull finch

The Park Memorial Gardens
100 years ago the First World War ended, and a new world began. The example and experience of those who lived through it shaped the world we live in today.
Everyone is touched in some way by the First World War and the generation who lived through it.
The Memorial Garden in Corporation Park remembers over 3,000 soldiers who came from Blackburn.

Many of Blackburn's residents have their forbears names commemorated in the memorial plaques. Cheryl Omalley's Grandfather John Lavelle (named ) was killed at the Battle of Arras on April 11th 1917. And at the third Ypres, Cheryl's Great Uncle, Benjamin Leaver (named ) was killed at Zonnebeke, Passchendaele on the 9th of October 1917. Both men died in France and were buried where they fell.