Salford's Secret Garden
Peel Park and Peel Building
As the centrepiece to the University of Salford, Peel Park and Peel Building are picturesque reminders of Salford from a bygone era.
Peel Park
The Lark Hill Estate of Salford was bought in 1846 by public subscription and opened as a park for ??the recreation and enjoyment of the public??. Sir Robert Peel, who at the time was a leader in the campaign for public parks, donated a considerable sum of his own money (in the region of ??1000) and it was therefore no surprise that when the park was opened in August 1846 it was named Peel Park, after Sir Robert.
Peel Building
Peel Building was opened on 25th March 1896 to house the Salford Royal Technical Institute and was later to become one of the first municipal colleges in the country. Today Peel Building is part of the University of Salford, and houses the Faculty Science, Engineering and Environment and the School of Environmental Life Sciences.
The Lowry Connection
The Building also played a part in Lowry??s story. Over the main entrance to the building is a large window, and it was behind this window in the life studios that Lowry spent 22 years, mostly evening classes, learning skills that would be used for many years to come in his artistic career.
Submitted by: Iain Patterson, 10 March 2003
