History Northwood_House

1 history

1.1 ward family

1.1.1 george ward (1793 - 1829)
1.1.2 george henry ward (1829 - 1849)
1.1.3 william george ward (1849 - 1882)
1.1.4 edmund granville ward (1882 - 1915)
1.1.5 wilfrid philip ward (1915 - 1916)
1.1.6 captain herbert joseph ward (1916 - 1929)


1.2 isle of wight council years (1929 - 2010)
1.3 northwood house charitable trust co ltd (2010 date)

history

the ward family held estate through 6 generations 1793 until 1929. road runs in front of house named ward avenue in honour. however, owned huge amount of land across isle of wight , resided @ weston manor in freshwater. successive owners of estate follows:

the ward family
george ward (1793 - 1829)

in 1793, george ward esq, highly successful merchant banker broad street in city of london, bought @ auction cowes estate of bellevue, consisted of belle vue house , seventeen acres of land. house described modern brick dwelling house , 4 rooms on each floor , excellent wine cellar.

in 1799, largely demolished belle vue house , built northwood house on site, grounds being renamed northwood park. part of belle vue still exists large cellars underneath northwood house, said have been built hide smuggled goods. time, ward had acquired more land in cowes, including debourne farm, bringing estate 217 acres. driveway, leading house, time mile long. changes house designed john nash, famous london architect. nash designed buckingham palace many other island properties, including east cowes castle, iw county club , st mildred s church, whippingham.

the walls surrounding estate built bembridge limestone, taken brading harbour.

ward s wealth originated grandfather, john ward , father, called john ward. both of whom highly successful businessmen. however, aside this, in 1783, father won half-share of £20,000 state-run lottery win. worth on million pounds today. george ward older brother of robert plumer ward, barrister, politician , novelist mp cockermouth between 1802 , 1806.

amongst other things, george ward made own fortune lending money government during napoleonic wars @ highly beneficial rates of interest. used money buy more , more land on isle of wight, amassing around 20,000 acres, said 1 fifth of island s area. due enormous amounts of land owned time, nickname king ward . ward director of east india docks in london.

in 1798, george ward nominated new sheriff in court of exchequer

in 1803, wife mary had baby daughter, born @ house. in 1813, unfortunately died of paralytic stroke.

in 1813, george ward started first paddle steamer service between cowes , southampton. isle of wight royal mail steam packet company become company known red funnel.

memory of john sutton, fell in duel near town on 10th december 1817 aged 22 years.

in 1817, duel took place @ northwood house between major orlando lockyer , lieutenant john sutton, after lockyer took offense comment made sutton, whilst both drinking 1 night. in morning, @ agreed duelling place, said sutton apologised , informed lockyer not return fire against him. lockyer still asked signal fire , when handkerchief dropped, shot sutton through heart without sutton unstopping pistol. before dying, sutton staggered forward , held out hand, lockyer took. lockyer , seconds fled scene. @ coroner s inquest, jury returned verdict of wilful murder against lockyer , 2 seconds, @ time had still not been apprehended. in subsequent trial @ winchester assizes, charged murder. lockyer said had been under gross provocation , had asked sutton make concession make duel unnecessary, sutton refused , obstinate last. defendants found guilty of manslaughter , given 3 months imprisonment each. john sutton buried in next door st mary s church graveyard.

in 1821, celebrate coronation of george iv, grand celebration poor people of northwood , cowes held @ northwood house. feast 2,000 people prepared , seen opportunity them testify loyalty , joy new king. giving use of estate, ward donated 50 guineas towards total cost of 200 guineas, food , entertainment.

in 1823, ward commended munificent generosity in distributing 6 bullocks , ten chaldrons of coals amongst poor , deserving objects of cowes.

george had famous , talented son, cricketer william ward. following in family footsteps, william noted financier. cricketer, scored first ever first-class double-century , score of 278 mcc v norfolk in 1820, remained highest ever first-class score 56 years, until beaten w. g. grace in 1876, score of 344. ball ward played held in mcc museum , thought oldest in existence.

william ward can thanked saving famous lord s cricket ground being sold housing developer in 1825. stepped in , bought lease, prevent happening. in 1817, william elected director of bank of england , expert on foreign exchanges. in 1826, william ward became mp city of london. william ward missed out on inheriting estate 3 months, dying before older brother, george henry ward. however, son inherited estate in place.

george ward died @ age of 78 in 1829, leaving estate said worth upwards of £700,000 @ time.

george henry ward (1829 - 1849)

in 1829, following death of george ward, first-born son george henry ward inherited estate. in 1837, vastly renovated house, incorporating new western wing, entrance pavilion , classical side wall. inheriting estate, inherited father s nickname, king ward .

in 1835, ward contested election member of parliament of isle of wight, defeated sir richard simeon, both being important isle of wight land-owners. sir richard simeon had directed tenants vote whoever liked. however, said couldn t find 1 person on george ward s estate dare vote against him. acrimonious campaign, violent outbreaks. during official nomination, events got heated , fight broke out. 1 elector asked ward if true had promised local family arrange release prison of several members of family in return them voting him. ward replied saying wouldn t answer question.

ward described man of retired habits seldom took part in affairs of cowes . in fact county magistrate, although refused act in capacity.

in 1845, northwood house received visit prince albert , sir edward bowater, spent 2 hours viewing house , grounds. g h ward had spent £20,000 on embellishments foreign artists , had spared no expense in laying out grounds. considered contained finest collection of evergreens in england. in 1846, entertained sir george hamilton seymour, minister @ brussels. sir george son of lord george seymour, owned nearby norris castle.

george henry ward married mary saunders, daughter of mr richard saunders esq. however, died in 1938, having had no children, leaving george henry ward no immediate heir. next in line estate william george ward, son of george henry ward s younger brother, famous cricketer, william ward. william ward missed out on inheriting estate himself, died on 30 june 1849, 3 months before older brother george henry ward, died on 29 september 1849. did not prevent son inheriting estate, still next in line.

william george ward (1849 - 1882)

following uncle s death, estate passed william george ward, theologian , mathematician. in 1834 awarded open fellowship @ balliol college, oxford, work in mathematics. published many articles on ethics, religion , moral philosophy, having converted church of england roman catholic church in 1845.

in 1851, became professor of moral philosophy @ st edmund s college, ware , in 1863 became editor of dublin review, catholic periodical.

in 1852, reported northwood house had been leased period of ten years, used catholic seminary. however, 1853, written house occupied robert white esq, educational establishment. later, 1858, house again occupied rightful owner, william george ward.

in 1858, william ward gave part of grounds people of cowes, used public walks , playground. proposed lower part used walks , upper part cricket ground. father had of course been eminent first-class cricketer. in 1858, ward visited cardinal wiseman.

by 1864, house occupied mr stephenson, must have been relatively brief period. 1867, occupied james dunkin lee, after laying vacant long time.

in 1871, ward moved family seat totland, building weston manor , headon hall, @ alum bay. nickname ideal ward.

edmund granville ward (1882 - 1915)

following father s death, estate passed eldest son, edmund granville ward. went on marry gertrude jane mary dormer, daughter of hon. hubert francis dormer on 28 may 1885. however, marriage annulled in 1896. died on 2 september 1915. however, edmund s family home egypt house, egypt hill, cowes , house lay empty years.

however, shortly after acquiring it, edmund did allow house used royal yacht squadron in 1882 hold grand ball in honour of hrh prince of wales, had been appointed commodore of squadron. in attendance wife, princess of wales , many of noblemen of day. guest list included marquis, viscounts, earls, lords, counts, knights, many men of military rank , partners. entertainment provided hungarian band , men atttending had wear man-of-war jackets of blue cloth brass buttons, blue trousers, white waistcoats black tie. uniform said revival of older fashion, said becoming men not square built .

in 1884, northwood house used lord petre accommodate forty fifty boys of woburn school, after school in weybridge sold. shortly afterwards in 1885, football match held @ northwood house, between boys of woburn house , cowes football club, resulted in 1-1 draw.. not long after this, school failed, weybridge school before it.

in 1886, royal yacht squadron again held annual ball @ northwood house, hungarian band again supplying music. royal event. amongst attendees prince , princess of wales, crown prince , princess of germany, princesses victoria, margaret , sophia of germany, duchess of edinburgh, princess louise, princess henry of battenberg, prince albert victor, prince george, princesses louise, victoria , maud of wales, princess irene of hesse , maharaja of cooch behar.

in 1889, isle of wight county council sold off remaining toll houses. northwood house toll house sold £30 west council local board. granville ward generously gave of tenants of ward estate, rent reduction of 15%.

in august 1889, grand garden party held @ northwood house, again attended prince , princess of wales , princesses victoria , maud. held raise money organ , vestry fund of cowes holy trinity church. other attendees included princess louise, marquis of lorne, prince hermann of saxe-weimar , wife , many lords , ladies of day. music provided band of oxfordshire light infantry. lord colville s black poodle received praise collecting money appeal, wandering appealingly amongst guests money-box around neck. regretfully party abruptly curtailed when deluge of rain spoiled proceedings.

in 1891, northwood house placed @ disposal of prince henry of battenberg , wife beatrice, daughter of queen victoria. held grand ball there, attended several members of royal family , 300 notable inhabitants of isle of wight. amongst present duke , duchess of connaught , duke of clarence, once rumoured candidate being jack ripper. others included marquis of lorne, count mensdorff , lord , lady tennyson. event described brilliant gathering has ever taken place on island. purpose event celebrate prince henry being named governor of isle of wight , keeper of carisbrooke castle, in succession late viscount eversley. although did not attend event, queen victoria visited house beforehand witness preparations. event held @ osborne house, fact new banqueting hall had not been completed there.

but, between 1901 , 1906, northwood house became convent 80 benedictine nuns, expelled france when new law passed. law enabled french government close religious establishments jesuit, dominican or benedictine. among many internal alterations, ballroom turned chapel, being largest room in building. life @ northwood insular , said never leave grounds, except in case of utmost necessity.

one of nuns princess adelaide of löwenstein-wertheim-rosenberg, widow of duke of braganza, died in 1866. generosity of princess allowed nuns settle in former home in solesmes, france. around same time in 1901, benedictine monks settled in appuldurcombe house on isle of wight, before moving quarr abbey still reside today.

the nuns @ northwood house visited in 1902 new king , queen, whilst touring isle of wight. visited new convent there , chapel. in 1905, nuns visited more royalty, entertaining queen of saxony. in 1906, princess ena married king of spain, regular visitor, attending mass nuns.

in 1906, nuns secured college in ryde permanent home , left northwood house. later, in 1909, northwood park turned nine-hole golf course.

wilfrid philip ward (1915 - 1916)

lacking heir, estate briefly passed edmund s younger brother, wilfrid philip ward, essayist , biographer. @ time, lecturer @ lowell institute, boston , father, became editor of dublin review. wrote @ least 4 biographies, including of father, cardinal wiseman, aubrey thomas de vere , cardinal newman. 1 of founders of synthetic society , knowledge community formed lunchtime discussion had former prime minister arthur balfour in 1896. community discussed issues such agnostic tendencies , religious belief. ward described being 1 of 2 leading lay english catholic thinkers of generation , prominent member of oxford movement.

wilfrid ward married josephine mary hope-scott, daughter of james hope-scott , lady victoria howard, daughter of duke of norfolk. living @ weston manor, totland, said neighbour , intimate friend of lord tennyson. died in 1916, leaving estate valued @ £10,658.

during first world war, northwood house requisitioned war office , used red cross military hospital. in 1915, princess louis of battenberg , daughter princess louise, later become queen of sweden, visited red cross hospital visit sick , wounded soldiers there. later same year, soldiers visited princess henry of battenberg , princess louise, duchess of argyll. between 1914 , 1919, when hospital closed, had treated 1894 patients.

captain herbert joseph ward (1916 - 1929)

following father s death, estate passed captain herbert joseph ward, many of predecessors, preferred live elsewhere. captain ward lived @ egypt house, cowes; , since closure of red cross hospital in 1919, northwood house had been unoccupied. in 1919, ward started sell off of family lands , in 1929, made decision give house , remaining 29 acres of land people of cowes, managed cowes urban district council. house used town hall , municipal offices , land converted pleasure parks people of cowes.

captain ward died in 1967.

the isle of wight council years (1929 - 2010)

in 1929, captain herbert joseph ward, jp , chairman of council, gifted house , estate cowes urban district council. deeds property received hrh princess henry of battenberg on 4 september 1929 in capacity royal governor of isle of wight. in turn, handed them mr f. w. beken, chairman of cowes urban district council. following year, tennis courts built public use.

during second world war house used red cross first-aid station , base air raid precaution wardens. parts of ground used growing vegetables under war effort s dig victory campaign , there air-raid shelter on site. there reports bomb fell on tennis courts. in 1940, charity event held @ northwood house, raise money spitfire fund. captured messerschmitt put on display event. later in 1941, concert held @ northwood house entertain troops, although embarrassingly, 5 soldiers turned , concert cancelled.

in 1947, bowling green added estate. current pavilion built in 1983/84, when existing 1 burnt down.

in august 1965, on 800 guests attended royal yacht squadron s annual ball @ northwood house. among guests prince philip , spanish ambassador.

in 1998, isle of wight council received offer developer, planned convert house hotel. however, public group formed, calling friends of northwood house , fought proposal. won , idea shelved.

as 2002, charitable scheme set up, local citizens being designated ‘management trustees’. in way, although council continued utilize building, including use registrars office, jointly looked after both council , volunteers.

in 2004, isle of wight council renovated downstairs rooms , moved island s registrar s office northwood house.

northwood house charitable trust co ltd (2010 date)

in 2010, isle of wight council withdrew northwood house, registrar s office , other council functions being moved elsewhere. left property s use , maintenance totally in hands of volunteers of charitable trust.

however, in 2012, management structure changed when original trust replaced northwood house charitable trust co. ltd.

the estate continues depend on of volunteers maintain , operate it. trades needed house include master craftsmen, cleaners, soft furnishing specialists , restoration workers. grounds, need gardeners, arborists , landscape designers.