Victoria Park - Lawns, flowers and lakes in London’s East End

Victoria park stretches out across the East End covering parts of Bethnal Green, Hackney, and Bow. It was a place for the family to go for a day out, even though it was only two minutes walk away. There are acre upon acre of grass and trees. The boating lake is still there, but the boats ceased many years ago. There used to be a Lido there but this has now been filled in. Swing parks, rabbit enclosures, deer and goats. The “three ponds” as they were known, one for paddling, one for fishing, and one for model boats, were always surrounded by people and kids. Then things started to change with the new generation of vandals, pedophiles, and crack heads. No cars are allowed into the park now. This was to stop the perverts picking up children. In recent years the animals were killed and tortured by other sick animals in human guise, and police are still trying to find the killer of the American girl Barbara Muller, who was stabbed while out jogging in 2003. Victoria Park photo gallery >>

It is still a great park, but not as great as when we were kids in the 50’s. Where we were what’s known as “little sod’s’” in those days, too many of them today are just evil little bastards, and I make no apology for my language. It is, unfortunately, true.
I returned to the park in September 2006 and although much of the above is still true, things did seem to be looking up. There were far more parents and children out together, just like the old days. I think this may be due to the recent influx of fairly wealthy 'green' bicycle riding couples moving into the area, which can't be a bad thing. I did notice one wildlife vandal was on the increase though; the Grey Squirrel! Something has to be done about the population explosion of these creatures. Another thing I am pleased to have learned from an e-mail is that there is still a lot of interest in the model boats that I watched as a kid in one of what we called ‘the three ponds’. The Victoria Model Steamboat Club starts its season on Easter Sunday and boats run until the Middle of October.
There is now (Sept. 2007) talk of introducing Park Wardens back to the local parks again. The Park Keepers in my day certainly helped keep us in check, but I doubt that the morons today would have any respect for them, and the PC brigade would make sure they never got a clip round the ear like we did!

I’m afraid I cheated a somewhat here and saved a bit of research by copying the following passage straight from the notice board at one of the entrances to the park.
The first official acknowledgment of the need for a Park in the East End of London came in the 1839 Annual Report of the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Recording a mortality rate far higher than for the rest of London, brought about by massive overcrowding, insanitary conditions and polluted air.
He wrote "....a Park in the East End of London would probably diminish the annual deaths by several thousands.... and add several years to the lives of the entire population".
This was followed in 1840 by a petition to Queen Victoria, signed by 30,000 local residents, urging the formation "within the Tower Hamlets, of a Royal Park". The Queen assented and James Pennethorne, Architect to the Commissioners of Woods and Forests - The government agency charged with the development of the Park - prepared the designs. Work began in 1845 and was completed in 1850.
In April 1873, Queen Victoria visited the Park, which she had been instrumental in establishing, and which bore her name.
The Park was originally managed under both the London County Council, and the Greater London Council, and is now funded and managed by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It continues to host London-wide events as well as providing day-to-day activities for those who live, work and study in the locality. Whether it is an informal walk in the park; a visit to the children’s' play area; a sporting activity, a festival or event, Victoria Park continues to give as much pleasure to the thousands of visitors who use the park every year.

At the entrance to the first park (we always referred to the separate areas as first, second, and third parks) there are two stone dogs on pedestals on either side of the pathway. They were not as high as they are now, about as tall as us I suppose. When we were young we believed the story that everyone told about the statues. A little girl was drowning in the boating lake and a dog rescued her at the cost of his own life. Every child in Bethnal Green was brought up with this story, but as I got older I learned the truth behind them. They were donated to the park in 1912 by Lady Aignarth. They now bear a plaque to this effect on the higher pedestal.
These dogs were there for years, with no one touching them or defacing them. They stood proudly guarding the entrance of the park, posing for the photographers.

Around about 1985, I cannot remember the exact year, the statues of the dogs were replaced after a brief vacation at the stonemasons for cleaning. They looked immaculate with years of grime and algae being removed from them. Even as a child I could not recall them looking other than dirty grey stone figures. To look at them in the condition they must have been in when erected was a pleasure. Money well spent by the authority in charge. I returned a few weeks later with my camera, only to find a change had taken place. The crisp clean look of one of the pair had been destroyed overnight by some sad sick individuals and a paintbrush.
They had transformed it into a black devil dog, with the number “666” daubed on its back and blood from the mouth with red paint!

I was disgusted at the time the above events occurred but as time passed I forgot about the incident. It was to be years after that I had reason to go into the park again (it was 2003) and the saga of the dogs was long gone from my mind. I don’t know how long after the event it was that they cleaned them up again but as neither dog was black upon my return I knew it had been done at some time.
Was it worth the time and effort? Well you can judge for yourself from the photos I took. The black and red paint is all gone now, but then again, so have some legs and half the faces of the animals. I don’t know when this damage was done, for as I said earlier, I hadn’t been back for years. They look beyond repair to me. At least the paint could be removed, but whoever was responsible for this damage made sure there was no way to fix it. I sincerely hope the perpetrator suffers the same fate of two broken legs and removal of the nose! They were still in the same condition the last time I took photos of them in September 2006.
Update February 2010: I received an E-mail from a reliable source informing me that the dogs have been taken away for repair. On completion of the work they will be housed in a secure indoor place in the park. A pair of replica dogs made from more robust material will take the original’s places on the plinths.
I’ll try to keep this page updated as soon as more news becomes available.

Part of Victoria Park runs alongside a stretch of the Regents Canal with access to the bank now available. It was always fenced off but in recent years the canals have proved so popular that most are now open to the public.
When you enter Victoria Park by the Approach Road entrance you cross a bridge that goes over the Regents Canal. Turn right after this bridge and look to your right where you will see access gates to the banks There are now almost always barges moored there and the council have even supplied an electricity supply for them to use.
With the cleaning up of other sections of the canal for the Olympic venues in 2012 the waterways are becoming an ever popular place for all sorts of people. Joggers and cyclists particularly enjoy it.