Hanley Park is a Grade II* designated late Victorian urban park located on Cleveland Road in Hanley and is one of the city's heritage parks.
The park occupies about 63 acres (25 ha) of land and was developed on a large area of waste ground that was cut in two by the Caldon Canal and known as 'Stoke Fields'. (
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The land was purchased from the estate of Shelton Hall which stood a third of a mile to the north between Cemetery Road and Caledonian Road.
Hanley Town Council developed the park, under the supervision of the landscape architect Thomas Hayton Mawson of Windermere. The first sod was cut in May 1892 and took five years to complete, at a cost of approximately £70,000. It was officially opened on Jubilee day 20th June 1897.
The Grade II* designated listing described by Historic England can be seen at the following link: (
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"The bandstand built in 1896 was the benefaction of George Howson (1818-96). It was made by Walter Macfarlane, the most important manufacturer of ornamental ironwork in Scotland.
Howson was a Chartist sympathiser, Methodist and a pottery manufacturer at the Eastwood Works in Hanley.
He was associated (along with J W Powell) in the development of music in the area. Howson founded a scholarship for North Staffordshire students in the Tonic Sol-Fa College, London."
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Old postcards showing the bandstand can be seen at the following links; (
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A report about the bandstand by George Burton appeared in The Sentinel on 21st July 2019 and reads as follows;
"123-year-old bandstand reopens after £6m Stoke-on-Trent park restoration (and FREE performances will return)""The bandstand at Hanley Park has been brought back to life
A 123-year-old bandstand has been brought back to life as part of the multi-million pound restoration of a Stoke-on-Trent park.
The stage, which was built in 1896 before opening along with Hanley Park a year later, has reopened today (Sunday, July 21) following repair work and the addition of new lighting and an outdoor power supply.
The renovation took place as part of the ongoing £6 million restoration of the Grade-II listed park, which is led by Stoke-on-Trent City Council and is due to be completed by the end of the year.
And now, for the first time in years, free performances will return to the bandstand with the city council organising a summer programme which will run every Sunday until September 1.
The North Staffs Accordion Band will be among the first musicians to take to the stage on the bandstand.
Steve Hughes, the secretary of the North Staffs Accordion Club – of which the band is a part, said: "We try to perform in all parts of Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire to create interest in the band, the instrument and the music.
"Our repertoire ranges from light classical to marches, singalongs, musical favourites and more.
"Our last performance in Hanley was in 2010 when we played at Bethesda Chapel so it will be really great to be able to play in the park, which has undergone a big transformation.
"It’s a rare experience getting to play out in the open and gives people an opportunity to come along and see us play who might not normally get the chance.
"It would be great if we could recruit one or two new members for our beginners’ group from the audience."
The bandstand was gift from George Howson, a chartist sympathiser, Methodist and a pottery manufacturer at the Eastwood Works, in Hanley, who died in 1896. It was made by Walter Macfarlane, the most important manufacturer of ornamental ironwork in Scotland.
Councillor Carl Edwards, cabinet member for environment, said: “This is a really exciting and important moment in the park’s restoration, and having performances every Sunday throughout summer is a great way to celebrate the rebirth of the bandstand.
"The bandstand is as good as new, if not even better, 123 years after it was installed.
"Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy the music and guests are invited to bring along chairs, tables and picnics and spend a few hours in the park and create a fantastic atmosphere.
"We had a really good response from musicians wanting to play in the park’s bandstand, and I think they’re as excited as we are for it.”
The restoration of the park has seen other buildings renovated including the main pavilion and boathouse while improvements have been made to canal bridges, lighting columns, footpaths, gardens and park fences.
Councillor Abi Brown, leader of the city council, said: “We’re getting close to the end of the restoration project now and I have to say the park is looking fantastic, especially when the sun is shining.
"Work on the main pavilion and boat house is also very nearly complete and we have some exciting news about those buildings to share shortly.”
The alluring new bandstand has also made local residents reminisce on its history.
Christine Wally, aged 73, from Blythe Bridge, said: "It’s so beautiful. Years ago, when I was young there would always be a band playing at the bandstand."
Jeff Forster, aged 70, from Kingsley, said: "I’m amazed by the transformation. It’s not a place I usually come to but I ‘ll definitely come here again. I hope they carry on with the upkeep because in the inner cities now you’re getting a rise in crime and a decline in respect."
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