Fenton Park

Baker's water fountain

The Baker family were known as "the family who built Fenton". William Baker's father (also named William Baker d.1833) was an architect from Audlem, Cheshire. He bought the estate and manor of Fenton Culvert together with a pottery factory - this was run by his second son (also named William) 

In 1840 William Baker (b.1800 d.1865)  became the first chief bailiff of Fenton, his benefactions included an infant school, Fenton Athenaeum, and the vicarage, he also enlarged the original Christ Church.
 

Victoria Square c.1915

The drinking water fountain originally stood in Victoria Square near
Baker's pottery factory opposite Mason's Ironstone works - it was moved to Fenton park to make way for the roundabout and road widening.

The water fountain presented by William Baker
photo: 2001 when the fountain was still in Fenton Park

The inscription reads:

'The gift of William Baker 
for the benefit of
the residents of Fenton
July 1861'

The fountain donated to "The People of Fenton " by the Baker Family was  subsequently vandalised, broken into 3 pieces and left in disrepair has was refurbished and in early 2007 moved back to City Road near to the site of the Baker pottery works.

The Baker water fountain restored and on City Road
photo: Oct 2008

The car park behind the fountain was once the location of one of the Baker pottery works, in the background is Fenton Town Hall (now magistrates court) and the tower of Christ Church.

On the other side of City Road is the retained facade of one of the Baker pottery works.