2026: Centenary of the Jean Stansfield Memorial Park
The Jean Stansfield Playground
WITHIN Vicarage Park at Poulton, at the corner of Vicarage Road and Station Road, is a children’s playground bearing the name Jean Stansfield. Although the area is familiar to Poulton residents, not everyone knows her story.
The parents and birth of Jean Stansfield
SAMUEL Frederick Stansfield was born in Crawshawbooth in 1868, a place mostly remembered for its textile mills. At the age of 13 he was a cotton mill hand and his father James was a cotton waste dealer.
At the age of 32, after his father’s death, he still worked in the same business alongside two elder brothers, living with their mother and sister in Rawtenstall.
Samuel married in Ambleside on 28th February 1910 aged 43. His wife was Jeannie MacQueen, known affectionately as Queenie, born in Edinburgh and only five years younger than her husband. The couple settled in Rawtenstall at 113 Pleasant View, later renamed Haslingden Old Road.
Joy came into the life of this couple on the 17th of June 1914 with the birth of a daughter. Queenie was now aged about 42, and the birth was registered 11 days later. The daughter was named Jean.
The house at Poulton
SAMUEL and his wife and young daughter retired to Poulton-le-Fylde shortly after the 1921 census was taken, moving to a house called Oaklands. It is now number 45 Blackpool Old Road.
At the time of writing, the centenary of the opening of the Jean Stansfield Memorial Park, the house is up for sale. Local estate agent Royles has provided the photos below. The house was constructed in 1900 and although technically Victorian it is in the Edwardian style.
Jean’s father Samuel was involved with many local groups including the freemasons, whilst her mother Queenie was on the Board of Guardians at Rawtenstall. Mrs. Stansfield organised trips for many years, inviting children from Rawtenstall to their house in Poulton. The children were given buckets and spades and were taken on a trip to Blackpool Tower.
Jean‘s becomes ill
JEAN fell ill in September 1923 and was taken to a nursing home at 230 Hornby Road, Blackpool. She had acute appendicitis.
Four days later, on 24th September 1923, she succumbed to what was described as “auto intoxication”, presumably a fatal infection. Jean was just nine years old, and the couple’s only child.
Jean was buried at the old cemetery on Moorland Road. Her memorial, shown in this photo, is easy to find.
The Stansfields’ gift to the children of Poulton
IN the years following Jean’ death, Samuel and Queenie continued to invite the Rawtenstall children to their house. However, they also decided to have a memorial celebrating their beloved daughter, one that could be enjoyed by all children. That is how they came to purchase a plot of land off Vicarage Road.
The Jean Stansfield Memorial Park was formally opened on 17th June 1926. Had Jean lived, it would have been her 12th birthday. A photo of the opening ceremony is shown below.
Samuel Stansfield had what looks like a carnation in his buttonhole, and the lady next to him holding flowers was almost certainly his wife Queenie.
The couple continued to play important roles within the town.
The deaths of Jean’s Parents
SAMUEL Frederick Stansfield died aged 63 on 3rd April 1932.
Following Samuel’s death, an obituary was published in the Fleetwood Chronicle on the 8th of April 1932. He left an estate valued for probate purposes, including his home in Poulton, at £18,294. Allowing for inflation, this equates to just over a million pounds today.
Queenie continued to live at the house in Poulton until her own death aged 62 on 16th January 1939. She died at the same nursing home as her daughter.
Both parents were buried alongside their daughter. New plinths were added below Jean, firstly for her father and then for her mother, as shown in the photo.
An obituary For Samuel was published in the Fleetwood Chronicle on 8th April 1932, and one for Queenie in the Ramsbottom Observer on 27th January 1939. These can be seen or downloaded from Findmypast® using the links below.
An advertisement for the sale of 45 Blackpool Old Road was published in the Burnley Express. Follow this link to view it.
