When Sherdley Park became a public park: part 1

I will leave it to the council to answer the facilities question and defend their record – if they so wish. Although they have stated that the closure of some facilities in Sherdley Park – such as the much-loved Pets Corner – were forced through reductions in government grants.

But with the assistance of Rory Hughes-Young, who bears the title of Lord St Helens and whose ancestors owned Sherdley Park, I can explain how the once private parkland came into public use.

Rory has also kindly supplied a number of photographs of the long-gone Sherdley Hall.

Michael-Hughes Young inherited the Sherdley Estate in 1938 (Image: Stephen Wainwright)

These were mainly taken by his mother, Blakiston Hughes-Young, in 1939 and are being made public for the first time.

The park is named after the Sherdley family who can be traced back to 1303, where they were recorded as freeholders of Sherdley Hall, its orchard and gardens.

The copper industrialist Michael Hughes acquired Sherdley Park in 1798 and had a grand new Sherdley Hall (or House) built between 1805-6.

Hughes' son and grandson of the same name later inherited the estate and when the latter died without an heir in 1938, it passed to his cousin's son, Michael Young of Antrim.

In the following year the St Helens Newspaper dubbed Mr Young the new "Squire of Sutton" when he visited Sherdley Park to open a garden fête.

But he had no wish to relocate to St Helens and live in Sherdley Hall – which by now was in a poor condition – and also take on the burden of maintaining the park.

St Helens Newspaper article from June 10, 1939 (Image: Stephen Wainwright) The Hughes family had throughout their near-150 years of ownership allowed organisations the use of their park for events such as field days – and there was a longstanding right of way known as "The Score".

But locked gates and what locals called the "Long Wall" prevented the general public from gaining entry.

Mr Young now wished the public to have full access and for St Helens Council to take over the responsibility of maintaining Sherdley Park.

St Helens Corporation was also keen to acquire it as they wished to expand the amount of parkland in a town that still bore the scars of its industrial history, with many mounds of chemical, coal and glass waste pockmarking the environment.

Sherdley Hall in the summer of 1939  (Image: Rory Hughes-Young)But before any agreement could be reached the war intervened and the Air Ministry requisitioned Sherdley Hall. And Michael Hughes-Young – as he was now known – served in the war with distinction. He rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel, was twice wounded and awarded the Military Cross.

After the war negotiations over the sale of Sherdley Park resumed and in 1949 it was sold to St Helens Corporation for £18,700.

In today's money that is just under £1 million but the amount was a big reduction in what the land was worth. And so it is incorrect to say the park was donated to Sutton or the town in general – but the generous discount did give ratepayers excellent value for their investment.

After disposing of his flagship asset, Michael Hughes-Young did not discard his family association with St Helens.

In the 1951 general election he became the Conservative candidate for St Helens but was defeated by Sir Hartley Shawcross. However, four years later Hughes-Young won the constituency of Wandsworth Central and when elevated to the House of Lords in 1964, chose the title of Lord St Helens.

Part 2 of Stephen Wainwright's feature on Sherdley Park will be published next week. His latest book The Hidden History Of St Helens Vol 4 is available from the St Helens Book Stop in Bridge Street and online from eBay and Amazon with free delivery. Price £12. Vols 1 to 3 are also still available