A King George's Field is a public open space in the United Kingdom dedicated to the memory of King George V (3 June 1865–20 January 1936).
In 1936, after the king's death, the Lord Mayor of London formed a committee to determine a memorial that was not solely based on the idea of a statue. They arrived the same year at the concept of funding and erecting a single statue in London and setting up the King George's Fields Foundation to carry the late king's name forward through future generations with the aim:
To promote and to assist in the establishment throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of playing fields for the use and enjoyment of the people.
Each of the playing fields would:
Be styled 'King George's Field' and to be distinguished by heraldic panels or other appropriate tablet medallion or inscription commemorative of His Late Majesty and of a design approved by the Administrative Council.
Money was raised locally to buy the land, with a grant made by the foundation. After purchase the land was passed to the National Playing Fields Association, to "preserve and safeguard the land for the public benefit". Land was still being acquired for the purpose during the 1950s and early 1960s.
When the King George's Fields Foundation was dissolved in 1965 there were 471 King George Playing Fields, all over the country. They are now owned by the National Playing Fields Association and managed on their behalf by either the council or a board of local trustees.
There are strict covenants and conditions that ensure that the public will continue to benefit from these open play areas.
Famous quotes containing the words king, george and/or fields:
“Those banners come to bribe or threaten
Or whisper that a man’s a fool
Who when his own right king’s forgotten
Cares what king sets up his rule.
If he died long ago
Why do you dread us so?”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“He that rebels against reason is a real rebel, but he that in defence of reason rebels against tyranny has a better title to “Defender of the Faith,” than George the Third.”
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809)
“I have passed down the river before sunrise on a summer morning, between fields of lilies still shut in sleep; and when, at length, the flakes of sunlight from over the bank fell on the surface of the water, whole fields of white blossoms seemed to flash open before me, as I floated along, like the unfolding of a banner, so sensible is this flower to the influence of the sun’s rays.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)