refused to become profitable and was forced to close for good in 1858, with the land, equipment and animals all auctioned off. Leeds Royal Park Following the failure of the Royal Gardens, Clapham moved on to a new venture approximately half a mile away in the area which is now the densely populated Hyde Park, but in the mid-19th century was still undeveloped fields adjacent to Woodhouse Moor. In 1858, he purchased facing the west of the Moor, including the Victoria Cricket Ground, which had staged most of the area's important matches since 1837 and was to be the focal point of his new recreational pleasure ground. Known initially as Leeds New Gardens, the pleasure ground Clapham created on the site featured a more downmarket focus than the Royal Gardens, with cricket, a gymnasium and what was described as "the largest dancing platform in the world". Other attractions included clay pigeon shooting, Punch and Judy shows, hot air balloon rides, and gardens with shrubs, lawns and a conservatory. The Leeds New Gardens was renamed to the Royal Park in September 1858 in honour of Queen Victoria's visit to Leeds that month to officially open the Town Hall. During the 1860s, the park hosted the Leeds Flower Show on an annual basis, and held sensational paid events, such as on 27 July 1861, when Charles Blondin, who was famous for having crossed the Niagara Gorge, walked a tightrope carrying a man on his back. By 1866, Clapham owned of land adjoining Woodhouse Moor and he constructed himself a house next to the park gate, and a new road, named Clapham Road, following the line of an old footpath. Only some on the site of the original cricket ground were part of the Royal Park; the other land was described as additional recreational areas. Throughout Clapham's time heading the management of the park, he was dogged by repeated revocations or refused applications for a music and events licence, followed by his repeated running of events regardless; he was regularly convicted by magistrates and given the penalty of a fine. However, Clapham overreached himself financially – relying on a complicated system of mortgages on which he found difficulty in paying the interest; he expanded his holdings to such an extent that he owed £15,000 () to various people on the understanding that the money could not be called in before 1872 – and