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Bandstands

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
Been wondering if many of these still exist in parks. They can be such lovely pieces of architecture, provided they survive vandalism or demolition. I'm hoping Birmingham parks still have many of these and that they're still put to use as per the Oxford Architecture Dictionary definition "Platform or open-sided pavilion, often polygonal, where a band of musicians can play in a public park ..."

A wonderful example is the Handsworth Park bandstand below. Viv.

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Looks like it's doing well too Brumgum. There's even a licence for couples to get married on the bandstand. This s an old photo. The Bandstand seems to have a screen at the back (no longer there) . And such such elegance. Viv.

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For those forum members who live in Bromsgrove we have one in Sanders Park and they regularly
have bands it's not that old but still lovely to sit and listen to.
 
Oh, there's a very modern version in Brindley Place..
[video=youtube;IVDmZYBBGc8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVDmZYBBGc8[/video]
 
Pollypops, The Bandstand in Cannon Hill Park as taken a couple of years back.
 

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Thank you for the picture Phil - I thought there was one in Cannon Hill park - hopefully it is still there.

brumgum posted links about the bandstands in Summerfield park.

I found this snippet about the original bandstand in the Birmingham daily Post 31 May 1889 - it is from a report from the Council meeting/ Baths and Parks Committee.
it says that summerfield park needs a bandstand and it is to be funded from the sale of the old materials of Summerfield House.
 

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Muntz Park in Selly Park, didn't have a"bandstand" as such, but a stage and seating where they had concerts.
The park was used from its earliest days for music, dancing and games. In recognition of its use by local people, the Civic Society in 1923 gave a grant of £300 to re-landscape the park extensively. An amphitheatre of sorts was created with a paved central area for dancing, known and ‘The Dell’, a raised paved platform, provision for erecting a maypole and a further dais for use as a bandstand. Footpaths and rustic seats were added and the whole area was planted with trees and shrubs to create ‘a charming sylvan setting’.
The new dell was opened in June 1923 by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham. The park has been used over the years for open air concerts and dances. The Bournbrook Entertainment Committee organised dances every Monday and Wednesday evening during the summer. Entrance cost 4d if you wanted to dance and 2d if you preferred to ‘kick your heels and watch coyly from the edge’. It was not unusual for 400 or 500 people to turn up.
https://www.cellande.co.uk/park/history.htm
 
ladylinda said:
Muntz Park in Selly Park, didn't have a"bandstand" as such, but a stage and seating where they had concerts.
The park was used from its earliest days for music, dancing and games. In recognition of its use by local people, the Civic Society in 1923 gave a grant of £300 to re-landscape the park extensively. An amphitheatre of sorts was created with a paved central area for dancing, known and ‘The Dell’, a raised paved platform, provision for erecting a maypole and a further dais for use as a bandstand. Footpaths and rustic seats were added and the whole area was planted with trees and shrubs to create ‘a charming sylvan setting’.
The new dell was opened in June 1923 by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham. The park has been used over the years for open air concerts and dances. The Bournbrook Entertainment Committee organised dances every Monday and Wednesday evening during the summer. Entrance cost 4d if you wanted to dance and 2d if you preferred to ‘kick your heels and watch coyly from the edge’. It was not unusual for 400 or 500 people to turn up.
https://www.cellande.co.uk/park/history.htm
Click to expand...

Cotteridge Park saved and now well used by local residents has an amphitheatre.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/thebrumreaper/6977038145/


[URL]https://cotteridgepark.org.uk/

[/URL]
 
Small Heath Park bandstand, picture taken off Google Earth.
 

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Thanks all, excellent examples of surviving(!) structures. What would be even more surprising would be if any of the structures originally had a copper roof. If so, I expect those would have disappeared long ago. Had a little look at the history of bandstands and a few snippets from a review of the book by Paul Rabbitts "Bandstands" say:

The first domed bandstand (then called a band house) is believed to be that in the Royal Horticultural Society's gardens in South Kensington which went up in 1861 on its slender cast iron legs. Iron was the wonder of the day. It was strong and yet it could be cast into delicate decorations. The industrial iron age coincided with paternalist councils creating municipal parks for the industrial terrace-dwellers to relax in. Each park needed a focal point. A bandstand, with its rich decoration and its oriental shape inspired by the expansion of the empire into India, provided that.

The golden age of the bandstand closed with the start of the First World War and after the Second World War, they went into sad decline. The 1950s saw the start of the age of TV, foreign holidays, back gardens and modernist architecture that had no place for Victorian fancies.

This pc of a bandstand in Warley Woods is intriguing. Instead of ironwork it appears to have been built in wood in a rustic style. Very appropriate given it's position. I doubt this has survived though. Viv.

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brumgum said:
Summerfield Park, never seen this before but it's quite unique and amazing..
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/things-to-do/walk-in-the-park-summerfield-park-in-soho-180281

History..
https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Sa...092587244&pagename=BCC/Common/Wrapper/Wrapper
Click to expand...

Yes Brumgum the Summerfield Park bandstand is especially interesting as the first one was built in the traditional style but its replacement seems to be one-sided, appearing as a building on the one side and bandstand on the other. Another photo here of the second bandstand in use in 1909 by the Amalgamated Musicians Union Band. Viv.

u2uvequz.jpg
 
ladylinda said:
Muntz Park in Selly Park, didn't have a"bandstand" as such, but a stage and seating where they had concerts.The park has been used over the years for open air concerts and dances. The Bournbrook Entertainment Committee organised dances every Monday and Wednesday evening during the summer. Entrance cost 4d if you wanted to dance and 2d if you preferred to ‘kick your heels and watch coyly from the edge’. It was not unusual for 400 or 500 people to turn up.
https://www.cellande.co.uk/park/history.htm
Click to expand...

This is from the 'Suburban Birmingham' website; a 1953 photo of a dance held at the Dell in Muntz Park. Not many men in the photo. Viv.

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Vivienne14 said:
Been wondering if many of these still exist in parks. They can be such lovely pieces of architecture, provided they survive vandalism or demolition. I'm hoping Birmingham parks still have many of these and that they're still put to use as per the Oxford Architecture Dictionary definition "Platform or open-sided pavilion, often polygonal, where a band of musicians can play in a public park ..."

A wonderful example is the Handsworth Park bandstand below. Viv.

5ypuseve.jpg
Click to expand...

Hi Vivienne14,

I know it's a while ago but, I came across this picture whilst browsing the posts on Bandstands and it brings back fond memories of childhood especially during bonfire night celebrations at Handsworth Park when jazz was played here during the celebrations it brought the bandstand to life (good times).

Lozellian.
 
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