Discover the lost landmarks of North East Lincolnshire’s parks

Free exhibition will tell the fascinating history of the area’s parks, forgotten landmarks and long-lost attractions.

From a vanished memorial tower and a much-loved playground known as “Shanty Town” to wartime air raid shelters and park visitors caught misbehaving, a free exhibition later this month will reveal the surprising stories behind the parks and recreation grounds of Grimsby and Cleethorpes.

Organised by North East Lincolnshire Archives, the exhibition will take place at Grimsby Town Hall on Friday November 20, from 10am to 4pm, giving visitors the chance to explore the history of the area’s green spaces through fascinating archive documents and photographs.

The exhibition will focus particularly on the development of People’s Park and Grant Thorold Park, bringing to life features that have long since disappeared. Visitors will discover records of the Queen Victoria Memorial Tower, the former gatekeeper’s lodge on Welholme Road and the bandstand that once stood in Grant Thorold Park.

The display will also explore how the two World Wars affected local parks, featuring material relating to bomb damage, the construction of air raid shelters and the temporary cenotaph in People’s Park. Photographs of the presentation tanks once displayed in People’s Park and Thrunscoe Recreation Ground will offer a glimpse into another chapter of local history.

The West Marsh area of Grimsby will feature prominently, with archive material relating to “The Bully” and the “Shanty Town” playground. Although “Shanty Town” was open for only a few years, it remains a fondly remembered part of childhood for many local residents.

Visitors will also be able to discover the history of Cleethorpes’ open spaces, including Sidney Park and the Pier Gardens, alongside some of the more unusual incidents recorded in the archives. These include football players accused of using “obscene language” and a boy who decided to help himself to roses.

Adrian Wilkinson, archivist with Lincs Inspire, said: “This exhibition is being staged to celebrate the history of our parks and recreation grounds. As visitors will discover, parks have played an important part in local life: concerts were held in their bandstands, many sporting events have taken place on their lawns, and coronations and jubilees have been celebrated within their grounds.”

The exhibition offers an opportunity for local residents to revisit familiar places, discover forgotten landmarks and learn how parks have shaped the social and cultural life of Grimsby and Cleethorpes over the years.