Heatherwood Estate to Heatherwood Hospital

Heatherwood Diary 1899-1922

We know the name was coined after the re-build of the Heatherfield house by Sir Thomas Lucas in 1898.The story continues using on-line resources, old newspaper articles and census information, we chart the history of the site until Heatherwood hospital opening day 1922.

Heatherwood 1899

Heath fire at Heatherwood.
Another heath fire has broken out at Ascot, and this time near "Heatherwood," the residence of Sir Thomas Lucas. At one time the fire came so near the house that several members of the Ascot Fire Brigade went to the scene with a hose.
Extract Reading Mercury 26/08/1899

Accident
A pony, driven by a man named Giles, near the Ascot Grand Stand on Saturday evening last, shied at a basket of linen placed on the kerb, and dashed across the road into the carriage of Sir Thomas Lucas, of "Heatherwood," Ascot, catting one of the horses rather severely. Sir Thomas and Lady Lucas escaped with a slight shaking, and the occupants of the pony trap were unhurt.
Giles, who is a working man, had his pony's harness damaged, but on calling at Heatherwood" afterwards, he was compensated by Sir Thomas, who took what might have been a serious mishap in very good part.
Extract Windsor & Eton Express 02/09/1899

Chrysanthemums entered in the Ascot & Wokingham horticultural shows picked up prizes again this year for the gardeners of Heatherwood.

Heatherwood 1900

Chrysanthemums entered in the Windsor horticultural show picked up prizes again this year for the gardeners of Heatherwood.

Heatherwood 1901

Chrysanthemums entered in the Wokingham horticultural show picked up prizes again this year for the gardeners of Heatherwood.

Heatherwood 1902

Death of Sir Thomas Lucas
This well-known gentleman died the latter end of last week at Heatherwood, Ascot. The deceased, who was nearly 80 years of age, was a partner with his brother in the firm of Lucas Bros., railway contractors and builders, who carried on an extensive business for about forty years at Lowestoft.
The family have been connected with the town many years since Sir Thomas left, and were extensive owners of property in Kirkley, where many erections remain as specimens of their work. The firm also erected Rendlesham Hall, Cannon Street and Charing Cross Hotels, York Station, the Buckingham Palace Hotel, the Langham Hotel, and many well-known mansions in various parts of the country.
Extract Diss Express 14/03/1902

Death of Sir Thomas Lucas
Information reached Lowestoft on Friday of the death of Sir Thomas Lucas, Bart., which occurred on Thursday night at Heatherwood, Ascot.
The deceased gentleman, who was nearly 80 years old, was a partner with his brother in the firm of Lucas Bros, railway contractors and builders, who carried on an extensive business for about 40 years at South Wharf, Belvedere Road, Lowestoft. He was uncle to Colonel A. G. Lucas, M.V.O., of Cliffeside, Kirkley, so well known in connection with the Suffolk Imperial Yeomanry.
The family have been connected with Lowestoft many years since Sir Thomas let it, and were extensive owners of property in Kirkley, where the Marine Parade, the Royal Hotel, Kirkley Villas, the Kirkley Cliff houses, and many other erections remain as specimens of their work.
The firm also erected Rendlesham Hall, Cannon Street and Charing Cross Hotels, York Station, the Buckingham Palace Hotel, the Langham Hotel, and many well-known mansions in various parts of the country.
In his later business life, the deceased was associated with Sir John Aird, the firm being known as Lucas and Aird; he retired some years ago.
The deceased took great interest in the formation of the Volunteer Corps in 1855 or thereabouts, and supplied the instruments and other equipment of a corps which was formed among the employees at the Lowestoft Works.
The deceased was born in July, 182, and was created a baronet in 1887.
He was a J.P. for Middlesex and Surrey, and J.P. and D.L. for Suffolk.
Sir Thomas married first, in 1843, Jane Rolfe, daughter of Mr. Charles Golder, of Folkestone; this lady died in 1849, and in 1832 he was married a second time, his bride being Miss Mary A. Chamberlin, daughter of the late Mr. Robert Chamberlin, of Catton Hall, Norfolk.
He is succeeded by his son, Mr. Arthur Charles Lucas; his youngest son, Mr Reginald Lucas, is M.P. for Portsmouth.
Norwich Mercury 15/03/1902

Will of Sir Thomas Lucas
An estate of three-quarters of a million.
The will bears date June 27th, 1901, with a codicil of the 20th February, 1902, of Sir Thomas Lucas of Kensington Palace Gardens, and of Heatherwood, Ascot, 1st baronet, formerly of the firm of C. & T. Lucas, and Lucas Bros., afterwards Lucas & Aird, contractors, who died on the 6th March last, aged 79 years, son of the late Mr. James Jonathan Hughes Delight Lucas of Lowestoft.
The late Sir Thomas Lucas's estate has been valued at £775,984 58. 9d. gross, including personality of the net value of £2504,306 10. 10d. The executrix and executors of his will are his widow, Dame Mary Amelia Lucas, daughter of Mr. Robert Chamberlin of Catton House, Norfolk, and his sons Sir Arthur Charles Lucas of 20, Wilton Crescent, now 2nd baronet, and Mr. Reginald Jaffray Lucas of Queen Anne's Mansions, and Mr. William Trotter, of King's Beeches, Sunningdale, and Sir John Rahere Paget, of 4, Paper Buildings, second baronet, power being reserved to grant probate to Mr.W. Penn.
The testator devised in trust for sale all of his real estate in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Middlesex, Surrey, and Berks, he bequeathed to Sir John Paget 2200, and he bequeathed £2200 to the Convalescent Home at Lowestoft, and £250 to the Lowestoft Hospital.
He bequeathed £25,000 in trust for Mrs. Kate Golder Maudsley, daughter of his first marriage, and he left the advowson of Ashstead, Surrey, to his son, the Rev. Francis Granville Lucas, in favour of whom he bequeathed in trust £10,000.
He bequeathed in trust for his three younger daughters £10,000 each, and he bequeathed his Parliamentary papers to his son Reginald Jaffray Lucas. The testator confirmed an arrangement to provide £210,000 towards the Parliamentary expenses of his said son Reginald, and he bequeathed to Lady Lucas the balance to his credit at his bankers, not exceeding £22000, and the income during her widowhood of a sum of £175,000; or, in the event of her re-marriage, an annuity of £2000 during the remainder of her life, with power of appointment of the annuity fund by her in favour of his children.
In the event of the marriage of the testator's son Evelyn with a lady named within ten months after the testator's death, his house. The Warren, and its furniture are to be in trust for his said son.
A sum of £150,000 is to be set apart in favour of the testator's eldest son in support of the baronetey, and reversion of a sum of £50,000 is to be applied to the same purpose.
Large provision is made for the testator's five sons, Edward Lingard, and Ernest Murray, and Reginald Jaffray, and Evelyn Penn, and the Rev. Francis Granville Lucas, and there are numerous legacies to other relations and friends and to servants.
Eastern Daily Press 21/04/1902

Despite the death of Sir Thomas earlier in the year, life carried on and his wife Dowager Lady Lucas continued to reside at Heatherwood.

At the parish church at Barby, near Rugby, on Wednesday, April 23rd, Miss Mary Georgetta Mitchison, only daughter of the Rev. R. S. and Mrs. Mitchison, was married to Mr. Evelyn Penn Lucas, son of the late Sir Thomas Lucas, Bart., of Kensington Palace Gardens and Heatherwood, Ascot. Owing to mourning in the bridegroom's family the wedding was a quiet one, but the church was thronged with parishioners, and the relatives and intimate friends of both families were present.
Extract Gentlewoman 10/05/1902

Wokingham horticultural show,
Division 1-Open to all comers. Chrysanthemums Presidents' prize-Group of chrysanthemums foliage plants to occupy a circle of 8ft, diameter-1 Dowager Lady Lucas, Heatherwood, Ascot (gardener T. Grant).
Extract Reading Mercury 22/11/1902

Heatherwood 1903

Reading chrysanthemums show ,entries picked up prizes again this year for the gardeners of Heatherwood.

Heatherwood 1905

The late Dowager Lady Lucas has been ill for a long time previous to her death, which occurred last week at Heatherwood, her residence near Ascot Heath.
Lady Lucas was a daughter of the late Mr. Robert Chamberlain, and married, as his second wife, the late Sir Thomas Lucas. Their sons include Sir Arthur Lucas, the present baronet, and Mr. Reginald Lucas, Unionist member for Portsmouth.
Extract Hampshire Post supplement 17/11/1905

Heatherwood 1906

In June 1906 the estate went up for sale and a number of newspapers carried the advert for the sale by auction.

24/11/1906 Despite the estate being put up for sale the gardeners still entered exhibits for the Wokingham Chrysanthemum Show,winning first prize for best Group of single chrysanthemums, 6 ft. by 4 ft.- 1, Sir A. Lucas, Bart., Heatherwood, Ascot (J. Sargent)

Heatherwood 1909

An ordnance survey map published in 1909-1910 shows the Heatherwood estate using the "Heatherwood" name, in addition the grounds look very different from earlier maps.

Under the Heading of "London Day By Day" this court report disclosed the following:-
"The Hon. Henry and Mrs. Coventry are shortly expected at 20, Hertford-street, Mayfair, which they have taken for a term from Captain Geoffrey and the Hon. Mrs. Skeffington-Smyth. The latter are now residing at Heatherwood, Ascot."
Extract Daily Telegraph 10/11/1909

Heatherwood 1911

1911 Census For England & Wales Heatherwood Ascot, Sunninghill, Berkshire, England Household members (11 people)

Sidney Howard Farrar,Edith Marie Simpson Sister in law,Bertha O Neill Ward.
In support of the family the following servants were employed:-
Servant cook,Housemaid servant,Housemaid servant, Housemaid servant,Kitchen maid servant,Kitchen maid servant,Footman servant,Page boy

Heatherwood 1912

Mr. Sidney Howard Farrar, of Heatherwood. Ascot, was among the earliest subscribers to the Lord Mayor's Fund. by a donation of £105 for the relief of the unfortunate passengers and crew of the ill-fated "Titanic"

Heatherwood 1918

Obituary
Well-known member of the local community passed away on Thursday, last week, in the person of Mr. Sidney Howard Farrar, who was 60 years of age and had resided at Heatherwood" for a long period. On the following Saturday a largely attended funeral service was held at St. John's Church, Woking, after which the remains were cremated in the Woking Crematorium.
Extract Reading Mercury 22/09/1917

The death of Sidney Howard Farrar brought to an end the last of the families who would own and maintain the estate.

Heatherwood 1918

The death of Mr Sidney Howard Farrar prompted once again the sale of the estate. This year a number of adverts were placed in local & National papers

COMMENT:- The country life magazine provided adverts for the sale of the property throughout 1918 and into 1919. Each month the advert was reviewed and sometimes changed to a different style.
Throughout the sale of the property no adverts showed the front of the house or any of the grounds or other properties which were all part of the estate.
**It should also be noted the house in the for sale advert of 1906 is not the same as the one featured in these adverts.**

Heatherwood 1919

A number of houses in the Ascot area would always rent the premises out for the summer months and Heatherwood was no different. This report carried in the court news of the globe:-
Lieut.-Colonel and Mrs. Ralph Vivian are at Heatherwood, Ascot, which they have taken for several months;
Extract The Globe 24/07/1919

November this year and local estate agents Winkworth offered the contents up for auction.

The adverts for the sale of Heatherwood continued to appear in the country life up until June 1919. In November the contents were put up for auction.