This beautiful view taken in the mid 1960s shows the greatly missed Peter Pan pond and statue, the manicured grass ,tended rockeries and neat wooden benches. The rockery in the background to the left of the shelter (which was a sun trap) was also a set of 'fairy steps' much loved by children. There was another set of fairy steps behind the pond and where the photographer would be standing.
Compare this to photo (2) today.
Donor : the family of the late Doris Wilson
Creator : Doris Wilson
Location
This image taken in September 2016 is from the same spot as (1) The pond has been filled in, tarmac has replaced the crazy paving and the fairy steps are virtually gone. The more rustic benches have been replaced by low maintenance, vandal proof metal structures.
The rocks in the foreground are man made and part of an adventure playground. The fairy steps behind the photographer are no more and are steps to a tubular slide. The view is a fairly attractive open space and the trees are beautiful, but a very different view to (1) taken in the 1960's.
More detail »Taken in the mid to late 1960s, the image is of the flower beds and shelter. The shelter is no longer there and in place of the flower beds today is a large grassed area which was seeded when the beck was diverted about 2010. To the right of the photo would be the fairy steps described in (1). The tower in the background is Claremont which was at that time either a school still or the Teachers' Centre. Part of Rosebank is also just visible.
More detail »The Burn Valley Gardens, Hartlepool was opened to the public in 1898. Bowling greens were added in 1913.
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