Tudor House St Helen's Road

[warwick_terry]

Hello
Researching the family a relative gave her address in 1896 as Tudor House St Helen's Road.
Would someone be able to give me some information about the house etc.
I think it may have been a small private school run by a Miss Frances Jenkins.
Regards
Frances

[patrickvic]

My records say that a Mrs Ross lived in 69 St.Helens Road.Tudor House.. from at least the 1890's till the late 1930's and then a C.Dixon lived there..I can find no record of it having been used as a school_ _ _The 1896 Pikes Directory of Hastings lists Ross as the householder_ _ _

[frances_corbett]

Patrick - Of course you are right. Frances Jenkins (teacher) had left the area sometime after 1891 and Mabel Jenkins must have been boarding with Mrs Ross until her marriage to William Hawkins in 1896. Thank you for you help and information.

[pondfield]

I am also trying to find out more about Tudor House in St Helens Road. It was lived in by ancestors of mine including Thomas Ross, who was 5 times Mayor of Hastings who also laid the foundation stone for the now demolished Albert Memorial.

An article in the Hastings & St Leonards Observer dated 7th December 1878 says "......his son Thomas, at whose handsome residence in St Helens Road the Deputy Mayor now spends in studious pursuits that portion of his time which is not devoted to the public interest." I know his son Thomas' widow Hannah lived there until her death in 1932.

The 1881 census specifically calls it "Tudor House" but the 1891 census just says it is number 69. I haven't found it on the 1911 census although Hannah Ross would have been living there.

Does anyone know exactly where Tudor House was and is there a picture of it ?

[Geoff]

Hi Pondfield, I wish I could show you a photo of 69 St Helens Road as it was. Now replaced by a block of flats called Alexandra Apartments. I am hoping someone else can enlighten us as I too would love to see what was there before.

69 St Helens Road

[Richard]

A lot of HE bombs appear to have fallen in that area during WW2, so it could have been hit and remained a bomb site until rebuilt much later ?

[pondfield]

Not sure if it helps, but I have just found an article in the Hastings & St Leonards Observer dated 17 June 1939 which says :

"Mr Ross built the first two houses dubbed "Ross's Folly" in St Helen's Road, opposite Shirleys Gardens (now the Alexandra Park), adding also after on the south side Tudor House."

Would the 'south side' be the side where the park is ?

[Geoff]

Correct, the houses on St Helens Road do face south(ish) towards the park.

Interesting, I have never heard the park referred to as Shirley's Gardens before. Only St Andrews Pleasure Grounds and Alexandra Park. I have found some reference to Shirley's Pond but not Gardens.

[pondfield]

The 1066 online website in the article about the origins of Alexandra Park includes a description of the garden although doesn't call it "Shirleys Garden" per se:

"The first real garden on the site of Alexandra Park was created by a local tradesman, Mr. Shirley, in the 1830's, and was known as "Shirley's pond". It ran from the present entrance to the Park by the War Memorial to the Park Cross Roads. In 1864 this garden was taken over by the Corporation and opened-to the public as St. Andrews Gardens."

[Purdy]

I realise this is a very old thread, but just in case the contributors are still reading, I do have a line drawing of Tudor House showing what I presume is an artists impression of what it looked like - a beautiful detatched building with a turret, and also layout plans of the rooms inside. I purchased it from Ion Castro, the local historian who does the history section in the Hastings Observer, I believe he can make more copies available if desired.
I live in Ross' other property next door, The Alders (originally). This predates Tudor House by a few years but is still standing!