West Smethwick Park

West Smethwick Park is a public park in the St Pauls ward of Smethwick, England.[1] It opened on 7 September 1895.

West Smethwick Park
TypePublic park
LocationSmethwick, England
Coordinates52.4960555°N 1.991063°W / 52.4960555; -1.991063
Created7 September 1895 (1895-09-07)
Operated bySandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
The Chance memorial
Drinking fountain

Smethwick – and thus the park – was traditionally in Staffordshire, but has been administrated by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, as part of the West Midlands county, since 1974.

In June 2015, it was announced that a £4.8 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant had been reserved for the park, subject to final approval. It would allow for the restoration of the pavilion, bandstand and memorials.[2]

Memorials

The park features a memorial, in brick and terracotta, with a bronze bust, to Sir James Timmins Chance, a partner in the nearby glass-making firm, Chance Brothers. Chance purchased the land for the park. Beneath the bust is a plaque reading:

James T. Chance
M.A J.P. D.L.
For fifty years a partner in the firm 
of Chance Brothers & Co. 
at the Glass Works Smethwick 
and the Alkali Works, Oldbury
He purchased the land for the park, 
laid it out and endowed it 
and on September 7th 1895 opened it
A gift to the public for ever.
He also made the roads on its East and West boundaries.

A stone drinking fountain commemorates John Chance, chairman of Chance Brothers, who died in November 1900.[3] There is also a memorial to Flight Sergeants Cox and Preston, who crashed nearby on 31 July 1944, during World War II.

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References
  1. "Parks in Smethwick". Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  2. "English parks set to benefit from £24m grants". BBC Online. 29 June 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  3. "Handsome memorial in decline". Black Country Bugle. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
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