A History of Bentley Park and Pavilion

A Special Park

Bentley Park has always offered a little oasis of calm from the hustle and bustle of central Bentley. With it's sweeping walkways, immaculate bowling greens, peaceful lily pond and children's play areas, the park has something for everyone, whether kicking a ball on the playing field or relaxing by the bandstand, it has endured the decades and provided a place of recreation for the people of Bentley and beyond for almost a hundred years.

Here we look at the origins of the park, its attractions, events, decline and rejuvenation. Bentley Park holds special memories for anyone who has grown up in the area. So put on your Sunday best and let's take a leisurely stroll through the history of one very special park. 

Contents

• Why A Park For Bentley?
• Ellen Walker
• Progress Towards A Park
• The Park Opens
• The Pavilion
• Park Life
• Entrances
• The Lily Pond
• The Bandstand
• Children's Play Areas
• Other Park Features
• The Bentley Miner's Gala
• Memorial Beech Tree
• The Fall And Rise Of Bentley Park
• Bentley Bonanza And The Grand Re-opening

Why A Park For Bentley?

Before Bentley Colliery opened in 1908 Bentley was a rural village, agriculture being the chief occupation among the residents. Once the pit opened however, it attracted men from far afield to come to work, and they brought their families with them.

Suddenly this once rural backwater became an industrial township. Amenities such as housing, shops, schools and churches were created for the rapidly expanding population. Unlike their agricultural forerunners, who worked from sun up to sun down almost every day of the year, the colliers and their families had leisure time. 

Sports and leisure facilities were created in Bentley, such as a cinema, social clubs, football and cricket clubs. Bentley Miner's Welfare Fund was set up to raise money for the miner's social well-being, recreation and living conditions. Money was raised via a levy and later a percentage of coal royalties. 

Coliseum cinema on Bentley High Street

The idea of a recreation park for Bentley first came in  July 1911. A letter written on behalf of a Mrs Ellen Walker, formerly of Conisbrough, was sent to F Kirby, the Chairman of the Bentley Urban District Council. The letter stated that she wished to present about twenty acres of land to the council for a park and recreation ground. The land, sited on Common Lane was close to the old part of Bentley. The council voted unanimously to accept the offer.

Sheffield Daily Telegraph 1 July 1911

Transcription of the above article

'Mr F. Kirby, the Chairman of the Bentley Urban District Council, yesterday received a letter from Messrs, Alderson, Son and Dust, of Sheffield stating that Mrs. Ellen Walker, formerly of Conisborough, desired to present about 20 acres of land to the Council as a park and recreation ground. 

In their letter the firm state that Mrs. Walker has leased one bed of coal underlying the land, but, subject to that lease, she is disposed to give to the district of Bentley the two fields in question, as a park and playing ground without cost to the Council, she herself paying for the deed of gift which would be prepared by the firm on her behalf. Mrs Walker does not wish to place any restrictions upon the land "other than that intoxicating liquors shall not be sold thereon, and that the fields shall be a park and playing field belonging to the Council of Bentley for all time." The land is situated in Common Lane, near the centre of the old part of Bentley, and will make an excellent recreation ground. 

The offer of Mrs. Walker was placed before the Council last night, a special meeting having been called for the purpose, and it was unanimously decided to accept the offer, with cordial thanks.

Bentley was recently created an urban district and has greatly developed since the new colliery was opened.'

This article begs two questions - who was Ellen Walker and why did her park not materialize? 

Ascertaining who Ellen Walker was proved quite easy, but what happened to the plan for this park is less clear.

Ellen Walker

Ellen Walker (nee Anderson), who was originally from York didn't marry until she was aged 48. That was the year 1901 and she married a man named Godfrey Walker in Kensington, London. Godfrey was from Conisbrough, a former farmer and owner of the tannery, he became a J.P. 

The Walkers lived at the Priory in Conisbrough, but it was at their other residence in Devon that Godfrey died in 1908, the couple had been married less than eight years. 

Widowed Ellen inherited a sizeable fortune and after moving with her mother to Scarborough, she bequeathed the Priory to Sheffield General Infirmary for use as a convalescent home, The Godfrey Walker Convalescent Home.

The Godfrey Walker Convalescent Home

In 1911 Ellen Walker gave land in Conisbrough for the provision of a park. The land donated was worth £540 and she gave a further £150 for iron railings, pathways and seats. Named Coronation Park it was named to commemorate the coronation of King George V, and was opened on the 22nd of June 1911.

Coronation Park, Conisbrough. From Conisbrough and Denaby Main Heritage Group.

Just about the same time as the park opened in Conisbrough, Bentley Urban District Council received the letter detailed above setting out Ellen Walker's desire to donate land in Bentley for a park. Despite it having been accepted by the Council this is the first and last reference to this donation to be found. Common Lane in Bentley is reached via Finkle Street, so this land cannot be the same as that used off Cooke Street. Maybe there was a problem with the lease that prevented the donation of land? The news article (above) does stress that it was 'subject to that lease'.

To complete Ellen's story, she remarried in 1919, this time to Thomas Colpitts Granger of London. He was a widower and County Court Judge. He was knighted in 1921 making Ellen 'Lady Granger'. They lived at Lower Belgrave Street in London.

Thomas died in 1927 leaving Ellen a widow after only a short marriage once again. It is unclear what happened to her next, it is probable that she died in 1931 in Chippenham, Wiltshire although the records are not clear.

Sir Thomas Granger

  

Progress Towards A Park

It would be another four years before the subject of a park for Bentley was raised again. 

In 1915 a new 'Public Pleasure Ground' was proposed to meet the needs of the growing Bentley population. The Public Health Act of 1875 allowed local authorities to purchase or lease land in order to provide public walks or pleasure grounds, the said land to be planted and maintained by the authority.

At the request of the trustees, Lady Cooke of the Wheatley Estate submitted deeds to the Bentley-with-Arksey Urban District Council to allow a pleasure ground to be created. The land proposed to be used was off Cooke Street and Askern Road. It had previously been open fields and was bordered by farm buildings on Cooke Street. This map (below) from 1892 shows the approximate boundary of the new park and the land it would occupy, from an entrance next to the Wesleyan Chapel on Cooke Street and stretching almost as far north as the hamlet of Rostall (now the Rostholme area of Bentley).

1892 map of the approximate layout of the forthcoming new park

The Park Opens

With money from The Miners' Welfare Fund used to develop the land, the new 'Welfare Park' was laid out. The work took place during the spring and summer of 1923 and it opened that same year. 

The first park superintendent was a Mr Harry French. The map (below) shows the park a few years after opening in 1930. Much of the original layout survives to this day and features such as the bandstand, bowling green and pond are as familiar now as they were then.

Bentley Welfare Park in 1930

Stone sundial with inscription

The inscription

A stone sundial positioned near the centre of the park had the following inscription:

'The Bentley Miners' Welfare Committee purchased and laid out this park with monies contributed from the Miner's Welfare Fund, and presented the same to the Bentley-with-Arksey Urban District Council on September 15th 1923.

Committee

D. MacGregor, Chairman; G. A. Ringrose; P. N. Brundell; S. Roberts J.P; A Longdon; Rev. A Rhys James; W. Paling M.P; D. Straw; J. Flemming (Hon Secretary); P. C. Woodhall M.I.M & C.E (Architect and Surveyor).'

The Sundial was removed in 1988 when it fell into disrepair.

  

The Pavilion

Bentley Pavilion

One noticeably absent feature of the park in its early years is the pavilion, which didn't open until the end of 1931. 

Funds to build the pavilion was raised through The Miners' Welfare Committee deducting one penny from the wages of every miner. The pavilion cost £10,000 to build and work began in September 1930. 

Original drawings of the proposed pavilion. Courtesy of Michelle Smith 

The pavilion was constructed from ferro-concrete in a technique developed by French engineer Francois Hennebique. It was built by the Yorkshire Hennebique Contracting Co. Ltd of Leeds. The building project was managed by local man and Bentley Colliery Site Engineer Percy C. Woodhall. The design was a mixture of styles which contained classical columns, arches and vaulted ceilings inside.

The pavilion was due to be opened on the 28th of November 1931 but this was delayed as eight days earlier, on the 20th of November Bentley Colliery lost forty five miners in a terrible underground explosion.

The pavilion was opened later by Mr D. MacGregor, Chairman of the Welfare Committee, and was handed over to Mr Lewis Massarella JP, of the Bentley-with-Arksey Urban District Council. A plaque in the foyer of the pavilion still bears the planned opening date of the 28th of November 1931.

Park Life

Early photo of the park and bandstand

When the park was first laid out it provided areas for entertainment, play and sports but it also became known for its floral displays. By 1930 there was a bowling green, sand pits, a lily pond, a bandstand, tennis courts, a fountain and a shelter. There were also footpaths, trees and a large recreation area. A year later the park gained the magnificent pavilion.

Let's look at the park features in more detail.

Entrances

The park has always had three entrances, one on Askern Road, one on Park Road, and the main entrance on Cooke Street. 

The Cooke Street entrance in 1923

The main entrance featured curved railings, a turning circle with central planting bed and two public lavatories, seen here as brick buildings to each side of the main walkway. The railings and planting area were later removed and replaced by a car park. The lavatories were eventually demolished too. 

Cooke Street entrance from 1930 map

The Askern Road entrance in 1931

The Askern Road entrance lies approximately opposite the Baptist Church and was a very pretty entrance in the early days. With an attractive wooden bridge crossing the mill stream, floral arches and planting beds. Just inside this entrance was Park Lodge where the Park Superintendent lived.

Park Lodge. Photo courtesy of Colin Hardisty

Glasshouses to the side of the lodge were built in 1932. The lodge and glasshouses have since been demolished and have been replaced by the Myplace project building.

The bridge over the mill stream was later replaced by stone entrance piers and iron gates.

Askern Road entrance from 1930 map

The Park Road entrance didn't receive the same level of attractive features as the other two. Consisting of railings, gates and a pathway through a small wooded area, it provided a rather functional entrance in the west side of the park.

Park Road entrance from 1930 map

The Lily Pond

The lily pond between 1925 and 1930. Photo courtesy of Colin Hardisty

An original feature of the park, the lily pond was built for the opening in 1923.The photo above shows how this ornamental pond once looked with its crazy paving, stone edging, lawns, flowers and shrubs. The pond also featured a fountain in the centre. Note the absence of the pavilion which was still to be built, the park lodge is visible however on the right. To the left were the tennis courts and the building in the centre is thought to be a tennis hut.

The Lily Pond from 1930 map.

The lily pond in 1970

This later photo shows the fountain working and how the crazy paving was replaced by concrete paths. The pond area was connected to the pavilion, now visible in the background, by a path around the bowling green.

The pond eventually fell into disrepair and was filled in with stones and soil to form a rockery. The trees became overgrown and the area lacked ornamental planting. Railings placed around the bowling green cut off the connection to the pavilion too.

The lily pond that became a rockery, pictured in 2013. Photo from Southerngreen Chartered Landscape Architects

The Bandstand

Approached by a wide, sweeping path, the bandstand was another original feature of the park. Built in 1923, the bandstand was the focus for events and activities right at the heart of the park. 

The Bandstand from 1930 map 

The Bandstand c.1925 - 30

In 1925 an outdoor dance floor was constructed next to the bandstand, and that same year when the park had illuminations, strings of fairy lights festooned the bandstand.

By the mid 1930's the bandstand became covered with climbing plants, giving it an altogether different appearance.

c.1935 - 1939

By 1988 the bandstand had fallen into disrepair and was removed. Up until the renovations in 2014 the site was marked by an empty space with a single tree in the centre.

Site of the original Bandstand in 2013. Photo from Southerngreen Chartered Landscape Architects

Children's Play Areas

The Sand Pits

The play areas were an important part of the park and consisted of sand pits, paddling pool and 'Children's Corner', complete with slides and swings.

Sand pits from 1930 map

Two octagonal sand pits were constructed next to each other, just south of the bandstand in 1923. In later years a paddling pool was added to the side of them and both proved extremely popular with the local and visiting children. It must have been like having a mini beach holiday without the need to travel very far.

The paddling pool, very popular on a hot day.

Children's Corner was situated on the Askern Road side of the park, just before the lily pond. Another original feature of the park, this is where the swings, slides and roundabouts were located. Photographs from the 1940's show there was additional play apparatus near to Yew Tree Farm, which is the building seen in the photo above.

Children's Corner c.1930

The second play area near Yew Tree Farm.
Photo courtesy of Lynda Pell

Other Park Features

Sporting pastimes were also catered for at the park, with grass and hard tennis courts, a bowling green and a large, open grassed area for football and other games.

The bowling green

Floral displays formed a large part of the park's attraction, with ornamental beds lining most of the paths and used to separate areas from one another.

Ornamental borders near the Cooke Street entrance

One feature which lots of park goers seem to remember is the drinking water fountain. Situated outside the entrance to the pavilion, this was an ever popular park amenity and was much missed when it was removed and altered to a sundial in 1988. It was completely removed at a later date.

The drinking water fountain near the pavilion c.1935

The Bentley Miner's Gala

Every summer a parade and gala would be held in Bentley. Essentially a trade union gathering; the original site of the Bentley Gala was the cricket and football pitches on the Avenue, however by the mid 1970's the gala was moved to the more central Bentley Park. 

With events, stalls, entertainment and fairground, the gala was an unmissable event every summer which always ended in a traditional firework display.

The galas remained popular into the early 1980's, but the miner's strike and subsequent break up of the coal industry saw an end to these annual gatherings.

Unfortunately I have not been able to track down any photos of Bentley Gala, but will be pleased to add any that come to light*.

Memorial Beech Tree

In 1997 a Memorial Beech Tree was planted in Bentley Park to honour the Todd family. Boxer Roland Todd of Bentley famously became middle weight champion of Great Britain, Europe and the British Empire in the 1920's. The tree and plaque can still be found in the park today.

The Copper Beech tree

The inscribed plaques to the Todd family

The Fall And Rise Of Bentley Park

The Coal Industry Social Welfare Organization (CISWO), which had formed out of the Miner's Welfare Act in 1952, oversaw the funding and upkeep of the park. The CISWO became a national charity in 1995, separating it from the coal industry and being governed by trustees. However, a decline in investment led to a lack of maintenance in the park, features being removed, vandalism and anti-social behaviour. The park was run down and underused.

The pavilion before renovations

  

In 2011 a grant of £2.5million from the Heritage Lottery Fund was approved, a sum that was matched by Doncaster Council in order to renovate the park and pavilion and bring them back to their former glory.

Doncaster Free Press April 2013

Plans for the new look park were drawn up in 2013 by Holland Brown Architects, during which Bentley residents were given the opportunity to have their say on the design.

Proposed new look for the pavilion

The pavilion during renovations in 2014. 
Photo courtesy of Keith Wilburn

Work got underway in 2014 and saw the complete renovation of the pavilion. Lost features such as the bandstand and lily pond were reinstated. New play areas were introduced, the park entrances were refurbished, wildflower and herbaceous planting areas were brought back and new railings and paths were installed.

To reflect current trends, a wildlife area was constructed and for sports, a football pitch, skateboarding/BMX facilities and a multi use games area were introduced. The bowling green was preserved but facilities for playing tennis were not reinstated.

The play areas now include toddler and junior adventure play areas as well as a water play area complete with an Archimedes Screw. The toddler and water play areas are situated on the sites of the old sand pits, and octagonal paving serves as a reminder of their previous incarnations.

Renovated pavilion and new play area on the site of one of the old sand pits. 
Photo courtesy of Keith Wilburn. 

New information boards were created to be placed around the park, showing the new amenities as well as old photos and history of the various features. I was proud to provide information and photos for these boards, and received a special mention on each one.

A sample of the new information boards around the park. 
Courtesy of Southerngreen Chartered Landscape Architects

Dan Jones, stone carver, created a series of carved stones depicting a timeline of Bentley's past.

Extracts from the Domesday Book of 1086

A carved miner's lamp depicting Bentley Colliery

The floods of 2007 carved in stone

Bentley Bonanza And The Grand Re-opening

With the demise of the annual Miner's Gala, a new community event was created, Bentley Bonanza. Held every June, it features entertainment, stalls, and fairground rides. The plan was to launch the new, refurbished park at the Bonanza in June 2014, however, work was delayed so the event was moved to September 21st instead. 

The park was officially opened by Doncaster Civic Mayor, Pat Haith. Tony Sockett, Bentley Area Community Partnership secretary was really pleased with the reception the new-look park received, saying:

"It's been a really good day. It's been better than I expected. To see children and families really enjoying themselves has been very rewarding."

Source: Doncaster Free Press, 21st September 2014. 

Mayor Pat Haith officially opening the refurbished Bentley Park. 
Photo courtesy of Patricia Glover

Bentley Bonanza. 
Photo Courtesy of Chelle Tovell

Today Bentley Park offers the same haven of peace and recreation it set out to provide when it first opened in 1923. We all have great memories of time spent in the park, and as it approaches its centenary, the new lease of life it has been given will ensure that many more happy memories are created there.

__________

For a follow-up article containing personal memories and photos of Bentley Park go to Let's Go To The Park.

* Please contact me via the contact box if you have any photos of the Bentley Miner's Galas.

Thanks to Symeon Mark Waller for providing research material and to those who have submitted photos for this article. Photos taken from other websites have been mentioned and a link provided.

Alison Vainlo 

First written 2018, updated 2020