City of Leicester & Leicestershire - The Good and Historical Stuff

[Wolfox]

Apparently General Ulysses S. Grant was a bit boring !

 

Remarkable that he was ever in Leicester though 

 

I thought he went to the corn exchange?

Edited Tuesday at 18:22 by Wolfox

[davieG]

Joanne Vigor-Mungovin - Author Hidden Leicester ·

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**On This Day in Leicester History – 3 June 1882**

Imagine Leicester on a warm Saturday afternoon in June 1882.

The city was booming. Factory chimneys filled the skyline, thousands of people worked in the hosiery and boot-and-shoe industries, and the streets bustled with traders arriving for summer markets and fairs. But on this day, Leicester's residents had something entirely new to celebrate.

**Abbey Park opened to the public.**

Built on land beside the ruins of Leicester Abbey, the park was one of the most ambitious civic projects the city had ever undertaken. Just days earlier, the Prince and Princess of Wales had officially opened the park, and by 3 June crowds were flocking through its gates to see it for themselves.

Victorian visitors wandered along newly laid pathways, admired ornamental gardens, and enjoyed views of the River Soar. For many working families, this was their first opportunity to enjoy a purpose-built public park designed purely for leisure and recreation.

At a time when Leicester's factories were entering their busiest months of the year, Abbey Park offered something precious: fresh air, open space and a chance to escape the noise of the city.

More than 140 years later, generations of Leicester people have picnicked on the same lawns, walked the same riverside paths and enjoyed one of the city's most treasured green spaces.

 

[davieG]