Each of the two great and populous divisions of South London—namely, Southwark and Lambeth—is now provided with a public park of its own, the latter at Battersea, and the former at Rotherhithe—this one being opened on Saturday, by Sir John Thwaites, Chairman of the Metropolitan Board of Works. It is situated eastward of Bermondsey, near the Commercial Docks, and not far from the Surrey end of the Thames Tunnel. The ground lies between Rotherhithe New-road, on the south side, and Union-road and Paradise-row, on the north; with Deptford Lower-road to the east, and Jamaica-level, where is the main entrance, to the west. It was purchased chiefly of Sir William Gomm. The cost of the freehold and leasehold interests has amounted to nearly £70,000, some sixty acres of the land having been purchased at an average of £911 per acre. Sixteen acres thus purchased will be devoted to building purposes, in order to recover for the ratepayers at least some portion of the total outlay in connection with the park. While £70,000 has been expended in the purchase of the land, only about £20,000 has been paid for the formation of roads, drainage, and planting of trees; so that no unnecessary cost has been incurred. Judging from the numbers who congregated on Saturday to witness the opening of the park, and again on Sunday, the people seemed to highly appreciate the boon which had been conferred upon them. The streets on Saturday had a very gay aspect, flags and bunting being displayed in all directions; and, in spite of the inclement weather, most of those assembled seemed to be people of the working classes who had put on their best attire in honour of the occasion. Shortly after half-past two o'clock the 10th and 23rd, or 4th Administrative Battalion of Surrey Rifle Volunteers, numbering between 400 and 500 men, marched into the park enclosure, and took up position as a guard of honour, under Lieutenant-Colonel Payne. Near the grand entrance a platform had been erected, upon which were the representatives of different parish vestries. The proceedings of the opening ceremony were brief but appropriate. A procession was formed which marched round the park. At different spots trees in commemoration of the day's event were planted by the two members for the borough of Southwark (Mr. Layard and Mr. Locke), by Sir John Thwaites, and by Mr. C. Westerton. Addresses were then delivered to the meeting, and Sir John Thwaites declared, on behalf of the Metropolitan Board of Works, the park to be duly open to the public—an announcement which was received with loud cheers. The fact of the park having been declared open was announced to the persons outside by the firing of guns and the playing of the National Anthem. The gates of the enclosure were then thrown open, and thousands of persons at once rushed in, cheering with the utmost goodwill as they did so. After addresses from Mr. John Locke, Q.C., M.P., and Mr. Layard, the proceedings were brought to a close.
Source: The Illustrated London News, Vol. LIV, June 26, 1869, p.650