The newly restored and cleaned bust of Thomas Lynn Bristowe was been returned to Brockwell Hall. It was unveiled on Wed 6 June 2012 by the Mayor of Lambeth (Councillor Clive Bennett) and Thomas Bristowe (descendant of Thomas Lynn Bristowe).
In the 1880s, the huge Blades Blackburn estate at Herne Hill was put up for sale for housing. Local MP Thomas Lynn Bristowe led a campaign to buy it as a public park. He even guaranteed the money needed to secure its purchase. In 1891 his campaign was successful and Brockwell Park was created.
But on 6 June 1892, during the official opening, the creator of Brockwell Park collapsed on the steps of Brockwell Hall and died of a heart attack. The following year a memorial was erected to his memory. In 1958 the memorial was demolished to make way for a road widening scheme. However, the bust on the top was saved, given to the Bristowe family.
Thomas Lynn Bristowe MP is now back where he belongs, in a place of honour in Brockwell Hall in the middle of the Park he created.
The Project team: - right to left - Paul Carter (Brockwell Park Manager), Peter Bradley (Chair of The Friends of Brockwell Park), Sheila Northover (Chair, The Herne Hill Society), Lara Mifsud-Bonici (The Friends of Brockwell Park and Parks & Cemeteries Grounds Supervisor for Lambeth), Rosalind Glover (Treasurer, The Herne Hill Society) and Robert Holden (The Herne Hill Society)
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