Birkenhead Park’s 170th

On Wednesday 5th April 2017, Birkenhead Park celebrated the 170th anniversary of its opening. Luckily for us – the weather was much better than it was all the way back in 1847, when 10,000 people stood in the rain at the gates to the Grand Entrance to be officially welcomed to the World’s First Publicly Funded Park. At 170 years old, the Park still looks as fantastic and well-kept as it ever has been, and of course we had to have some form of celebration.

This year’s anniversary celebration focussed on one of the prominent figures of Birkenhead Park’s creation and early years: Edward Kemp. In recognition of Kemp’s achievements and influence in Parks in Britain, the Birkenhead Park team worked alongside Conservation Areas Wirral to hold a special civic reception for the unveiling of a new Blue Plaque at the Visitor Centre. There were guest speakers talking about Birkenhead Park and the contributions Edward Kemp made to the early years of the Park and the plaque was dedicated by Wirral Mayor Cllr Pat Hackett shortly after midday. The event guests enjoyed a fantastic buffet laid on by the catering students of Wirral Metropolitan College, in addition to a special anniversary cake.

We’d like to give special thanks everyone involved with making our special anniversary celebration so successful, and we hope the rest of our celebrations this year go just as well.