Congratulations to the beautiful Palm House set in the heart of Liverpool’s Sefton Park, it’s steaped in history, hosts a wealth of stunning tropical flowers and is a truly amazing wedding venue! (we got hitched there!)
Kenny & I were invited to take a few pics and help celebrate this magnificent hot house with a glass of champers or 2!
A bit of Palm House history for ya – Completed in 1896, Sefton Park Palm House was a gift to the City by Henry Yates Thompson. It was designed by an Edinburgh firm, MacKenzie & Moncur who had branches in Glasgow and London and an extensive portfolio of glasshouse across the country.
In the blitz of May 1941 a bomb fell nearby and shattered the glass. It was reglazed in 1950 and continued to be enjoyed by the people of Liverpool. However, a period of decline and deterioration culminated in its closure in the 1980’s on grounds of safety.
In June 1992, a public meeting was held highlighting the dereliction and calling for restoration. A petition of 5,000 names was presented to the City Council by what had become the “Save the Palm House” campaign. For the first time ever this cause generated cross-party support from the Council for the refurbishment proposal.
A fund raising campaign was established, with a “sponsor a pane” programme generating over £35,000. This led directly to the conversion of Save the Palm House into a registered charity (Friends of Sefton Park Palm House), later Sefton Park Palm House Preservation Trust.
Here’s to the next 10 years!!
