These gardens in the heart of Boscombe were initially leased by us in 1885 from the trustees of the late WI Trehearne. The annual rent was £100, and the length of the lease was 99 years.

By 1887 the gardens had been laid out and included lawn tennis courts, with the Postman Band playing regularly on Wednesday afternoons. Permission for a croquet ground was granted in 1895 and a bowls green was established in 1912. After World War 1 a full-size bowling green replaced the existing green and tennis courts.

The freehold of part of the gardens was sold to us as public pleasure gardens by Sir George Meyrick in 1922 for £1,000. Further land was purchased for £100 in 1929 to build a new pavilion.

During World War 2 the pavilion was used by ARP personnel and metal railings were removed for reuse.

During the 1990s, the old pavilion was demolished and a new one built nearby. On the site of the former putting green a sensory garden and pond were also created. In 1999 a petanque court was laid, replacing a crazy golf course on the site of the old pavilion. The petanque court is still there but is no longer in use.

Recolour coating of the tennis court surfaces was completed in June 2000 and new lighting and fencing were installed in 2004 to improve security and safety.