The Buckingham Book

In 2025 a Shoreham resident acquired at auction a significant historical find. It was a rather battered leather bound family scrapbook dating from 1889. It contained photographs, sketches, and cuttings collected by the Head family of Great Buckingham, Old Shoreham. The story behind the “Buckingham Book” book is tantalising. It had been kept in the Head family’s possession for 80 years but had been torn in two, and separated, with the front part donated to a museum. We now have possession of the second half along with its accompanying covering letter from an author unknown. The images in the book are in this gallery.

Covering letter:

This Family Scrapbook compiled by the Head Family to record their time at Buckingham (Buckingham House, Old Shoreham) from 1889 to 1905 was in the possession of Lady (Hester) Marsden-Smedley (née Pinney), the daughter of Lady Hester Pinney (née Head). Before she died, Lady Pinney stated that she wanted me to have it because of its relevance to Shoreham. In due course I made contact with her daughter in Chelsea and arranged to go up to collect it.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Lady Marsden-Smedley would have liked to have kept it, since it contained so much of Family interest. In the event, she simply tore the book in half and gave me the front part, and this I placed in Marlipins. It may since have been dismembered, which is a great pity.

The other half I was very surprised to be offered many years later through a friend. and bought it, at a price, and did not enquire as to its provenance. I still have it, in its somewhat battered slate.

It is (was) three-quarter leather bound, about 100 mm thick in all, the boards approx, 370 x 298mm, with interleaved pages designed as a commercial scrap-book.

It is clear that the Head boys were responsible for most of the snaps, but there are other more professional photos taken probably by William Page, Photographer, of Shoreham, whom Hester (Pinney) said she encouraged. There are also watercolours by Hester of a competent, but amateur quality, together with sundry printed items of interest, and photos of local views and personalities.

The whole gave a unique and fascinating view of the very happy life at Buckingham until Henry Head’s death in 1905, when the family quit Old Shoreham. The house lay empty and in 1911 was gutted, with the grounds occupied by a new house erected to the North.

During their stay at Buckingham, the Heads effectively filled the role of ‘Lords of the Manor’ in the Town, and were most popular. Henry Head was an outgoing and generous personality, and he was clearly led by his very positive daughter Hester (Pinney), abetted by her brothers. The Park was regularly opened to the townsfolk, and Henry seems to have been the leader in the 1897 Diamond Jubilee celebrations. When, apart from a Grand March through the Town to a Fair and general festivities in the Park, there seems to have been a very early filrnshow in the field by the old Swiss Gardens. Fifty years later, Hester Pinney was stilt fondly rernembered in the Town.

The Book records Hunting, Cricket, Yachting (Steam and Sail) Golf, Shooting, Riding, and alfresco entertainments.. The girls from the London Store, D. H. Evans, which the Heads owned, were also entertained in the Summer and are seen obviously enjoying themselves. The Book is a wonderful, unique, record of a lost age, which was soon to come to a tragic stop. One son was lost on the Titanic (sic Christopher Head), and one at Gallipoli (sic. Bernard Head); it is fitting that their memorials are in Old Shoreham Church, in the place that they so enjoyed.

Author unknown, date post-1983

Buckingham House 1904. Built 1820 damaged by fire 1911

The background to the Head family

We can surmise that the book was split in 1983 after Hester’s death. Whilst it is reasonable to assume the Marlipins Museum holds the other half of the book they are currently unable to confirm this.

In the same year as the 1891 census this family group photograph is on the East steps to Buckingham. It appears to show Henry Head (age 56) next to his daughter Hester Head (16) (standing) and seated an unknown woman. Henry’s wife Hester Head Snr (56) is seated in black (probably in mourning for her son Hugh who died in Nov 1890). Henry’s sons are seated, believed to be John Alban Head (17)and Bernard Head (15) later killed in Gallipoli in 1915. The other ladies are not identified.

Hester’s father was Henry Head b.1834 m.1860 Died 1st July 1905
Hester’s mother was Hester Head (née Beck) b.1835 m.1860 d.1907
Hester became Hester Pinney (née Head Jnr.) by marriage in 1900 b.1875 d.1958
Hester’s daughter Hester Harriott Marsden-Smedley (née Pinney) b. Pune India 21st June 1901. Married Basil Futvoye Marsden-Smedley 1927. Hester died in 1982 in Chelsea.
Hester’s daughter was Henrietta Hester Marsden-Smedley b.1935 d.1998

0215 – – Henry Head with his daughter Hester Pinney and grand-daughters at Buckingham House. It is probably Hester Harriott in her mother’s arms. c.1903 a couple of years before his death. Location at the front door to Buckingham ©SAS

Sons and daughters of Henry and Hester Head:

Sir Henry Head¹ b. 4 Aug 1861, d. 8 Oct 1940
Charles Howard Head¹ b. 28 Dec 1862, d. 6 Dec 1877
Hugh Stanley Head¹ b. 9 Jun 1864, d. 4 Nov 1890
Rachel Mary Head¹ b. 26 Aug 1865, d. 19 Jan 1870
Katherine Head¹ b. 17 Sep 1866, d. 2 Aug 1869
Francis Head¹ b. 13 Feb 1868, d. 11 Feb 1905
Christopher Head¹ b. 25 Dec 1869, d. 15 Apr 1912 on Titanic
Geoffrey Head+¹ b. 14 Apr 1872, d. 22 Nov 1955
John Alban Head¹ b. 7 Dec 1873, d. 8 Jun 1931
Hester Head+¹ b. 29 Jan 1875, d. 1958
Bernard Head¹ b. 12 Jan 1876, d. 13 Aug 1915 killed in action at Gallipoli

Link to Head Family Tree

1891 census of Great Buckingham House, Old Shoreham Street, Old Shoreham

First name(s)	Last name	Relationship	Marital status	Sex	Age	Birth year	Occupation	Birth place
Henry	Head	Head	Married	Male	56	1835	Underwriter	Ipswich, Suffolk, England
Hester	Head	Wife	Married	Female	56	1835	–	Stamford Hill, Middlesex, England
Francis	Head	Son	Single	Male	23	1868	Underwriter	Stoke Newington, Middlesex, England
Christopher	Head	Son	Single	Male	21	1870	Student of law	Stoke Newington, Middlesex, England
John Alban	Head	Son	Single	Male	17	1874	Scholar	Stamford Hill, Middlesex, England
Hester	Head Jr	Daughter	Single	Female	16	1875	Scholar	Stamford Hill, Middlesex, England
Bernard	Head	Son	Single	Male	15	1876	Scholar	Stamford Hill, Middlesex, England
Violet	Ponsonby	Visitor	Single	Female	14	1877	Scholar	Belgravia, London, England
Mary	Felce	Governess	Single	Female	27	1864	Governess	Launceston, Cornwall, England
Geoffrey	Head	Son	Single	Male	19	1872	Clerk	Stamford Hill, Middlesex, England
Edward John	Peatt	Butler	Single	Male	28	1863	Domestic servant	London, England
William Edward	Bishop	Footman	Single	Male	20	1871	Domestic servant	Shoreham, Sussex, England
James	Brown	General	Single	Male	28	1863	Domestic servant	Scotland
Jane Amelia	Bennett	Servant	Single	Female	40	1851	Domestic nurse	Hackney, Middlesex, England
Alma	Caudwell	Servant	Single	Female	36	1855	Domestic cook	Ixworth, Suffolk, England
Eliza E	Gooderham	Servant	Single	Female	32	1859	Domestic housemaid	Old Buckenham, Norfolk, England
Margaret E	Daniells	Servant	Single	Female	20	1871	Domestic housemaid	Old Buckenham, Norfolk, England
Emily	Roadnight	Servant	Single	Female	21	1870	Domestic kitchen maid	Hackney, Middlesex, England
Annie	Goldsmith	Servant	Single	Female	17	1874	Domestic kitchen maid	Shoreham, Sussex, England

1901 census of Great Buckingham House, Old Shoreham Street, Old Shoreham

First name(s)	Last name	Relationship	Marital status	Sex	Age	Birth year	Occupation	Birth place
Francis	Head	Son	Single	Male	33	1868	Member of “lloyds” royal exchange	Stoke Newington, Middlesex, England
Alfred	Nicholls	Servant	Single	Male	38	1863	Coachman domestic	Chigwell, Essex, England
Arthur	Gull	Servant	Single	Male	28	1873	Groom domestic	Ardleigh, Essex, England
Emily	Wood	Servant	Single	Female	36	1865	Cook domestic	Dunster, Somerset, England
Mary A	Sampson	Servant	Single	Female	21	1880	Kitchenmaid domestic	Shoreham, Sussex, England
Charles T	Parris	Servant	Single	Male	26	1875	Footman domestic	Sussex, England
Mabel	Page	Servant	Single	Female	15	1886	Scullery maid domestic	Shoreham, Sussex, England
Nellie	Sampson	Servant	Single	Female	17	1884	Housemaid domestic	Shoreham, Sussex, England
Minnie E	West	Servant	Single	Female	23	1878	Housemaid domestic	London, Middlesex, England
Jane	Bennett	Servant	Single	Female	55	1846	Nurse domestic	London, Middlesex, England

The contents of the Buckingham Book (II)

The Buckingham House Timeline

The first Buckingham House was built in the 1780s for the Bridger family. Note the main East-West road took a more direct route passing just South of the house and through Little Buckingham Farm. This would join the Avenue and The Street to emerge at St Nicolas Church and the Toll Bridge.

1782 – View of original Buckingham house.

B39 94.2402 Buckingham House, Shoreham-by-Sea. Watercolour painting by Miss E Bartlett. Showing the south and east elevations. Driveway leading up to the house and grounds. The house was owned by the Bridger family and then leased by Henry Head Esq. Signed EEB. From the Sussex Archaeological Society’s Marlipins Collection.

The second Buckingham House was built for the Bridger family c.1820 in classical style to a design by J. B. Rebecca of Worthing. It faced east across a park of about 55 acres. At this time the East – West road was moved to curve southwards to avoid the parkland of the house. Around 1890, the Bridgers moved to Adur Lodge and let the house to Henry Head.

1881 census of Great Buckingham House, Old Shoreham Street, Old Shoreham

Harry	Bridger	Head	Married	Male	52	1829	Magistrate esquire	Sussex, England
Eliza Ann	Bridger	Wife	Married	Female	52	1829	Magistrate esquire wife	Lambeth, Surrey, England
Florence Louisa	Bridger	Daughter	Single	Female	25	1856	–	Sussex, England
Dulcibella Mary	Bridger	Daughter	Single	Female	22	1859	–	Sussex, England
Marguerite	Bridger	Niece	Single	Female	9	1872	–	Sussex, England
Henry	Spratt	Servant	Single	Male	19	1862	Groom	Wickham, Sussex, England
Marian Jemima	Phillips	Servant	Single	Female	26	1855	Domestic servant	Emsworth, Hampshire, England
Susan Andrews Elliot	Lamble	Servant	Single	Female	27	1854	Domestic servant	Blackawton, Devon, England
Gemma	Boniface	Servant	Single	Female	22	1859	Domestic servant	Hailsham, Sussex, England
Mary Ann	Fuller	Servant	Single	Female	22	1859	Domestic servant	Bexley, Kent, England
Caroline	Lisher	Servant	Single	Female	20	1861	Domestic servant	Sompting, Sussex, England

The Buckingham House story after the Heads

After the death of Henry Head in 1905 the house remained vacant and abandoned and suffered a fire in 1910. It was bought by W. G. Little, who built a new house 200 yards to the north between 1912 & c. 1921, when E. R. Harrison purchased the property. He sold 38 acres of Buckingham park to Shoreham Council in 1930 and it was officially opened to the public in Feb. 1931. The later Buckingham House became the Downs School, run by the Misses Wood & Cleare c. 1935.

The house was sold to Brighton Corporation in 1945, when it was described as standing in 5 to 6 acres of wooded grounds. It had a large lounge, drawing room, library, billiards room, 12 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, servants quarters, and a detached brick built hall with a stage and seating for 300. It became Buckingham House Children’s Home, Ravensbourne Avenue, and was demolished in the 1960’s.

An interesting panorama of four photos sent to us by Chris Mead. Taken by his father in 1946 from one of the flats above the shops in Ferry Road it looks out westwards across a barren landscape following the wartime clearance of most of the bungalows. Amongst those that survived were West and East House(s) on the extreme right. Just beyond the old sports club are two house boats, the one on the right is Skylark and to the left of it is what looks like an MTB that to me is very similar to one that survived until recent years – perhaps someone remembers it’s name?

Why were the two bungalows in the centre of the view left untouched I wonder? The smaller one was named ‘Barge’ but the larger doesn’t appear to have been named and is just noted as No. 81 on the BT Properties list.

Lastly, along the shore can be seen the anti-tank blocks that were removed a few years later – the lower photo of blocks at Lancing gives an idea of them closer up.