A HISTORIAN has appealed for people to share their memories of a Bingley park in a new book.

Allan Mirfield is looking for stories, pictures and memories of the Prince of Wales Park, in Park Drive, which opened in 1865.

He is in the process of researching his book, The Prince of Wales Park – Creation to Regeneration 1857 to 2017.

He has already collected archive stories on the park from sources including the Telegraph & Argus, Keighley News and the British Newspaper Archive.

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Mr Mirfield, 69, would now like to boost his research by hearing from residents. He is also seeking stories on its planting, structures and the park gardeners themselves.

In 1860, the Enclosure Commission vested the park’s land to the trust of the churchwardens and overseers of Bingley for the benefit of the public.

The first turf was cut on March 10, 1863, the wedding day of the then Prince of Wales, and the park was named after him.

By the time of the opening of the park, on June 6, 1865, a total of 15,000 trees had been planted, including 50 sent by the Prince of Wales from Sandringham, which resulted in the woodland being Grade II listed for being of special historic interest.

But plans for a monument in the Prince’s honour and other decorative features were never realised.

In 1869, a trust was established to elect a committee to manage the park , which determined that drinking, gambling, and Sunday games, together with the public discussion of politics and religion, were not to be allowed.

Mr Mirfield, of Grange Road, Eldwick, said: “We often call the park a secret treasure.

“I’m still at the research stage of the book.

“I need to get some proper information from people. I would like to hear from people who could share their memories of what the park was like as a child and record how it used to be. In terms of illustrations, thanks to a local picture-postcard collector, a small collection of heritage photos has been collated, mostly used, so carrying messages and dates. There are other pictures from local surveys.

“It’s a big public space that could be used more.”

The Friends of Prince of Wales Park, of which Mr Mirfield is chairman, was formed in early 2013 by a handful of people with the shared aim of restoring the site beside Lady Lane to its former glory.

The group received a Bingley Community Award from Bradford Council for Special Neighbourhood Impact and also a prestigious Duke of York Community Initiative Award.

The Friends’ plans earned them a £50,000 grant from waste group WREN in 2014.

The park’s 150th anniversary was marked with a celebration event at the site which was attended by 1,000 people.

Anyone with stories, pictures and memories of the park should email Mr Mirfield on allan.mirfield@blueyonder.co.uk or call 01274 770871.

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