ALLENDALE HOUSE
Movement of audience around house
How will this take place?
Who will guide the audience?
E.g Auctioneer – welcomes audience to auction of house in future, selling its various lives.
E.gs. use of house plans; room layouts; maps or guides.
E.gs. house robot – recorded voice speaks, welcomes people to house (ref. automated instructions on stations, trains, ref. ref. Body of Glass by M Piercy.
Rooms (Ref. stanza/episodes)
- Will each room have a main character who welcomes audience and brings scene to life?
- Will a room have an object which someone picks up, speaks about and this activates the scene, e.g.
- Rooms will have projected images, TV monitors, recorded sound and live drama
1. Early Period – House as a Family Home
Ref: Castlemans:
Once the Dolphin Pub
1823? The original house on this site demolished to build Allendale House. Designed by respected architect. Sir Jeffrey Wyatville, designer of St Georges Hall, Windsor Castle who was commissioned by Edward Castleman and his wife, Anne Fryer (is this the Fryer family who built the Workhouse?) in consideration of their intended marriage. Edward’s brother, Charles and his family also lived in the house and both were respected members of the legal profession.
Here was a house he could be proud of: a freehold messuage or mansion situate in the town of Wimborne Minster, in the county of Dorset. With coach house, stables, outhouses, yard, greenhouse, garden and pleasere grounds thereto belonging. Containing in the whole 1 acres and 3 rood 1 perch
Also a piece of land containing about 26 perches opposite the entrance gates and situate on the West side of the road called The East Borough.
It is within easy distance of Lord Portman’s and Mr Radclyffe’s hounds. And there is a Grammar School in the Town of Wimbornem Minster.
But other neighbours, bounded on the north by a garden and infirmary belonging to the Guardians of the Wimborne and Cranborne Union, caused hands to be raised to the face to mask foul odours. Effluent from the workshouse (on the site now occupied by Allen Court) emanated from ‘necessary Houses’ which were a ‘great nusicance’ in 1800. So much so they were moved to the opposite corner of the ground so the effluent could go straight into the river.
2. Possible Links to Workhouse
How do different lifestyles meet: life in AH and life in Workhouse? Who brings the workhouse into AH? What does census of 1881 tell us about educational opportunities?
1832: Reform Act divided Workhouse into 12 Unions and responsibility transferred to elected Board of Guardians. (see file for more detail)
1839: Appalling overcrowding discovered by Assistant Poor Law Commissioner, Colonel Court – in one room, 13 people sleeping in 5 beds. Anonymous letter in The Times and Standard written by George Place – surgeon to the workhouse and known opponent of the system. Guardians denied mismanagement and matter dropped.
No improvements made to building or its sanitation until 1868.
1841: Matilda Kent a pauper in the workhouse to be taken before the magistrate for refusing to wear the Union Clothes and for other misbehaviour in the workshouse.
1842: Mr Rowe Dew, medical officer of the district attended the Bord and complained that the prevalence of fever and other diseases there was in a great measure attributable to the accumulation of filth and stagnant water.
1845: Edward Castleman reported ‘malignant fever’ – cause was owing to ’dirty habits of the Poor themselves in allowing heaps of dirt and filth to accumulate in very many of the back lanes where they live.’
He ordered the Waywardens to clear rubbish – threatened to summon future offenders before magistrates; further wished to have a water carrier cleaned for the purpose of employing the poor – cleaned out brook; widened road; removal of privy in old poor house which ought to have been in the garden, the surgeon Mr Footes having hardly been able to remain in the house for the smell which arose from it.’
1881: Respective neighbours complete the Census.
In AH; Ann Fryer and? (Edward died in ’61; only Elizabeth and Jane living but were they also there?)
In Wimborne and Cranborne Works House register of names, ages, occupations (file) projected on walls
1870 – workshouse reformed; school mistress; nurse (more info needed about census)
Image of names etc. of occupants of workshouse projected on wall.
3. Railway comes to Wimborne
What are the benefits for local people?
Possible focus: Charles and Edward discuss formation of railway company on eve of opening ceremony in 1847 with VIPs.
Charles campaigned to bring railway to Wimborne and entertained dignitaries involved in cause. Discussing route with Captain Moorson, experienced railway engineer in May 8844 to survey best route. Chose sparsely populated route via Brockenhurst, Ringwood, Poole and Wareham. Known as Castleman’s Corkscrew would be dependent on one of the major companies for success.
Extract from John Hanham’s letter from India to his father. I fear its effects on the partridge shooting over the estate.
Possible images: steam train through countryside.
Possible images: cyclists in 2001 cycling down Castleman cycle path
4. Family argument over ownership
The house remained in the hands of the Castleman family until Anne’s death in 18884. After which the grandchildren argued over ownership. (quote extract from abstract of the title)
5. Auction: Charles Ellis – next owner
At four o’clock, on Friday 29 May 1885, Charles Edward Ellis, a Wimborne brewer, entered the Laings Hotel in Wimborne to attend the auction of AH. After a night worrying about whether his nerves would hold if bidding reached upper limits, he was determined to bid hard to secure the house which he did for £2320. As he scrawled the figures in his cheque book for the deposit of £232 to Edward Waters (see scrawled sum on back of auction paper) And lived there until his death on August 7, 1911.
The house then sold to Montague James Raymond, solicitor of Wimborne.
6. 1900 – 30s
Miss Susie Funnell’s School for Young Ladies: 1900 – 1910
Fees to school then 11 guineas a term for boarding girls. Closed 1930s following outbreak of diptheria.
Focus: entrance of child from Poor House – ref. education, what is school for?