1.1 A Unique History

Brooke Park is one of the most important parks in the city of Derry. Its development is somewhat unusual, with two local philanthropic benefactors each playing a key role in bringing about this invaluable present-day public asset. It began as the grounds of Gwyn's Institution, an orphanage for destitute boys, provided by the generosity of John Gwyn, a local businessman and opened in 1840. Of particular interest is the way in which the park evolved from the existing ornamental and productive gardens of the institution into a public park in 1901 following a bequest from James Brooke or Drumahoe. The layout of the park today remains essentially Victorian in design, though the scale of ornamental plating is much reduced.

1.2 Early Days

Before any development took place the land was farmland. It comprised six fields, with a ropewalk to the southwest. The topography of the site was steep. It adjoined a road (Creggan Street) and the Bishop's demesne to the south/west and was in close proximity to a range of establishments, which marked the north/west boundary of City. The existing field boundaries more or less define the present park today.

A stream ran through the area in a ditch. The OS Map of 1835 by Colby shows the Parliamentary and Municipal Boundaries (Appendix 8).

1.3 Gwyn's Institution

John Gwyn was born at Drumskellan, Muff, Co. Donegal in 1754 and with his mother founded a lucrative business in Derry. He was concerned about the growing number of destitute boys in the area. He arranged to provide for boys of all denominations in his Will of 1818 (Appendix 10). When he died in 1829, he left a very substantial sum of £40,000 to expressly build an orphanage and school for boys from Derry and Muff. Refer to Appendix 0 for a profile of Gywn.

Twenty-one Trustees were charged with administering his will. Their first objective was to find land. However, after an outbreak of cholera in 1832 a temporary school, named Gwyns' Charitable Institution, was opened in Shipquay Street.

The trustees advertised for six acres of land in 1832 for the purpose of building a School and suitable Office houses. Earlier that year an advertisement had appeared for architects and Surveyors.

Five fields in one lease and one in a second lease, (the farmland mentioned above), the property of the Lord Bishop of Derry and the Ecclesiastical Commission for Ireland were conveyed to the Trustees in 1838 (Appendix 1).

The Lord Bishop laid the foundation stone with great ceremony on Monday 9th September 1839. Samuel Jackman (architect) and John Lynn (builder) were in attendance. The fine building was erected to the north/west centre of the grounds and was officially opened in 1840 (Appendix 2).

1.4 The Grounds of Gwyn's Institution

Before any construction could take place, the lie of the land had to be altered to accommodate the building and offices. Substantial embankments to the south/east and north were formed to create grass terraces. These terraces a characteristic feature of many Victorian ornamental gardens were planted up in the style of the period.

It is not known why the exact site of the building was chosen. As it was built near the stream, the stream was culverted and the ditch filled in. The water was used to feed the fishpond, which was constructed at this time.

Handsome stone walls were erected along the boundaries and around the kitchen garden, commonly walled-in in that era. This garden was placed to the rear of the building, which would have afforded some protection from the prevailing northerly winds. An income was generated from the sale of excess vegetables. An orchard was planted in the north corner. The area was surrounded by a shelter belt of trees; a necessity on such a high point on the hill side.

It is not known who laid out the gardens. However, a plan of the grounds, was lent to a Mr. Francis Mansfield of Letterkenny. This was not returned by 1852, in spite of a pleading letter. As in this instance, the archival sources for garden history tend not to be extensive. It is common for a Head Gardener to lay out gardens but it is unlikely in this case (Appendix 6).

The path network illustrated on the 1973 O.S. Map remains almost intact today. A Gate and Gate Screen serve the main entrance on Infirmary Road and both are still intact. The carriage drive sweeping past the Gate Lodge climbing up the steep hillside to the front of the building is still one of the major park paths.

The surviving entrance at the north wall gave access to the productive garden and from there to farmland beyond and a source of manure. The paths separated lawns and planted areas. Plants were supplied by the Curator of the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh. The plans were swiftly carried out. The gardens were described in 1847 as, 'judiciously laid out in walks which traverse the whole enclosure; which is again, in plots, tastefully planted with a profusion of various, flowering shrubs, encompassed by a substantial wall.'

The first Head Gardener was not very satisfactory and was given notice in 1854. A report on the gardens in 1856 described their poor state and offered suggestions on how they could be improved.

The second Head Gardener was William Wallace, who like his predecessor lived in the Gate Lodge and was paid £26 per annum. Reports indicate that he had assistance from the orphan boys who were apprenticed to him.

A 'Rosary' was added in the spring of 1857. In 1864 a lean-to glasshouse was built on the north wall. It was heated and enabled the gardeners to propagate huge seed order for flowers that ensued. Roses, perennials and annuals enlivened the early planting of trees and shrubs. As the century progressed the whole site must have been beautiful. The public was able to enjoy the gardens on occasions. There were Fruit and Flower Shows and Lady Shaftsbury held a garden party in the grounds in 1896.

Whether the boys were ever allowed to walk in the gardens is unknown.

In 1842, through the beneficence of Joseph Young, destitute girls were also accommodated and taught at Gwyn's Institution. This Trust was administered by his nephews John and Joseph Cooke and was added to that of Gwyn and became known as the Gwyn and Young Endowments (Appendix 7 & 9).

A small portion of land measuring 60' x 10'.6" was acquired at the boundary of Christchurch in 1898 by the Governors of Gwyn and Young Endowments from the Representative Body of the Church of Ireland.

The Institute grounds were conveyed to new owners, as the Charitable Institute had no longer use for the property & wished to sell it.

1.5 Brooke Park

Once again a benefactor, James Brooke of Drumahoe, had made a bequest for the benefit of the public - in this case the wider public, all the citizens of Derry. When he died in 1865, the residue of his Will was to be placed in the hands of Trustees to '. secure land as a place of recreation for the citizens of Derry for all time.' A further bequest from his sister, Margaret added £1,460 to the handsome sum of £9,000 that had accumulated, but this was not enough money to purchase Gwyn's Institution, for which the Trustees sought £13,000. However, after some hesitation, The Honourable The Irish Society added £6,000 to the bequest in order that

Gwyn's Institution could be purchased. The donation was on condition that Londonderry Corporation would agree to make up the balance of the purchase price and to administer the park. This was agreed and from August 1898 the Londonderry Corporation and its successors were duty bound to maintain Brooke Park.

Initially they were to, '. form, lay-out and equip Gwyn's grounds in accordance with the plans, specifications and estimates prepared by the Trustees and The Honourable The Irish Society.'

As the Gwyn and Young Endowments were charitable, official permission had to be granted for the estate to be transferred from the Committee of Charitable donations and bequests. An Act of Parliament enabled this transfer, the Brooke's Park (Londonderry) Act of 1899 (Appendix 11). The property was named Brooke Park after the initial benefactor but was commonly referred to as the 'People's Park'.

The Trustees officially handed it to the Mayor and Corporation of Derry in the morning of the 6th August 1901. In the afternoon the Mayor and Mayoress gave a celebratory garden party in the park.

1.6 The Grounds of Brooke Park

Matthew Robinson, Architect and Engineer, prepared plans for the new parks layout. He was later appointed City Surveyor in 1906. His task was to make the site suitable and interesting for public use. Robinson's plans are detailed in structure but give no indication as to any suggestions for altering the planting, if indeed any were made in an already flourishing garden.

The most significant change was the removal of most of the wall on the north/west boundary and the walled kitchen garden. Railings replaced the former.

The productive garden was no longer required and the orchard was grubbed up. Not all of the land was converted into the park, as some fields to the Northwest but within the property were left untouched.

A pedestrian entrance was added at Creggan Road, necessitating new pedestrian access paths both to this point and at the north/west end. The main thoroughfare was straightened and a Lime Avenue planted along one side.

This route must have proved popular, as the Corporation approved that the gates should be opened at 7.30 am so that factory workers could go to work through the park. A new vehicular entrance was made at Stewart's Terrace on land measuring 41' by 32' by 34', was acquired from the Trustees of the Gwyn and Young Endowment by separate conveyance in 1899.

Robinson was responsible for the rainwater run-off open drainage system. This remains a prominent but unattractive feature of the park today. As an engineer and surveyor, he was possibly more interested in engineering practicalities rather than amenity of the park. Men's urinals and drinking fountains and seating were provided. Railings were installed around the pond in 1902, a necessary precaution in a public area.

The old glasshouse was replaced with a new structure after the war. Sadly the Rosary was not maintained and was replaced with a round bed. Many original features were incorporated into the new park, such as the three remaining fine stonewalls, the Gate Lodge, Gates and Gate Screen. The park must have benefited from mature shrubs and shelter trees. The mature Gwyn's shrubs, several of which were rhododendrons, were clipped to formal shapes. Flowerbeds were planted with brightly coloured conventional park bedding.

The superimposition of a public park onto grounds that had been established for a residential institution was fortuitous.

In effect, the City acquired a ready-made Victorian park, which cleverly used landform to maximise the usefulness of the space. Rich and varied planting, in the tradition of Victorian gardening further enriched this public space.

A Journalist, Stewart Murray from Glasgow, when asked to comment on the state of the gardens in 1856. He writes of 'screens and views, shelter and concealment achieved by careful planting within the structure'.

1.7 Brooke Park: The Early to Mid-20th Century Public Park

The Londonderry Corporation Parks, Libraries and Museums Committee controlled the park. During the early years the main building became a Museum.

William Lindsay, the Cemeteries Superintendent was authorised to visit nurseries and select plants and seeds. In 1902 Mr and Mrs Gilliland of Brook Hall donated, 'Two rare and valuable shrubs,' in time for the Royal Visit in 1903. King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra visited the park and planted trees. One survives today.

In 1904 there was a Promenade and Firework Display and later on, Flower Shows. Although the park was well used and was open on Sundays, the visitors were not allowed on the grass and there were complaints of rowdyism in 1908, which led to temporary closure.

The park was annually re-stocked; for example in 1908 twenty thousand plants were propagated, indicating that flower beds and bedding schemes, flourished in that era.

This was an era of high maintenance flowerbeds. For example there is documentary evidence of twenty thousand plants being propagated each year and being maintained by a large workforce of gardeners.

In the First World War the park was used as part of a food production scheme and the Museum was occupied by the military. When they departed in 1922, '.the Museum and Library were cleaned out and disinfected!' After the war an ex-Sergeant was appointed Ranger in the summer months. The cannons displayed in front of the Museum were removed during the war for safekeeping and were returned in 1924.

The statue of Sir Robert Ferguson was erected in 1927, when replaced by a War Memorial in Shipquay Street (Appendix 3).

William Lindsay retired in 1931, after long and valuable service to the park. The Parks Committee avoided using the park for allotments in the Second World War. Most of the railings, standards, cannons, and railings were requisitioned for the war effort.

Band concerts and events were very popular. Every effort to was make the park look beautiful. King George VI visited in 1945 and later his sister, the HRH the Princess Royal in 1952. They planted trees with same silver trowel used by King Edward III 1903. Queen Elizabeth II, visited the park in 1953 soon after her accession.

On that occasion the press reports comment on the bright display of flowers (Appendix 4), and cannons to ornament the frontage were borrowed from the city walls.

The planting was maintained during the 1960s. From 1960 to 65, five thousand ornamental trees, flowering shrubs, heathers and rose bushes were ordered. According to David Biggar, who cared for the park for many years, there was little pilfering and no vandalism at that time. The building become a Library, with exhibition space, both it and the park were well used.

1.8 The Spiral of Decline

Army personnel occupied part of the Gwyn building from the late 1960's and were very mobile in the grounds. One ornamental cannon was 'borrowed' but later returned after a press campaign. In 1973 the building was firebombed and only a roofless shell remained after severe damage.

Apart from the terrible loss of books, the near loss of a fine listed building, the central focus of the park. This violence attacked the very humanity of the parks origins as a charitable home of destitute boys.

In 1981 Derry City Council was awarded circa £400,000 in compensation for damage to the building. During the height of The Troubles, the 1980s there were some initiatives to improve the park. Plans were adopted for a 'Spruce-up Campaign'. The sum of £50,000 was allocated from the Inner City Fund for refurbishment and designs by W.R.D. & Taggart's were implemented, notably the pond area in 1982. However the integrity of the park was threatened in 1983 when Derry City Council submitted plans to the Town and Country Planning Service to build new civic offices within Brooke Park.

Proposals to convert Gwyn's Institution into council offices were controversial and were abandoned after a challenge in the High Court (Appendix 12).

It was held that the land and buildings, and associated assets were held 'in trust' for use as a public park for the benefit of the people of Derry, under the terms of the Brooke's Park (Londonderry) Act 1899.

Derry City Council was unable to proceed with the plan. Contra events took over at this juncture. A child was injured in the empty shell of the building, and due to public pressure, it was totally demolished. Derry lost part of its heritage and Brooke Park lost its core. Today, the site of the building is a dull plot of grass.

The road-widening scheme at the Creggan Road was a continuing threat to the west wall and trees. First raised in 1980 and as a formal proposition in 1990 and 1998, it was written into a Draft Derry Area Plan 2011. However, it is no longer being pursued under the published Area Plan 2011and this threat to the integrity of the park has finally been removed.

Today the Brooke Parks suffers heavily from anti-social behaviour and loss of 'ownership'. The character and quality of this once popular park has declined in common with many urban parks and it is in serious need for regeneration.

It is acknowledged that the park has become run down and has suffered from vandalism in common with most urban parks. In short, Brooke Park badly needs refurbishment and investment.

1.9 New Opportunity

Under the Heritage Lottery Fund Urban Parks Programme, Derry City Council submitted an application in March 1999 with the intention of '.. to revitalise the historic park to its former splendour in time for its centenary - August 6th, 2001.'

After a preliminary assessment in November 2000, The Heritage Lottery Fund advised Council to resubmit their application in order to consult with residents, develop a long-term management plan and obtain external professional assistance.