The Friends of Oakworth (Holden) Park
Sir Isaac Holden's Granite Drinking Fountain

 

The fountain in its original position behind the Coop building

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The people of Oakworth had a granite drinking fountain made and dedicated to Sir Isaac Holden 100 years after his birth in 1807.
The fountain was unveiled by John Briggs on 17th August 1907, ten years after Sir Isaac died at the age of 90 in 1897.
The fountain was originally in the middle of the road at the Victoria Road and Station Road junction (Behind the Co-op), and was eventually moved to Holden Park.
Several people remember drinking from the fountain as they played in the park when they were children.

 

The fountain base has an inscription which reads:

ERECTED
BY THE INHABITANTS
OF OAKWORTH
AS A TOKEN OF
AFFECTIONATE RESPECT FOR
SIR ISAAC HOLDEN BART.
1807 = 1897


Over the years the drinking fountain has fallen into disrepair, with the support columns being broken and the top having to be removed for safety, there has also been a fair amount of graffiti on the surface of the base and the drinking bowls have been used as an ashtray and filled with all sorts of rubbish. A small fire was also started at the base in April 2005, which fortunately didn't cause any damage.
The fountain has now been cleaned up (April 2005) by 'Friends of Oakworth (Holden) Park' group members and one of the aims of the group is to have the fountain restored in time for a festival to honour the 200th anniversary of Sir Isaac Holden's birth on 7th May 1807. We may not be able to get the water reconnected as there are drainage and health and safety issues with waste water and the likelihood that the supply pipes will be made of lead pipe. We should be able to get sufficient funding to restore the structure of the fountain though.

The fountain in 2004 (click for a larger view in a new window)

The fountain in its original position behind the Coop building (click for a larger view in a new window) (91306 bytes)


The fountain in 2004


The fountain in its original position at the junction of Victoria Road and Station road, (behind where the Coop building is now)

The fire damage to the fountain in 2005 (click for a larger view in a new window)

The fire damage to the fountain in 2005 (click for a larger view in a new window)


The fire damage to the fountain in 2005


The fire damage to the fountain in 2005

The top parts of the fountain, which are locked away in storage in one of the caves (Click for a larger view in a new window)

The remnant of one of the support columns (Click for a larger view in a new window)


The top parts of the fountain,
which are locked away in storage in one of the caves


The remnant of one of the support columns

The fountain after cleaning in April 2005 (Click for a larger view in a new window)

The fountain after cleaning in April 2005 (Click for a larger view in a new window)


The fountain after cleaning in April 2005


The fountain after cleaning in April 2005

The top face of the base piece, showing marks where the support columns used to fit (Click for a larger view in a new window)

Picture showing one of the side bowls (Click for a larger view in a new window)


The top face of the base piece, showing filler marks
where the six columns were originally fitted


One of the side bowls - made from the
same colour granite as the support columns

 

 

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