In 1864 three parks were opened in Manchester and Salford to provide the citizens of the cities with places to enjoy recreation in a country-like environment.  Peel Park on the Lark Hill Estate, beside the River Irwell, was the first; Queen's Park in Harpurhey and Philips Park in Bradford were the others. 




Peel Park was named in honour of Sir Robert Peel.  The aerial photograph below, taken in the 1940s, shows the park before the University of Salford's Maxwell Building was built in the bottom right of the image.

This resulted in the removal of three statues of Robert Peel, Richard Cobden and Joseph Brotherton MP.  The Brotherton statue now stands beside New Bailey Street close the the New Bailey Bridge over the Irwell.

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