There is much interesting information about the Grosvenor family in “Lady Elizabeth and the Grosvenors” by Gervas Huxley (OUP 1965)

In 1834 Richard Grosvenor, who was a familiar figure on the turf, won the St Leger with Touchstone.   He is described as a man of "reserved habits and inexpensive tastes" who spoke seldom in the House of Lords. For many years he had represented Cheshire in Parliament (as a Liberal) and "gave a large park" to Chester. The residents erected a statue in his honour. Unfortunately the masons abbreviated the word Second on the inscription to read "2d Marquis of Westminster" a title which the Builder considered "open to misconstruction"!

1860s

Lady Westminster’s daughter, Lady Theodora Grosvenor, tells us about the planting and other interesting information in her book “Motcombe, Past and Present" (2nd edition 1868).

1870s

It is said that Queen Victoria felt obliged to elevate Hugh Lupus to the dukedom of Westminster because he was richer than she was! 

Interestingly, as recently as 1826 Belgravia was "a barren waste, a fetid swamp", known as the Five Fields. In that year the Grosvenors employed a former adventurer and journeyman-carpenter named Thomas Cubitt to drain it and raise the levels. He transformed what had previously been thought to be an impossible site by burning the topsoil of clay into bricks and utilising the substartum of gravel for the foundations of the houses. In this way the Grosvenors became one of the richest families in the land!

Lord Stalbridge's first marriage was in 1874 to the Hon Beatrice Charlotte Elizabeth Vesey. She died tragically of pleurisy in 1876, just six weeks after giving birth to their only child, a daughter, Elizabeth (Elsie).

1881

Dr Praetorius came to England from Frankfurt-on-Main in the 1870s. He was one of the first to use the Froebel method of teaching.  His one and only son was killed in action in France serving as a British soldier, so he clearly became a naturalised British subject before the Great War.

1886

Richard Grosvenor had lived with the Mormons in Salt Lake City, with the Sioux near Chicago and had been present at the sacking of the Summer Palace in Beijing in 1860.

Much of his life's work had been devoted to the North Western Railway Company, of which he was a director for 40 years and Chairman for half that period.

In 1861 he entered politics as MP for Flintshire, as a Liberal, and later became Chief Whip in Gladstone’s administration of 1880-5. After parting company with Gladstone over Home Rule, he became a stauch and influential member of the liberal-unionist coalition.

1894

See “Nellie - Letters from Africa” by Elspeth Huxley” for more info on Mr Prideaux and the building of the new Motcombe House.

C and G Prideaux was established in the village in 1900 as a milk and dairy produce factory.  This successful concern, which also was developing powdered milk technology, was later bought out by Cow and Gate.

1904

In 1887, Stalbridge, probably as an act of kindness, had entered into an agreement in suppor tof a fellow Liberal peer, the Lord Sudeley who was in financial difficulties and was made bankrupt. The whole affair was most complex, but Stalbridge was the principal creditor  (owing £100,000). Recent research has established that the bankruptcy was quite unnecessary. There are grounds to suspect too, that this affair may have been engineered by political enemies.

Charles Prideaux describes Baron Stalbridge as “one of the best gentlemen who ever walked the streets of Motcombe, a kind-hearted gentleman who had a loving smile and a nod for everyone.”

1921

“Port Regis” comes from the Latin for Kingsgate.  In the grounds of the Broadstairs property was a stone gateway, originally known as St Bart’lem’s (ie Bartholemew’s) Gate which was renamed the King’s Gate, or Port Regis,  following the landing here by Charles II in June 1683.

Sir Milsom Rees, the leading ear, nose and throat specialist of the day, was consultant to King Geroge V and Queen Mary. His links too with big business, not least his friendship with the head of Ford, his big-game shooting and coffee planatation all brought to Port Regis a fascinating stream of interesting people who kept the school aware of the world outside the Isle of Thanet!

1930s

During the 1930s William Joyce – later known as the infamous Lord Haw Haw – teaches at Port Regis!

1945

Gorhambury House was built in 1764 and was first named the Convent of St Mildred.

“Gorhambury – a name to conjure with! and truly there is some magic about this place, with its enchanted trees and vistas of grass-land, its fabled secret passages and ancient monuments, that stirs the imagination of Youth”, wrote the Headmaster in The Portregian, the School Magazine.  “Have the heirlooms and treasures, the portraits and Piranesi marbles suffered very greatly at our hands? No! Seventy or eighty boys . . . . have respected and cared for the fine things at Gorhambury”.

The Portregian notes, “Never shall we forget our first term at Motcombe……..Seven weeks of polar conditions will not easily melt from the memory <but> of all places whither our footsteps have led us in recent years, this is undoubtedly the best. Here is a house that armours a man,

With the eyes of a boy and the heart of a ranger. Motcombe House has certainly fulfilled all our eager expectations”

D A Raeburn (OPR), is Secretary of Oxford University Dramatic Society. He goes on to gain First Class Honours and later to become a Governor of he school.

Lucy Robins (nee Salisbury) is the first Head Girl (78/79). She will later become a Port Regis parent and Secretary of the OPR Association.