This cache has been placed on behalf of Friends of Stonehouse Park, a local group committed to improving the park and organising events for all the family. www.friendsofstonehousepark.co.uk
If you are entering the Baogs area from the bottom of the park you will pass a couple of landslides from a few years ago. These are reasonably safe as long as you stick close to the other side of path.
Alexander Hamilton Memorial Park
The village’s public park was made possible due to the kind generosity of a former native of Stonehouse, Alexander Hamilton. Born and brought up in Stonehouse, he later made his fortune as head of the Victoria Carpet Company in Kidderminster and later making khaki uniforms for the troops in the Great War. It was his wish that he could leave something for the village that he visited annually and loved so dearly. Thus the council were left the task of finding a suitable site. After much discussion and argument a ten acre site was purchased for £500 from the land of Holm farm. Many people thought a flatter area would be more appropriate and others even thought Mr Hamilton would have been better spending his money on a factory for Stonehouse.
Alexander Hamilton fulfilled his dream and presented the park, bandstand and fountain to his native town. He died four years later. The park does not however take its name from the benefactor but from his grandfather and namesake Alexander Hamilton.
When the Alexander Hamilton Memorial Park was opened on 25th May 1925, the newly purchased bandstand was the centrepiece of this popular Lanarkshire tourist attraction, entertaining audiences with bands from all over Scotland, including Stonehouse’s own Pipe Band (World Champions 1909) and Silver band (Scottish Champions 1919). The bandstand was temporarily altered to incorporate a tea room but was later reinstated to its original state due to attacks of vandalism, and has more recently entertained residents and visitors with bands from far and wide.
In 1933 the famous chute was installed, said to be the longest in Scotland, if not Europe, at the time. It was opened by Councillor Thomas Wilson, but sadly was dismantled in August 1967 because it was considered too dangerous. Councillor Wilson was at the park again to open the tennis courts, putting green and pavilion in the early 30’s. When Sir Harry Lauder visited the park in August 1942, he said, “It’s a bonnie park; yin o’ the nicest I’ve ever been in, an’ something Stonehoose folk should be rale prood o’ ”. The park overlooks one of the most spectacular views of the Avon valley.
For more local information check out www.stonehouseonline.org.uk or www.keepitstonehouse.co.uk.