Frogmore Park is located in Pymble NSW. The park was created in the 1820s by a wealthy landowner named James Thompson who owned the estate and quarry that would eventually become Frogmore Quarry.
Thompson built a small cottage at the top of his property which he named “Frogmore House” after his birthplace in England. In 1841, he sold both properties to George Allen and John Harris (the owners of nearby Epping Forest) for £1,000 each with an agreement that they could not build on or subdivide their new purchase until two years had passed.
image by northshorekids.com.au
In 1843, Allen and Harris subdivided their purchase into four blocks all of which were sold by December the same year. In 1845 they built an Anglican Church on one of the lots to serve as a school for local children. This church is still in use today though it has been renamed Pymble Presbyterian Church.
The second church, St. John’s Anglican Church was built on a different lot and consecrated in 1859.
In the late 1860s George Allen subdivided his block into three with one of them being set aside for a public park to serve as a recreation ground for children. The land for this park now forms part of Frogmore Park which was formally opened in 1881.
The park originally consisted of a cricket ground, tennis court, and bowling green with some gardens but has since expanded to include a wider range of sports facilities including an indoor pool that was built over the original quarry site which now provides additional parking space for visitors to Frogmore Park.
Frogmore Park is home to many community events such as “Daffodils In The Dark” where people explore the area by candlelight during winter months. It also hosts various other annual events like garden tours, gardening competitions, and fun days organised by local residents groups as well as major sporting tournaments hosted at Pymble Ladies’ College (PLC).
In 2013 there are plans underway for major upgrades to be carried out at Frogmore Park, including building a new function and exhibition space called “the Hub” as well as other improvements to the park.
A project has been underway since 2011 by volunteers from Pymble Ladies’ College (PLC) who have planted over 100,000 native trees in an effort to help restore the area of land between PLC and the park. This group also maintains walking tracks through this section of Frogmore Forest which is now part of the National Parks System.
Today, the land around Frogmore House is mostly public open space although there are still some private residences in the area.
