THE HOUSE ON THE HILL.
“Architecture should speak of its time and place,
but yearn for timelessness.”
Frank Gehry.
Standing almost spookily forlorn and seemingly uncared for, abandoned or unwanted, a large dwelling house towards the top of Burton Road in Melton Mowbray was until quite recently, vacated of all human life and with obvious signs of neglect to passers-by. Connected to this old house today is located the business offices of ‘Hayward McMullan, Architects run by Laura Hayward and Brendan McMullan: who have promised to breathe new life into the old property as time and money permit; they are the most recent owners of the large Edwardian house which is known locally as “Braeside’.
THE BACKGROUND
Evans and Hill, Pork Pie Makers.
In Melton Mowbray towards the end of the nineteenth Century, one of the leading figures and much respected businessmen of the town was also one of the leading people involved in the creation and amazing success of the ubiquitous pork pie, a unique delicacy originating in the area and soon to be enjoyed in all quarters of the world, set up business on the North side of Thorpe Road where a small back kitchen was to expand into a small factory employing many happy workers. This man was known as Enoch Evans - ‘Nochy’ to those who knew him well - and his fame, together with the savouries and delicacies he produced at his small bakery grew exponentially in a matter of just a few years. Mr Evans was born in Hertfordshire in 1802 and died in 1869. In 1871 The Daily Telegraph produced a piece about the town which included;
‘… is not Melton Mowbray celebrated from the Indies to the Pole for its raised pies and do not the firm’s of Collins and Co., Evans and Hill and Tebbutt and Co. dispatch thousands of these delicacies to all parts of the world by the morning passenger train. I had the opportunity of witnessing the career of a pie from the cradle to the grave, for I saw it after being most carefully and delicately made, placed in the oven and subsequently, I ate it. The distinguishing features in this manufacture. Are the marvellous cleanliness and purity of the articles used, everything being done by machinery so as to prevent the pies being touched by hand. A great feature of the Melton Pie was that the crust was ‘hand raised’ and baked without being enclosed in a tin, and it is this demanded the craftsman’s skill.’
Business was so brisk at the pie factory that in the 1860’s an ageing Enoch Evans was to take on his best friend and trusted employee to assist in running his kitchens and eventually, to take the business over including his name. His much younger nephew, a solicitor’s clerk in training by the name of James Hill, was then living with the Evans family on the north side of Thorpe End and had married local girl Elizabeth Poole who was to produce a large family of six children. At the bottom of the list of these siblings arrived their youngest child, Elizabeth Evans Hill who would later also become an important part of this story.
WEDDING - MARRIAGE!
Edmund Jeeves.
These background antecedents of a popular pork-pie maker in Victorian Melton Mowbray, relate importantly and directly to Edmund Jeeves who was born in 1858 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. He was the first arrival of seven siblings delivered to architect William and Ann Jeeves. At a point very early in his life Edmund was said to have been discerned as ‘an extremely bright child’ who would subsequently train after his university education to become a solicitor, apparently qualifying with some ease and gaining higher than average marks. In 1884, for reasons unknown and at the age of about 25 years he re-located to the small market town of Melton Mowbray in North East Leicestershire to take up an employment offer as an architect’s assistant. Unmarried he would initially rent a room in the home of widow Mrs Sarah Hilton and her three grown-up children in Craven Street in the town.
In whatever stead Edmund’s qualifications as a solicitor stood him as an architect - considering that he had studied Law at University - it did not seem to bar him from working as an architect, for which he admitted he had little or no qualifications as he worked initially as understudy and assistant to the prolific and well established architect, Mr Robert Winter Johnson, then incumbent Surveyor for the town’s Local Board. Working from an office in Framland House at Burton End he was happy to act as second fiddle to Mr Winter whilst learning and honing his required skills. Eventually, only a year or so later at the moment of his mentor’s retirement, he was to ready to assume control of this important and respected civil responsibility.
It was during that year of 1884 that he was to cut his teeth in the designing of a new Post Office in the neighbouring town of Oakham in the small County of Rutland and later, with his presence in the town more securely established, he would acquire a slightly more salubrious independent town address with an official residential office at No. 4, Park Road, Melton whose entrance bore a brass plate proudly giving notice of his incumbency along with the important words; ‘Architect/Surveyor/Estate Agent.’ For a short time he would share these new premises with his older brother Moses Jeeves who had apparently set up in business as a master draper on joining his brother in the town. Here, the two shared a live-in housekeeper - Miss Ann Plowright - for about five years who seems to have kept them in good order.
From here, in September 1891, we learn of the family connection with Enoch Evan’s busy bakery - as described above - as it was from here that he was to meet, court and subsequently marry the aforementioned Elizabeth Evans Hill, (Lily) the pork pie maker’s daughter in the summer of 1891.
THE NEW TOWN SURVEYOR.
Until he was officially in sole charge as the town Surveyor for the Melton Local Board, Edmund had been only briefly heard of, apparently spending a lot of his time becoming acquainted with other unrelated matters - namely steeplechasing - but by the end of the Century when Queen Victoria’s role as Empress was superseded by her son, Prince Edward, a growth of new building activity in the town saw his work increase with the construction of several large and expensive new buildings, both public and private which were to appear during the short Edwardian period. Private housing seemed to have taken priority and amongst these new starts were a number of larger dwellings being erected for a steady arrival of professional people then moving into Melton. Most importantly, in 1897, a potentially commodious mansion was to rise from its footings in virgin land overlooking the town on the eastern side of the Oakham Road at Burton Hill. This mansion sized residence which would become on completion the impressive new residence of Edmund and Lily Jeeves was self-designed by the owner and taking the appellation ‘Braeside’, it was to be the new family home of the Jeeves' family, which now included their four years old daughter, Hilda Maisie (known as ‘May’) who would be the only surviving child of the couple.
Steeplechasing.
That first decade of the Twentieth Century was to prove a busy time for Edmund and whilst social hostess, wife and young mother ‘Lily’ - who was ‘pro-temps’ in charge of the Parish Church Philatelic Society - collected her postage stamps whilst caring for a young May, he seems to have been involved in much more that just Town affairs. Being very much an aficionado of the popular ‘Sport of Kings’ of horse-racing he had acquired the local position of Branch Secretary to the Melton Hunt Steeplechases which apparently required his presence and experience at many of such meetings in the East Midlands. Considered by his employers to be a trusted and honest organiser he looked after the administration of its business matters including the provision of tickets and the arrangement of transport to and from meetings for the many punters of Melton. To the very final days of his life, Edmund maintained his great interest in the sport and with the management of the Melton Hunt, maintaining a regular presence at Burton Lazars or Croxton Park on race days, it was a participation for which with his later passing was mourned widely and greatly locally and across the Country. With regard to his participation in Corporate affairs, apart from his retention as town architect and surveyor, he was also at various times to hold the position of Justice of the Peace serving as a Magistrate and working with the legal administration of the local Town Estate. Another side line this busy man seems to have enjoyed, was that of operating as a licensed estate agent.
A legacy of bricks and mortar
The Carnegie Free Library, Thorpe End.
In 1904, Melton Mowbray was to be granted the wonderful gift of £2000 towards the building of a free public library for the use of the general population. The donation created much excitement about the town and great celebrations ensued when the American steel millionaire and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie presented his cheque. local Newspapers were to report;
…sponsored by Andrew Carnegie of America, is to be erected in Thorpe-end, Melton Mowbray. To be laid by Mr. Wm. Willcox, the Chairman of the Free Library Committee, it was a deserved recognition of his efforts in the formulation of the scheme for the provision of the institution, in that, failing Mr. Carnegie himself, he should be accorded the honour of taking the chief part in the ceremony and Mr. Willcox carried out his pleasant task in the most efficacious manner. Mr. Gill then called upon the architect, Mr. Edmund Jeeves, who handed a handsomely-chased silver trowel to Mr. Willcox, the inscription on the face of the trowel bearing the inscription: "Presented to William Willcox, on the occasion of his laying the foundation-stone of the Carnegie Free Library at Melton Mowbray, 21st July, 1904." Details of the new building have recently been published in these columns, so that further reference is not necessary here. Mr. Carnegie is contributing £2,000 towards the erection and fitting up of the Library, the town has purchased the site in Thorpe-end, and there is every reason to believe that the project, when fully completed, will meet with the hearty approval and support of the townspeople generally.
The Market Harborough Advertiser and The Midland Mail of Tuesday, 20th December 1904 further reported that;
‘On Thursday afternoon Lady Victoria Manners, daughter of the venerable Duke of Rutland, opened a new constitutional Club for Melton Mowbray and District, in the presence of a large company of ladies and gentlemen. The club is situated in Sherrard Street, and has been erected from plans by Mr. Edmund Jeeves, an built by Mr. C. V. Barnes, at a cost including furnishing, of about £4,500.- The Isolation Hospital on Scalford Road and importantly, the much welcomed public library at the corner of Rosebery Avenue and Thorpe End, gifted by the world famous America Steel producer Andrew Carnegie and costed at about £3,000. In the same year he drew up plans for the opening up of Lambert Lane by the removal of an ancient building which had restricted the passage into Burton End to no more than four feet.’
I have no doubts that, as in the spirits of today’s Meltonians, there would have been howls of protest in the community at the loss of yet another piece of old Melton, but with the arrival of motorised transport and increased social intercourse in the town generally, such matters were obviously considered to be of a higher priority. As a point of general interest the name of this extremely narrow lane was said to be to the memory of of a regular and popular visitor to the town of one Leicester born, Daniel Lambert, who was reckoned to be the largest living human being in the England of his time. Travelling frequently to Melton for the love of horses in a custom-made invalid basket, it was reported that he would scrape both sides of the passageway mentioned - much to the pleasure of watching schoolboys - during his transit into Burton End where the real life of the town was said to lie.
King’s Road Infant School
In 1907 Edmund produced the design and blueprints for the new King’s Road Infant School, extant today and currently operating as estate agents Shouler and Son’s business offices with its lively auction room attached. In the same year he was tasked with the repair and complicated renovation of a sewage system which had become badly neglected at Thorpe Satchville village. We are advised advised that he was highly merited for the excellent standard and quality of his work there which had been badly neglected and misused. In 1908, as something a little different, he was proudly nominated as the esteemed Chairman of the Melton Chess Club but during that same year he found time to produce plans for the large dwelling on Asfordby Road, today known as Quorn Lodge, which was to become yet another hunting lodge for the annual winter seasons for the use of lodging sporting visitors. Like several of Edmund Reeves buildings, this one is still in normal use today.
The Kings Road Infant School
In its edition of Saturday, the 26th January 1907, the Grantham Journal brought this cheerful news to the townspeople:
‘On Monday, the new County Council School for infants, erected in King's-road, Melton Mowbray, was opened, the children who put in an appearance at morning school being received by the head-mistress, Miss Brown, and, without any formal proceedings scholastic duties were commenced. The number of children enrolled on the books during the week has been one hundred and sixty-eight, a much larger number we believe than was anticipated by the authorities. The building of the new School was rendered necessary by the accommodation at the Norman-Street Infants' having some years ago become considerably overtaxed, and steps were taken, in the first place to provide a School by voluntary effort, the outcome of meetings on the subject being that the present site was acquired for sum of about the amount being raised by the means of bonds on the security of the Town Estate. Plans prepared by Mr. Edmund Jeeves, architect, were approved by the Board of Education, the intention being to provide a School large enough for two hundred and fifty children and to raise the estimated cost, a voluntary rate equal to one shilling in the pound was levied and collected. Before the work could commence however, the Education Act came into force with the Leicestershire County Council being made the local education authority and the duty of providing additional School accommodation became devolved upon that body, which resulting in the action already taken by the town, being rendered unnecessary. The money that had been obtained in the manner stated was refunded, and the County Education Committee purchased the original King's-road site from the town. With it now being decided by that Committee to provide a School for over two hundred infants, instead of the two hundred and fifty intended by the scheme, a modification of those plans was required. Mr. Jeeves was instructed to draw up fresh ones. These, having received tho requisite sanction of the Education Authorities, the work was put in hand, and has now been completed. The contract for the work was secured Mr. Ernest Clarke, the price being £1,964. The land on which the School is now built is over half an acre in extent, and there is an approach to it from the Thorpe-road, as well as by the main entrance in King's-road.
The new building may be said to occupy a very convenient position, and is certainly situated in a part the town that has largely developed within the last decade. The School building of red brick and stone, is of one storey and stands a dozen feet back from King's-road, the frontage is bounded by a low wall and wrought-iron palisading and two decorative gates. The entrance porch (over which is a bell turret with bell) leads into a vestibule, and from this extends a corridor forty feet long and twelve feet wide, which can be utilised for drill or assembly purposes. Four class-rooms are grouped around the corridor, each designed to hold fifty children, being 22ft. by 20ft., and 14ft. in height. The whole of the floors are wood block (the corridor included and there is a glazed brick dado all round the interior of the School block. The arrangement of the rooms is such that the light from the large windows is thrown to the left hand of the children, and the heating is obtained from open fire-grates, tiled with warm-air ventilators. The furnishing of the class-rooms has been carried out by the Education Committee, and is thoroughly up-to-date in every respect. At the end of the long corridor referred to, branches a shorter one which leads to a spacious hat and cloak room and lavatory, and also into the playground. In the playground are situated the coal-place and a covered shed for the children to take shelter in - we imagine, in the event of rain. A large portion of the playground is asphalted, and gives ample room for the little ones to enjoy their periods for recreation. Altogether, the School presents a thoroughly pleasing and substantial appearance, and the hygienic conditions now so strictly demanded would seem to have been complied with in a manner which leaves nothing to be desired. The head-mistress, as already intimated, is Miss Brown of Grantham, and her assistants are Miss Jackson. Miss Wardle, and Miss Corney. There will be a formal opening on Wednesday afternoon next, at half-past two o’clock at which Mr. Richard. Dalgliesh, J.P., chairman of the Building Sites Committee, will perform the opening ceremony, with Mr. W. F. Hill in the chair.
Braeside
It appears that the Jeeves’ family home of ‘Braeside’, (‘Brae’ being a hill or rise) on the eastern side of the main road to Oakham, has had additions over the years and up to the present day, where the present owners in the twenty-first century have created an annexe housing an Architects office which is operated in a side extension. Built in 1897 and presumably named after its location at the roadside, it is likely to be little changed from the original - apart from its footprint size - and I suggest that it was likely to have been even so, a rather large dwelling for a small family of just three people. The rear garden was in a later time, enhanced with the presence of a heated outdoor swimming pool of respectable dimensions which was likely utilised mainly during the Sixties when the house had become part and parcel of the expanding Grammar School complex, then under the control of the Leicestershire Education Authority along with other added sundry satellite units. The school has only recently come to the end of its useful purpose and a brown-site area has already been created for yet another descending development of more private homes for the town. Happily, the former residence of the Jeeves family and the others who followed them, has now been returned to its main function of providing a family residence - with an adjoining architects office,- a gentle ironic reminder of its original owner - rather than providing the busy classrooms once invaded by the hoards of teenagers who have since passed through its doors.
Apart from the comings and goings of its various residents over the years, I have not learned much of the history of the house itself. In relation to the suggestion that the house was a little large for its original purpose, such as the fact that there was one child to fill the spaces, it seems that the Jeeves family chose to live and work in town and to take rent for Braeside as a winter retreat for the hunting season. It is known that it was first leased was first leased as a private residence for a period of seven years to a Mrs John Pochin of Edmondthorpe - a well-known hunt lover - as early as March 1905 - although an entry in the Census for April of 1911 does show the Reeves family resident there with their servants. Prior to 1920, another huntsman, Guy Hilton-Fagge was resident there with his wife and his daughter Alice Mary; of local interest was the story told in a local newspaper that, ‘in February 1924, at Crufts Dog Show, Mrs Fagge carried off six 1st prizes and seven 2nd prizes with her blue roan, Cocker Spaniel puppy’ - That must have been an amazing canine. Mrs Fagge regularly advertised for domestic staff to assist at the house, especially for ‘good cooks’, in the Grantham Journal, when a decent parlourmaid could then be tempted with from probably £22 - £25 offered for her services, (in 1917, would that be monthly or annual salary?).
On the 16th of April, 1937, there took place a ‘grand sale of household furniture’ from Braeside to mark the departure of Mrs Fagge on her withdrawal from the town following the death of her husband. As already stated, by the end of the second World War many of the large properties dotted about Melton Mowbray had been abandoned by their owners for at least the period of the conflict and several of these were taken over by the armed forces for military purposes and in many cases these were not particularly treated with the care they probably deserved Some owners never even returned after the great social demise created by the passage of the war. A slow take up of properties in the real estate market was another consequence of the end of hostilities which meant that many large houses were simply demolished or purchased by Local Authorities. This unsettlement seems to have been the case in our town too, especially in that particular area of Burton Road which settled for becoming a place for the satellite buildings of the growing grammar school and other authorities such as the burgeoning new Social Services and education authorities dealing with an increased and needy population.
Braeside itself, apparently available for purchase, was originally mooted to be utilised for the reception and accommodation of children with learning difficulties, but this requisition was later to be taken up by the lovely old house at the bottom of the hill when Craven Lodge took up those responsibilities in 1950 after failing as a revived post-war gentleman’s sporting club soon after the war. Braeside instead took up the mantle of being an extension of King Edward VII Grammar School for the next half century - and of course - famously providing the popular outdoor swimming pool, both loved and vilified in turn by the schoolchildren of the Sixties and fondly remembered many years later.
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Epilogue
So much then for the the story of the relationships connected with the old house on Burton Hill known as Braeside, but unfortunately, I have not discovered much about ‘Lily’ Jeeves. As thoroughly as I have searched the available records thus far, I have found only minimal reference to this apparently busy and popular lady - unlike her husband - which has rendered me unable to form much detailed opinion of her persona or image, although I have become aware that she was very much a ‘public’ and socially-connected lady about town being a member of many organisations and charities - not to mention a gentle addiction to her hobby of Philately! I did indeed begin to surmise that she had perhaps moved on to pastures new, maybe to leave her workaholic husband to his other obsessive interests in horse racing, especially at Burton Lazars in which he officiated full time on behalf of the Leicestershire Steeplechase, which incidentally, was the forerunner of the Grand National that we all enjoy today from Aintree, Liverpool. I was also guessing that with their daughter ‘May’ now seemingly happily settled in a marriage with a wealthy hunting man and no longer resident in town, that Lily too had perhaps moved away. Upon the sad death of her father as the managing director of the Evans and Hill Bakery in Thorpe End, she was in direct succession to inherit his position in the successful family business and would possibly have felt more comfortable living closer to her place of work; who knows?
So apparently having lost trace of Lily, I was quite shocked and actually saddened to come across a newspaper story telling of the occasion of her apparently terrible and unexpected demise on a cold winter’s afternoon in January 1925, whilst suffering a period of ill health at her home in 17A Park Road. The detailed circumstances of this horrendous event might make for hard reading for some, perhaps too much detail which might have been avoided, but I feel the need to relate the true facts of the awful event as they would have been learned of by the people of Melton Mowbray soon after, if only to properly recount the awful experience that Edmund Jeeves was to undergo in his twilight years.
The Grantham Journal 0f January 10th 1924, carried the above notice and the following account of ‘Lily’ Jeeves’ unexpected and tragic passing;
‘The utmost sympathy is felt with Mr. Edmund Jeeves, architect, of Melton Mowbray, in the tragic bereavement he sustained on Tuesday last. Mrs. Jeeves received such serous injuries by falling on the fire in the bedroom of their residence at 17a, Park-road, that she died a few hours later. Mrs. Jeeves is understood to have not been well and it would appear that during the temporary absence of Miss Smith [nurse] who was in attendance of her, she got out of bed and as the result of a sudden seizure, fell and her clothing was set on fire. The unfortunate lady was terribly burnt and succumbed about 3.30 in the afternoon, s0me four hours after the occurrence. Mrs. Jeeves, who was 56 years of age, leaves a daughter, Mrs. Sanders, with whom, as well as Mr. Jeeves and members of Mrs. Jeeves' family, the fullest sense of regret and sorrow is evinced.
The inquest was conducted at the Melton Police-station on Wednesday morning by Mr. A. P. Marsh (Coroner), when Mr. Jeeves stated he was called home about twelve o'clock the previous day and found his wife in her bedroom. She had apparently fallen on to the fire-guard whilst unconscious and her clothing had become ignited. She was very badly burned. Miss Smith, his wife's attendant, had left her alone in the room only a few minutes when the accident happened. Dr. Harold S. Furness stated that deceased suffered from severe burns all over the body and that she died about 3.30 from shock resulting therefrom. In his opinion, Mrs. Jeeves got out of bed, had a sudden seizure and fell on to the fire. She would be unconscious at the moment of falling, and would be unable to help herself.
The Coroner recorded an official verdict of "Death from shock resulting from burns."
Throughout my research into the lives of the Jeeves family and their large house at Burton Hill, I have essentially learned that Edmund was without doubt both an intelligent and skilful man who utilised both of these faculties to get effect, especially to the town he adopted as a young man. Having successfully studied law at university he was to spend the rest of his working life in Melton Mowbray as an architect and acting as a the official Surveyor for the Local Board the fruits of such labours - the extant presence of the invaluable work which he has left behind - have stood the test of time in the manner of living testimonials, being there for us all to appreciate today. He seems to have learned his trade well under his respected and very capable mentor, Winter Johnson who would surely have been proud of him today.
The family was to move on from Braeside, leasing the substantial house to visiting families, more than likely as a source of income by providing yet one more rentable ‘hunting box’ for the town as temporary accommodation for wealthy visitors in the Winter months season. With a more manageable residence provided at No. 17A Park Road and his Melton Steeplechase offices at 9 Nottingham Street, convenience of movement might well have been a deciding factor.
that Edmund Jeeves chose to live out his final days alone following the tragic demise of his beloved ‘Lily’, he was to give instructions to Shafto H. Sykes and Sons, to clear out his furnishings from No 17a, Park Road, for sale by auction on the 21st March, 1929. After four years as a widower and now at the age of 70, he was retired from his long years of travail with both the local Council and the Steeplechase Committee, seemingly ready to move on into his final years, he had been suffering poor health which had become accelerated following the tragic events of his grievous loss. The public disposal of the major portion of his valuable household furniture and effects was reportedly warmly welcomed by the people of the town and and his life’s chattels were said to have sold well in the auction room, from a lengthy and detailed list of much fine quality furniture and household comforts, which even included a ‘Crystal Wireless Set, Complete’ and a ‘10ft span-roof greenhouse with staging and other garden apparatus, complete’. Spending the remaining few months of his life at his premises in Melton, he would have continued to keep an eye on his steeplechasing interests whilst his former home would remain vacant for quite a while.
On the 30th day of December 1930, whilst having endured a persistent and debilitating illness of almost four years duration, Edmund Jeeves passed away whilst ensconced as a patient in the St Andrews Hospital, Northampton; he was 73 years of age and in his will, he was to bequeath his family estate worth only the modest sum of £828. 16. 6. to his only child, ‘Lily’ May Harrison-Sanders, wife of Major Samuel George Sanders.
I might append to his already mentioned list of public and private achievements which constitute his legacy to the town, the fact that he was recognised as an all-round and popular sportsman who served as Secretary to the Quorn Hunt. Also, whilst holding down a considerable and busy council practice as Surveyor over a period of four decades, he was also fully engaged as an architect for other building work in the district unconnected with his official employment, including, as well as the foregoing achievements, the Cottesmore Hunt Kennels at Ashwell, a new Post Office at Oakham, Scalford Hall, and the late Captain Lowenstein’s riding school at Thorpe Satchville. In 1910, amongst his many alteration projects, he included extensive work on the Peacock Inn in Sherrard Street which original footprint is now taken by the coffee shop known as the, ‘Sit and Settle’. As a committed Christian, Edmund would at times fill the positions of Churchwarden and Sides-man (Churchwarden’s Assistant) over many years. As a Charity Trustee and a member of the Rutland Lodge, he became their Worshipful Master in 1857 and attained the Provincial rank in 1901.
The mortal remains of Edmund Jeeves rest today within the curtilage of the small churchyard of St Leonard's C.of E.,of Sysonby, alongside several other important local personalities of Melton's past including Lady Gretton and Colonel Richard Dalgliesh and others.
ⓒ JohnMcQuaid 2020
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