View from Park

A later view (around 1914) showing how the trees and shrubs had grown since the Halstead Public Gardens had been opened in 1901. Today they have reach full height of maturity and some have even exceeded there allotted span and have been removed. In the centre of the postcard, just outside the park boundary, can bee seen the signal box of the Colne Valley Railway and to the right of it is Clover Flour Mill across the road in Bridge Street. This building was erected in 1782 to serve as a House of Correction but in 1841 it was modified and became Halstead's first police station, in fact one of the first in the country. In 1850 the police moved out to a new purpose-built station in Trinity Street and the old one became a flour mill necessitating the addtion of the top superstructure. It closed in 1965 and the mill and the shops alongside were demolished to make way for a row of shops. To the right of the mill is the railway station which also came down in the late 1960's following closure of the railway. The block of flats known as Trinity Court now stands on the site.

The bandstand was presented to the town by Charles Portway 1901.