"Boro'gate" was one of the large houses built around 1900 at the north end of St Peters Street, St Albans. It was on the south side of the Carlisle Road junction, and on the north side of the junction there was "The Hollies," occupied by Richard Gibbs (1834-1910), one time Mayor of St Albans, an alderman on the Herts County Council, joint founder with his father of the Herts Advertiser newspaper, and nephew of my ancestor, John Gibbs, of Aylesbury. Not far away, at the north end of St Peters Street was another, slightly smaller, house called "Calverton" which was built by my grandfather, Harry Finch Reynolds.

 

Barry Tyrwhitt-Drake, who has been a friend of this site since its beginnings, has provided a picture of Borogate from 1914, and family information relating to the history of the house between 1905 and 1929. I have added a postcard image from the time the house was part of the St Albans High School for Girls, plus some information from the book St Albans High School for Girls- which also includes some relevant pictures.

1905	Rev William Thomas Tyrwhitt Drake bought Boro'gate in 1906 after he retired as vicar of Great Gaddesden at the age of 65
March 1906	Father brought Boro'gate, St. Albans
3 May 1906	My first night at Boro'gate, S.Albans.
10 January 1907	Small dance at Boro'gate.
20 July 1908	We gave a small dance at Boro'gate
12 February 1909	Electric light put in at Boro'gate
7 July 1909	Entertained French guests from Caen at Boro'gate
2/3rd April 1911	1911 Census - Boro'gate, St Peters Street, St Albans

William T Tyrwitt	Drake	Head	Married	Male	Clerk In Holy Orders	75	Bucks Amersham
Harriett S Tyrwitt	Drake	Wife	Married	Female	-	69	Durham Bishop Auckland
Kathleen Tyrwhitt	Drake	Daughter	Single	Female	-	36	Hemel Hempstead Herts
Lilian Mary Tyrwitt	Drake	Daughter	Single	Female	-	35	Gt Gaddesden Herts
Margaret Emma Tyrwitt	Drake	Daughter	Single	Female	-	27	Gt Gaddesden Herts
May Galdys Tyrwitt	Drake	Daughter	Single	Female	-	25	Gt Gaddesden Herts
Theodora Caroline	Williamson	Visitor	Single	Female	-	30	Eastborne Sussex
Susannah	Evans	Servant	Widow	Female	Domestic Servant	68	Dover Kent
Alma Elizabeth	Gwilliam	Servant	Single	Female	Domestic Servant	34	Islington Middesex
Ethel	Harrison	Servant	Single	Female	Domestic Servant	19	Boxmoor Herts
Elsie Maud	Warren	Servant	Single	Female	Domestic Servant	17	Pebmarch Essex
Florence Louisa	Brace	Servant	Single	Female	Domestic Servant	17	Hertford Heath Herts

August 1911	We let Boro'gate to Sir Lewis McIver for 10 weeks
11 October 1913	S.P.G. picture show at Boro'gate.
Xmas 1914	The picture shows Rev William Thomas Tyrwhitt Drake with his white beard, aged 79, standing in the doorway with his wife Harriet Susannah to his left. The three ladies in white dresses are three of their unmarried daughters.
January 1915	Death of William Thomas Tyrwhitt Drake
30 January 1917	A daughter [Dorothy Joy Tyrwhitt Drake] born to Barnard Tyrwhitt Drake and Dorothy at Boro'gate, St Albans. At the time of her birth Barnard was serving as a Chaplain to the Forces, which probably explains why her mother went to St. Albans for the birth of her child.
25 December 1917	Xmas at Boro'gate
15 June 1921	May Gladys Tyrwhitt Drake married to Dr Sidney Herbert Clarke at St. Albans Abbey. Reception at Boro'gate.
1929	Death of Harriet Susannah Tyrwhitt Drake, who lived in the house until her death
31st May 1929	Opened as a boarding house of St Albans High School for Girls. Described as a gracious and spacious Edwardian House with a large garden at the rear
Early 1930s	Biology practical work took place in the greenhouse and garden at Boro'gate, assisted by Butler, the gardener.
1935??	The Play Room, Borogate   Postcard by Cherry & Co Photographers St Albans   Cherry & Co were photographers at 24 Victoria Street in the 1930s and 40s.
Late 1930s	Plans were drawn up for a swimming pool in the garden, but this was abandoned with the outbreak of war.
1961	Borogate sold by school