Sunday, June 2, 2013

Nicholas Temperley & Son

In 1827 Nicholas Temperley was a grocer selling butter, bacon, cheese, tea, and flour from premises in Market Street. The Temperleys are described in a directory from the late 19th century as "an old established and well known firm of merchants and importers with premises at Hexham, and Newcastle." The directory goes on to state that, "The name Temperley has been a familiar one on Tyneside for several generations, and the establishment of the firm dates from 1801… the firm do an extensive business in home produce, and as importers of cargoes, and direct steamer shipments of various descriptions of foreign oil-cakes, grain, and other feeding materials…They also act as agents in the district for one of the largest Hungarian flour mills at Budapest."

The Temperleys left quite a mark architecturally in Hexham. In 1826 Temperley Place was built on the north side of Hencoates and in 1859 William Temperley built Westfield House at Hexham at the substantial cost of £1,047. His eldest son Nicholas laid the foundation stone on his fifteenth birthday, February 14th 1859. The house was sold in 1877, after being let for a few years, to J. Hope for £11,000 and later became Hexham Hydro. The same year, 1877, 9 Beaumont Street, an "essay in free Baroque" according to Pevsner, was built for W. A. Temperley and Co, followed in 1897 by 7 Beaumont Street.

by Paul Green

No comments:

Post a Comment