This page is one of several pages which are based on articles in our book entitled Royal Leamington Spa, A History in 100 Buildings which was published in 2018 and is no longer in print.
In 1861, a Robert Hobson was living in York Terrace (now the Upper Parade) with his wife, eleven children (of 15) and eleven servants. In the 1861 census Mr Hobson was described as a “Gentleman”.
He decided to purchase a piece of land between Beauchamp Avenue and Clarendon Avenue. The land is currently occupied by Kingsley School and a Shell garage.
He commissioned William Gascoyne, one of Leamington’s leading builders, to construct a house on the site. The house, built of brick and faced with Cotswold stone, was substantial and consisted of three stories and a grand and highly decorated entrance facing Beauchamp Avenue. Gascoyne submitted plans for the house to the town surveyor on 17 June 1862. These were recommended to be sanctioned.
According to the Courier, the house was completed by September 1863. However, the Hobson family did not move in until January 1864. Originally Beauchamp Hall was named Beauchamp House but this was changed to Hall as another Beauchamp House existed in Leamington. The Courier published an article about the moving in event in their January 23 edition of that year. The article stated:-
“A spacious and elegant mansion has recently has been erected in Beauchamp Square for the residence of R.Hobson and family, and during the week, a series of festivities have been given by the family on taking possession of the mansion. A large circle of visitors have been entertained. The company assembled the spacious and elegant drawing room, which was brilliantly lighted with gas and wax candles. From the ceiling were suspended two magnificent glass chandeliers,and the decorations were of a very beautiful and costly description. Synyer’s band was in attendance, and when the ball commenced the scene presented was exceedingly dazzling. The refreshment department and the supper were entrusted to our townsman, Mr B. Andrew, who this as on all occasions maintained the high reputation which he has enjoyed for many years past. The table was profusely loaded with the richest delicacies, the most prominent dish being a large boar’s head. In the middle of the table was a massive silver centre piece covered with rare exotics. The furniture of this apartment principally of carved and polished oak of their most exquisite workmanship. The ceiling in this, as well as the drawing room is extremely elegant, and of a delicate white colour. The decorations are at present incomplete, and therefore, it is impossible to give accurate idea of the splendour of the interior of their mansion. The Ball was kept up with great spirit till a late hour.”
In February 1866, Mr Robert Hobson, aged 46, died of cancer at Beauchamp Hall, leaving his wife, Anna Marie, with ten children to bring up. He had occupied his splendid detached house for just two years. Mr Hobson’s will revealed that he was a very wealthy man, leaving almost £160,000 to his family. His splendid tomb lies just by the Brunswick Street entrance to Leamington cemetery and contains several members of his family as well as himself.
Mrs Hobson continued to live at Beauchamp Hall although not without incident. She was often subject to legal proceedings for various offences such as not licensing her carriages. In 1870 she was taken to court by Mr Ivens Butchers in Warwick Street for non-payment of bills amounting to £17. Even Mr Gascoigne had to take her to court for non-payment of his bill of £15-10-6 for repairing parts of Beauchamp Hall. The eldest of the children living with her, Sydney, often came to the attention of the authorities. He ended up in court in July 1871 for using abusive language.
On a lighter note, in July 1874, Mrs Hobson’s eldest daughter was married to a Captain Gist. The reception at Beauchamp Hall was reported in detail by the Courier with 100 guests being accommodated at the Hall. Eventually, in 1864, now aged 65, Mrs Hobson decided to return to the south of England where she was born. It is very likely that she rented out Beauchamp Hall. It was first occupied by a Mr Low, a wealthy cotton trader from Savannah, Georgia, who died at the Hall in 1886, and then by a Henry T Broadhurst. Henry was a retired Cotton, Silk and Wool manufacturer from Manchester. In the 1891 census he was recorded as living at Beauchamp Hall, aged 69, with his wife, son and nine servants.
Things changed in 1896 when Mrs Hobson died aged 76, in Airlie House, Hove, Sussex leaving £51,000 to her family. Mrs Hobson was brought back to Leamington, laid out in St Alban’s Church before being buried with her husband in Leamington Cemetery. Beauchamp Hall was then put up for sale as Mr Broadhurst, who was renting Beauchamp Hall, had also died in 1896.
Mr F. J. Mackey was an American, born in New York in 1852. Frank Mackey had founded the Household Finance Corporation in 1878. He initially settled in with his parents when they moved to Minneapolis. Through shrewd financial dealings he soon became became a millionaire. He married Ida Florence Day from Duluth, Minnesota, in October 1882 when he was 30 years old. He visited England often and finally decided to settle here to pursue his interests in horses and in particular, the game of polo.
As Leamington was a centre of polo playing at the time, Mr Frank Jay Mackey, purchased Beauchamp Hall in 1896. This Hall provided an ideal base from which to pursue his favourite sport of polo. His wife also loved horses and was known as the best “four in hand” rider in England. Unfortunately, Mr Mackey’s wife died in London on 16th May 1912, after suffering what was described in the local paper as a “brain fever”. She was 52 years old. She was cremated in Golders Green and her ashes taken in a bronze casket back to Beauchamp Hall to await transportation to the USA. All the funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs Wackrill and Co of Leamington.
Mr Mackey retained the Beauchamp Hall property for another ten years. He married for the second time to Olga Beatrice Leighton, an Englishwoman born in Fulham and the daughter of a Captain of the 1st Foot regiment. Frank was then 68 and Olga was only 31. In December 1921, Mr Mackey put Beauchamp Hall up for sale and returned to Minneapolis. Unfortunately he became terminally ill with cancer and unable to pursue his beloved hobbies. He committed suicide on February 24 1927, aged 74 years. Frank had no children to inherit and just before his suicide he had bequeathed his entire fortune to his second wife, Olga. When valued in 1957, this was worth $550,000,000.
In the 1920’s, The Leamington School for Girls, was looking for new premises near the centre of Leamington. They agreed to purchase Beauchamp Hall from Mr Mackey for £4250 and spent around £2000 converting it as school premises. The Leamington High School for girls was originally founded in 1884 by Rose Kingsley, the eldest daughter of Charles Kingsley, with assistance from Rev Dr Joseph Wood, Head of the Leamington School for Boys. Rose had a passionate interest in the education of young girls and although facing considerable opposition worked hard to set up the school. The first head at Beauchamp Hall was Florence Gadeson, employed on a salary of £250 per annum with rooms, coal and gas included.
In 1949 a decision was taken by the school to rename itself Kingsley School in honour of Rose Kingsley. Kingsley School is currently still operating as an independent girls school, some 96 years after its purchase of Beauchamp Hall. The school became part of the Warwick Schools Foundation in March 2021.
Although Beauchamp Hall is not a listed building, Kingsley School has kept the exterior intact and looking very similar to its original design. Some extensions have been carried out to the rear of the Hall including a science block and kitchens. A gymnasium was also constructed in the grounds. The costs of these developments were partly offset by the sale of a portion land adjoining Clarendon Street. This site is now occupied by the Shell Garage mentioned earlier.
Kingsley School deserves great credit for preserving Beauchamp Hall and parts of its original interior (see pictures). The Hall is a tribute to the work of William Gascoyne and a fine example of one of Leamington’s nineteenth century buildings.
Michael Pearson Jan 2018