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People's Park, Halifax

The People's Park in Halifax, opened in 1857, is a classic Victorian park designed by Joseph Paxton.,and paid for by Sir Francis Crossley, who then donated the park to the city of Halifax. Paxton worked for many wealthy private clients, creating gardens at Chatsworth, Dyrham Park and Hatchlands Park. The People's Park, and the gardens he designed at Crystal Palace were public projects, and this is noteworthy. In the year following the opening of the People's Park. the Board of Health, set up to try and improve sanitation and public health generally was abolished. The Times newspaper said it would rather take its chances with cholera than be "bullied into health." This illustrates prevalent attitudes to the public role of government at the time. But as the People's Park shows the attitudes of the ruling classes even now were beginning to change. Viscount Palmerston, the Prime Minister in 1857 was not exactly a reforming revolutionary, but he did begin to expand the influence of government towards legislation to ease the workings of laissez faire business practice. Palmerston considered that laissez- faire in the economy could only be fully effective if it were accompanied by a measure of social reform. He was convinced by the reports of Chadwick and Shaftsbury on sanitary conditions and mines that the poor health resulting from unregulated working conditions reduced efficiency and wasted human potential. Meanwhile in Halifax a garden was being created by Sir Francis Crossley and Joseph Paxton, where people of the town could take some fresh air and relax for a while. There is a terrace along the highest ridge of the site, as at Crystal Palace, with a transition to lawn and a "wild area". There is a children's play area. Since 1995 much effort has gone into restoring and maintaining an historic park that had begun to fall into neglect.

Directions: The People's Park can be found at King's Cross Street, Halifax. Click here for an interactive map centred on the People's Park.