Halley Stewart Playing Field

The Halley Stewart Playing Field was brought by the Sir Halley Stewart Trust and donated to Spalding Urban District Council as a perpetual memorial to Sir Halley Stewart with the requirement that they entered into a covenant to maintain the playing field in perpetuity as a playing field for the benefit of the town. Read transcriptions of reports that appeared in the local papers below.

Spalding Guardian Friday 15 June 1951

BLACK SWAN FIELD IS TO BE PRESENTED TO SPALDING

Gift to Perpetuate Memory of Former Local Liberal M.P.

URBAN COUNCIL TO LAY OUT PLAYING FIELD

THE Black Swan field, Spalding's only central playing field, is to be presented to the Spalding Urban District Council by the Sir Halley Stewart Trust. This decision is in accordance with the wishes of the late Sir Malcolm Stewart, whose desire it was to carry out this plan to perpetuate the memory of his late father, Sir Halley Stewart.

The trustees are to pay for the field, subject to certain agreed conditions. one of which is that the Council will enter into a covenant to maintain the field in perpetuity as, a playing field for the benefit of the town.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Council to the Press this week.

"HALLEY STEWART FIELD"

The other agreed conditions are that the field shall be known as the - Halley Stewart Playing Field that a worthy entrance shall be made from King's Road and the fence there improved, that a plaque shall be fixed to the entrance gate commemorating the gift and recording the name, that the field shall be laid out as a playing field and its use for fairs and circuses discontinued, that trees shall be planted in suitable positions. and that the caravans now on the field shall be removed and either a fence or a screen of trees planted to shut out the view of the premises on New Road and Swan Street.

Some months. ago the hon. treasurer of the Trust (Mr R. P. Winfrey), informed the Clerk to the Council that it was the desire of Sir Malcolm Stewart to perpetuate the memory of his father in Spalding. At the suggestion of Mr. W. Cecil White. Mr. Winfrey proposed to Sir Malcolm that he should acquire the field and present it to the Council. The proposition was favourably received, but unfortunately. Sir Malcolm became seriously ill and died before anything further could be done.

In April, Mr. Winfrey again saw the Council and stated that the trustees of the Trust had decided to carry out Sir Malcolm's wish and, if possible, present the field to the town.

LOCAL CONNECTIONS

It is hoped that Mr. Winfrey will attend a meeting of the Council at an early date, to present the Trustees cheque.

Some townspeople will remember that Sir Halley was the first Liberal M.P. for the old Spalding Division from 1887 to 1895 and played a large part in the early political life of South Holland. Sir Halley. who died in 1937 at the age of 99. was awarded his knighthood in 1932 for setting aside, £200,000 of his fortune in a charitable trust, the objects of which are the advancement of education, religion, and scientific and medical research. His son, Sir Malcolm Stewart, was chairman of the London Brick Company.

On behalf of the town, the Council wish to express its gratitude for this munificent gift and is sorry that Sir Malcolm did not live to make the presentation in person. Mr. Winfrey's efforts are also deeply appreciated.

Spalding Guardian Friday 14 May 1954 

Spalding’s Playfield is Opened

Sir Halley Stewart playing field, formerly the Black Swan field, in the centre of Spalding was opened on Wednesday by Sir Halley's grandson. Dr Harold C. Stewart.

The doctor is head of the department of pharmacology at St. Mary Hospital Medical School. London.

 With him was his wife Miss B. Chapham,secretary of the Sir Halley Stewart Trust.

After being welcomed by the chairman of the Spalding Urban Council (Coun. J. R. Rayner), Dr. Stewart unlocked the new ornamental gates to the field,and said. "I hope that those who come here will derive both health and pleasure and recreation in it."

The field, of just over 4 ½  acres, is the gift of the Sir Halley Stewart Trust, and is to perpetuate the memory and good work locally of Sir Halley, a great philanthropist., who was Liberal M.P. for the old Spalding Division from 1887 to 1895.

Mr. R. P. Winfrey. J.P. treasurer of the Trust, was unable to be present as he was abroad. He was represented by Mr. C. W. H. Aldridge.

Also present were members and officials of the Spalding Urban Council. Mr. H. A. H. Walter (Clerk to the Holland County Council). and Coun. A. C. Casswell. chairman of the Spalding Rural Council. A luncheon at the Red Lion Hotel followed.

The chairman of the Council (Coun. .J. C. Rayner), proposing the toast of "The Halley Stewart Trust." coupled with the name of Dr. Stewart, explained that the ceremony was decided upon several months ago when the Council realised that unless they took some definite step, the field would slip into the possession of the people of Spalding without their saying "Thank you" to those who had given it to them.

Generous Gift

One of the people to who they were most indebted was Mr. R. P. Winfrey, who had close association with Spalding and the Sir Hallev Stewart Trust, and who helped in a large way to  bring about the gift. Then they must not forget the late Mr. Cecil White managing director of "Lincolnshire Free Press" Co. for so many years who also had connections with both Sir Halley Stewart and Spalding. “Those two gentlemen between them managed to bring about this gift" said Coun. Rayner.

It was the intention of the town to purchase this field at some time, but the generous offer by the Sir Halley Stewart Trust has not only enabled this gift to come much earlier than might otherwise have been the case, it also means that the actual purchase price will not in any way fall upon the ratepayers of Spalding.

"The money which we had for this purpose may now be on spent on the improvement of the field and the general improvement for games in Spalding.

The old Black Swan field was formerly used for sport to some extent. It was also used  as a fairground, and as a home for derelict caravans. These caravans had been removed and the fairs would not be permitted in the field.

Greatest Asset

“It has become one of the greatest assets that the town owns” added Coun. Rayner, who explained that the objects of the Trust were to help every individual “by furthering such favourable opportunities of education, service and leisure, to enable him or her most perfectly to develop the body, mind and spirit”

He was sure that the gift the field would further all 'three things. The field would be a link between the town of Spalding and the late Sir Halley Stewart which would never be broken.

The memorial gates which the council had erected were their contribution, small though it was.

"I am sure that as long these gates remain, with their two crests of the arms of Spalding and the Halley we shall always remember the generosity of the gift, of this field, and it will forever remain a fitting memorial to the late Sir Halley Stewart.' he concluded.

Coun. Rayner then presented Dr. Stewart with a silver paperknife, and an inscribed silver salver.

Thanks

Replying Dr Stewart thanked the Council for their gift and apologised for the absence of his father who was 80 years of age the previous Thursday.

He also thanked the Council for the new gates which bore the arms of the town and their family arms. He thanked the Council on behalf of his father for erecting such beautiful gates and especially the architect and all connected with their design.

Referring to the Sir Halley Stewart Trust he explained that money was still regularly contributed towards furthering education to certain religious objects for research of both a medical and agricultural nature and other allied subjects. One great advantage of the Trust was that money went on more or less indefinately in the same way as their playing fields would go on.

Dr Stewart paid tribute to the work of Mr Winfrey and his uncle, the late Sir Malcolm Stewart who were instrumental in bringing about the gift of the field.

A Tribute

“The Winfrey family have played a very part in my grandfather’s life” continued Dr Stewart.

“Sir Richard Winfrey was his first election agent and undoubtedly played a very big part in getting him this seat at his third attempts. Even on his first two attempts when he was beaten my grandfather did very much better than was expected at that time.

“Sir Richard Winfrey’s son Mr R.P. Winfrey also gave his services to the Trust for many years which were valued very much and also took a big part in the purchase of the field. On behalf of the other members of the Trust.

I should like to thank Mr Winfrey for all he has done and for the help and advice he has given us.

Dr Stewart mentioned the coincidence that both coats of arms bore a vessel which was a rather unusual subject.

Where the ship in the Spalding coat of arms arose because Spalding was aport, the one in the Stewart crest was there because Sir Halley Stewart’s father ran away to sea when a boy and was captured by the French.

Dr Stewart, then spoke of the excellenat condition of the field. Anyone could see how much had been done to improve it in a relatively short time. With the growth of the recently planted trees the field would be improved even more.

I know all the trustees will be delighted with the field and also with the beautiful gates – nothing pleases me more personally than the link which has been forged between Spalding and my family”

Bouquets of tulips were presented by Mr R. W. Hastings to Mrs Stewart and Miss Clapham.

Spalding Guardian Friday 14 May 1954 

A PLAYING FIELD WHICH WAS SAVED FOR SPALDING

THE HALLEY STEWART  - playing field which was opened on Wednesday, is the gift of the Sir Halley Stewart Trust to perpetuate the memory and good work locally of Sir Halley, a great philanthropist. who was Liberal M.P. for the old Spalding Division from 1887 to 1895.

It was in 1951 that the Urban Council decided to buy the field and preserve it for much wanted recreational purposes. On October 6 that year it was bought for £3,675 after negotiations with Messrs. James Hole & Co., owners of the Black Swan Hotel.

Mr. R. P. Winfrey, managing director of the Lincolnshire Free Press. and the late Mr Cecil White informed the Council that the Trust wished to perpetuate the memory of  Sir Halley Stewart in Spalding and would probably provide the purchase money for the field.

This was agreed to by  the  Trustees, and the Council entered into a declaration of trust that they would the field to be used in perpetuity as a playing field for of Spalding, and name it "The Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field”

The Council undertook to construct a suitable entrance from King's Road, new boundary fences, and to plant trees.

An undertaking was also given that no part of the field would be used for holding fairs or circuses or for playing facilities.

Much has since been done to give the field and its approaches a new look. Winfrey Avenue, so named in appreciation of the late Sir Richard Winfrey's work in South Lincolnshire and of Mr R.P.Winfrey's efforts in connection with the gift of the field, has been constructed on the west side. It provides a through road from Swan Street to King's Road and is also an access to the new water tower and car park and ultimate 'bus station.

The south and west boundaries of the field have been fenced. King's Road has been widened and a dri-crete wall built on the frontage to it.

The entrance through the Black Swan yard has been closed. The main entrance is from King’s Road through ornamental wrought iron gates on which is the name of the field and the coats of arms of Spalding and the Stewart family.

It is at this entrance that the opening ceremony will take place.

Turnstile entrances have also been provided at various vantage joints.

GREAT INTEREST

The ground has received constant attention from the Council’s public parks superintendent (Mr G S Moore), who has shown a keen personal interest. Grandstands have been reconstructed and re-sited, and banking graded to a suitable slope, provided on the north and south sides.

A section of the east side, formerly used as a fairground, has been cleared, ploughed and seeded. Much new turf has been put down. It is hoped that the field will eventually be suitable for cricket as well as football.

In 1952 permission was given for draining the field, removing and re-erecting the stands, levelling the ground and planting trees at a total cost of £1,510. The following year consent was obtained to erect the boundary walls, gated, fencing, turnstiles, costing £2,347.

The expenditure in improving the field has been met out of a capital fund built up by the Council over the last 25 years by the sale of miscellaneous capital assets, so that no part of the cost has fallen on the rates.