Marine Hall & Gardens

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Show transcript

Hello! I’m Hesketh. That’s right, the rabbit.
Sir Peter Hesketh, who founded Fleetwood (named after me, did I mention that?), had friend from Manchester, Mr Benjamin Whitworth.
All the way back in the 1850s, Mr Whitworth made his fortune in cotton, and his ships unloaded at Fleetwood.
So the Whitworth family used to spend their summer holidays here.
In 1863, Benjamin paid for the Whitworth Institute on Dock Street so Fleetwood people could have a place to read and to learn about things.
Later on, it was turned into a library with lectures, and talks, and books. I’ve never tried a book personally, but I hear they’re tasty.
If you wanted more popular entertainment then Fleetwood had plenty to offer – at theatres like the Alexander and the Queen Elizabeth. All the latest acts up from London – and boxing matches too.
And then, in 1910, we got the pier. Wonderful. Deckchairs, open air concerts, Marine Hall, and the pleasure gardens. Not that the gardeners showed much pleasure when they found a rabbit in their flowerbeds.
And a young lad called John Lennon used to visit for his holidays. I remember he came back in 1962 and played a concert with some friends. The Beatles they were called.
I didn’t listen – I don’t like insects.