IT is a park for the people.

Back in 1879, 2.5 acres of land in Huddersfield were dedicated as a park to “increase the happiness, promote the good health and elevate the minds of the people”.

And now a history of Beaumont Park has been published, with anecdotes of the park’s history since Henry Frederick Beaumont donated the land.

The book, called Huddersfield’s Beaumont Park, has been published to coincide with the park’s bandstand being unveiled.

The bandstand project, which received funding of £190,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, was carried out in partnership between Kirklees Council and the Friends of Beaumont Park.

Beaumont Park resident John Pearson has compiled the book with the help of residents.

It’s a move away from his expertise – Mr Pearson is a physicist who taught at Salendine Nook High School and now teaches at Leeds and Bradford universities.

The book, which is now available in local bookshops, grew out of a project started in 2008 by the Friends, who sought to discover more about the history of music in the park and the bands that have performed there over the years.

John said: “I’ve never written a book before, but I did have help.

“I joined the Friends about 11 years ago. The park was going to rack and ruin and the Friends have really turned it around over the years.

“I’ve spoken to people who have lived around the park. One man can remember playing there in 1934, one lady I interviewed told me her father was there when it opened in 1883.”

In the book are details of the first sod cut in May 1880, the steam tramway which opened in 1882 and the opening of Woodfield Station.

The station would have served the park, but for the fact it was only open for four weeks.

The park opened on October 13, 1883, with the Duke and Duchess of Albany at the ceremony. The Duke was the youngest son of Queen Victoria and it was the first ever visit by royalty to the town.

The book features the park during the First World War, including its famous ham and egg teas. But written records of park life became rare around the First World War.

Dr Stephen Kelly, a former Huddersfield University history researcher, led a two-day research event to discover more about the park during the early 20th Century. They uncovered more about the demolition of the castle and the lake being filled in.

But John says it was the demolition of the Pavilion which was the final straw for local people. In 1998 a group of residents met with councillors to express their concerns about the neglect of the park and the disappearance of its heritage.

The first meeting of the Friends took place in October 1998 – 115 years since the Duke of Albany officially opened the park.

In April 1999 the park was added to English Heritage’s national register of parks and gardens of special historic interest, with a Grade Two listed status.

It was the turning point and protects the park from further destruction.

John added: “It is no longer a millstone round the neck of Kirklees Council, but a jewel in its crown and the intention of the book is to celebrate this.”

The book is on sale in the visitor centre, the Huddersfield Tourist and Information Centre and local bookshops. It’s priced £5 and is published by Jeremy Mills Publishing, of Lidget Street, Lindley.

The bandstand will be opened between 2pm and 4pm on Sunday, June 5, with Lindley Band playing and a community sing-along with St Barnabas Choir. All are welcome and families are invited to take along a picnic for the musical day.