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Newgrove Mansion, Brentford

If you have any memories of Newgrove Mansion / New Grove Mansions, please get in touch.

Patsy Langley

It may or may not have a connection with the underground passages of Inverness Lodge, and Inverness Lodge may have its own ghosts, but the little girl ghost was the spectre of Newgrove, next door.

Newgrove Mansion must have burned down in living memory, for I remember the place as a derelict wreck in the early 1970’s. It was demolished late 70’s when the school took over the site. I remember Newgrove Mansion very well, as my brother, his friend and I used to play ‘hide and seek’ in the ruins when we were kids, until mum told us about the ghost.

It was a very imposing building, even in it’s ruined state. It used to have a portico with Doric columns, huge bay windows and was surrounded by trees and bushes and had a large sign at the entrance. I think it may have enjoyed greater importance in the town in its heyday. I think it may have caught fire in the 1960’s, as I remember the ruins being there in the early 1970’s when I was a pupil at Brentford Girls School, so the ghost is quite modern.

Sharon Balson may be right about the underground passages. The Lodge certainly has a spooky atmosphere to it, even when the place is full of people.

History

The select character of the area around the Butts, with Brentford's proximity to Kew Palace, explain the erection at the corner of the Half Acre and the later Clifden Road of Clifden House. A three-storeyed brick mansion with seven bays and a central pediment, containing fine ceilings and woodwork, it was built in the mid 18th century and occupied from 1799 by Henry Agar, Viscount Clifden. (fn. 45) New Grove Mansions, in the style of the Greek Revival, was built immediately to the south c. 1800. (fn. 46) (http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22575)

The (un-named) building is on the OS Maps for 1894 and 1935 next to Inverness Lodge - with a larger floor plan than Inverness Lodge it must have been very imposing. The 1894 map shows the house may have been split into two: the back gardens are split, although the front area was common.

The 1901 census for 7 Boston Road (next to Inverness Lodge at 9 Boston Road):

Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth Year Occupation , Disability Where Born
FALLOWAY, Charles Head Single M 41 1860 School Proprietor Stroud, Gloucestershire
GORMAN, William G Boarder Single M 42 1859 Private Tutor Limerick Ireland
LEOTAND, Henry Boarder Single M 21 1880 Student Law Trinidad B H I British Subjct
LEOTAND, Raphael Boarder Single M 18 1883 Student Law Trinidad B H I British Subjct
DE PENANROS, Peter Boarder Single M 20 1881 Student Law Concarncan France French
TOPIN, Oscar Boarder Single M 16 1885 Student Law Uruguay Monte Video South American O Countries
TOLARI, Cocoar Boarder Single M 16 1885 Student Law Lima Peru South American O Count
FERRES, Paul Boarder Single M 19 1882 Student Law Uruguay Monte Video South American O Countries
TOPHAM, Percy Boarder Single M 17 1884 Student Law Chester, Cheshire
VITTIO, Lucien Boarder Single M 17 1884 Student Law Lille France French
AGNEW, Maggie B Servant Single F 40 1861 Housekeeper (Domestic) Glasford Scotland
TURNER, Sarah Servant Single F 19 1882 House Parlourmaid (Domestic) Windsor, Berkshire
DAVIES, Louisa Servant Single F 49 1852 Kitchenmaid (Domestic) Tottenham, Middlesex

The 1901 census for 5 Boston Road:
PRESTON, Sarah A Head Widow F 68 1833 Living On Own Means Southall, Middlesex
FINTOR, Elizabeth C Lady Compn Widow F 42 1859 Lady Companion (Domestic) St Pancras, London
ELDRIDGE, Fanny Servant Single F 27 1874 Parlourmaid (Domestic) Harlington, Middlesex
SPENCER, Ellen Jane Servant Single F 29 1872 Cook (Domestic) Christchurch, Hampshire
TILLYER, Lilian Servant Single F 20 1881 Housemaid (Domestic) Staines, Middlesex

The 1911 census for 7 Boston Road:
Name Relation Condition/Yrs married Sex Age Birth Year Occupation Where Born
PRING, Elizabeth Ann Head Widow F 68 1843 No Occupation Newport Mon
PRING, Henry B Son Son M 38 1873 Colliery Agent Newport Mon
REAN, Violet Alice Daughter Married F 30 1881 No Occupation Newport Mon
DAVIDSON, Charles Faulkner Grandson M 15 1896 No Shepherds Bush

The property had 12 rooms.

The 1911 census for 5 Boston Road "New Grove House":
RUSTON, Sarah Amelia Head Widow F 79 1832 Private Means Southall Middx
RUSTON, Emma Step-Daughter Single F 55 1856 Brentford Middx
FINER, Elizabeth Servant Widow F 52 1859 London St Pancras
LEDSTONE, Susan Fronde Servant Single F 30 1881 Lidstone S Devon
SPENCER, Ellen J Servant Single F 36 1875 Christchurch Hampshire
LUINETT, Isabel Servant Single F 36 1875 Churchover Warwickshire

The property had 13 rooms.

Telephone directories for 1932 and 1934 show a Mrs E E Gomm lived at 5 New Grove Mansions, Brentford.

The 'London Gazette' 23 June 1944 includes a notice of the recently deceased Lilian Beryl Wingrove. Maurice Charles Read of 3 New Grove Mansions, Boston Manor Road, Brentford managed her estate.

Telephone directories for 1949 and 1956 show a Harry Milne lived at 3 New Grove Mansions, Boston Manor Road, Brentford.

The 'London Gazette' for 30 April 1968 includes notice of the liquidation of the 'New Holland Machine Company Limited', registered office New Grove Mansions, 7 Boston Manor Road, Brentford
Liquidator: Vivian Rupert Vaughan Cooper, F.C.A., Abacus House, Gutter Lane, Cheapside, London E.C.2.
Date of Appointment: 18th April 1968.

If you have any memories of New Grove Mansion(s) or even better, a photo, or remember tales of the underground passages, hauntings or occupants, please get in touch.

Page published July 2012