Old Ledbury Westhill

Westhill

Bradlow / Coddington Road

Westhill is located at Bradlow on the Coddington Road, it is a Grade II Listed Building and was the home of the PALAIRET family.

Major Charles Harvey PALAIRET

( 1847 - 1905 )

Captain Charles Harvey PALAIRET was born in 1847 at Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire. He was the son of Captain Septimus Henry PALAIRET and Mary Anne HAMILTON. He married Emily HENRY. He died on 27 February 1905 at Queen's Gate Terrace, London. He lived at Westhill, Ledbury, Herefordshire. He had two children - Major Charles Andrew Hamilton PALAIRET & Sir Charles Michael PALAIRET.

Major Charles Andrew Hamilton PALAIRET

( 1877 - 1941 )

Major, 1st Royal Fusiliers of West Hill. Warden of the Parish Church for eight years. Served in the South African War 1900. Tibet Expedition 1904. Great War 1914-18. Mons Star. He applied for the Oak Leaf, mentioned in dispatches. He died 13th March 1919. he was 2nd Lt 1898, Lt 1899, Captain 1903. Charles went on to become a Major with the Royal Fusiliers, serving in South Africa 1901-02, Tibet 1903-04 where he was mentioned in Dispatches and also mentioned twice in Dispatches during the first World War, in 1915 and 1916.

Charles is commemorated on a memorial in St Michael & All Angels Church, Ledbury.

Sir Charles Michael PALAIRET

( 1882 - 1956 )

Sir Charles Michael PALAIRET was the son of Captain Charles Harvey PALAIRET and Emily HENRY. After his mother's early death, in 1888 his father married secondly Nora Hamilton MARTIN. Charles was educated at Eton College and spent time in France and Germany to improve his languages before joining the Diplomatic Service in 1905. He married Mary de Vere STUDD, daughter of Brig. Gen. Herbert William STUDD and Mary de VERE, on 29 June 1915. He was appointed Knight Commander, Order of St. Michael and St. George (K.C.M.G.). He was a British diplomat who was minister to Romania, Sweden and Austria, and minister and ambassador to Greece.

Lieutenant Colonel John Hamilton PALAIRET

( 1917 - 1969 )

( Son of Major Charles Andrew Hamilton PALAIRET ) Lt. Col. John Hamilton PALAIRET married Anne Marjorie BIBBY, daughter of Sir Arthur Harold BIBBY, 1st Bt. and Marjorie Guthrie WILLIAMSON, on 5 May 1951. He died in 1969. Children - Sarah Lillias PALAIRET b. 13 Feb 1953, Joanna Vivian PALAIRET b. 25 Jan 1955 and Alisa Jane PALAIRET b. 30 Oct 1957.

Between 1937 - 1958 John was Major 3rd Carabiniers and between 1961 - 1969 Commandant of the Herefordshire County Army Cadet Force.

Chronological extracts from Ledbury TILLEY's Almanacks - Photographs & Memories

1896

February 12 The Royal Hall, Ledbury, was opened the occasion being the Fire Brigade annual supper, Major Charles Harvey PALAIRET presiding. All the speeches were in commendatory terms of Mr. E. H. HOPKINS for his public-spiritedness in supplying a long felt want in the town.

1898

May 31 At the end of the month the Tewkesbury Troop of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, on account of the enforced retirement of Major PALAIRET, joined the Gloucester Troop.

1902

September 4 Sale of Work at Westhill.

September 18 Return of Lieut. C. A. H. PALAIRET from the war; escorted by the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars to Westhill.

1905

February 27 Death of Major PALAIRET, of West Hill, Ledbury, aged 58.

1915

June 26 Captain PALAIRET was again wounded and invalided home.

September 22 Marriage of Major C. A. H. PALAIRET of Westhill, Ledbury, to Miss Lillian CALVERT, of Foscombe, Ashleworth.

1928

March 13 At Ledbury Police Court, a verdict of “Suicide whilst temporarily insane” was returned at an inquest on the body of Charles STOCKLEY, a Birmingham man, who was found hanging in an old cottage at Westhill the previous day.

November 12 Annual meeting of the Ledbury branch British Legion held at their headquarters in Church Street. Major C. A. H. PALAIRET presided. The Secretary stated there was a membership of 316 and the accounts showed a credit balance of £58 9s. 3d.

1929

May 23 Lady BIDDULPH opened a very successful fete in the grounds of West Hill in aid of the Ledbury Nursing Association. A net proﬁt of £103 14s. 8d. was made.

August 9 Ledbury Babies’ Welfare Club garden party at Westhill.

October 26 Annual meeting of the Ledbury branch British Legion. Major PALAIRET presided, and the hon. Secretary reported a total membership of 306 and a cash balance in hand of £104 1s. 4d.

October 31 A Whist drive in aid of Dr. Barnardo’s Young Helpers League, held at West Hill (the residence of Major and Mrs. PALAIRET), realised a proﬁt of over £10.

November 25 A landslide occurred near Westhill on the Coddington road, large quantities of earth being strewn across the road.

1930

May 23 First annual meeting of the Ledbury Nursing Association, held at the Church Room, Mrs. C. A. H. PALAIRET presiding.

November 1 At the annual meeting of Ledbury Branch of the British Legion, Major C. A. H. PALAIRET presided, and the hon. secretary reported a credit balance of £84 11s. 0d.

1931

February 4 A whist drive organised by Ledbury Nursing Association was held at West Hill.

1930's

Babies' Welfare Club garden party

( 2013 March )
Fiona Penwarne - Mothers and babies at Westhill early 1930's. Gran possibly on this but not sure where. Westhill was the house where the Palarait family lived. It later became a B and B but I think it is now a private home again.

Jo Edge - Is this the house up the top of Bradlow?

Jenny Lawrence - It is the large elegant house which faces down the hill. The run of buildings along the road were servants quarters I think. Nearest Ledbury was The Stables which is now attached to Phoenix House. Miss Palairet used to let out one of the cottages for self catering holiday let and she lived in another. The box pew in St Michaels is their family pew.

Claire Ellis - Think my nan Bessie Green is on this, 3rd from left, sat down. Uncle Tom on her lap and my dad Phil sat near her feet. This is what my mum thought after it was published in the Ledbury Reporter in the old photo section a few years ago. Lovely to see it clearer as we only have the newspaper cutting. Thanks Fiona 🙂

Shirley Dalley - Isn't that a wonderful picture! wowee.

( 2021 March )
Pat Lancett - Yes remember playing with Sarah Joanna and Alsa Palairet in the mid 50s as a child think they were children of the late Major John Palairet such happy childhood memories living at Bradlow

Ann Coppin - I could remember Alsa but could not think of the others, I often think of our times around that area

Pat Lancett - Going in that house was a lot different from our cottage they had proper toilets which I had never seen or baths our toilet was down the garden but happy memories never the less x

Sources

1897 - 1979 Ledbury Tilleys Almanacks - Herefordshire History
Photographs are credited to the owners where possible
Edited Memories in italics are from members of the Old Ledbury Facebook Group
Cuttings are from Old Ledbury Reporter Newspapers
History of Ledbury in the 19th Century
Herefordshire Archive Records Centre HARC
( TILLEY's Collection ) - No photograph to be reproduced or used for commercial gain without permission Alan HOIDA