OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
www.oldplymouth.uk
 

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BEAUMONT PARK

Beaumont Park, Plymouth.
From a postcard.

Beaumont Park was created thanks to the vision of the Reverend Thomas Archer Bewes (1803-1889) of Beaumont House.

Beaumont House in Beaumont Park was Plymouth's first Borough Museum.
From a postcard.

Mr Thomas Bewes had purchased the House in 1820 from the Manor of Sutton Pill.  It cost him £750.   At that time it commanded grand views across Plymouth, Sutton Pool and out to the Sound.

Beaumont Park, Plymouth.
From a postcard.

His son, Thomas Archer Bewes, was born in 1803 and was ordained in 1826.  He settled at Beaumont sometime after the death of his father in 1857 and became a great benefactor to Charles Church and Saint Jude's Church and donated a stained-glass window to the new Guildhall of 1873.

'The Squire', as he was affectionately known, new that legislation was imminent enabling local authorities to create recreation grounds for the benefit of the population, who were mainly living in narrow, cramped streets.  When , in 1882, the road up through Greenbank was being constructed, he purchased a strip of land alongside his land in order to extend his garden and he stipulated at the time that it was to be held until taken over by the Corporation with the remainder of the original park.   When the Reverend gentleman died in 1890, his Trustees sold the house and park to the Corporation for £26,000. 

Beaumont Park was officially opened to the public on the glorious afternoon of Wednesday May 25th 1892.  At shortly before 3pm the macebearers, Police Inspectors Gasking and Yabsley and the Mayor, Mr F W Harris, led the lengthy civic procession from the Guildhall through Old Town Street, Ham Street and Beaumont Road to the Park, which was adorned with flags and bunting supplied by Mr R B Tope of 8 Hoe Street.  In front of thousands of spectators, -- everybody who was anybody was in attendance -- the Mayor used a silver key provided by Messrs G E Searle and Sons, of Bedford Street, to open the gate.

The spring sunshine unfortunately encouraged an afternoon of lengthy speeches but after the final "God Save the Queen", the crowds enjoyed the large selection of oak, beech, copper beech, elm, sycamore and chestnut trees while the Royal Marine Band, under the direction of Mr F Winterbottom, played an excellent selection of music.