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Gadebridge House, Hemel Hempstead |
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Sir Astley Paston Cooper (1768-1841), who was a famous surgeon and anatomist (See biographies in Wikipedia and Our Dacorum), moved to Gadebridge House in 1811. The family remained in the house until the death of the third baronet, Sir Astley Paston Paston-Cooper (1824-1904), at which time the well-wooded park extended over 150 acres. In 1914 the house became a school called Gadebridge Park School, and in 1915 a temporary army camp was set set up in part of the former estate. The school moved out in 1963, as part of the New Town development plan and is now Westbook Hay School, at Boxmoor. The house demolished and Kodak built a Marketing Education Centre on the site. This was demolished in 1995 to make way for housing at Sovereign Heights. |
Gadebridge House Hemel Hempstead Local History Society |
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Gadebridge House, Hemel Hempstead Post Card by Tomblinson, High Street, Hemel Hempstead in RA Series Posted 1918 A view of the house from the park in the valley. |
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Gadebridge House From a cabinet photograph by J Dunn, Alexandra Road, Hemel Hempstead circa 1900 image kindly provided by Stephen |
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Rear view of Gadebridge House From early post card (circa 1905) (no publisher information) |
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James Moore and Family Gardener at Gadebridge House The 1901 census shows James Moore (domestic gardener, 33), his wife Kate F Moore (30), and children Florence L Moore (8), Leonard James Moore (4) and Phyllis K Moore (4 months). They were living in "The Gardens, Gadebridge". This would suggest the photograph was taken in the summer of 1901. As the house was closed down after the death of the 3rd Baronet it is not surprising that in 1911 the family had moved to Leyton, Essex, where James was a greengrocer. Image kindly provided by Stephen In 1902 the head gardener was Septimus Walters see WALTERS, 106 High Street, Hemel Hempstead, 1882-c1900
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Gadebridge Park School was established in 1914 was a boys preparatory boarding school and in 1922 was run by George William Gruggen M.A and James H. Innes Hopkins B.A.
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Gadebridge Park, Hemel Hempstead Valentine Card 54947 JV (1906) The view shows the River Gade flowing through the lower part of the park, with the spire of St Mary's Church in the distance, and Cranstone's Iron Bridge just visible on the right. The picture was taken from the footbridge that crossed Gadebridge Lane at the ford. |
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Gadebridge Park, Hemel Hempstead Hartmann Card 8979/5 The carriageway to Gadebridge House originally passed through a ford until, around 1840, Sir Astley Paston Cooper arranged for a local iron founder, Joseph Cranstone, to erect a bridge. With its attractive design resembling bamboo, it echoes the Chinese style popular at that time. [ref] |
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