Call to share memories of historic city centre gardens

People with historic photographs, news clippings, scrap books or stories about the gardens are invited to the Winckley Square memories event on Saturday June 18, ahead of the next phase of work starting in July.

The event, in the gardens from 10am to 3pm, will feature activities where people can share their memories, including anecdotes which can be recorded, or photographs that can be shared.

Ruth Jenkins, development officer at Groundwork, said: “We hope the people of Preston and beyond will join us to share their memories and stories of Winckley Square Gardens over the years.

“It’s really important to us to find out how the gardens have influenced the culture and society of Preston over recent decades.

“The history of the gardens is very well documented up to the early 1900s, but after that the records are a lot scarcer.

“It would be great to hear from people who got married nearby and had their photos taken in the Square, or reminiscences of what happened in the gardens during the Second World War.

“It might be the place a couple went on their first date or a family went to for a picnic every summer, or more recently about people spending their working lives in and around it.”

A new edition of Marian Roberts’ definitive book “The Story of Winckley Square” is being planned, and these memories will form part of a new chapter which documents the recent history of the Square.

Photos so far include images from the Guild in 1922, a class photo from Preston Catholic College and photos of the square from as early as 1882.