Birkenhead Park is today (Saturday) hosting a Victorian Day to mark the moment when an important visitor arrived who was so inspired by what he saw that he went on to create New York's famous Central Park.
American farmer Frederick Law Olmsted arrived in Liverpool in May 1850, but quickly developed a fascination with the neighbouring town of Birkenhead. He described as "the most important suburb of Liverpool, having the same relation to it that... Brooklyn has to New York."
But it was the newly-created park which particularly captured his imagination. It was conceived as an an antidote to the poor living conditions commonly found in other rapidly expanding industrial cities of the time. So visionary was it that Birkenhead's park was constructed before most of the town itself – in anticipation of the rapidly growing urban population that was to settle in the town.
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In addition, Birkenhead's municipal authority backed up its grand intention for a Park by appointing one of Britain's most highly regarded horticulturalists and landscape designers of the time. Joseph Paxton, later most famously known for his Crystal Palace design for the 1851 Great Exhibition in London's Hyde Park, created a "landscape masterpiece" at Birkenhead Park. It was informed by his extensive experience of developing the gardens and estate of Chatsworth House for the wealthy Duke of Devonshire.
Most importantly of all, Birkenhead Park was to be freely accessible to everyone regardless of their position in society. This had a big impact on Olmsted when he first visited the Park in 1850. He was amazed by this "magnificent pleasure-ground" which was "entirely, unreservedly, and for ever the people’s own."
Paxton's approach to landscape design was to give every element equal importance. This revolutionary idea did not escape the American visitor's notice. He wrote that "the poorest British peasant is as free to enjoy it in all its parts as the British Queen."
In the decades that followed, Birkenhead Park established its position as the "People's Garden" and as a community space for all. Olmsted's impressions of what he had seen travelled back to America with him and led to his designing public parks throughout the land, most famously of course Central Park in New York.
This is the driving force behind the plan to seek Unesco recognition of Birkenhead Park as a World Heritage site. World Heritage status highlights cultural and natural heritage considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.
The application process for World Heritage Status – even if unsuccessful – usually takes several years, but Wirral Council will be hoping a successful bid results in a higher worldwide profile for Wirral and boosts tourism.
A council spokesperson said: "I can confirm that Birkenhead Park has submitted an expression of interest and is currently working on its application in accordance with the timeframe set out by the Government."
The Victorian Day marking Olmsted's 1850 visit to Birkenhead Park takes place there today (Saturday). Talented young actors from the Pilgrim Street Arts Centre will play a re-enactment of the visit, and will be performing four times between 2pm and 4pm, near the park's Grand Entrance (Park Road North). A Victorian Sweet Shop will also be open for the day on the South Lodge of the Grand Entrance.
