Albert Gardens

Of the many squares developed on either side of the Commercial Road in the early C19th, Albert Square remains almost intact. The terraced houses around three sides of the square were built in the early 1840s. In June 1899 there was a proposal to build houses on the central garden in the square but, following an appeal to the LCC by the Limehouse Board of Works, the ground was eventually saved 'for the public benefit'. The LCC's Parks and Open Spaces Committee was keen to preserve the garden in an area with relatively few public open spaces but the landowner's initial asking price was too high. It was not until November 1900 that the LCC applied to compulsorily purchase the land, and a price of £10,560 was agreed. Works to the garden included provision of a drinking fountain and two additional entrances at a cost of £650. Albert Square Garden was opened to the public in March 1902, with an opening ceremony presided over by John Piggott. It was declared open by Mr Ben Cooper who according to the report in The Times on 25 March 1902 said 'he hoped the time was not far distant when the borough councils and the London County Council combined would bring pressure upon Parliament to give the latter authority power to acquire compulsorily the open squares of the metropolis'. Albert Square Garden was renamed Albert Gardens in 1937 when the LCC was rationalising street names in order to avoid duplication.

The garden retains its mature plane trees and is now enclosed by replacement railings. It has a single perimeter walk, and is divided into two enclosures. The south enclosure has a cast-iron C19th drinking fountain. The north side is set to lawn with a C19th (now disused) drinking fountain topped by a statue of Shepherd Boy, inscribed 'DFF' upon the base, made in Paris and erected in 1903 by the MPGA. In early 2013 plans for improving the gardens were put forward for public consultation, but to date work has not commenced (August 2013). If undertaken, the work will include relocating the children's play area to the centre of the park and installation of new play equipment, improvement to signage and park furniture, new paths, restoration/cleaning of the historic drinking fountain and statue and some planting.