Lister Park Lions

The Friends of Lister Park held an event in 2009 to unveil the return of Lister Park Lions, the surviving lion was sent to a pattern makers to be copied so as a cast could be made. The original lion is made from a terracotta type material so is prone to damage; the two new ones will be made from a cast metal.All this has been made possible over four years with the combined team effort between FliP (Friends of Lister Park) Leisure Services Dept and Cartwright Hall staff with Funding from WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental). The Lions were removed from the park in the 1980’s due to vandalism with only one intact. They are we think approx 90 years old being made at Pearson’s pot works in Bradford and many people remembering them out side the Masham Café in the park.The new location are close to the original area as possible being outside the play area gates.As the lion is made from a material prone to damage it was decided a safe place was needed, what about on one of the lake islands it was suggested. The original has had a face lift and general re-vamp thanks to Ian Barrand (Cartwright Hall arts restorer) and placed on the island nearest the boating café facing the two new lions. So in retrospect there is a triangle of lions two guarding the play area and one guarding the lake.

We ran a name the Lister Lions competition to raise awareness and ownership of the lions. The winning names were Leonard, Lowry and Roary all chosen by local school girls and they all received family tickets to Bradford theatres, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe DVDs and books.