Some of my earliest visits to Smethwick was in June 2012. I returned to Smethwick to find the Malcolm X blue plaque in West Smethwick. While there, I popped into West Smethwick Park where there is a pair of memorials for the Chance Brothers. One for James T Chance, the other for John H Chance. I didn't really explore that park at the time, so after seeing the memorials, I headed on.

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West Smethwick Park a memorial to the Chance Brothers





Some of my earliest visits to Smethwick was in June 2012. I returned to Smethwick to find the Malcolm X blue plaque in West Smethwick. While there, I popped into West Smethwick Park where there is a pair of memorials for the Chance Brothers. One for James T Chance, the other for John H Chance. I didn't really explore that park at the time, so after seeing the memorials, I headed on.


West Smethwick Park

I went to West Smethwick Park in Smethwick back in June 2012. At the time it was my second trip to Smethwick within a month (within 5 days actually), as I wanted to find the Malcolm X blue plaque on Marshall Street. While there I headed to the nearby park.

The park is located in the St Paul's ward of Smethwick. It opened on the 7th September 1895. The park features memorials to the Chance Brothers. The park was founded by Sir James Timmins Chance who donated the land as a park to the public forever. The park has memorials to both James T Chance and his brother John Homer Chance.

 

The park is located on Victoria Road in Smethwick. With Holly Lane to the east, West Park Road to the north and St Paul's Road to the west.

 

The main entrance gates from West Park Road.

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On one of the terracotta gateposts it reads:

The Gift of 
James T. 
Chance 
for the 
use of the 
Public

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Welcome to West Smethwick Park in Smethwick. Noticeboard with a map of all the park locations all over Sandwell.

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Approaching the Memorial to James T. Chance.

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The memorial is Grade II listed. It dates to abouyt 1900. Made of red brick and terracotta. In the centre is a bronze bust of James T. Chance (1814 - 1902).

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Zoom in to the bronze bust of James T. Chance.

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Below is this plaque which reads:

James T. Chance
M.A J.P. D.L.
For fifty years a partner in the firm 
of Chance Brothers & Co. 
at the Glass Works Smethwick 
and the Alkali Works, Oldbury
He purchased the land for the park, 
laid it out and endowed it 
and on September 7th 1895 opened it
A gift to the public for ever.
He also made the roads on its East and West boundaries.

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A view slightly back of the central section of the James T. Chance memorial.

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There is a fence / railings that goes all the way around the memorial.

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Apart from the memorials to the Chance Brothers I also saw this outdoor gym exercise machine. A bit like rowing a boat.

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Next up is the Memorial to John Home Chance. It was a stone drinking fountain. Dated to 1905.

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John Homer Chance died in 1900. He joined the family firm in 1850. A ceremony took place here in June 1905 to unveil the drinking fountain.

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At the top of the drinking fountain on this side it says John Homer.

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On this side is says Chance A.D. 1900.

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As far as I am aware the drinking fountain is no longer in use, and wasn't anything inside of it. Behind a view of the park and the trees.

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The only other thing I took in West Smethwich Park was this sign, warning that there is no unauthorised access to water. And children must be supervised by their parents at all times.

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I didn't have a full look around the park at the time, so I missed a large lake. Which is the Boating Lake. One day I will need to go back for a proper walk around.

 

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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