Popular boating lakes and 40-acre park in the Walterclough Valley at Hipperholme.
Also known as Sunny Bunces', the site was opened by Joseph Bunce on 1st May 1880.
The gardens evolved from Joseph's practice of placing tables outside their home at Wood Bottom Farm and serving tea and cakes to Sunday walkers passing the farm. Joseph put 4 boats on a small pond nearby and erected swings for children to use. He purchased more land in 1880. An advertisement in May 1881, announced
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SUNNY VALE GARDENS, LIGHTCLIFFE
Tea, Refreshments provided. Five acres of playground. Accommodation for 200 persons both for Tea and Playroom. Closed Sundays. JOSEPH BUNCE, Proprietor |
The Pleasure Gardens became a great attraction. At one point, the gardens attracted about 100,000 people per year. Thousands of day-trippers came to the site by train to Hipperholme railway station – followed by a long walk.
The miniature railway engine – known as Baby Bunce – came from Halifax Zoo which closed in 1916.
There were many facilities, including a dining room – see Ganson Mineral Water Company – a maze, music, shows, carnivals, swings, helter-skelter, skating, boating and dancing, and the Palace of Illusion which Bunce had bought from the Bradford Exhibition in 1???. Tickets for the amusements were sold at 1d each or 24 tickets for 1/6d. The dining room seated 1,000 people and would regularly serve meals to over 4,000 customers per day.
In 1912, the Bunces staged a re-enactment of the sinking of the Titanic.
A fireworks display marked the end of each season.
In 1945, the gardens were sold to Fred Thompson of Cleveleys (after an offer to Brighouse Council had been declined), and closed in 1949.
In 1958, Thompson sold the venture to Bert Myers. Myers changed the name to the Sunny Vale Country Club
In the 1960s / 70s, there was go-kart and stock-car racing.
The site fell into disrepair.
There were 2 lakes: the smaller, lower Victoria Lake and the larger, upper Alexandra Lake. One of the lakes has dried up and one remains
See Mildred Crossley and Samuel Kershaw
Page Ref: MMS1339
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