In Merseyside there are the following places associated with the Audley surname;
Audley Street, Liverpool
The Peter Pan Statue, Sefton Park, Liverpool
The Peter Pan Statue in Sefton Park Liverpool, was presented to the city of Liverpool by {AC50} George Audley. Whilst the statue was originally in the Park the statue has now been relocated into the Palm House within Sefton Park, Liverpool.
Left The Peter Pan Statue, located in Sefton Park.
Above The plaque at the base of the statue. No one knows where the cannon are they were last seen in the 1960s.
Photograph taken in 1932 showing:
The Palm House Sefton Park is owned by Liverpool City Council, and is operated by the ‘Sefton Park Palm House Preservation Trust’ a Registered Charity established in 1996
The Pageant of Peter Pan in Sefton Park, Liverpool 16th June 1928
YouTube video of The Opening of the Unveiling of the Peter Pan Statue in 1928, from British Pathe.
Cannons in Sefton Park, Liverpool
The plaque at the base of the Peter Pan Statue makes reference to two cannons from the Royal Yacht ‘Victoria and Albert’
A newspaper article of 1st March 1948 indicates that the cannon were presented to Liverpool Council by the Cunard & White Star Line.
The location of the cannons are not known. There are reports that they were in Sefton Park in the 1960s.
There have been three Royal Yachts with the name Victoria and Albert
Victoria & Albert (1843 – 1855)
Victoria & Albert (1855 – 1900)
Victoria & Albert (1901 – 1937)
Eros Statue, Sefton Park, Liverpool
The Eros Statue in Sefton Park Liverpool, was presented to the city of Liverpool by {AC50} George Audley. The original statue is in the Conservation Centre, Liverpool and a replacement statue is in Sefton Park
Original Statue in Conservation Centre, Liverpool
Replacement Statue in Sefton Park
George Audley (left) inspecting the site where the copy of Eros will be erected in 1932.
Audley Gardens in Stanley Park Liverpool
Plan of Stanley Park Liverpool, an extract from ‘The History of Stanley Park by Mary Keay published 1992.
The sunken garden (the Audley Gardens) was created and furnished with statues depicting characters from fairy tales and mythology donated by a Liverpool business man {C50} George Audley
The floral Clock
Flora MacDonald; Sculptor by Benjamin Edward Spence, in marble dated 1865
This statue was donated to the city of Liverpool by George Audley in January 1929 and housed un the Palm House at Stanley Park, During the 1980’s the Palm House suffered neglect it and its contents, including this statue became increasingly vandalised. The Palm House was sold off in July 1986 to a private company. The statue is believed to have been destroyed by vandals shortly after that time whilst the building was being refurbished.
Boy with Fish
In the early 1900s the Channel was filled in and flower beds were created. In 1929 the aviary was transferred to another park and a children’s playground was created, with a cuckoo clock,, dovecots and many fairy tale characters. There were four statuettes Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter and other Statues were dotted around the flower beds whilst by the boathouse there was a wishing well with a fisherman, gnome and his pals, a great favourite with the young children. These were all donated by George Audley. At the foot of the clock there is a plaque which states “The floral clock and the various statues and ornaments in the children’s garden were presented by George Audley Esq J.P. 1st July 1928.
Extract from ‘The History of Stanley Park by Mary Keay published 1992.
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