John Rylands was a shy and humble man but his business acumen created a company that was considered the ‘monarchs of the cotton industry in England’. From modest beginnings he created a company that was worth 0.19 per cent of GNP by 1888, employing 15,000 people in his 17 mills and factories and producing 35 tons of cloth a day. On his death he was crowned the ‘cotton king’ . The fact that his fame subsequently faded somewhat can perhaps be attributed to John Ryland’s strong christian ideals which meant that he had lived modestly out of the public eye and much of his philanthrophy was kept secret. 

John Rylands married Enriqueta Tennant in 1875 and they spent 13 years together before John died at Longford Hall in 1888. John Rylands left an estate of £2,574,922 and Enriqueta followed John’s philanthropic disposition by devoting much of her time and money to good causes. As a tribute to her husband Enriqueta Rylands founded the John Rylands Library in 1899. Through the purchase of many remarkable private collections, Enriqueta created a library of international distinction.

Enriqueta died in 1908. Following her funeral, she was cremated and the ashes interred with her husband’s in the nearby Southern Cemetery. Longford Estate was sold to Stretford Urban District Council in 1911 for the nominal amount of £14,500 and books from its extensive library joined the collection at John Rylands Library.

1933 Incorporation of Stretford Borough Council and Fireworks!

The Rylands estate became a public park. The estate which originally comprised 63 acres including the Hall, outbuildings, greenhouses, five villas and eighteen cottages, was enlarged in 1925 by the addition of a further eighteen acres.

The North West Film Archive at Manchester Metropolitan University have permitted the Friends of Longford Park to display a rare film of Longford Park celebrations on Stretford becoming a Borough Council in 1933.

1937 Longford Park and Stretford Pageant (1 minute 40 seconds, No Sound)

After the the incorporation of Stretford Borough Council, Longford Hall was subsequently extended to improve the accommodation for civic and private functions and Longford Park became a focal point for civic events and activity.

One such activity was the Stretford pageant, which has been continuously hosted in Longford Park every year since 1919. The pageant festivities form an important strand of the history of the park and large crowds came to the May and Rose queen festivities, a source of civic pride and celebrations.

1971 Visit to Longford Park by the Women’s Insitute

Extensive gardens and conservatories were a feature of the Longford Hall estate under John Rylands:- ‘19 gardeners [were] employed [with] special houses to the rear of the hall. The kitchen garden was doubled from 2 acres in 1862 to 4 in 1867. 14 conservatories with ¾ of an acre under glass in 1862 were doubled to 31 by 1875, with 2 miles of steampipes, served by 6 boilers, a steam engine and a gas-works. Exotic fruit ..were cultivated on a large scale, regularly carrying off prizes. (Farnie 1993: 19-20)’.

After the Longford Hall Estate became a public park, impressive art-deco ornamental gardens and glass houses were made available to the public. The colour flim clip of a visit to Longford Park by the Women’s institute was made available courtesy of the The North West Film Archive at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Longford Hall became the home of the council’s permanent art collection. It was utilised as an art gallery and exhibition space as well as being used for civic occasions and social functions. 

New stairs were added in front of Longford Hall in preparation for the 1977 Royal Garden Party at Longford Park.

In June 1977 Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, escorted by the Mayor of Trafford and Sir William Downward attended the Royal Garden Party at Longford Park.

More than 4,000 guests attended the Royal Garden party at Longford Park. Many thousands more attended the royal procession that passed through the Stretford town centre.

Longford Hall was demolished in 1995 but the facade of the old hall still stands in the centre of the park, and its foundations are now a walk-through area. The park still contains the historic coach house and stable buildings dating back to when the hall was built.

On Sunday 29th February 2004, over 100 people attended the unveiling of a blue plaque in honour of John Rylands. The year 2008 represented the centenary of the death of Enriqueta Rylands and the blue plaque within Longford Park was updated to reflect more accurately her important contribution.