White Lodge
Encyclopedia
White Lodge is a Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
house situated in Richmond Park
Richmond Park
Richmond Park is a 2,360 acre park within London. It is the largest of the Royal Parks in London and Britain's second largest urban walled park after Sutton Park, Birmingham. It is close to Richmond, Ham, Kingston upon Thames, Wimbledon, Roehampton and East Sheen...
, on the south-western outskirts of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Formerly a royal residence, today, it houses the Royal Ballet Lower School
Royal Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the Royal Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in London...
, instructing students aged 11–16. As part of a major redevelopment project led by the ballet school, the building now also houses the newly appointed White Lodge Museum and Ballet Resource Centre.
Early history
The house was built as a hunting lodge for George IIGeorge II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, by the architect Roger Morris, shortly after his accession to the throne in 1727. Originally called Stone Lodge, the house was renamed New Lodge shortly afterwards to distinguish itself from a neighbouring lodge called Brown lodge.
Queen Caroline
Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was the queen consort of King George II of Great Britain.Her father, John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, was the ruler of a small German state...
, consort of George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, stayed at the lodge frequently. On her death in 1737, the lodge passed to Robert Walpole, 1st Baron Walpole, the son of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
. After his death, it came to Queen Caroline's daughter, Princess Amelia, in 1751. The Princess, who also became the ranger of Richmond Park, closed the entire park to the public, except to distinguished friends and those with permits, sparking public outrage. In 1758, a court case made by a local brewer against a park gatekeeper eventually overturned the Princess's order, and the park was once again opened to the public.
Princess Amelia is remembered for adding the two white wings to the main lodge, which remain to this day. The Prime Minister, the 3rd Earl of Bute
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute KG, PC , styled Lord Mount Stuart before 1723, was a Scottish nobleman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain under George III, and was arguably the last important favourite in British politics...
, became ranger after the Princess's death, and lived at the Lodge from 1761 until his death in 1792.
It was during this tenure that the name White Lodge first appeared, in the journal of Lady Mary Coke. According to her journal, Lady Mary went to Richmond Park hoping to catch a glimpse of "their Majestys" (George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
and Queen Charlotte
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the Queen consort of the United Kingdom as the wife of King George III...
), who did "always stay at White Lodge on a Sunday".
After restoration of the house following disrepair in the late 18th century, George III gave the house to another Prime Minister, Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth
Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth
Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, PC was a British statesman, and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1804....
, who enclosed the lodge's first private gardens in 1805. Although the King (affectionately called Farmer George for his enthusiasm for farming and gardening) made himself ranger, Lord Sidmouth was made deputy ranger. Among the more famous visitors to White Lodge during this period was Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...
, in the month before the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
. He is said to have explained his battle plan to Lord Sidmouth by drawing lines on the table with a wine-moistened finger.
19th century
After Viscount Sidmouth died in 1844, Queen VictoriaVictoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
gave the house to her aunt – the last surviving daughter of George III – Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh
The Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh was a member of the British Royal Family, the eleventh child and fourth daughter of George III....
. After her death in 1857, Prince Albert decided on White Lodge as a suitable secluded location for his son the Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, during his minority and education. Although the Prince of Wales favoured stimulating company to hard study, Prince Albert kept him here in seclusion, with only five companions, two of whom were tutors. Understandably, the Prince of Wales found the few years at White Lodge boring.
After the Prince of Wales was sent to Ireland to continue his training, Queen Victoria, desperately grieving the death of her mother, the Duchess of Kent, came to White Lodge with Prince Albert, in the early months of 1861. This was only the first of two deaths that year. On 14 December, Prince Albert died of typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
. The Queen was devastated, and never came out of mourning during the remaining 40 years of her life.
The Teck family
Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge
Princess Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth of Cambridge was a member of the British Royal Family, a granddaughter of George III, and great-grandmother of Elizabeth II. She held the title of Duchess of Teck through marriage.Mary Adelaide is remembered as the mother of Queen Mary, the consort of...
, who were given use of the house by the mourning Queen Victoria in 1869. Princess Mary Adelaide, a granddaughter of George III and therefore first cousin to the queen, was famous for her extravagance. Requests for a higher income from The Queen were unsuccessful. Debts were increasing, and the family fled abroad during the 1880s to escape their creditors.
In 1891, the aged Queen, anxious to find a bride for her grandson, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence
Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence
Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale was a member of the British Royal Family. He was the eldest son of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales and Alexandra, Princess of Wales , and the grandson of the reigning monarch, Queen Victoria...
, settled on Princess Mary Adelaide's daughter, Victoria Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
. Following Prince Albert Victor's death a few months before the marriage in 1892, Victoria Mary married his brother, Prince George, Duke of York, the future George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
in 1893.
In 1894, the Duchess of York gave birth to her first child, the future Edward VIII
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
, at White Lodge. Queen Victoria visited the Lodge to see the Prince shortly afterwards. Three years later, the Duchess of Teck died, followed by the Duke of Teck in 1900.
20th century
After Queen Victoria's death, the Lodge was owned privately by a Ms Hartman, who was bankrupted in 1909 as a result of maintaining the property. The house returned to royal use in 1923, during the honeymoon of Prince Albert, Duke of York, the future George VIGeorge VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
and the Duchess of York
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
. Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
, who had lived at White Lodge with her mother, Princess Mary Adelaide
Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge
Princess Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth of Cambridge was a member of the British Royal Family, a granddaughter of George III, and great-grandmother of Elizabeth II. She held the title of Duchess of Teck through marriage.Mary Adelaide is remembered as the mother of Queen Mary, the consort of...
, insisted that they make their home at the Lodge.
Queen Mary, ever practical, was at first opposed to Prince Albert and daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, in taking on the property. Queen Mary was concerned that they could not afford to live there. But Prince Albert and Elizabeth saw past the dilapidation and fell in love with the old mansion.
There was work to be done - taking out partitions in the large saloon and it was restored to Wyatville's intended glory. The floor was replaced with parquet; the old kitchen was changed into a dining room; the kitchen moved to the back of the house. The large conservatory was demolished and a new family wing was built. By the end of 1932, the rather gloomy, run down mansion was successfully transformed into a charming and comfortable home. This was now the real home of Prince Albert and Elizabeth with their two daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.
The garden gave Prince Albert scope to develop his talent for landscaping. The garden was extended with a waterfall and a series of pools to enlarge a rock garden.
The woodland area contained many fine old trees; glades of flowering shrubs, trees and grassy walks with statues included. Prince Albert loved Rhododendrons and planted many new varieties. The Duchess, Elizabeth, loved Magnolias.
In 1936, the Duke and Duchess invited an architect and landscape designer Geoffrey Jellicoe to design new terraces to link the mansion more harmoniously with its setting. The garden remained a great source of pleasure to Duchess Elizabeth throughout her life.
From then on, the house was occupied by various private residents, including Arthur Lee, 1st Viscount Lee of Fareham
Arthur Lee, 1st Viscount Lee of Fareham
Arthur Hamilton Lee, 1st Viscount Lee of Fareham, GCB, GBE, GCSI, PC was a British soldier, diplomat, politician and patron of the arts. After military postings and an assignment to the British Embassy in Washington, he entered politics and served as Minster of Agriculture and Fisheries and First...
. The last private resident was Colonel James Veitch, who lived at White Lodge until 1954.
Royal Ballet School
In 1955, the Sadler's Wells Ballet School were granted the use of White Lodge on a permanent basis, later being granted a Royal Charter becoming the Royal Ballet SchoolRoyal Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the Royal Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in London...
in 1956. It has consequently become recognised as one of the leading ballet schools in the world. In recent years, the Royal Ballet School formed the White Lodge Redevelopment Appeal, to fund the largest re-development of the building in its history. Much of the redevelopment work is in progress.
The most significant improvements include the provision of state of the art dance and academic facilities, plus new boarding facilities for up to 125 students and residential staff. The work will ensure that the building complies with Government regulations, allowing the school to remain at the building for the foreseeable future. The total cost of the project is estimated at £22 million, of which 80% has already been raised by benefactors.
Support for the project has been received from:
- English HeritageEnglish HeritageEnglish Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
- The Crown EstateCrown EstateIn the United Kingdom, the Crown Estate is a property portfolio owned by the Crown. Although still belonging to the monarch and inherent with the accession of the throne, it is no longer the private property of the reigning monarch and cannot be sold by him/her, nor do the revenues from it belong...
- Royal Parks
- HRH The Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of WalesPrince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
, President of the school - Department for Children, Schools and FamiliesDepartment for Children, Schools and FamiliesThe Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
Planning permission granted by:
- London Borough of Richmond upon ThamesLondon Borough of Richmond upon ThamesThe London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South West London, UK, which forms part of Outer London. It is unique because it is the only London borough situated both north and south of the River Thames.-Settlement:...
- Greater London AuthorityGreater London AuthorityThe Greater London Authority is the top-tier administrative body for Greater London, England. It consists of a directly elected executive Mayor of London, currently Boris Johnson, and an elected 25-member London Assembly with scrutiny powers...
The redevelopment plan includes:
- Refurbished King's Building, Queen's Pavilion and Windsor Pavilion
- Refurbished stable block (academic facilities)
- Refurbished science lab
- Ballet museum relocated
- New dance studios
- Extension of the Pavolva Studio
- New boarding houses
- New dining hall and kitchen
- New house for the head of the school
- New memorial garden
- New courtyard garden
- New car park
- Various new boundaries, hedges, lawns and gardens
White Lodge Museum and Ballet Resource Centre
As part of its redevelopment programme, the Royal Ballet School relocated and enlarged its ballet museum, which now also contains a gallery and collections relating to the history of White Lodge. These artefacts can now be accessed by the public for the first time, however advanced booking is required.See also
- Royal Ballet SchoolRoyal Ballet SchoolThe Royal Ballet School is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the Royal Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in London...
- Royal Ballet School website