In September 1857 3,000 working men petitioned Newcastle Council for ‘ready access to some open ground for the purpose of health and recreation’ and a year later a special committee was set up to try to find a location for a park.

On 23 December 1873, Leazes Park was officially opened[1] by Alderman Sir Charles Hamond.

A second lake was created in 1893 but this was filled in by 1949 and the area used for a bowling green and tennis courts.

In 1908 a bust of Alderman Sir Charles Hamond was erected[4] (which is also grade II listed)[5] as the centrepiece to the terrace and the park was then complete.

The park continued to develop with deer, aviaries, tennis, and croquet until the 1980s when it was in need of refurbishment.