Sefton Park Conservatory

Sefton Park was laid out between 1867 and 1872 to the designs of Edouard André (a Parisian) and Lewis Hornblower. Money was raised by selling land around the edge of the park for housing, and the area thus became an affluent residential district. The iron and glass palmhouse, opened in 1896, was made by Mackenzie and Moncor of Edinburgh and Glasgow. The use of cast iron for prefabricated buildings was an innovation of the 19th century which meant that such structures could be produced in one industrial centre and then transported anywhere in the country or overseas. This drawing was purchased from the last in a series at the Bluecoat Chambers known as 'Recording Mersyside.' The exhibitions were held in 1945, 1946 and 1947. The aim was that local buildings listed by the National Buildings Record and other official schedules would be recorded by local artists. Each artist was allocated a type of building or area to record that was thought to suit their technique. They were then invited to show the results at one of the 'Recording Merseyside' exhibitions. The vast majority of works were therefore recent when they were shown. Occasionally earlier works were admitted. This drawing was made nine years before the exhibition.