History and Heritage

Friends of Beaumont Park 10th Anniversary (Formed in 1998).  A clock was mounted and placed on the depot wall to mark FoBP's 10th Anniversary.

The Heritage Lottery Grant awarded to the Friends of Beaumont Park enabled us to erect signs, information boards and leaflet dispenser to help visitors get to know the park.  The signage committee worked hard to produce the signs and map leaflet and the History & Heritage team produced a brief history leaflet.  ID30 Ltd were appointed to do create the FoBP Logo, the new website, signs and leaflets.  Media Pirates printed all our leaflets.

This primitive air raid shelter was built during the Second World War to give some protection to Park visitors and gardeners in the event of an air raid.   The wall is still there and can be found by turning left at the Dryclough Road entrance to the park.

Beaumont Park was officially opened 125 years ago on 13 October 1883 by the Duke and Duchess of Albany.  Crosland Moor Junior School year 4 are studying 'Victorian Times' and on 13 October 2008 they did a re-enactment of the Opening of the Park starting at the Main Gate Beaumont Park Road.  The Mayor of Kirklees, Cllr. Karam Hussain, supported the event. 

On 8th August 1879, Huddersfield Corporation accepted the offer of 20 acres of woodland and four fields from the wealthy landowner Henry Frederick Beaumont for transformation into Huddersfield's first public park.  The land was rocky and precipitous, with splendid views over the Holme Valley.  To improve access to the site, Butternab Road was extended to the West and a new road, Beaumont Park Road, was built.  Natural falls in the ground necessitated the construction of supporting arches (which eventually held grottos with drinking fountains).  The road and arch works cost £4153, and were subsidised by a one sixth penny rise in the rates.

Henry Frederick Beaumont was born in Scarborough on 10th March 1833.  He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating in 1852.  Between 1855 and 1856 he studied practical farming in the Lothians.  He married Maria Joanna Garforth on 1st September 1857 and together they raised eight daughters and two sons.

The morning of Saturday 13 October 1883 promised fine weather for what was to be a day to remember in the history of Huddersfield. The town was to host its first Royal visit, by HRH Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany (the youngest son of Queen Victoria), and his wife Princess Helene, Duchess of Albany, for the official opening of Beaumont Park. The Council had allocated £1,000 - roughly equivalent to £72,000 today - for the event, and no expense was to be spared.

In July 1884 plans were requested for the Castle Refreshments Rooms and these were approved in the October when a tender of £800 was accepted to build them.  The final cost was to come to £2,165 and this building came to be known as The Castle.

An exciting find in the upper area of the park. Our Woodland Management team found the axe head whilst preparing to plant a tree.