Most Croydon Guardian readers will know our splendid Lloyd Park here in Croydon, donated to the town in memory of Frank Lloyd by his daughter and son-in-law after his death in 1927.
What you may not know is that there is another Lloyd Park at Walthamstow in east London, donated (along with a substantial 18th century house) to the local council at that place by the same Frank Lloyd himself in 1900.
I recently made a Sunday afternoon visit to Walthamstow to view the “other” Lloyd Park.
Alighting at Walthamstow Central station, at the heart of the borough, I immediately found many thought-provoking contrasts with our own borough of Croydon.
There is, for example, a long and very agreeably pedestrianised high street where I was astonished to find the central library open and busy on a Sunday.
A 15-minute walk took me to Lloyd Park in which stands the William Morris art gallery in Lloyd’s childhood home.
The park is impressive. The part near the house is laid out as formal and well-tended lawns and flower beds.
Beyond that is a square enclosure within a medieval moat, still in water.
Then the most impressive children’s array of adventure features, including rocks and logs to climb on alongside traditional slides and swings and a pleasant cafe and a small arts studio with live music.,
Beyond again there are sports fields and grounds.
The whole park was alive with all generations well represented, especially family groups having fun together and lots of well-behaved teenagers.
The cream on the cake was the art gallery with two floors of very well presented displays concerning the life and work of William Morris.
Both the park and gallery are maintained by the council and there is no charge for admission.
The contrasts with Croydon are painful.
Croydon too once owned several large gracious houses. Coombe Lodge and Coombe Wood have both been sold off and now function as commercial restaurants.
Heathfield is still owned by Croydon Council, but there is no public admittance and it did not become the arts centre that Raymond Riesco dreamed of when he gave it to Croydon.
Norwood Grove is apparently still owned by the council, but falling into disrepair.
Who now owns Coombe Cliff is not clear, nor what it is now used for.
Croydon’s superb art collection of more than 2,000 works remains in the town hall cellars, with just a handful of works on show at any one time in Croydon Museum.
And pitifully few of Raymond Riesco’s valuable collection of Chinese ceramics remain on public display at the same venue.
So is Walthamstow rolling in money?
Frankly the two main streets are more good old fashioned hard-working London Road style than glitzy North End.
It is not a pretentious place and so far as I know has never sought city status.
What public money there has been to spend has provided amenities such as those mentioned are much valued by the hard-working people of Walthamstow and their children and their retired family members.
All the members and officers of Croydon Council might well visit the art gallery, the park and the out of this world children’s playground to see what can be done by a borough that spends its council tax income carefully.
PAUL SOWAN
Croydon Natural History & Scientific Society
- Send your letters to: letters@croydonguardian.co.uk
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