Edwardian Heyday 2

The postcard, posted in 1911 shows a flower bed on the seaward side of the duckpond. In the centre is an ornamental bronze tripod perfume burner given to the council in 1873 to be used in the park. It had originally been one of hundreds used to decorate London Bridge in March 1863 in honour of Princess Alexandra of Denmark on her betrothal to Edward Prince of Wales. Behind the Edwardian couple is a waterfall that follows the course of the old mill race and disappears underground to rejoin Mill Beck. The second postcard, posted just two years later, shows that the flowerbed has been replaced with the Lily Pond, that still exists today under the bridge, but unfortunately, minus the lillies. The bronze tripod is set on a small island and has become a fountain. The fountain was removed in the 1950's and now resides in an alcove in the Council Offices. When the bridge was widened the waterfall was moved towards further to the right to avoid one of the new bridge piers.