IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Kingswood Avenue, LONDON, NW6 6LR

Benny Cohen solos on trumpet as the Brian White Magna Jazz Band entertain as part of the Queens Park Festival.

The Queens Park festival saw Brian White's Magna Jazz Band entertaining once more in the park. The leader, Brian White, plays clarinet, nearest to the camera.

Grade II listed structure of 1887. For more visit information visit http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-482428-bandstand-in-queens-park-willesden

The area that is now Queen's Park was part of the site of the 1879 Royal Kilburn Agricultural Show which had been attended by Queen Victoria. In 1885, the land on which Queen’s Park is now located was offered, along with Highgate Wood, to the Corporation of the City of London as a gift by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners “for preservation as open spaces for ever”. The Corporation was happy to accept Highgate Wood, but not so keen on Queen’s Park because of the anticipated maintenance costs. The Commissioners, however, insisted it was both or nothing. At that time the Corporation’s income for the preservation of open spaces was limited, but fortunately the generous bequest of a William Ward came to the rescue. He provided a sum of money “for the creation of some fund for the benefit of the poorer classes”. Some £3,000 of this was used by the Corporation to lay out Queen’s Park. It was originally called Kilburn Recreation Ground, but an application was made to Queen Victoria to change the name to Queen's Park in honour of her Golden Jubilee of that year. The park was formally opened on 5th November 1887 by the Lord Mayor of London. On the opening day “the great majority of the vast crowd was composed evidently of the respectable classes”. A very detailed and interesting history of Queen's Park can be seen at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/queens-park/Pages/default.aspx In 1891 the Bandstand was erected in the park. The cast iron bandstand was manufactured by Macfarlane and Co. of Glasgow at the cost of £342. 11s. Bandstands were seen as essential features of parks large and small in the late 19th century. Music was seen as an important moral influence, and was an aspect of the reforming potential of parks. During the Second World War parts of the bandstand and the perimeter railings were removed to be melted down for munitions. This was restored in 1992 and is now Grade II Listed.

The area that is now Queen's Park was part of the site of the 1879 Royal Kilburn Agricultural Show which had been attended by Queen Victoria. In 1885, the land on which Queen’s Park is now located was offered, along with Highgate Wood, to the Corporation of the City of London as a gift by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners “for preservation as open spaces for ever”. The Corporation was happy to accept Highgate Wood, but not so keen on Queen’s Park because of the anticipated maintenance costs. The Commissioners, however, insisted it was both or nothing. At that time the Corporation’s income for the preservation of open spaces was limited, but fortunately the generous bequest of a William Ward came to the rescue. He provided a sum of money “for the creation of some fund for the benefit of the poorer classes”. Some £3,000 of this was used by the Corporation to lay out Queen’s Park. It was originally called Kilburn Recreation Ground, but an application was made to Queen Victoria to change the name to Queen's Park in honour of her Golden Jubilee of that year. The park was formally opened on 5th November 1887 by the Lord Mayor of London. On the opening day “the great majority of the vast crowd was composed evidently of the respectable classes”. A very detailed and interesting history of Queen's Park can be seen at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/queens-park/Pages/default.aspx In 1891 the Bandstand was erected in the park. The cast iron bandstand was manufactured by Macfarlane and Co. of Glasgow at the cost of £342. 11s. Bandstands were seen as essential features of parks large and small in the late 19th century. Music was seen as an important moral influence, and was an aspect of the reforming potential of parks. During the Second World War parts of the bandstand and the perimeter railings were removed to be melted down for munitions. This was restored in 1992 and is now Grade II Listed. A close-up of the bandstand can be seen at http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3825944

Decorative iron work on the roof pillars around the Bandstand in Queens Park. The park was opened in 1887.