Queens Park Museum

[bazzor]

Queen's Park Museum and Art Gallery

Queen's Park in Harpurhey use to have a Museum, I use to love going in there and reading about the machine guns and tunics that had once been in battle, I loved browsing the paintings, there was some extra large paintings which must have weighed a ton. The building that housed the museum is still there today but no museum, the museum closed decades ago.

I had been told by one of its staff that the building did have a tank and other military hardware in its cellar but was unable to have on view due to space, one summer many the museum doors was open while the staff was working in there and I seen some sort of military truck/tank but never had a close enough view to be sure of the type.

Does anyone remember the Queens Park Museum, and where any of the paintings or military items including swords, Waterloo Tunics and other uniforms and a host of other interesting things has gone to?

Does anyone know what the building is used for today? It always seems to be closed, the lights are often on, some people are defiantly inside, but no signs or any indication as to what its purpose is today.

[Janus]

Originally Posted by bazzor

Queen's Park Museum and Art Gallery
Queen's Park in Harpurhey use to have a Museum, I use to love going in there and reading about the machine guns and tunics that had once been in battle, I loved browsing the paintings, there was some extra large paintings which must have weighed a ton. The building that housed the museum is still there today but no museum, the museum closed decades ago.
I had been told by one of its staff that the building did have a tank and other military hardware in its cellar but was unable to have on view due to space, one summer many the museum doors was open while the staff was working in there and I seen some sort of military truck/tank but never had a close enough view to be sure of the type.
Does anyone remember the Queens Park Museum, and where any of the paintings or military items including swords, Waterloo Tunics and other uniforms and a host of other interesting things has gone to?
Does anyone know what the building is used for today? It always seems to be closed, the lights are often on, some people are defiantly inside, but no signs or any indication as to what its purpose is today.

I remember the museum tho' I didn't know it was defunct. I thought it remains a museum tho' only opening on certain dates. When I was at primary school (Temple County Primary 1955-62) we used to walk along Queens Rd. to Queens Park where we had handicraft lessons in (I think) the basement of the museum.
Barry Humphries (Dame Edna Everidge) fronted a documentary on the museum - have you seen it?

[Janus]

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[NadiaHowarth]

Originally Posted by Janus

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I also remember going to Queens Park a lot when I was younger. I grew up in Abbott Street, Collyhurst, and Queens Park was the closest place to our home where we could see lots of grass and trees and flower beds, etc. The museum also had a Toy exhibit as well as the Art Gallery, and it was like being in a little part of heaven for kids like us who came from poor families.
We never went away on holidays, except maybe one sunny Sunday a year at Blackpool for a few hours on the chara, so to be able to walk up to Queens Park with a shopping bag holding some butties, apples and a bottle of orangeade was a real treat.
After walking all round the park with my younger brothers and sister, exploring every nook and cranny, we'd sit under a tree and have our "picnic" then go into the museum to gaze at all the wonderful things on exhibition. I think it was those early trips that gave me a taste for the arts, which became a very important part of my life. Yes, I have many sweet memories of Queens Park...!
I went to Abbott Street School between 1944/1954 and was known as Beryl Nadia Howarth. Anybody out there remember that quiet little mousy girl who loved drawing and writing stories? I'd love to hear from you. I live in Perth, Western Australia now but do home for occassional visits. Write to me at nadiahn@bigpond.com.au and I'll write back.

[malcolm]

I also had art lessons in the basement, however I attended St Oswalds School at the time (1950-57) and following on from your comments, many years ago I had a visit to the museum only to find it closed and men working in the interior. I asked one man where the paintings had gone to and he said they are all in the art gallery Mosley street Manchester.

[Carol123]

Hi
I used to live on Hendham Vale and also visited the gallery - I loved the dolls and dolls houses on the ground floor. I had heard they went to Platt Fields Museum - to the basement, not on display, and often considered following it up and seeing if I could track them down. I lived on the Vale in the late 50s/early 60s (from birth to aged 7) - would love to hear from anyone else who was living there at the time.
Carol

[gail]

hello everyone i was born in Harpurhey and visited queens park many times,
does anyone remember the dolls houses, they were my favourite