|
Bathpool Park
Bathpool Park is a public park in a rural area between Newcastle-under-Lyme and Kidsgrove, Staffordshire (near the border with Cheshire). The park became notorious in 1975 as the location for the murder of Lesley Whittle. Lesley's body was found hanging from a steel wire at the bottom of a shaft in the park. Lesley fell or was pushed by a killer known as the Black Panther, Donald Neilson Donald Neilson (born Donald Nappey; 1 August 1936 – 18 December 2011), alias the “Black Panther,” was a British armed robber, kidnapper, and multiple murderer. From 1971, he committed a series of robberies of sub-post offices; in 197 .... Neilson was sentenced to life for Whittle's and four other murders, eventually dying as a prisoner in December 2011. In 1977, a feature film about Whittle's murder, entitled ''The Black Panther'', was released. Parts of the film were shot on location in Bathpool Park. Bathpool Park is owned and managed by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Public Park
An urban park or metropolitan park, also known as a municipal park (North America) or a public park, public open space, or municipal gardens ( UK), is a park in cities and other incorporated places that offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality. The design, operation, and maintenance is usually done by government agencies, typically on the local level, but may occasionally be contracted out to a park conservancy, "friends of" group, or private sector company. Common features of municipal parks include playgrounds, gardens, hiking, running and fitness trails or paths, bridle paths, sports fields and courts, public restrooms, boat ramps, and/or picnic facilities, depending on the budget and natural features available. Park advocates claim that having parks near urban residents, including within a 10-minute walk, provide multiple benefits. History A park is an area of open space provided for recreational use, usually owned and mainta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme ( RP: , ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. The 2011 census population of the town was 75,082, whilst the wider borough had a population of 128,264 in 2016, up from 123,800 in the 2011 Census. Toponym The name "Newcastle" is derived from a mid 12th century motte and bailey that was built after King Stephen granted lands in the area to Ranulf de Gernon, Earl of Chester; the land was for his support during the civil war known as The Anarchy. "Lyme" might refer to the Lyme Brook or the Forest of Lyme (with lime and elm trees) that covered an extensive area across the present day counties of Cheshire, Staffordshire and parts of Derbyshire. History 12th–19th centuries Newcastle was not recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book, as it grew up round a 12th-century castle, but it must have gained rapid importance, as a charter, known solely through a reference in another charter to Presto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kidsgrove
Kidsgrove is a town in the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England, on the Cheshire border. It is part of the Potteries Urban Area, along with Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme. It has a population of 26,276 (2019 census). Most of the town is in the Kidsgrove ward, whilst the western part is in Ravenscliffe. History From the 18th century, Kidsgrove grew around coal mining, although the pits have now closed. Clough Hall Mansion in the town is now demolished. The engineer James Brindley cut the first Harecastle Tunnel on the Trent and Mersey Canal near the town; Thomas Telford cut the second. Kidsgrove also marks the southern extremity of the Macclesfield Canal. There is a legend regarding a headless ghost that is said to haunt the Harecastle Tunnel. The ghost is said to be that of a young woman who was murdered inside the tunnel. She is referred to as the ''"Kidsgrove Boggart"''. R.J. Mitchell, the designer of the Spitfire fighter aircraft, was born in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Staffordshire
Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands County and Worcestershire to the south and Shropshire to the west. The largest settlement in Staffordshire is Stoke-on-Trent, which is administered as an independent unitary authority, separately from the rest of the county. Lichfield is a cathedral city. Other major settlements include Stafford, Burton upon Trent, Cannock, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Rugeley, Leek, and Tamworth. Other towns include Stone, Cheadle, Uttoxeter, Hednesford, Brewood, Burntwood/Chasetown, Kidsgrove, Eccleshall, Biddulph and the large villages of Penkridge, Wombourne, Perton, Kinver, Codsall, Tutbury, Alrewas, Barton-under-Needwood, Shenstone, Featherstone, Essington, Stretton and Abbots Bromley. Cannock Chase AONB is within the county as well as parts of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cheshire
Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county town is the cathedral city of Chester, while its largest town by population is Warrington. Other towns in the county include Alsager, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Frodsham, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Middlewich, Nantwich, Neston, Northwich, Poynton, Runcorn, Sandbach, Widnes, Wilmslow, and Winsford. Cheshire is split into the administrative districts of Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East, Halton, and Warrington. The county covers and has a population of around 1.1 million as of 2021. It is mostly rural, with a number of towns and villages supporting the agricultural and chemical industries; it is primarily known for producing chemicals, Cheshire cheese, salt, and silk. It has also had an impact on popular culture, producin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lesley Whittle
British teenager Lesley Whittle was kidnapped on 14 January 1975, and her body discovered on 7 March 1975. Her kidnapping and murder dominated national headlines for 11 months. The investigation involved over 400 officers from the West Mercia Constabulary, Staffordshire and West Midlands police forces and the Metropolitan Police. Whittle, aged 17, was kidnapped from her home in Highley, Shropshire, by Donald Neilson, who by that time had committed over 400 burglaries and three murders. He was known to the British press as "the Black Panther", for the black balaclava he wore during robberies of post offices. Neilson held Whittle in an underground drainage shaft of a reservoir at Bathpool Park in Kidsgrove, Staffordshire. He had placed a hood over her head, left her naked, and tethered her to the side of the shaft by a wire noose. After what was later seen as a bungled police operation, including two failed attempts to engage with Neilson's demand for a ransom of £50,000, he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Donald Neilson
Donald Neilson (born Donald Nappey; 1 August 1936 – 18 December 2011), alias the “Black Panther,” was a British armed robber, kidnapper, and multiple murderer. From 1971, he committed a series of robberies of sub-post offices; in 1974, Neilson killed three men during these robberies. In 1975, he kidnapped Lesley Whittle, an heiress from Highley, Shropshire, who died in his captivity. He was arrested later that year, convicted of four counts of murder, and sentenced to life imprisonment in July 1976. Neilson remained in prison until his death in 2011. Early life Neilson, born Donald Nappey, was aged ten in January 1947, when his 33-year-old mother died from breast cancer. He was said to have had an unhappy childhood, and was caught shopbreaking in 1948. But due to his age and circumstances, Neilson was given a police caution or stern warning. In April 1955, an 18-year-old Neilson married 20-year-old Irene Tate. In 1958, his wife persuaded him to leave the army, followi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Black Panther (1977 Film)
''The Black Panther'' is a 1977 British crime film. Its subject is the real life ex-military criminal Donald Neilson, known as the "Black Panther". It was directed and produced by Ian Merrick, his first feature, and stars Donald Sumpter, Debbie Farrington and Marjorie Yates.Chibnall & Petley p.225 The film was highly controversial on its release, regarded as deeply exploitative as it was released only a few years after the occurrence of the real life events. It was slated by media figures such as Sue Lawley of ''Tonight''. Subsequently, the film was effectively banned from viewing.John Patterso"Why The Black Panther can hold its head up high" ''The Guardian'' (blog), 6 June 2012 Plot The story begins with Neilson's robbery at Heywood Post Office in Greater Manchester on 16 February 1972. Neilson loses his black-hooded mask after a fight with the owner, but manages to escape. He later travels home to his wife and teenaged daughter, who are unaware of his criminal activity. Nielso ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council
Newcastle-under-Lyme ( RP: , ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. The 2011 census population of the town was 75,082, whilst the wider borough had a population of 128,264 in 2016, up from 123,800 in the 2011 Census. Toponym The name "Newcastle" is derived from a mid 12th century motte and bailey that was built after King Stephen granted lands in the area to Ranulf de Gernon, Earl of Chester; the land was for his support during the civil war known as The Anarchy. "Lyme" might refer to the Lyme Brook or the Forest of Lyme (with lime and elm trees) that covered an extensive area across the present day counties of Cheshire, Staffordshire and parts of Derbyshire. History 12th–19th centuries Newcastle was not recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book, as it grew up round a 12th-century castle, but it must have gained rapid importance, as a charter, known solely through a reference in another charter to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Parks And Open Spaces In Staffordshire
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. National parks and country parks are green spaces used for recreation in the countryside. State parks and provincial parks are administered by sub-national government states and agencies. Parks may consist of grassy areas, rocks, soil and trees, but may also contain buildings and other artifacts such as monuments, fountains or playground structures. Many parks have fields for playing sports such as baseball and football, and paved areas for games such as basketball. Many parks have trails for walking, biking and other activities. Some parks are built adjacent to bodies of water or watercourses and may comprise a beach or boat dock area. Urban parks often have benches for sitting and may contain picnic tables and barbecue grills. The largest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
