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Wavertree Playground - The Mystery

Wavertree Playground also known locally as “The Mystery” was one of the first purpose built public playgrounds in the United Kingdom.

Unlike other Liverpool Parks there is minimal landscaping as it was not designed for promenading and by comparison to nearby Sefton and Prince’s Park is somewhat dreary.

The 108-acre site of Wavertree Playground was originally occupied by an estate surrounding a large stately home known as “The Grange”. The house and estate were sold to an unknown individual with the house being demolished and the previously landscaped grounds and ornamental lake were levelled and grassed over.

The new owner then donated the site to the City of Liverpool and suggested the name 'Wavertree Playground'.

Wavertree Playground was to be a venue for organised sports, and a place for children from the city's schools to run about in, not a park for 'promenading' in the Victorian tradition.

The donor expressed the hope that the City Council "might approve of giving it a fair trial for this purpose ... before appropriating it for any other use".

The mysterious donor's offer was accepted by the council; the playground was opened by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool amid great celebrations on September 7th, 1895.

The new park was immediately nicknamed 'The Mystery’ as it was not clear who the donor was. Later it became apparent that the person who donated the land was Philip Holt who along with his brother Alfred Holt had been the founders of the Ocean Steanship Company better known as the Blue Funnel Line and Alfred Holt and Company.
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  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Smithdown Road / Grant Avenue Gates to Wavertree Playground.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    This area near the Smithdown Road entrance used to be a landscaped garden into the 1970s.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Old toilet block at the Wellington Road entrance. These have been abandoned for at least 40 years!

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wellington Road Entrance to Wavertree Playground. Originally the gate pillars were the same width as the others in the park but were moved apart to facilitate traffic accessing Wavertree Sports Park in the early 21st Century.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    The boundary with the railway some development work was undertaken here by a local building company which came to a halt after a short while but they left one of their waste bins behind.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Sports Park Aquatics Centre.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Sports Park complex

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Sports Park complex

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Sports Park complex

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    View towards the Smithdown Road Gate.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    View into Wavertree Playground from near the Smithdown Road gate. The main entrance to the Liverpool Show would be located here on the right.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 13, 2020

    Happy Easter - seen near the Smithdown Road Gate on Grant Avenue.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    This hard standing leading into the park near the location of Wavertree School is one of several which existed to allow vehicles into the park during events such as the Liverpool Show. On these occasions the railings would be removed.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    The Fir Lane / Prince Alfred Road gates to Wavertree Playground.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    View towards Smithdown Road from near the Fir Lane / Prince Alfred Road gate.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    View towards Wavertree Sports Park.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    View towards Wavertree Sports Park.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    Early morning mist - Grant Avenue on the left.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 12, 2020

    Site of the former Day Nursery which constructed after WWII. Pre WWII this area had been tennis courts. To the left just beyond the row of trees where the fallen tree trunk can be seen was the site of Church Stile House, demolished sometime in the 1920s.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 11, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 11, 2020

    The Fir Lane / Prince Alfred Road gates to Wavertree Playground.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 11, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 11, 2020

    The Fir Lane / Prince Alfred Road gates to Wavertree Playground.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 11, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 11, 2020

    The Fir Lane / Prince Alfred Road gates to Wavertree Playground.

  • Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 11, 2020

    Wavertree Playground - The Mystery, Liverpool - April 11, 2020

    View towards Grant Avenue / Smithdown Road from near the Fir Lane / Prince Alfred Road Gate.

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