Relatives of city park benefactor to attend 150th birthday party

About 80 relatives of Zachariah Pearson, who donated the land for Pearson Park, are coming to Hull for a day of Victorian-themed events in the park on Saturday, August 28.

The celebrations will culminate with a tree-planting ceremony performed by Pearson's great-granddaughter Margaret Evelyn Kerwin, accompanied by the Lord Mayor of Hull, Coun David Gemmell, and the chairman of Pearson Park Trustees, Coun John Fareham.

Organisers are trying to find the spot where Pearson planted the park's first tree, a wellingtonia, when the facility opened to great fanfare on August 27, 1860.

It is hoped the sapling will take root better than Pearson's wellingtonia, which died.

Traditional fairground rides and refreshments, a Punch and Judy show, jugglers and re-enactments of Victorian life are also planned.

Avenue ward councillor John Robinson, who is the city council portfolio holder for image and culture, said he was looking forward to the celebrations.

He said: "We're very proud of all the parks but it's got particular significance because it was the first public park in the city. It was given by Zachariah Pearson and we are honouring his gift of 150 years ago.

"I'm a local resident and it's a park I take great pleasure in using myself apart from my council responsibilities.

"The trust was set up to ensure the park remains a facility for everybody in Hull to use and the trust document is a nice bit of history that is still relevant today."

The family will also hold private celebrations over the weekend in honour of one of the city's most colourful former residents, who is buried barely a mile away in Spring Bank Cemetery.

Orphaned at the age of four, Pearson went to live with an uncle and when he was 12 tried to run away as a stowaway on a ship, but was discovered and brought home.

He began a more conventional seafaring career at 16 and by the age of 21 was a ship's captain.

He built up a successful shipping business and became mayor.

But concerned about the plight of workers in Hull's cotton mills, which had been hit by a blockade on cotton exports from Southern states during the American Civil War, Pearson took the gamble of his life – and lost.

He filled his shipping fleet with arms for the Confederates and intended to break the blockade and bring cotton out. But about 10 of his ships were attacked and sunk by the US Navy, plunging him into crippling debt.

In Hull, Pearson was shunned by many who had enjoyed his friendship while he was rich.

Confederate supporters never forgot his attempts to aid their cause, however, and some travelled to Hull in recent years to adorn his grave with Confederate flags and memorabilia.

Although the park continues to thrive and remains popular with residents, it is not clear if plans to carry out a major refurbishment have been scuppered by the weak economy and public spending squeeze.

The trustees have been in talks with the Heritage Lottery Fund about a 5m bid to improve the park.

The plans, which will be subject to consultation, combine refurbishment and improvement of existing features with the creation of some new ones.

Gates would be re-attached to the entrance to the park in Pearson Avenue – close to where the first wellingtonia is believed to have been planted.