Discover Wicksteed Park: Jerry the dog
Have you ever spotted the statue of a dog inside the rose garden? That is Jerry the dog!
Jerry the dog was one of the three known dogs that the Wicksteed family had. From archive images it is believed that he was a terrier of some sort, possibly a Jack Russel Terrier.
Jerry was a particularly important dog as he was Charles Wicksteed’s loyal companion. He travelled everywhere with Charles, including on some trips where Jerry would ride the train with him.
Charles’ daughter Hilda also wrote serval books that featured Jerry. These books include ‘Jerry and Grandpa’. She also wrote from Jerry’s perspective with lines written such as ‘I love to ride in the car with my master’ and ‘Today I went in the garden to try to catch the goldfish in the pond’.
Sadly, Jerry disappeared in South Africa in 1928 during a trip with Charles and Hilda.
Jerry’s statue can still be found in our rose garden today with a plaque reading:
“Closely bound to a human heart, little brown dog, you had your part, in the levelling, building, staying of the streams, in the park that arose from your master’s dreams.”
Other News
Rare black poplar trees planted at Wicksteed Park
As a part of National Tree Week last month, running from November 25th until December 3rd, Wicksteed Park planted 13 rare black poplar trees on the estate's South Meadow. This is apart of a local couple's efforts to reintroduce the species to Northamptonshire.
Wicksteed park’s iconic water chute voted as uk’s best historic ride
Wicksteed Park’s Water Chute is the oldest ride of its kind in the UK. The Water Chute has been judged as the country’s Best Historic Ride in the 2022 UK Theme Park Awards.
Get Involved in Wicksteed Park’s History Project
Do you have any memories of Wicksteed Park that you want to share? Get involved with our upcoming community project and have your history with Wicksteed Park heard.