In May 1895, a stately home called the Grange was demolished and it looked inevitable that the estate on which it was based would be used as building for the increasing suburbs of Liverpool.

However, the estate and some of the surrounding properties, comprising 104 acres (0.42 km2) of land, were purchased by an anonymous donor and presented to the City of Liverpool for use as a park.

The donor was later discovered to be Philip H. Holt whose family also owned Sudley House.

[1] An estimated 60,000 people attended the official opening on 7 September 1895, which involved a march past of schoolchildren, a gymnastics exhibition, Morris dancing, and a fireworks display.

[2] A Liverpool Corporation day nursery had a building on the site on Grant Avenue but this was demolished about 1990.