Andrew Simpson: Nothing to do in Oldham ……..

Friday 23 December 2022

Nothing to do in Oldham ……..

So there are possibly 96,420 people who I could offend with this picture postcard, which dates from the early 20th century. *

To which I could add heaps more who now live elsewhere, or passed through on a sight seeing tour, or like me visited occasionally to call on my friend Lois.

But a picture postcard dedicated to shrubbery and a set of gates is fair game.

The commercial photographer who wandered into Alexandra Park sometime in the 1900s seems to have lacked a bit of imagination, given that there are heaps of things he could have photographed.

And even more today which Oldham Council proudly declare is “Alexandra Park is a Victorian town park, which was built by the people of Oldham during the cotton famine sparked by the American Civil War, which prevented the export of raw cotton from America to Oldham. Small areas of clough woodland can be found at the southeastern end of the park. There is a woodland walk adjacent to Queen’s Road.

From Alexandra Park there are marked paths leading into Snipe Clough, Brushes Clough and to Park Bridge Heritage centre and beyond".**

And the attractions include a "Heated conservatory, Boating lake, Fishing club, Boathouse with cafe, 7 free tennis courts, 3 crown green bowling greens, Children’s play area, Sand pit, Toilets (when the gardeners are on site), Ornamental gardens, Herbaceous borders and shrub beds, Car parks. Alexandra Park is also the home of the 'Lion’s Den' a public shelter which has been recreated from an original design, and now forms the focal point along the promenade.”

All of which makes the park a fascinating place to visit and leaves me to point out that the picture postcard doesn’t do the place justice.

Even if this card is typical of many produced across the country.

That said it does anticipate that popular series of books produced by Andrew Simpson and Peter Topping which goes under the name of nothing to do in Chorlton.***

Location; Oldham

Pictures; Oldham Park, undated, courtesy of Tony Golding