Park History Guide

OLDWARRENPOINTFORUM

Warrenpoint Municipal Park A QUICK HISTORICAL GUIDE

"Merged" photo of the Bandstand and park by Brian McCalmont

A condensed guide to the history of the municipal park from its inception to 2023

Satellite image of the park 2022

Written and compiled by Brian McCalmont 1st printed edition published November 2022 All copyrights acknowledged, and all information contained in this booklet was deemed correct at time of going to press. As with all historical documents contents are subject to change as new information comes to light, and will be updated in future releases as and when required.

This booklet is not a comprehensive detailed look at the parks history but a simple guide with some highlights. Further editions may follow this one.

With thanks to all those who contributed on the forum and Facebook pages.

Sources: oldwarrenpointforum: http://www.oldwarrenpointforum.com/phpBB3/index.php National Library of Ireland: https://catalogue.nli.ie British Newspaper archives https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

This booklet is provided electronically for free however should you wish to donate towards the Running of the oldwarrenpoint forum, then donations via PayPal at the link below are most welcome https://www.paypal.me/oldwarrenpointforum

A Quick Historical Guide to: Warrenpoint Municipal Park In this booklet we are using some of the dates and information from old council minutes as reference points. The minutes used were originally copied by the late Andy Eccles and transcribed and posted by the author on the oldwarrenpoint forum in 2010

When you walk through the shore gates (the original “grand entrance”) the slightly ornate building you see to the right was designed as nothing more than a simple rain shelter by the well-known local architect William Watson. He also designed in the 1880's both the former Methodist Church Manse and assisted with the current Methodist church, The Great Northern Hotel extension, its sister hotel in Rostrevor, the Belfast bank in Newry and Bessbrook Town Hall to name but a few. It has now been refurbished and is in use as a meeting room and office.

Shelter undergoing renovations February 2018

Shelter after refurbishment in 2021

28th July 1902 The committee put forward a motion for “looking into the setting up of a public park” this was discussed and the motion passed to consider it.

Newry Reporter 28th July 1902

Newry Reporter 8th December 1906

7th September 1906 The clerk was to write to Captain Hall asking if he would receive a deputation on the question of providing a public park for Warrenpoint (this meeting took place on the 29th of November) 3rd December 1906 “That the urban council take on lease from captain Hall at the yearly rent of £12 the land bounded on the North

by Great Georges Street, on the East by Best Row, on the West by Prince’s Street and on the South by the promenade for the purpose of a recreation ground or public park” February 1907 Plans of park were drawn up by the town surveyor Rowland Wade.

Rowland Wade (town surveyor - photo Newry Reporter)

These plans were shown to the council on the 11th of February and put the cost at about £434. It was agreed to seek a loan of £1000 from LGB, reduced to £800 on the 21st of July after further costing’s took place.

March 1907 Thomas Smith of Daisy Hill Nurseries employed to lay out the grounds with plants to the previously mentioned plans for the sum of £202 10/- 6d

Indenture and report of the signing of the lease Newry Reporter 19th March 1907

7th March 1907 Mr Savage agreed to pay for the park gate and railings at a cost of £89 The Gates were designed and made by Musgrave’s Ltd in Belfast. The other railings and plain gates cost £157 and were made by the firm of Bayliss Jones & Bayliss from London and an agreement was made to install a bandstand and remove the one from the promenade.

The original ornate gates and railings can be seen in this close up from a National Library of Ireland photo.

Bayliss, Jones and Bayliss Ltd advert (source oldwarrenpoint forum)

Oldest photo we know of showing the park under construction (Photo Eddie Mackin)

23rd Of April 1907 the “Warrenpoint News” section of the Newry Reporter

24th May 1907

Tender for the base of bandstand was awarded to Patrick Carville at £27

11th June 1907 David Gamble appointed caretaker of new park at £1 per week. The council meeting discussing this (and the ordering of the shield for the bandstand) was printed in the Newry Reporter.

Newry Reporter June 12th 1907

In September 1908 an application was made for a supplemental loan.

Newry Reporter September 1908

9th March 1909 Approval of another loan for £336 by the Local Government Board for further improvements to the park

14th March 1910 “That one plot lying next to the Great Northern Hotel be taken in hands this season, and the necessary work carried out by a committee as soon as possible for the purpose of a tennis court in the park” Tennis was not a new pastime in Warrenpoint as at the time there were already at least 2 other tennis courts, one around the corner opposite the chapel (that court remained in use into the late 50’s) And another at the bottom of the Springfield road next to the Well road (now a private dwelling) as well as a few private courts. The Park courts were to be “competition standard” and as such were used in many tournaments. Originally grass, over the years they changed orientation a few times and various surfaces were applied (including tarmac) A new tennis club was formed on the Upper Dromore road and the current multi use court is still used primarily for tennis.

12th May 1913 Lord Lieutenant & Countess Aberdeen visit Warrenpoint to turn on the town’s water supply at a ceremony in the municipal gardens.

Advert from Newry Reporter about the new town water supply switch on.

Warrenpoint National Flute band 1921 (photo oldwarrenpoint forum)

1921 Nothing of note is recorded in the minutes until...

20th September 1943 Plea to Ministry of finance not to take the ornamental railings and front gates of park - this fell on deaf ears.

Another photo showing the railings at the Seaview entrance (National Library of Ireland)

The government was short of materials during the war and they took all the gates and railings from the park and private housing around Warrenpoint. Only the railings around the churches were excluded. It has been mentioned that the railings were never used and were simply stored somewhere and eventually sold as scrap.

Many years after the war, compensation was given to Warrenpoint Urban District Council for the railings and other items that had been removed. The council was given £100 compensation, which was hardly enough to pay for the paint for new railings or gates!

Also, during the war years train excursions to seaside towns such as Warrenpoint were halted to conserve coal stocks for the war effort so visitor numbers dropped for a while however many locals still made use of the facilities available and band concerts and indeed cinema attendances in the adjoining cinemas (Garden and Pavilion) continued. Also present until just after the war the in the bandstand was the ‘pierrots’, a number of white-faced clowns presenting songs and banter (with some double entendre for adult audiences) Almost every seaside resort had its pierrots however with the advent of other forms of entertainment they declined after the Second World War.

One of the Pierrot's “passing the hat” at one of their shows in the park (photo National Library of Ireland)

"As pretty as a postcard"

In recent times it has been discovered that the Oak tree’s that are in line with the bandstand are in fact not any old Oak tree but a variety known as “Turner's Oak” This is a hybrid of the English oak and (native to the Mediterranean) holm oak (Quercus ilex). It’s English name “Turner's Oak” derives from an English nursery owner who created this hybridization and currently the only other known examples of this species that we aware of are in the National Botanic Garden in Dublin, making these quite rare especially in a location so close to the sea. Also recently added to the gardens is a species of rose known as "Narrow Water" (named after the area that it was first grown) that was introduced to the park after an absence of some 60 years or so.

National Library of Ireland photo circa 1910

Oak trees leading to bandstand 2022 (photo Brian McCalmont)

Warrenpoint Silver plays in the bandstand pre-renovation (Photo Brian McCalmont)

St Peters play in the newly renovated bandstand (Photo Brian McCalmont)

The bandstand itself has seen many forms of entertainment from all types of bands, magicians, story tellers, Punch and Judy shows, discos, carol services, speeches, picnics you name it. The sharp eyed will maybe have noticed the lack of glass doors in some of the photos – these glass screens on wheels would have been taken down occasionally for maintenance, replaced at least once and during the 1970’s went missing. But when the heritage lottery restoration was taking place, they were found, refurbished and reinstated.

The purpose of them is simple. The bandstand sits in the middle of a “quadrant” the idea was that on the morning or afternoon of a concert, the park keeper or indeed band leader would check the direction of the wind and rotate the doors around to give shelter to the players. The audience would then sit on the side facing the band themselves getting a little protection from the winds that could be quite cold at times coming up the lough.

The Park (and in particular the bandstand) has been used as a photographic background for hundreds if not thousands of weddings, christenings, confirmations and communions as well as magazine and press shoots for festivals and fashion shows.

The Marriage of Derek McKinley and Margaret (Chris) McConville12th August 1957

“Maiden of the Mournes” contestants in the bandstand August 2012

In 2014 a steering group was formed to work alongside the council to provide local input into the proposed heritage lottery assisted refurbishment of the park, and the first of many meetings alongside council officials and consultants occurred on the 15th of October 2014. It was not until January 2018 that work commenced.

Press release January 2018: Newry, Mourne and Down District Council successfully received funding of £850,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Parks for People Programme towards the project. With the recent appointment of the Main Contractor Quinn Automatic Ltd, the proposed project of restoration and regeneration will commence within the next couple of weeks with completion in summer 2018.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Roisin Mulgrew said, “I am delighted that Newry, Mourne and Down District Council can now begin works in the historic Warrenpoint Municipal Park. It is listed on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest Northern Ireland and this important restoration project will preserve the heritage of this beautiful park for future generations to enjoy.”

The project will safeguard the park’s many historic features: the listed bandstand, which is one of the finest remaining examples in Northern Ireland, will be carefully restored; the Pavilion Building, which dates from the 1930s, will be re-established as an Interpretive Centre; the original planting will be reinstated and pathways will be resurfaced. A new coherent range of street furniture will also be installed as part of the works to include lighting, seats, bins, a park shelter, park notices and signage.

Cllr Mulgrew continued, “The children’s play area will be upgraded with the installation of new play equipment and play surfaces and the tennis courts will be upgraded to an informal games area with specialist surfacing for tennis and other games. An associated development programme of activities and events for the community and visitors will also form part of the project, providing opportunities for users to engage with the heritage of the park.”

Anna Carragher, Chair of Heritage Lottery Fund Northern Ireland added, “This is such a special Park which has been used and loved by the local community for generations. We are delighted to be involved in breathing new life into the Park’s historic features, providing new and improved facilities and opportunities for everyone to learn more about its unique history.”

Press Photo 2018: Left to right; Eddie Quinn, MD Quinn Automatic, Shirley Keenan, Project Development Officer, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Brian McCalmont, Old Warrenpoint Forum, Anna Carragher, Northern Ireland Chair Heritage Lottery Fund, Cllr Michael Carr, Deputy Chair Newry Mourne and Down District Council, Councillor William Clarke, Jim Boylan, Warrenpoint Heritage Development, Olga Fitzpatrick, Chairperson of Warrenpoint/Rostrevor Chamber of Commerce, Bill Reilly, Warrenpoint Heritage Development, Cllr Oksana McMahon and Shane Bonner, Engineer Quinn Automatic

..•..•.. l.!,t,!,f r f l. 1__'.k;, . .. . .:...ic... -....,

II

t .t. t .t. t .t. t .f. l .t. t .f. l .

V

1_, ,I • •

- -... -'·'

·--- ---------·--

,

-

'

-1 . ' ; . . . .l i.1 - ·· · .

The park undergoing renovations

..'..--- -

.- . . -·--I!"' } ·i' .. . ::-·· • -> ◄

... . ........

;,r

_'.k;,..•..•.. l.!,t,!,f r 1_ l. f . .. . .:...ic... -....,

II

t .t. t .t. t .t. t .f. l .t. t .f. l .

V

1_, ,I • •

- -... -'·'

-

,

-

'

-1 . ' ; . . . .l i.1 - ·· · .

The bandstand before, during and after renovations.

..'..--- -

.- . . -·--I!"' } ·i' .. . ::-·· • -> ◄

... . ........

;,r

The current bandstand colours (duck egg blue, cream and gold) are the colours it was painted when it was originally built. During the renovations careful attention was paid to the layers of paint to find out what the original colours were and going down through the layers revealed many shades that even today people would wonder at but the Edwardians liked their colours.

Now a few years have passed after the renovations and the park is as busy as ever with countless children in the play areas as well as regular artisan markets. Further events and tours are planned for the future and we hope that the park will be used and enjoyed by generations to come.

Current view towards the play park and pavilion

First Christmas for the bandstand