Walking in the footsteps of Sammy Leon

Sammy you would LOVE this place, I just know that you would.

At its height Milton Keynes Development Corporation ran an advert on television which has become known as The Red Balloon Advert. It ends with these words: Wouldn’t it be nice if all cities were like Milton Keynes ?

I want to suggest something new. WOULDN’T IT BE NICE IF ALL PARKS WERE LIKE LEON REC ?

A minute for Fenny Stratford Urban District Council for Tuesday 22^nd February 1898 reads:

A letter was read from Mr P Cobb, Solicitor to Herbert Samuel Leon, of Bletchley Park, enclosing deed of gift of a piece of land forming until recently part of the Glebe of the Rectory and Parish Church of Bletchley, situate in the Parish of Fenny Stratford, containing by admeasurement nine acres, two roods and twenty-three perches or thereabouts, together with a pathway leading there to and from the Bletchley Road for the purpose of a recreation ground.

The chairman proposed and Mr Thomas Kirby seconded that best thanks of the council be given to Herbert Samuel Leon Esquire for his magnificent gift. Carried unanimously.

Tuesday 24^th May 2022, how many years later is that ? Where’s my calculator ?

One hundred and twenty-four years and three months. Tuesday 24^th May 2022 Sammy Leon I went to your park to walk in your footsteps.

I have a photograph, a bit showing its age I am afraid, taken when Sir Herbert and Lady Leon opened Bletchley Market. Sitting on Lady Fanny’s knee is the Leon Doggie. I wonder what was his name. As I walked in Sammy Leon’s footsteps today my own doggie Jake came with me and walked in Leon Doggie’s footsteps, or should that be pawprints ?

We parked our car in Leon Avenue then walked sown the pathway to the recreation ground. Coming towards us was a gentleman sitting in a motability scooter which he steered towards us. He wanted to speak to Jake and welcome him to the park. How lovely.

I am a bit of a treeaholic !  I am fascinated by trees and am proud to have given the arboretum of life a couple of bits of wisdom.

Trees are the fingerprints of nature – no two are exactly alike.

 And

Trees are the history book of nature – if only they could speak what stories would they tell ?

Indeed a treeaholic I may be but ignorance means I can seldom tell one species of tree from another. But when you are appreciating the beauty of a tree science and botany are not really important.

When taking photographs of trees I try to capture the sunlight coming through the branches and the shadow it casts on the ground.

There are some special trees living in Leon Rec. I am guessing none are old enough, I may be wrong, to have been around when Sammy and his family walked in the park, the park Sammy so generously gave to our community one hundred and twenty-four years ago.

On the far side of the park there was a gentleman picking up litter. He had a problem. There was no litter for him to pick up !

WOULDN’T IT BE NICE IF ALL PARKS WERE LIKE LEON REC ?

I wonder how old this tree is. Sammy, do you possibly remember it ?

As I walked in Sammy’s footsteps I wondered how much had changed within the park since 1898. Society has changed and our community has changed but this gift of Leon Park has changed only in that it is now an important heritage with so many stories it could tell if only the trees could speak.

I could see a fenced off area which I guessed was designating an area of the park for replanting or something. Jake and I wandered over.

Doggie Jake thoroughly approved. Doggie Leon, I bet you do too.

To one side of Leon Recreation Ground today stands what is Knowles School. Formerly it was Bletchley Road School.  In the Leon days when Lady Leon was heavily involved with the school. Children were playing happily during their morning break, their sound blended with the hundreds of Leon Rec bird singing in the trees.

In my camera’s experience birds like to have their photographs taken.

I was tempted but Doggie Jake said I was not allowed to have a go on the exciting kiddie adventures in the park. A bit more than the ordinary run of the mill swings and slides.

Walking in the footsteps of Sammy Leon I tried to picture the children from the late Victorian times who were able to play in the park when the generosity of Sir Herbert, Sammy, Leon gave it to our community.

Well Sammy, Doggie Jake and I thoroughly enjoyed today’s walk in your footsteps. Thank You so much for Leon Rec.  History is bunk. A quotation from Henry Ford and something I totally agree with. History is dead and belongs in a stuffy old museum. It is HERITAGE that is important. Heritage is a live and grows day by day. Milton Keynes has more heritage per square mile than any other village, town or city in the country. Sammy Leon you are responsible for so much of that history. Over the coming days and weeks as I write this book my feet are going to walk more in your footsteps as I seek to celebrate and applaud that heritage. THANK YOU.

Wouldn’t it be nice if all cities were like Milton Keynes ?  Wouldn’t it be nice if all parks were like Leon Rec !