East Grove

estate east grove
The garden at East Grove possibly with Sartorius and his daughter on the bench. LMGLM:2020.21.3

The first recorded occupier of East Grove is Edward O’Kelly (or O’Kelley) and his family, who employed one male and four female servants. At that date the house was known as Grove House. It was the only residential property on the south side of Grove Road. By 1851 a Joseph Parker was in residence, and the house then passed through a series of owners before being purchased by Admiral Sir George Rose Sartorius in about 1878.

Sartorius was born in the British Settlement in Bombay in 1790 and entered the navy at the age of 11 in 1801. He saw action as a midshipman in the Battle of Trafalgar and was knighted for his distinguished services on 21 August 1841. He rose steadily to become full admiral in 1865. He died at East Grove House and is buried at South Baddesley Church.

estate east grove
Sepia photograph of East Grove from the main lawn in 1951. LMGLM:2020.21.48

According to the sale catalogue of 1898, East Grove stood in two acres and comprised three principal bedrooms and four servants’ bedrooms on the first and ‘upper’ floors. There were outbuildings, a coach house and stabling for two horses with a loft over. It was bought by Mrs Emily Alder, a widow, who lived there with her daughter Marion. She was there for over 20 years and was succeeded by Brig-Gen Newenham who was in residence by 1931. The house was then bought by the Russells in 1935.

The gallery below shows more images of the house and its inhabitants

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