Shared description
Alexandra Park, Oldham
Job creation schemes are not only a modern phenomenon; Oldham’s Alexandra Park is an example of such a scheme from the mid nineteenth century.
The American Civil War had prevented the export of raw cotton from America and created “The Lancashire Cotton Famine” (Link ) of 1861–1865 causing chronic unemployment in the Lancashire textile towns such as Oldham. The town council was offered a loan by the government of the day to purchase the Swine Clough Estate on condition that unemployed cotton workers were employed to carry out the work.
Work began in 1863 and the park was officially opened in August, 1865; an event commemorated by a blue plaque (SD9204 : Alexandra Park: Blue Plaque ) on the wall of the North Lodge. Somewhat ironically, the American Civil War had ended earlier that year and cotton was once more being supplied to the Lancashire mills. The park was given its name in honour of Princess Alexandra who had recently married Albert, Prince of Wales.
Although the “Cotton Famine Park” became somewhat run down in the latter half of the twentieth century, it has now been restored to its former glory with significant investment backed by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and was reopened in 2004 with refurbishment bringing a return to the near-original landscape as envisaged in 1863.
Alexandra Park is a Grade Two site of national importance on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England.
There is an excellent website (Link ) which provides a history of Alexandra Park in postcards and photographs showing comparisons between its current appearance and views from the late nineteenth/early twentieth centuries. Some other links are given below:
Link - The Cotton Famine (Wikipedia)
Link Alexandra Park (Oldham Council)
Link (Flickr group)
35 images use this description. Preview sample shown below:
... and 10 more images.
Shared descriptions
This shared description
The 'Shared Description' text on this page is © copyright 2013 David Dixon.
Shared descriptions are specifically licensed so that contributors can reuse them on their own images, without restriction.
About shared descriptions
These Shared Descriptions are common to multiple images.
For example, you can create a generic description for an object shown in a photo, and reuse the description on all photos of the object. All descriptions are public and shared between contributors, i.e. you can reuse a description created by others, just as they can use yours.
Explore images
View images using this "Alexandra Park, Oldham" Shared Description
View images mentioning the words [Alexandra Park, Oldham] anywhere in text
Links for SD931041
This description is located in SD931041.
Other shared descriptions
Descriptions nearby
- Belgrave Mills
- 10 days to go
- Maple Mill
- Earl Mill
- Oldham Drill Hall
- Park Bridge
- Leesbrook Nature Park
Related descriptions
- Park Bridge
By David Dixon. Used on 9 images
- Oldham Drill Hall
By Gerald England. Used on 9 images
- Leesbrook Nature Park
By David Dixon. Used on 6 images
- Anchor Mill
By Alan Murray-Rust. Used on 2 images
- Hartford Mill
By Alan Murray-Rust. Used on 18 images
- Strinesdale
By David Dixon. Used on 27 images
- Manor Mill, Chadderton
By Alan Murray-Rust. Used on 7 images
The above selections are automatic and approximate, it might not always select closely matching descriptions