Shelthorpe house - the middle years

Last time on the blog, we looked at some of the families who had lived at Shelthorpe House from its creation around 1866, when Richard Warner Hole and his wife lived there, through the time of Herbert and Clara Paget, to the time of Charles Lewes Dashwood, who by late 1880 had left the property. So what happened next?

The 1881 census return records William Frederick Beardsley with his wife, Roza Luis (nee Fernandes), who he had married in Wakefield in 1874, living at Shelthorpe House. The size of the property would have been eminently suitable for the Beardsleys who at this time already had five children, whose births had been registered at Barrow-on-Soar. I wonder if the lodge house, where George Thompson, the groom, and his wife, Caroline, and five children lived, was equally suited to a large family?

William and Roza’s family continued to grow whilst they were living at Shelthorpe House, and another son, Arthur was born in 1883, his birth being registered in Loughborough in the third quarter, i.e. July-August-September. Meanwhile, the groom associated with the house was now Joseph Cross and he and his wife Ellen, had a daughter Constance who was born in July 1883.

A puzzling piece of the jigsaw which came to light during this research was a newspaper article from 1884 which reported on a person called Fanny Fearey who lived at Shelthorpe House with her mother, and who accused someone of stealing her umbrella when she was in Sanders’ Vaults. I can only assume she was a servant?

While the Beardslesy were living at Shelthorpe House, Mrs Roza Luis Beardsley was very socially active! In August 1887 she opened the grounds of Shelthorpe House to the gathering of the Loughborough Habitation of the Primrose League of which she was the current Dame President. When the same group had their March 1888 meeting in the Oddfellows Hall on Sparrow Hill, Mrs Beardsley was re-elected to the position of Dame President, and Mr Beardsley was elected as Ruling Councillor.

Six months later, the Beardsleys were on the move! The birth of their daughter, Mabel in August 1888 was probably what prompted the move. And so it was that in March 1889 Shelthorpe House was again offered for sale, this time the auction taking place at the Bell Hotel in Leicester.

The auction details described Shelthorpe House as a freehold residential property, suitable for use as a family home, or a hunting residence. The accompanying cottage was well-built, there were outbuildings, and stables, all situated in gardens with orchards and paddocks, in all about 14 acres. The house itself had a spacious entrance hall, three large reception rooms, eight bedrooms, offices, modern conveniences, and good cellars. Included in the sale were the coach house, washing box, harness room with a loft above, loose horse boxes for about 7 horses, which could be extended to fit 10. The town of Loughborough was a short distance away, the Quorn Kennels were within about 2 miles, the Charnwood Forest was within easy reach, the railway service was excellent – 2 hours and 40 minutes to London, 20 minutes to Leicester, and 25 minutes to Nottingham - and the nearby schools were good.

The sale of Shelthorpe House was successful, and the price paid was £4,000. The new owner was John William Taylor, snr., the bellfounder, who with his extensive family had moved from Bellfoundry House on Freehold Street. In May 1889, the council agreed to extend the water main from Leicester Road to Shelthorpe House, on the proviso that Mr Taylor paid water rates at an annual amount which was equal to 10 % on the outlay. A year later, in April 1890, the building plans committee agreed to Mr Taylor building an entrance lodge to Shelthorpe House, which was described as his ‘new business premises’.

The Bellfoundry on Freehold Street

Like Mrs Roza Luis Beardsley, John William Taylor, snr., was involved in the Primrose League – although not as its Dame President!!! In July 1890, Mr Taylor hosted the annual summer fete of the Loughborough Habitation of the Primrose League and the local Conservative party in the grounds of Shelthorpe house which were profusely decorated, making a particularly pleasing background for photographs. In the evening the grounds were lit by Chinese lanterns.

At the time of the 1891 census returns, John William Taylor snr. was living with his wife, Eliza and both were aged 64. Offspring also living with them at Shelthorpe House were Mary E., aged 36; Charles T. aged 38; Edmund Denison aged 26; Horace Newcombe aged 23, and Owen D. aged 20. The were also 3 servants – Thomas Gent 16, Mary Bowley 28, and Caroline Taylor 24. One of John William and Eliza’s other children, Pryce, who wasn’t living with them, married Helena Gertrude Bardsley of Ivy Cottage, Loughborough, at the parish church, later that same year.

Members of the Taylor family supported good causes, and in 1894, Horace Newcombe donated 10s. to the church voluntary schools fund. Meanwhile, the lodge to Shelthorpe House was occupied by Alfred Rupert West and his wife Mary in 1897. In July 1899, the scholars of the Holy Trinity Sunday School had their annual treat in the grounds of Shelthorpe House and the Borough Band entertained, just 21 years after the consecration of the Holy Trinity Church. A few months later, produce from Shelthorpe House was included in the Harvest Festival decoration at the parish church of All Saints.

Loughborough had held an annual agricultural show since about 1848, and in the 52nd annual show of 1900, John William Taylor’s horse came in as the reserve in the brood mare with foal class. In the summer of 1901, the 10th annual wool sale was held in the Drill Hall, and Horace Newcombe Taylor provided fleece for sale. A few months earlier, at the time of the 1901 census, John William Taylor snr, and his wife Eliza, both according to the census return now aged 63, were living at Shelthorpe House with offspring, Edmund Denison aged 36, Horace Newcombe aged 33, and Owen J. aged 30. The family had three servants – Sarah Bowley aged 29, Rosa Aldridge aged 25, and Ernest Wilson aged 14. Alfred Rupert West, the gardener, was still living at Shelthorpe Lodge, with his wife and two daughters.

The grounds of Shelthorpe House continued to be made available for Primrose League events. However, due to poor weather conditions, the one in August 1905 wasn’t particularly well-attended, but people danced to the music played by the Borough Band, and listened to a concert from a group from Leicester.  

In March 1906, John William Taylor (25th March 1885 – 15th September 1916) came of age, but his 21st birthday wasn’t celebrated at Shelthorpe House, but rather at the bellfoundry, where the yard was covered and decorated with flags, and the tables and platform were decorated with flowers.

Sadly, only eight months after the celebrations of John William Taylor’s 21st birthday, John William Taylor, snr., his grandfather died, aged 79. In April 1907, the will of John William Taylor, snr., of Shelthorpe House was proved, and the estate valued at £47,614 gross.

Memorial headstone to John William Taylor, snr., Eliza his wife, and Edmund Denison Taylor, their son 

Whether or not Shelthorpe House was sold, or offered for let, I am not sure, however, by the time of the 1911 census return, the occupier was William Smith Dodgson, aged 50, a retired farmer and quarry owner from Monk Bretton in Yorkshire. He was living at Shelthorpe House with his wife Annie aged 45, son Rupert aged 6, daughter Olive aged 5, and stepson A. Norman Mullinson aged 23. There were also 5 servants listed.

William Smith Dodgson died on 7th January 1918. His will was proved on 22nd March 1918 by his widow Annie Augusta Dodgson, and Alfred Clegg, a solicitor. Effects were £80,158 17s. 11d. The address on the probate record was mistyped, and appeared as Skelthorpe House, rather than Shelthorpe House.

And here we will leave the history of Shelthorpe House and its occupiers until next time when we will consider the final years in the life of the house. 

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Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

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