Uxbridge House as seen on Google MapsUxbridge House 1890
The Crescent was built 1827 to 1831 to the designs of Thomas Ellis Owen, Cruickshank’s architect. The western end of The Crescent consisted of separate detached houses, the first of which was Uxbridge House.
The foundation stone was laid in 1826, and it became the first building in the very fashionable part of 19th century Alverstoke known as Anglesey.
The Crescent circa 1900
The Hampshire Chronicle of June 1883 described it as a:
Charming Freehold family residence for sale 2½ hours from London, equally suitable for Summer and Winter, well situated for yachting. Good anchorage in sight of windows, safe sea bathing. Clean shingle beach &co. Opposite to the Isle of Wight, close to Ryde and Cowes. South aspect; well furnished throughout, in perfect order, and fit for immediate occupation. Cheerful view of passing vessels. Seven minutes walk from Stokes Bay railway station and pier. Church, post and telegraph offices close to. Gravel subsoil, drainage perfect, mild and healthy climate. Good garden with glass (houses). Lawn tennis (three courts), and croquet grounds, shaded by remarkably fine old trees, in all three acres. Handsome reception rooms, 15 bed and dressing rooms, bath room with constant hot and cold supply, first rate domestic offices. Good stabling. Gas and water laid on.
Lady Harpur Crewe, wife of the late Sir J.H. Crewe is mentioned in press reports as living in the house in 1886.
The house was later purchased and lived in for many years by the Gosport brewer Samuel Turner Blake. He died in September 1897 when he was thrown from his horse whilst hunting with the Hambledon Hounds. His widow Edith (Mary) Hempsted Blake inherited Uxbridge House until January 1929 when she died at the age of 77 at Sherne House Brighton.
Uxbridge House was put up for auction on 31st January 1929. The sale document described it as: Uxbridge House, Anglesey, situate at the corner of Crescent Road. Carriage drive entrance, outer and inner halls, handsome dining room, attractive double drawing room, top lighted billiard room, morning room, library and smoking room, all on the ground floor. TWELVE GOOD BEDROOMS, two dressing rooms, two bath-rooms, servants’ hall, butler’s bedroom and ample domestic offices. The grounds comprise full-size tennis court, croquet lawn, flower garden, pleasure lawn surrounded by mature trees, two vegetable gardens, glass houses. garage, 3-stall stable, the whole occupying and area of ABOUT 3 ACRES, and having a frontage onto crescent Road of 232ft. and a continuous frontage to Anglesey Road and Clayhall Road of 785ft. or thereabouts.
It was immediately withdrawn from sale and sold instead by private tender, to the National Children’s Home.
Charles Cheers Wakefield was born at Wavertee, Liverpool, in 1859, the son of John Wakefield, a Government official at H.M. Customs. He entered an American oil broker’s office there and founded the Wakefield Oil Company, which became C.C. Wakefield and Co. His company subsequently changed the name of its lubricating products to Castrol. This became possibly the biggest firm of oil refiners in the world at that time.
Wakefield was an Alderman of the Bread Street Ward, London (1908), a member of the Court of Common Council, Sheriff (1907), and for 1915-1916 Lord Mayor of London. He was given his knighthood as Baron Wakefield of Hythe in 1930 for services to the City of London. He was raised to the peerage as Viscount Wakefield of Hythe in 1934.
He was co-founder of The Wakefield Trust. He was a wealthy philanthropist and high ranking freemason. He served as a treasurer of the National Children’s Homes and Orphanage in 1927.
When Uxbridge House and grounds was put up for sale, the Principal of the National Children’s Home, the Rev. Hodgeson Smith, together with Lord Wakefield and Sir Thomas Barlow, decided that the property was ideal for the purposes of the home, especially as it adjoined the premises of the branch.
In 1931 it was announced in the press that Lord Wakefield had donated £8,000 to the National Children’s Home and Orphanage at Alverstoke. It was part of a contribution of £33,000 that enabled them to purchase Uxbridge House as an addition to their scheme which included Atkinson House, Daisy House, Sunshine House and Pigott Hall. These building were necessary as the original properties were ‘in a grievous state‘. This gift by Lord Wakefield had not been made public until then but it covered the purchase of Uxbridge House, and in accordance with the wishes of Lord Wakefield the name was to be changed to ‘Lady Wakefield House’. This addition to the estate of the Alverstoke branch of the National Children’s Home ‘will enabled it to provide a place where more delicate children may be nursed back to health and strength‘.
Lord Wakefield G.C.V.O. died on January 15th 1941 at Beaconsfield Buckinghamshire, aged 81 having been known as ‘the prince of givers’ because of his donations to many causes of well over £1,000.000. He left no heir and his title was not passed on.
Following the closure of the National Children’s Home at Alverstoke in 1984 Wakefield House was converted to three smaller houses.
In 2017 a Blue Plaque was presented and unveiled to Lord Wakefield by The Gosport Society. It can be seen on the garden wall of Wakefield House. The plaque states that Lord Wakefield ‘Lived Here’ but there is no written evidence to support this supposition. Charles Wakefield lived at The Links at Hythe then Basset House overlooking the town at Hythe. The plaque has now been removed.
Ownership of Uxbridge House (later Lady Wakefield House) I am indebted to Gosport Historian Philip Eley for the following meticulously researched information concerning the ownership of Uxbridge House
HT 28 Sep 1826 p4 Earl of Uxbridge laid foundation stone at Anglesey
HT 15 August 1831 p4 Uxbridge Villa taken by Duke of Portland for the season HRO 48M74/E/T/191 20 Feb 1834 assignment of 1000 year term
1)Thomas SLAUGHTER of Bristol
2)Robert CRUICKSHANK -Whereas by mortgage 3 May 1832 1)sd RC 2)sd TS £4950 a term of 1000 years was created -ALL THAT capital mansion with greenhouse, coachhouse, stable, offices & buildings lately erected by said RC with yard and garden, pleasure grounds, closes of meadow, lands etc at Anglesey FORMERLY in occ Duke of Portland since of Hnble Rev Evelyn BOSCOWEN now sd RC –BOUNDED by road from Ak to Haslar on N; road to Stokes Bay on W; road and land of sd RC at Anglesey on S; ptly by msg/dwh & walled gdn erected by sd RC on E
HT 28 August 1843 p3 auction of “marine mansion” Uxbridge House, let to Rev E Osborne
PT 4 May 1850 p3 – ‘fashionable arrivals’ at Anglesey included Hon Sir E Bulwer and Lady at Uxbridge House
30 June 1853 Auction of Robert Cruickshank’s estate: lot 4 freehold marine mansion Uxbridge House in occupation of WEL Bulwar esquire, at £150 pa rent; with 4 acres 27 perches of land
PT 1 Aug 1857 p5 Lytton Bulwer Esq of Uxbridge House qualifed as a County Magistrate
census 1861 Uxbridge House occupied by Barber family
census 1871 Uxbridge House was occupied by a visitor (William Bowers) and a single servant
GBC deed #4584/1 abstract of title: mentions a mortgage 21 May 1879 made by Edward Percy Thompson of Uxbridge House EN 13 October 1879 p2 suicide of Captain Edward Percy Thompson, at Uxbridge House – leaving a widow and a son
HT 14 Jan 1880 Hampshire Assizes – silverware stolen from Mrs Thompson at Uxbridge House
HT 29 May 1880 p1 auction (24 June) of Uxbridge House census 1881 Uxbridge House was occupied by Commander (RN retired) John F Tottenham and family
HT 14 May 1881 Captain Tottenham of Uxbridge House complained to Alverstoke Local Board
HT 13 Aug 1881 p1 auction on instructions of Captain Tottenham at Uxbridge House of fencing materials etc
HT 8 March 1884 p3 court case where a servant of Capt Tottenham of Uxbridge House had stolen silver and gold items
ALB building plan 15 Dec 1885 billiard room at Uxbridge House for W Jessop
HRO 5M62/22 p711 1885 will of William Jessop esquire, of Butterley Hall, Derbyshire, late of Uxbridge House, Anglesey
BMD index 2B/325 William Jessop died June quarter 1885, aged 63; registered at Alverstoke
ALB Sanitary Inspector’s journal Jan to Feb 1888 mentions County Analyst’s report on water supply at Uxbridge House – Jessop took water sample from tap for analysis
HT 15 June 1889 p1 auction, on instructions of Edward Jessop esq (having sold the residence)
EN 22 July 1889 p3 tenders invited by ST Blake for alterations and additions to Uxbridge House census 1891 Uxbridge House was occupied by Samuel T Blake and family
GBC deed #706/3 mentions the will dated 22 November 1890 of Samuel Turner Blake of Uxbridge House appointing Mary & Frederick Blake with John Wolfe Barry as executors and trustees with power to sell property; also codicils of 3 November 1893 and 19 September 1895
GBC deed #706/3 mentions Samuel Turner Blake died 27 March 1897 at Uxbridge House; Sir John W Barry declined to act as executor; probate was granted 12 August 1897 to Mary and Frederick Blake St Marks burial register: 30 Mar 1897 Samuel T Blake of Uxbridge House, 60 years old, buried
HT 11 Sep 1897 p2 reveals that ST Blake, by his will, left the use of Uxbridge House to his wife during her widowhood
GBC deed #2907/1 abstract of title: mentions conveyance 25 March 1898 Mary Blake of Uxbridge House, Anglesey, widow and Frederick Blake of Gosport, brewer, were described as the representatives of Samuel Blake deceased
HRO 1902 Rate Book shows Mary Blake occupying 1 Crescent Road, owned by the executors of ST Blake
ALB building plan May 1904 drainage at Uxbridge House for Frederick Blake
GBC deed #706/3 conveyance 27 May 1921 from Mary Blake of Uxbridge House, Anglesey, widow
HRO 111M97 box59 1928 will of Mary Blake of Uxbridge House
EN 12 Jan 1929 p2 auction announced of Uxbridge House ‘by direction of the trustees of the late ST Blake’
EN 28 Jan 1929 p4 announcement that the auction was cancelled because Uxbridge House had been sold by private contract
EN 8 July 1929 p7 piece about a boy missing from the Alverstoke NCH confirms that Uxbridge House is NCH property
GBC building plan #1736 dated August 1929 alterations & WCs at Uxbridge House for National Children’s Home and Orphanage
EN 24 April 1931 p11 belatedly gives details of Lord Wakefield of Hythe’s donation of £8000 to allow NCH to buy Uxbridge House; it was to be renamed Lady Wakefield House
