Hyde Lodge, Upper Mall

XXXIII.—HYDE LODGE, UPPER MALL (Demolished)

Ground landlord, leaseholders, etc.

The property is freehold, and held by the Latymer Foundation.

General description and date of structure.

The house, in which the Latymer Foundation already possessed an interest, was wholly acquired in 1889, and pulled down some years later to make room for the building now known as "Latymer Lodge," the residence of the Head Master of the Latymer Upper School. For many years previously the income derived from it had been divided between the Latymer Foundation, Hammersmith Chapel and the Dutch congregation in London. Latterly it had been empty and, judging by the photograph reproduced here (Plate 79), had fallen into a bad state of repair. The earliest view in which the house can be identified is the engraving by J. Boydell, 1752 (Plate 3), and if we compare this with the photograph it is easy to follow the alterations that Faulkner tells us (fn. 1) were effected in its external appearance by George Dunnage, who took a lease of the property in the year 1804 and gave to it the appearance "of an Italian villa."

As will be seen from the Historical Notes that follow, the house can be traced back without difficulty to the middle of the 17th century. From its appearance in the Boydell print one concludes that, like several other of the Mall houses, it was refronted in the early years of the 18th century, perhaps by Dr. Radcliffe. (fn. 2) The lodge or garden-house (presumably on the King's Road frontage), of which we reproduce a photograph (Plate 80), would appear to have been erected by Dunnage early in the 19th century.

Historical and biographical notes.

The starting-point in any investigation of the history of Hyde Lodge must be the occupation of the house by Isaac Le Gooch, a Dutch jeweller, who by his will, (fn. 3) dated 17th August, 1685, and proved on 19th August of the same year, devised "the house in which I live" to Anne Billingsley, widow, for life, and after her death to trustees "for the most rent that could be got, one full half part thereof to be paid to the ministers churchwardens and overseers of the poor of the Dutch church in Austin Friars or congregation of London, whereof £10 to be paid yearly to the ministers of that congregation, while of the other half £10 per annum to be paid to the Reader of Divine service in the Chapple of Hammersmith in lieu of the £10 the Reader usually receives from the curate or minister there and the rest of the moiety to be laid out in and for educating and maintaining so many more scholars at the Latymer School."

In a Court held on 18th April, 1687, it is stated that Le Gooch died seised of 1½ acres of customary land, ½ acre of free land, with the capital messuage, etc., that Anne Billingsley had been admitted to the first-named in 1687, and that trustees were appointed in conformity with the will on 18th October, 1686. The identity of Hyde Lodge with the house left by Le Gooch is assured by the fact that until 1889 it was the joint property of the Dutch church and the Latymer Foundation.

With the above facts before us it is possible to go a little further back in the history of the property. The Hearth Tax Roll for 1674 contains the name of Le Gooch, curiously spelt "Leagoose," in respect of a house assessed at eight hearths. This is certainly to be identified with Hyde Lodge. The Roll for 1666 shows that a "Mrs. Stringer" was then living at the house. From an undated Hearth Tax Roll, (fn. 4) which must, however, be a very little earlier or later than 1674, we find that the owner of the house was "Mr. Burt." Burt is at the same time shown as residing in a smaller house on what was apparently part of the same property, and it is noticeable that in the Roll for 1666 "John Hide" was resident in the same house, suggesting that he, too, was the owner of the property. That this was the case is confirmed by the fact that there is a record (fn. 5) of the sale in 1675–76 of half an acre of land, with appurtenances, in "Hamersmith" by John Hide to Nicholas Burt—obviously the halfacre of free land which formed part of the Hyde Lodge property. It is evidently from John Hide that Hyde Lodge derives its name.

Hide held the property in right of his wife, for the Fulham Court Rolls for 26th April, 1652, record the surrender by Wm. Stoakes of a messuage, with cottage, and 1½ acres in Hammersmith (the customary portion of the property) in his own occupation to the use of himself for life, with reversion to Mary, wife of John Hide, citizen and draper of London, and her heirs. Mary Hide was probably Stoakes's daughter.

To return to Le Gooch's trust, in a Court held on 3rd November, 1710, new trustees were appointed, and it is there stated that Anne Billingsley "is since departed this life," and that the house is "now in the tenure and occupation of John Radcliffe, in medicum Doctor." The latter statement is confirmed in a deed dated 5th November, 1804, between Thomas Simpson and George Dunnage, which records that on 24th December, 1711, the trustees (among whom was Henry Box) leased (probably a renewal) the premises to Dr. Radcliffe, and that a lease was granted in 1771 to William Cotton, LL.D., The property is further referred to as formerly in the tenure of William Cotton, LL.D., late of Mrs. Readshaw, late of Miss Green, and late of Miguel Dias Deffara. From the rate-books it appears that Lady Wintringham lived here in 1795, and this bears out Lysons' statement (fn. 6) that Dr. Radcliffe's house was lately (he wrote in 1795) in the tenure of Sir Clifton Wintringham. He had left Hammersmith Terrace (q.v.) in 1789, and it seems probable that he moved to Hyde Lodge and lived here until his death in 1794. A Miss Rigby was in occupation, according to the rate-books, from 1796 to 1798.

From the above we can compile the following list of occupants:

1652. William Stoakes.

Before 1666. John Hide.

1666. Mrs. Stringer.

Before 1674 to 1685. Isaac le Gooch.

1686– Anne Billingsley.

1710–1714. Dr. John Radcliffe.

Miguel Dias Deffara.

Miss Green.

Mrs. Readshaw.

1771– William Cotton, LL.D.

1789–1794. Sir Clifton Wintringham.

1794–1795. Lady Wintringham.

1796–1798. Miss Rigby.

1804– George Dunnage.

Dr. Radcliffe's occupation of the house (fn. 7) is of interest, but it is doubtful if he used it as a residence. Lysons says (fn. 8) that he purchased [sic] a house by the water-side in 1710, and adds that it was his intention to found a hospital on these premises, and that the building was actually in great forwardness but was left unfinished at his death. The date would agree well with the apparent reconstruction of the house before its further alteration by George Dunnage in the 19th century.

John Radcliffe was born at Wakefield in 1650. While at Oxford he took up the study of medicine, and by 1684, when he removed to London, he had already attained considerable eminence in his profession. In London he met with extraordinary success, and he soon accumulated a large fortune. He was, however, frequently on bad terms with his professional colleagues and with the College of Physicians, and there seems some reason to doubt whether his skill was really proportionate to his practice. His brusqueness frequently gave offence, and he incurred some odium on account of his refusal (if, indeed, he actually did refuse) to attend Queen Anne when attacked by her fatal illness. He died in the same year at his country seat at Carshalton, leaving most of his property to Oxford University. The Radcliffe Camera, built from his bequest, commemorates him at Oxford.

Old prints, drawings, etc.

Wash drawing by J. G. Simkins in Ravenscourt Park Public Library.

(fn. 9) Photograph in the possession of G. R. Saunders, Esq.

(fn. 9) Photograph of lodge in the possession of G. R. Saunders, Esq.