Description:The third Duke of Sutherland, George Granville William Sutherland-Leveson-Gower (1828-1892), was involved in many local, national and international public associations. In addition to his national work with the Stafford House and Mansion House Committees, the third Duke and his son Cromartie Sutherland Leveson-Gower (Duke of Sutherland after 1892) contributed to the development of North Staffordshire, providing land for municipal facilities in places such as Longton.
The document featured above, dated 16th July 1888, provides details about a Gift of Land made by the third Duke ‘for a Public Park’ in the Parish of Trentham. A small plan on the first page of the document indicates that the Park was to be situated between the Florence Railway and Dresden, adjoining roads to Trentham, Longton, Blurton and Cocknage.
The Indenture, made between the Duke, his son Cromartie, the Marquis of Stafford, and ‘the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Longton’ granted the piece of land to the use of the Corporation ‘for the purposes of a public park’ in accordance with the ‘Public Parks Act 1871’.
The Gift of Land was made providing that no buildings ‘except such lodges or other buildings of an ornamental character’ were erected on the land and that the park was ‘kept open during reasonable hours in the day time’.
The document, signed in the presence of the Mayor of Longton, contains an example of the Common Seal of the Corporation of the Borough of Longton.
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