The site chosen for the first of the large parks in Wolverhampton was the Race Course, or Broad Meadows, owned by the
Duke of Cleveland. On 12 March 1879,
Alderman Samuel Dickinson invited
landscape gardeners to compete for the layout of the park. The winner of the £50 prize was Richard Hartland Vertegans of
Chad Valley Nurseries,
Edgbaston, Birmingham. This was several years before Vertegans designed
Victoria Park, Handsworth, Birmingham. The remit from the council included: • Ornamental lakes, 8 acres • Areas for volunteer drill, archery, cricket and bowls, 12 acres The park was opened on 6 June 1881 by the
Mayor of Wolverhampton, Alderman
John Jones. The bandstand was presented by the town's long serving M.P., Rt. Hon.
Charles Pelham Villiers, on 29 May 1882. Now
Grade II listed, it was restored in 2002 at a cost of £70,000. The conservatory was opened in July 1896 by the widow of former Mayor Alderman Samuel Dickinson. Built at a cost of £1,500, it had been funded by the
1893 Floral Fêtes, one of a series of annual fêtes held between 1889 and 1939.{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency/results.asp#mid In 1911, commemorative flower beds were set out for the coronation of King
George V; similarly in 1937 for
King George VI. During
World War I, ducks and rabbits were raised and vegetables were grown to aid the war effort. In 1942, the park was turned into allotments and the normal closing time was extended to allow for the extra work involved. The park was placed on the
Heritage National Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in 1986. A grant was received from the
Heritage Lottery Fund in 2005 to refurbish the tea room. ==Gallery==