Site

Our plumbing consultant points out that some of the columns are plumbed in to act as down-pipes for water off the roof. Clever.

From a nearby information board:
Southwark Park opened in 1869 without provision for public music. For the Victorians the park was more about nature and health, rather than entertainment. However the local community made it clear they would like to hear music in their park, and by 1878 the Crown Brass Band was given permission to play on Saturdays. The Band, composed of working men from George M. Hammer and Co. Ltd’s factory in Bermondsey, performed on a small stage of their own making.

In 1883 a permanent wooden bandstand was installed before being relocated to Plumstead Common. It was replaced in 1889 by a fine iron structure, designed by the architect Captain Francis Fowke (1823 – 1865). The London County Council bought that bandstand from the Great International Exhibition in South Kensington at the instigation of local representative, Lawrence Stevens. It served Southwark Park for many years as a venue for concerts, dances, public meetings and even open-air school classes. In the late 1950s Fowke’s distinguished work was replaced by a functional, rectangular bandstand, which was eventually removed without replacement for many years. In 1999 the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded a grant for the restoration of historic features in Southwark Park, resulting in this replica of Fowke's bandstand, which you see today.

The accompanying photos show the rectangular bandstand, actually a stage with a proscenium arch.