The idea for the park was proposed in 1886 to open the following yer to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Queen's Park was officially opened to the public on 2 August 1893 with the first Chesterfield Floral and Horticultural Society Show being held in the park. A cricket pitch constructed in 1893-18944 was inaugurated in May 1894, while the associated pavilion was constructed in 1898. Late 19th century park facilities included a bandstand, boating lake, cycle track and gymnasium.
Following the First World War a tank was presented to the town and placed in the park in July 1919. A programme of renovations and improvements was undertaken in the early 1920s which included the construction of a new bandstand and the erection of a conservatory acquired from Chatsworth House.
During the Second World War the park was used by the local authority for events associated with the 'Holidays at Home' scheme, while in 1943 metal railings round the cricket pitch were removed for the war effort; the conservatory was converted to food production.
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1. Man of the Match
Cricket back at Queen's Park Chesterfield in 2005. Man of the Match presentation. Photo: submitted
2. Park Rangers
Chesterfield's Queens Park Rangers Geoff Cartwright, Dan Crews and Rod Henman carried out work on the Parks lake and inspect the Canadian geese in 2006 Photo: Barry Richardson
3. Tai Chi
Tai Chi winners at Queens Park in 2006 l to r Hannah Cantrell 8yrs. Aleisha Wright 10yrs. William redish 7yrs. Buddha Maitreya, Tarin Beach 10yrs. Photo: Terry Walden
4. Budding designers
Budding garden designers from Netherthorpe school scooped 1st and 2nd prizes for the design of beds outside the Queen's park leisure centre for Chesterfield in Bloom. Bl-r: 2nd prize winners Luke Hawkins, Kelly Blandford, Alex Hyndman and Cassie Robson, fl-r: 1st prize winners Charlotte Holmes and Yasmin Richardson (absent from 1st team Rebecca Taylor and Ashleigh Glossop). Photo: Marisa Cashill