This is how The Royal Gazette carried the story of 'The New Bandstand In Victoria Park' on September 17, 1889.

The Park has been an object of special care and interest to Mr. Alderman C.C. Keane, M.C.P., to whose good taste and judgment the public are indebted for possessing it as it is.

A recreation area seems to have been a leading idea in the arrangement of the town, which in these most ancient islands, is but a creation of the present century.

In the reserved lots facing the Public Buildings on Front Street, not very long ago happily acquired by the Colony, seats were to be provided for a public promenade.

The notion has found expression in Victoria Park, a square of modest dimensions in the bottom of the valley off Cedar Avenue, and almost immediately North of the Hamilton Hotel.

At times one of the military bands would perform in the park for a couple of hours in the afternoon, a respectable number of good seats being provided for the audience.

The want, however, was felt of proper accommodation for the band, and to this circumstance, perhaps, may be attributed the few performances which have lately taken place there.

Some years ago Mr. Keane was most desirous of remedying this want, and interested himself in procuring from the States some simple design of a band stand.

The Hon. S.S. Ingham, an active Alderman, was equally alive to the importance of providing suitably for the occasional band performances in the park, and so far interested himself as to procure a design during one of his visits to England.

The Mayor, Aldermen and Common Council of the Town of Hamilton felt, however, that there were more pressing demands on the Corporation Exchequer, more especially in the interest of the planters and shippers, the wharves, sheds and streets ever calling for increased outlays to meet the demands of trade and growth.

A happy day, however, dawned when the spirit of utilitarianism gave way to a free, spontaneous outburst of loyalty on the occasion of celebrating the Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Victoria in June, 1887.

A Triumphal Arch, the baptism of a street — Victoria Street — by the Chief Magistrate of the Town, a torch-light procession, a display of fireworks, and a general illumination were felt to be well adapted to the demands of the hour.

But it was rightly felt that, in the capital of these islands, something permanent and of practical value should be erected to mark the day, so well celebrated, in time to come.

The worshipful Thos. F.J. Tucker, Mayor of Hamilton, shared heartily in the enthusiasm of the hour, which called for something worthy alike of the auspicious occasion, which marked the completion of the 50th year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, and of ourselves as a community.

The long desired-for band stand was just the thing affording an admitted want, and appropriate too in seemingly bringing more in contact with Her Majesty's Forces our resident and floating population, in a system of regular band concerts, so general where accommodation of this sort is provided.

Mr. Keane and Mr. Ingham at last triumphantly carried the day, and information was had from the proper authorities as to the number of performers to be provided for, etc.

After various enquiries a number of designs, of more or less merit, were obtained. At the special request of the Mayor, the late Mr. Alex Pratt, Clerk of Works at Trinity Church, when on leave in Scotland in the Autumn of 1887, paid a visit to Glasgow.

The design, which has been carried out, was had through Mr. Pratt, and was commended by him as suited to the situation and the demands of the Band of a Regiment.

The Corporation unanimously agreed on the design approved by Mr. Pratt, and through Messrs Robt. Tucker & Co., the order was given early in 1888 to Messrs. Geo. Smith & Co., the Sun Foundry, Glasgow, on exceptionally favourable terms.

In fact a few years ago the whole cost completed would not have paid the first charge at the Foundry Gates.

About the end of November, 1888, the work was completed and shipped from London by direct steamer (the S.S. Eagle) to Bermuda, consigned to W.T. James.

In December the work was safely landed at Hamilton, and presented an important appearance on the wharf, 8 columns, 16 beams, 1 rod, 6 bundles, 1 ring, and 29 cases.

Last Autumn the site was selected in the Park, and immediate preparations were made to have it properly formed and prepared for the foundation platform.

The North-west section of the Park was selected as the best, and where the ground was much in need of betterment.

The surface rock was cut away, and the mound formed round a mass of hand-packed rubble, the main walk being gracefully curved, so as to afford a sufficient margin for a gentle upward slope.

The Committee of the Corporation in setting out the work were aided in a valuable way through the kindness of the Building Committee for the restoration of Trinity Church, by Mr. J.C. Hislop, in-charge-of-works, making a complete survey, which was followed out.

It was found that the whole Park, or Flower Garden if you would be a trifle more modest, required its walls and paths edged, gauged, and improved, which have been done in connection with the recent operations.

The weather was well adapted for turfing &c., and was eagerly taken advantage of.

The platform, itself octagonal some 44 feet wide, giving a due proportion of base to height, is formed of strong concrete with two steps, a broad platform on the lower, the space on the upper one being wide enough for a walk round outside the rail.

The whole has, on the completion of the iron and wood work, been rendered and finished in Portland Cement, White's being used as by far the best make where a heavy body of material is wanted, and where too rapid setting is not desirable.

This portion of the work has been done by the Street Committee, through their foreman, Mr. White, who has throughout taken no small interest in the matter.

As a temporary expedient, and by no means a bad one in appearance, the centre of the floor has been laid in Caen stone, to admit in the future of easily inserting a mosaic, recording the raison d'etre of the Band Stand in Victoria Park, Hamilton.

The state of the weather last winter made it quite impossible to attempt the erection of the cast until it meets a well decorated ring, a sort of corona, whence it is continued up in a convex form to the terminal which neatly caps the climax.

The columns supporting the Stand have neat capitals of decorated design, and are firmly secured to the platform, each with four bolts well leaded in.

An elaborate system of pitch pine ceiling joists braces the whole together.

The height from the platform to the top of the cornice is 17 feet 9 inches, to the base of the terminal 40 feet, being itself 7 feet 9 inches long, giving a total height from base to summit of 47 feet 9 inches.

The ceiling, about 14 ½ feet high, is lined with selected pitch pine in narrow widths beaded and closely jointed and blind-nailed arranged in eight panels converging from the sides of the octagon to the centre, finished very clean and smooth in three coats of stained oil.

Between the brackets supporting the columns under the cornice, eight pieces of Bermuda cedar from Jackson's Saw Mill, have been placed in the form of a moulded finish, a very appropriate weather board to protect the lining boards of the ceiling.

The whole work has been thoroughly galvanised and resents a pleasing tint, a sort of subdued lead-colour, to the eye.

The water is drained through two of the supporting columns on opposite sides, and is carried off by a pipe and sprinkler on the second rise of the platform.

The work required to put such a structure together, although fitted at the foundry, is indeed very much more than would generally be supposed.

Every pains has been taken to well secure it against all possible accident from wind or weather. Additional to the requirements of the specification, the roof has been greatly strengthened by iron supports firmly fastened to the ceiling joists, while extra bracings to the rafters have been introduced in the circuit of the covering.

The ventilation is secured through the corrugations of the roofing material.

The Mayor has throughout been most desirous of providing a substantial as well as an ornamental piece of work, bearing especially in mind the commemorative purpose in view.

During Her Majesty's reign the importance of these islands, from their geographical position in an Imperial consideration, has been year by year more fully realised, and expenditures have inconsequence been made for improving them from time to time.

It is gratifying to note the completion of the Band Stand, as yet the only permanent memorial here of Her Majesty's Jubilee, which called forth throughout the Empire such unbounded satisfaction in marking the day with a cretan mark.

The Bermuda public, it is hoped, will appreciate it and take pride in it, and we hope that its sounding board may throw out the music of many a Band in Her Majesty's Service.

A word or two about the Park itself. Its dimensions are of course necessarily small, but in small things there is often a charm.

Its situation does much to relieve and improve its diminutiveness. The contour of the ground with its four bounding streets serves to increase its appearance to the eye, the New Band Stand being an additional controlling factor.

The Arboretum at Derby, though only some ten acres in extent, was so laid out by the celebrated Landscape Gardener J.C. London at the expense of Joseph Strutt Esq. in 1840, that its wavy lines of source impart an illusionary notion of its size, so that in all England there is not to be found such a charming rural retirement almost in the heart of a large manufacturing town.

Looking South, the Hamilton Hotel, on its rugged bluff, bounds the horizon. Victoria St. rises some 15 feet with its retaining wall rich in verdure, stretching East is Trinity Church with its West Gable towering over lofty Cedars, has all the appearance of a noble Park Lodge.

Westward, Lusher's and Child's Cottages take the eye which penetrates through between them up to Mr. G.O. Whitney's Strawberry plantation.

Under the Hotel, by Victoria Lodge, looking down on the Park, the eye is carried up to the stones of Mount Langton, and the notion seems to gain strength that the whole expanse is a Park of which Victoria Park is the core.