This is quite a fantastical tale of empire, death defying derring-do, jewel thefts, giant mushrooms, legal battles, major wars, French Riviera glamour, wealthy heiresses, Queens and Dukes, wining, dining, oriental adventures and a light bar lunch.
This is the story of how Paignton came to have it's own Maharaja's palace slap bang on the middle of its seafront. It's the story of The Redcliffe Towers or as it became later, the Redcliffe Hotel.
The Redcliffe was built by Colonel Robert Smith between 1852 and 1856, but who was he and why was it built right here in Paignton?
Many events came together, not the least of which was, my previously mentioned, flourishing of Paignton in the mid 19th century as a refuge for the French Riviera elites and the royalty of Europe, during the Franco-Prussian War, which I touched on in previous posts, like my post on Winner Street and my more recent series on the Singer family of Oldway.
I will start though with the mysterious Isabella Tompson, born in 1777, of whom I have not found out much, other than that she is listed as the landowner of this area of Paignton in the 1841 Tithe map below. Plot 180 on the tithe map, where the Redcliffe now stands, is completely empty and is listed as "arable" and was owned by Isabella Distin (nee Tompson). Isabella married John Distin in 1816 and John died in 1839, just before this map was made. The Distins appear to have been quite widespread in Torbay and were farmers or at least gentlemen farmers.
Isabella Distin owned a lot of land by the time of her death not just this plot. Whether she owned it in her own right or as a result of the death of her husband I cannot be sure.
Below is a modern map showing the same area. This is a map of listed buildings from English Heritage and interestingly the main building that appears in the tithe map above is shown today as a listed building, Parkfield, built in the 1820's. When the tithe map was drawn, Parkfield was still a new build. Of course, today we notice that the Redcliffe itself, is also listed. Isabella died in 1854 but this land was sold to Colonel Robert Smith a couple of years earlier. Isabella lived long enough to see the building works on her old field but we don't know if she did. Marine Drive and the sea wall did not exist back in 1841. Redcliffe was just that, a red cliff.
This is Robert Smith and his life story alone, reads like a novel. Although his family were from Bideford in Devon, Robert was born in 1787 in Nancy, France. His family frequently travelled to both France and India and had strong connections with the East India Company. The family moved to London and financial pressures meant that the three sons had to find work. His two older brothers had both been born in India and were working there already when Smith at the age of 16 went out to join them. He enlisted as a Cadet in 1803 and his younger brother also joined up in 1815. By 1805 he had become an Ensign and transferred from the Infantry to the Engineers, and this was a turning point for his future career.
Tragically all three of his brothers were to die in India, leaving Robert as the only surviving son. His early training by the Company in Marlowe had been in surveying and mapmaking and he became an accomplished draughtsman, which probably saved his life. The empire is remembered as glamourous and heroic but it was a highly dangerous career as when not fighting, recruits were vulnerable to tropical diseases. Smith was at times both a fighting man and an artist.
A report by the Surveyor General suggested Smith was "by far the best draughtsman I am acquainted with. His masterly rapid pencil particularly qualifies him for survey of the Frontier, as he will be able to delineate the passes and surrounding country with the greatest correctness."
As well as fighting in Mauritius, and Nepal he went on to design bridges, roads, harbours and even a lighthouse. He completed work on the restoration of several Mughal monuments, that are now world famous tourist attractions, including The Red Fort, the Jama Masjid and the Qutub Minar and working with the Indian red sandstone and the topography of the sub-continent was a defining part of his career which inspired his later architectural projects like the Redcliffe.
As well as winning medals the arduous tours took their toll on his health and by 1830 he left India to retire early and recuperate, during which time he designed and built not one but two palaces, one on the seafront at Nice in France and the other here in Paignton. There is a great more to read about his life here, and some photos of his other buildings by the author Diane James. This is how the Redcliffe looked when it was first built.
As you can see from this diagram, the main entrance gate was originally near the waterfront at the end of the esplanade. This had a lodge guarding a private drive to a formal garden with fountain, giving a grand entrance to the property as we see above.
How did Robert afford to do all of this with his East India Company pension of £1 a week? He married a French heiress of course. His wife died just prior to 1850 leaving him her considerable wealth. Even after his palace building binge, Robert died in 1873 leaving £90,000 and nobody knows where this money came from. Was he a canny investor or was his wife far richer than was thought at the time? Today that £90,000 is the equivalent of £5.6 million.
"The mansion was built in several stages by J.R.K. Tozer the proprietor of a major building company in Paignton after drawings designed by Smith. In design a fusion of Indian, Italian and Gothic, with the familiar signature of central rotunda and two wings, it is now grey, covered in roughcast with stuccoed detail which diminishes its impact on the landscape, and conceals all traces of the previous building." Blogs.ucl.ac.uk
At the end of this post I'll update you on the latest plans for the Redcliffe which are considerable and very exciting. First, however, I am at this point going there for a light bar lunch so that I can get some insight into what is inside the building today.
Lets start at the beginning. One can judge by how much land the Distins owned that John Distin was one of the early 19th century movers and shakers of Paignton. In 1835 the local MP Sir John Buller was returned to parliament and John Distin was at the celebration dinner held at the Globe Inn with nearly a hundred other friends and supporters of the Hon. Baronet. "The meeting was most gratifying to the numerous and respectable party assembled".
Another indication of the Distin wealth is an advert for a sale of cattle, hay, etc. in August 1836 which included 100 sheep, 10 fat oxen and heifers, 3 cows, 21 young bullocks, 3 cart horses, various other colts, pigs and quantities of hay and 100 acres of grass and some farm implements.
Also in 1836 "We, the undersigned, (John Distin included) Landed Proprietors and Ship-owners, resident at Brixham, Paignton, and vicinity, beg to call the attention the Landed and Commercial interests and Capitalists connected with the South Hams, to the subject, and invite their attendance at a PUBLIC MEETING, which will be held at the National School, Brixham, on Wednesday, the 7th day of September next, at two o'clock in the afternoon, for the purpose of taking into consideration, and adopting such measures as may best conduce to the accomplishment of the above desirable object."
That is all one sentence, and is why I never got along with Dickens. I always think if you get to the end of a sentence and cannot remember how it started you have a problem.
In any case the desirable object which you've since forgotten about, was the Plymouth and Exeter proposed Railway extension to Torbay, which is noticeably missing from this early map, showing Distin land, where it was going to run.
....... and Hey Presto!, here is the railway which arrived in 1859. If Paignton was starting to get busy it hadn't seen anything yet.
There is nothing like a day at the races and John Distin was in good company there too. "Paignton Races— On Thursday last, the long-talked of races came off at Paignton, and seldom have we witnessed better sport, or better management, in giving it effect...........The Torquay and Paignton Bands were in attendance, and the stand was crowded with beauty and fashion. Among the company present we observed Sir Charles and Lady Dashwood, Mr. and Mrs. J. Dashwood, Sir James and Lady Alexander...........Jon Distin, Esq., and many others."
.......and finally, (as they used to say on the news), John Distin's most distinguished achievement, finding a giant mushroom.
Here we leave the Distins and move on to Redcliffe Towers and Colonel Smith, with the main reception room as it looks today. I was pleasantly surprised to find several original features in the interior (after my bar lunch) which still survive. Most later additions have tried to be sympathetic and some have worked better than others, but you cannot fail to be impressed with the faded but stylish glamour that still pervades the main building, not to mention those sea views. Today this room is called the Isadora Duncan Suite, after a later visitor to the Redcliffe. Check out my Singer series to find out more about the Isadora connection.
This is the view south along Paignton esplanade and a sight Robert Smith would not have seen when the building was complete. Paignton Pier was built in 1879 after Robert Smith's death. He might have spun in his grave if he had seen my Paignton Pier post.
In 1853 there was a report of The Regatta, "This annual aquatic fete came off Monday last, under the patronage of J. B. Y. Buller, Esq., Captain Studdy, Henry Studdy, Esq., Captain Dick, R.N., T. D. Belfield, jun., Esq. Since the year 1850, when Prince de Oldenburgh passed the bathing season here, and renovated his health means thereof, the villagers embraced every opportunity to improve the appearance of the village, and it is now altogether a different place from what it was before it gave health and vigour to Russian royalty. The prince, in gratitude for benefits received, established this holiday, and the townspeople have annually increased its attractiveness."
At the regatta people were already beginning to notice the changes in the booming town. "Paignton lies to the back—the green dotted here and there with cottages and villas overhanging the extreme east, with the new mansion, in the Assyrian style of architecture, now being erected by Mr. E. Julian, of Torquay, for Colonel Smith, on the brow of Red cliff, which juts out into the bay at the extremity of the green. Stretching away to the eastward, in the extreme distance are the Torquay heights, with their masses of white shining villas glittering in the sunlight, and the clear calm bay, with the yachts gliding noiselessly along." Western Times - Saturday 13 August 1853
The Redcliffe almost got a Royal visit in 1870. The Queen of the Netherlands (yes all of Europe's Royals seem to have loved Torbay), was visiting Admiral Sheringham at next door Oldenburg House and after a carriage drive around Paignton Green to see how the new improvements were coming along decided she would like a bit of a nose around Redcliffe Towers.
She "expressed a wish to see the interior of Redcliffe Tower, the property of Colonel Smith. The strict orders of the colonel to the person in charge, however, did not allow his complying with the royal wish. The tower is not used as a residence, but as a studio and picture gallery. It would be a great attraction, and no doubt would be visited by many summer and other tourists if the colonel could be induced to allow admission to the public at stated times. The inhabitants of Paignton should draw up a petition to the gallant colonel asking him to do so." Western Morning News - Friday 11 March 1870
Can you just imagine the scene, Ding Dong, it's the Queen of the Netherlands, can I have a look around? A likely story, sling yer hook love.
To digress for a brief moment, I had an encounter with the Queen of the Netherlands myself, not this one obviously, a later monarch, and the encounter involved a boat and a big hat, but I'll save that for another day. It didn't go well.
If Her Majesty (earlier version) had managed to get in to the Redcliffe, she would more than likely have seen these very ornate ceilings with their oriental flourishes.
After his massive efforts to build his dream, it was not to last for long, at least not for Robert Smith. He died in 1873 and the property was put up for sale in 1877.
Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News - Saturday 16 June 1877
SOUTH DEVONSHIRE, on the coast, facing Tor Bay.-- The Redcliffe Tower Estate, a noble Freehold Mansion, with beautiful gardens and grounds, first- class stabling and offices.
Messrs. Edwin Fox and Bousfield will SELL, at the Mart, on Wednesday, June, 27th, at 2 precisely, a valuable FREEHOLD and SMALL PART COPYHOLD ESTATE, for a gentleman's residence or a yacht club, distinguished as Redcliffe Tower, a noble mansion, standing on the coast, facing Tor Bay, occupying a very choice position in this mild and salubrious district, a few minutes' walk from the Paignton Station on the Dartmouth and Torquay Railway, and two miles from Torquay. The residence, approached by a carriage-drive with lodge at entrance, is picturesque and unique in elevation, being designed after The Taj at Agra, and is constructed in the form of a circle, with castellated wings, having excellent accommodation for a gentleman's establishment. Capital stabling, large coach-house with rooms over, and other conveniences. The grounds 5 1/2 acres in extent, are beautifully laid out in pleasure gardens, lawns, and kitchen gardens, no expense having been spared to render them perfect. There is a large vinery, a second conservatory, forcing pits, and other glass erections.
By July an announcement stated that "Lord Rendlesham has taken Redcliffe Towers, Paignton as a furnished residence for the summer months."
By January 1878 the Smith era was well and truly over. The following sale gives quite an insight into what the Queen of the Netherlands and the people of Paignton never got to see inside the Redcliffe.
Exeter and Plymouth Gazette - Friday 18 January 1878
REDCLIFFE TOWER, PAIGNTON, NEAR TORQUAY.
Highly important Sale of costly and elegant HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE and EFFECTS, comprising very handsome Brussels carpets, many of which are as good as new, hearth rugs, bright steel and other fenders and fire irons, elegant coal vases, set of massive Spanish mahogany telescope dining tables, very handsome and massive Spanish mahogany sideboard richly carved, dinner waggon, Spanish mahogany dining room suite, very elegant steel bronzed chandeliers, a fine collection of marble vases, ewers, tazzas, and figures, elegant and valuable marble and other timepieces, antique bronzes, richly cut and engraved table glass, very chaste and richly gilt breakfast, dinner, and dessert services, elegant window draperies, a walnut drawing room suite, magnificently upholstered in blue silk brocaded damask with window draperies en suite; morning room and boudoir suites in rep, a very handsomely inlaid walnut cheffioneer with marble top, plate glass panels and back, elegantly inlaid walnut centre, card, occasional, and other tables, walnut davenport, inlaid walnut cabinets, rosewood cottage pianoforte by Collard and Collard, harmonium in walnut case, music stool, a very fine collection of antique Fayence, Worcester, Japanese, Sevres, Dresden, Oriental, Crown Derby, Wedgewood, and other porcelain, very elegant console tables with Florentine and other choice marble tops, handsome jardinieres, very fine and handsome four and five light glass chandeliers, chimney glasses in gilt frames, a small library of books in standard literature, ornamental iron tables, brass and iron bedsteads, handsome Spanish mahogany wardrobe, dressing glasses, washstands, toilet ware, about 300 OIL PAINTINGS' full sized billiard table with fittings complete by Thurston, in excellent condition, garden seats, &c., vases in great variety, a fine collection of stove and greenhouse plants, including Allamanda Hendersoni, Anthurium, Crystallinum, Alocasia, Zebrina, several very choice varieties of Crotons and Dipladinias, Eucharis Amazonica, Cissus, Discolor, varieties of Hibiscus and Marantas, Gardenias, Azaleas, Orchids, Begonias, Lapagerias, Alba, rosea and pink, Dracaenas, choice varieties of ferns, Rhododendrons, &c, &c. &c.
This is today The Paris Singer Restaurant.
The new owner was Mr J Prendergast Esq. and various events from his time at Redcliffe are listed in the newspaper archive, both charitable and not so charitable.
Torquay Times, and South Devon Advertiser - Saturday 21 August 1880
Notice
RESTORATION of the PARISH CHURCH ST. JOHN BAPTIST, PAIGNTON.
A SOCIAL TEA
In aid of the PAIGNTON CHURCH FUND,
WiII be held (by the kind permission of J. PRENDERGAST, Esq.,) in the grounds of REDCLIFFE TOWER,
Adjoining the BEACH and GREEN, PAIGNTON, ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25th,
There will be STALLS for Sale of Needlework and other things.
All kind friends willing to contribute Articles for Sale, are requested to send same to Mrs. Poland, the Vicarage, or Mrs. Hall, Kingshurst, on or before Saturday, August 21st.
A BAND WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE
Admittance from 2 to 5, 1s.; from 5 to 7, 6d. Children half-price.
In April 1881 a storm washed away parts the footpath between Redcliffe and the sea and damaged it.
Torquay Times, and South Devon Advertiser - Friday 11 November 1881
PAIGNTON LOCAL BOARD
A letter having been written to Mr. J. Pendergast, of Redcliffe Tower, requesting him to re-stone a footpath outside his house and remove a notice placed outside that the path was private, Mr. Prendergast now wrote, in reply, that a wall to which the footpath was attached was destroyed by the tempest in April last, and the path thereby destroyed and annihilated. He repudiated any liability to re-construct the path for the public use, and informed the Board that the caution was necessary to warn the public, and was prompted by feelings of humanity.—At the instance of Dr. Alexander the matter was referred to the Board's solicitor. with a request that a case should be stated for their consideration at the next meeting.
Western Times - Wednesday 08 June 1887
PAIGNTON LOCAL BOARD. Monday.— A letter was read from Mr. Prendergast, of Redcliffe Towers, saying he was determined not to bear any of the expense of erecting a rail around the Redcliffe footpath as requested by the Board. He also stated that the path was a nuisance to him, being infested at holiday times with roughs and children, which was a great annoyance to bathers. He contradicted the statement relative to the recent drowning case to the effect that the footpath was dangerous, and held that the case had been misrepresented.—Captain said the stones had been knocked off and the wall buttressed up, with the result that the path had been rendered narrower by six inches than was previously. The matter then dropped—lt was resolved to advertise for a loan of £1,300 at 3 per cent, for purposes of improvement.—
This matter doesn't end here.
Torquay Times, and South Devon Advertiser - Friday 10 June 1887
PAIGNTON LOCAL BOARD
It will be remembered that a fatal accident recently occurred through a child falling off the footpath in the front of Redcliffe Tower, and that the coroner's jury recommended that a rail should be placed along the path. The Coroner sent a communication, conveying the recommendation of the jury, and the Clerk was instructed to write to Mr. Prendergast, the occupier of Redcliffe Tower, suggesting the desirability of a rail being placed along the path, and the following reply to the letter was read to the Board:—
"Redcliffe Tower, Paignton, June 6th, 1887.—Sir,—I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th April last, on the subject of placing a rail on the footpath round this property, and in reply thereto, to acquaint you that I am not willing to have a rail placed there. The Coroner's letter to you (a copy of which you sent me) is wholly inaccurate, the evidence stated to have been given untrue, and the finding of the jury (having regards to the facts and to the ownership of the property) unnecessary and absurd. The boy was, with several companions, playing on a rail (placed on the path without my knowledge ) and over-balanced himself and fell into the water, and his companions with the usual timidity left him to drown. The improper use of the rail caused the accident.
The path is a great annoyance to this property, owing to its being made a playground by children and roughs who on holidays crowd the path, and by filthy and obscene language keep decent people away, especially during warm weather when bathing is practised under my windows, the conduct of the bathers being often most disgusting. To recur to the path, I am advised that continued oscillation of the rails would cause danger to the path by loosening the stones and letting in the water, and require constant attention to prevent serious injuries. This objection probably might be met by the Board undertaking the maintenance of the wall and path, but my principal objection is in the fact that the foreshore belongs, by purchase, to the estate, and any further concession on my part would completely cut off and isolate the foreshore, and prevent dealing therewith in connection with the other part of the estate. I am yours faithfully, John Pendergast"—
At this point, the Board not being very impressed with the attitude of Mr. Prendergast, it was suggested that maybe the Council should pay for upkeep and take over the responsibility, but faced with the bill themselves they decided to do what all councils do with complex issues. They filed his letter away and decided to wait until someone else drowned. The people of Paignton today know this matter was never resolved because the foreshore in front of Redcliffe is still private and inaccessible, (unless you pop along for a light bar lunch) and in fact, Redcliffe to this day still has a private tunnel and steps leading from the cocktail bar down to a small private beach.
The first flight by balloon was at Versailles in 1783 by the Montgolfier brothers. Just over a hundred years later balloon flights and in addition parachute jumps from balloons were still such a novelty that they made the news.
Western Times - Thursday 21 August 1890
"PROFESSOR" BALDWIN AT PAIGNTON.
The adventurous individual who has taken over the goodwill of the business of the original parachutist made second, and this time successful, attempt to descend a balloon at Paignton yesterday. It will be remembered that he was announced to give a performance on Bank- Holiday in the Esplanade grounds, but the balloon was not sufficiently inflated to lift him from the ground, and he had a narrow escape of being mobbed by the infuriated crowd.
He undertook to complete his contract at an early date, and he did so in a highly satisfactory manner yesterday. It was intended to fill the balloon in the Esplanade Grounds, but as it was thought that the pressure from the main would not be strong enough the apparatus was removed to the gas works, where the balloon was soon prepared for the ascent.
At 5.40 everything was considered to be ready, and the word to let go was given. The balloon rose slowly, and the space within the gas works being limited, Baldwin came in contact with the roof of one of the buildings, and looked as though he must fall. With great presence mind he kept hold of the ropes, and regained his seat as the balloon, free from protection, rose steadily, and was wafted on a gentle westerly breeze in the direction of Torquay.
Thousands of eyes were turned on the balloon as it got smaller and smaller, and then suddenly the slight object appeared to become detached, and what looked like two pieces of string descended rapidly for several seconds, when the parachute opened, and Baldwin came down at a gentle and graceful rate, until he landed in the garden attached to Redcliffe Towers, a house standing on the sea front. The crowd at once made for that point, and the "Professor" having been taken into a wagonette drove with his agent and several members of the Committee to the entrance to the pier, where congratulatory speeches were delivered, and hearty cheers were given for the plucky performer. A steam launch was waiting in the bay to render assistance, but it was only requisitioned to pick up the balloon when it fell about a mile out.
I particularly enjoyed the quotation marks around the word professor, indicating some level of scepticism from the writer. It isn't stated either how the owner of the Redcliffe reacted to this uninvited guest on his lawn or the arrival of thousands of excited and eager "children and roughs" with their "most disgusting" habits to witness the spectacle.
There follows a few photos of the main staircase in the Redcliffe with it's carved wooden banisters and marble walls.
We now enter the next chapter in the history of the Redcliffe and this is where it ties in with a series of posts I have already published about the Singer family of sewing machine fame.
By 1893 Mr Prendergast and sadly all three of his sons had died, the last of whom was only aged 29. The new owner ended up being Paris Singer the son of the sewing machine millionaire, Isaac Singer. He was to inhabit this house as well as Oldway mansion a couple of miles away, which had been built by his father. During this period there was to be much scandal and glamour but also some sort of resolution to public rights of way which led to the building of the Paignton sea wall as well as the creation of Marine Drive, the route that bypasses the Redcliffe site today.
Western Morning News - Tuesday 19 September 1893
PAIGNTON LOCAL BOARD
Last evening Paignton Local Board appointed a deputation to meet Mr. Paris Singer, the new owner of Redcliffe Towers, to discuss the matter of the right of way round the grounds claimed by the Board.—In this connection the Chairman (Mr. O. S. Bartlett) suggested the making of a new roadway which would shorten the distance between Torquay and Paignton by half a mile, and open up fresh property.
Western Morning News - Saturday 29 December 1894
PAIGNTON
This rising resort is increasing rapidly, and continues to grow in favour with holiday-seekers and with persons in search of villa residences. During the past year there has been a steady advance. Plans for improvements have been matured and made ready for carrying out. The Board have had the busiest year they have known. Not only have they held fortnightly meetings, but frequently they have had to adjourn to special days, and, in addition, have had upwards of 100 committee meetings. This tax on the members’ time is not due to their verbosity, for, as a rule the meetings have been conducted in a most business-like fashion, and with little waste of time............
.........The proposed marine drive was another big scheme. Redcliffe Towers, a residence overlooking the beach, was purchased by Mr. Paris Singer, and long negotiations took place concerning a footpath along the sea front of the property. Eventually Mr. Paris Singer offered to give the land and £500, said to be equivalent to £2,000, for the construction of a marine drive, extending from the Esplanade, past Redcliffe Towers, out to Sands-lane. The Local Board unanimously favoured the scheme, but consulted the town before committing themselves to it. Excited public meetings were held, indoors and out, and a strong opposition was raised. In a poll, paid for by several leading residents, the scheme was defeated.
This was quite an offer from Paris Singer, the equivalent of £165,000 today. He did have an ulterior motive though being a novice property developer and with the wish to develop new tracts of land with housing that would then be accessed by the new road.
By March 1899 things had moved on and the planned schemes had mushroomed to a far greater size than anything John Distin could have imagined. There follows an interesting extract describing in great detail what was being built and what was planned.
Torquay Times, and South Devon Advertiser - Friday 17 March 1899
As long ago as I can remember there was a saying frequently made use of when the relative merits of Torquay and Paignton were being discussed — "They will be one some day." This did not of necessity mean that the two towns would be governed by one authority, but rather that from the boundary of Torquay to the boundary of Paignton there would be a continuous line of houses. Time has brought about many changes, but Torquay and Paignton are not yet united. As far as the high-road is concerned, however, they soon will be, for houses have now practically reached as far as the top of Breakneck Hill. Then there are a few intervening fields before one reaches the gasworks, and from thence onward to Paignton human habitations are pretty thick.
The great idea with many, however, is that the two seaside resorts should be joined by a magnificent marine drive along the sandstone-girt seashore, commencing at Corbyn Head and joining with the Esplanade at Paignton. And this opens up the subject upon which I desire to write. Various schemes have been advanced, but for one reason or another they have, from Torquay's point of view, been deemed impracticable.........
.....When one is not likely to survive to see such a scheme accomplished it is safe to prophesy. Therefore I shall be outside the pale of being looked upon as a false prophet if I predict that Paignton and Torquay will at some future date be connected by a marine drive along the coast.
Paignton, through Mr. Paris Singer, is doing her part towards the consummation of a sea-shore joining of hands by the two towns, and the two great essentials of enterprise and capital will undoubtedly be forthcoming in the future for Torquay to accomplish her share.
The undertaking which Mr. Paris Singer has at present in hand involves an expenditure of about £10,000, but as I have said it is a first and important step towards what many at one time believed to be a castle in the air—an almost level marine drive from Paignton to Torquay. A visit to the works is necessary before one can fully appreciate the importance of the enterprise, both from the Paignton and Torquay points of view. Hitherto it has been necessary in order to reach Paignton by carriage to drive the full three miles along the dusty main road, but with the completion of these works it will be possible to leave the high road at Seaway Lane, and reach a well-made 36 feet road which meets the Esplanade near what is known as the Round House, thus forming a perfectly level marine drive of nearly a mile in length.
By the erection of a substantial sea-wall, nearly 1,500 feet long, averaging in height nearly 20 feet, a splendid promenade has also been provided. Seeing that the contract has been carried out by one of our townsmen Mr. R. F. Yeo—it deserves a little attention. The wall is of limestone blocks resting upon a concrete base, and has a backing of red sandstone. It varies from 14ft. to 18ft. in height, and contains blocks of limestone from the Marldon, St. Marychurch, Walls Hill, and Goodrington quarries, weighing from one to five tons. This fine piece of masonry work commences some little distance on the Torquay side of the Round House, and runs the whole length of the Sande to the rifle butts, which are being done away with. The average number of men engaged on the works during the past two and a half years has been between 30 and 40. The wall has been so erected as to reclaim a strip of land from 50 to 70 feet wide from the sea, and over 20,000 yards of material has been used for filling.
The well-barrelled marine drive, with neatly-made footpaths, has cost about £1,600, and runs from Seaway Lane to Polsham, about 200 feet at the rear of the new wall, and the land between will no doubt be utilized for building purposes. The estate which Mr. Singer intends to develops is between 70 and 80 acres in extent, so that there will be plenty of space for a suburban Paignton, with at least 300 or 400 houses.
But will he stop with the present work ? From what I could glean in the neighbourhood, it is not at all improbable that Mr. Singer will push further on towards Torquay. He had already been in treaty with the owner of the large field just beyond the gas works, and if he should obtain this land, the sea wall and drive will be carried to the bridge which spans the railway and leads into the main road at the top of the hill close to the Torquay Gas Works. Negotiations have also been entered into with the G.W.R. Company, and the recent visit of the directors may lead to considerable assistance being rendered Mr. Singer in his enterprising designs.
It is needless to say that over the whole length of the drive and promenade the sea views are delightful, and on walking the whole length one can well understand the contention that " You must go to Paignton to see Torquay at its best."
The sea wall will, in all probability, be completed in September, and when once the announcement is made that the land in the rear is considered to be ripe for building purposes, I anticipate a rush for sites.
One point is noticeable about the scheme, and that is that the sands, instead of scouring away as was predicted by some, as the result of the erection of the sea wall, have considerably increased. By his enterprise, Mr. Singer has thus brought Paignton much closer than it previously was to Torquay, and I hope that at no far distant date Torquay will do her part, by taking up the work at the other end, and push along the shore towards Paignton, thus completing what would be a Marine Drive undoubtedly unequalled in the United Kingdom, and certainly not excelled in the world. re CROW-QUILL.
The planned route was sadly never completed and the Marine Drive ended at Seaway Road leaving a tantalisingly short length of the route unbuilt. Marine Parade fizzles out into a dead end and no doubt was the original path, which would have emerged on to Torbay Road on the outskirts of Torquay.
It is ironic that "Crow Quill" did not forsee the political unification of Torquay and Paignton but a physical one. To this day however, there is still a green ribbon of land separating Torquay and Paignton in the physical world at the coast, while the political unification did in fact happen with the introduction of the Torbay Council in 1968.
By 1900 the Boer War had been underway for three months when Paris Singer turned the Redcliffe into a convalescent home at his own expense. This was an act of generosity and humanity that he was to also undertake on a much grander scale some years later at Oldway Mansion during the First World War.
In 1902 Paris Singer sold the Redcliffe and it was never to be a private home again. It was bought by a syndicate and after some delays it became the Redcliffe Hotel. The hotel was even patronised by none other than Paris Singer himself.
Western Times - Monday 18 July 1904
FRENCH AUTOMOBILISTS IN DEVON
Members of the French Automobile Club who are touring round the South of England, arrived in Exeter Saturday, having left Weymouth in the morning. They proceeded to Torquay, where they stopped until yesterday.
Twenty members of the French Automobile Club were Saturday evening entertained to dinner at the Hotel Redcliffe, Paignton, by Mr. Paris E. Singer. Dinner was served in the lounge, the menu holders taking the form of miniature automobiles. The minstrel gallery was bedecked with the French and English flags, with a banner inscribed with the names of the King and President Loubet beneath. In the illuminated grounds the Volunteer Band played selections, rendering the "Marseillaise" as the guests took their seats. Mr. Singer occupied the chair, and Mr. J. H. Cooper the vice-chair, and the party included Mr. J. VV. Stocks, under whose auspices the tour is held. A recherche meal was served, after which (there being no speeches) the guests took coffee in the grounds, which command a grand view of the bay and a fleet of warships. The members of the Automobile Club afterwards returned in their cars to Torquay.
Torquay Times, and South Devon Advertiser - Friday 26 May 1905
HOTEL REDCLIFFE.
PAIGNTON, TORBAY.
This charming, unique, and well appointed Hotel, standing in extensive grounds on own sea front is acknowledged to be the leading hotel on Torbay. Unrivalled position, every comfort and convenience for visitors, bathing, golf, fishing, tennis, croquet, motor garage, stabling. Excellent cuisine.
Well selected wines.
HOTEL REDCLIFFE
PAIGNTON
Moderate tariff (en pension or a la carte) . Special week-end terms.
Paignton is the rising health and pleasure resort of Devon, 10 minutes drive from Torquay, 20 minutes from Churston Golf Links.
In 1908 at the local police court the Redcliffe Hotel made an unusual request for a transfer of license from the existing holder to someone new. The former licensee had left in "urgent circumstances". How mysterious? Seven days later, and all became clear.
Western Times - Friday 31 January 1908
A SAD CASE.
Paignton Hotel Manageress Sent to Prison.
A case that evoked great interest came before Paignton Justices at a special sitting Friday, when a lady, well-known at Exmouth and in North Devon, late manageress of the Redcliffe Hotel, Paignton, appeared on remand in answer to bail, upon a charge of the theft of a quantity of goods and chattels from the hotel named.
Mr. H. Ford (Exeter), in prosecuting, said accused was engaged as manageress of Redcliffe Hotel, a salary of £120 a year. The first case detected was the theft of an eider down quilt, which was bought from Mr. Waycott, of Paignton. Whilst the manageress was at the hotel the quilt was on her bed. In April several yards of linen sheets were bought of Knight and Co., Torquay, at the high price of 6s 3d per yard. In October a set of blue ware was purchased from the firm Messrs. Evans and Co., and in December a quantity of glass-rubbers were also purchased from Knight and Co. On the 11th inst. certain matters having come the knowledge of the Directors, the accused was summarily dismissed, and on the 17th, when the temporary transfer of the license was obtained, she left with a large number articles belonging to the hotel. In consequence of that a warrant was obtained. He did not know the motive for the theft, but he believed the accused expected to get married in a short time, and the various articles were taken evidently with the object of furnishing her home at the expense of the directors.
Defendant pleaded guilty to the charges. Mr. W. H. Tarbet said defendant had pleaded guilty on his advice. The sadness of the case would appeal to their hearts and minds. There was young girl upon the threshold of life who actually put into her box her employer's goods. In his discretion he thought it best to place the accused's plea entirely in their hands, with every confidence, feeling that whilst they must deal justice they would temper justice with mercy.
In a weak moment she had fallen, and he appealed the Bench to extend to her a helping hand. He mentioned that her friends were desirous of doing all they could to help her in the future, and would bear the expense incurred by the prosecution. Mr. F. Churchward, the presiding magistrate, said the Bench had given the case full consideration, and felt very aggrieved that a person who had been placed in the position the accused had occupied, should have given way to sudden temptation. The least punishment they could give her would be two months in the second division. The people in Court showed considerable sympathy with the accused.
Clifton Society - Thursday 11 February 1909
REDCLIFFE HOTEL, PAIGNTON,
TORBAY, SOUTH DEVON.
QUAINT MANSION IN PRIVATE GROUNDS, ON THE SEA FRONT, CONVERTED INTO A FIRST-CLASS HOTEL.
WINTER WEEK-END TERMS-THREE DAYS, 27/-
APPLY MANAGERESS.
Even though war had now broken out again.........
The Sphere - Saturday 09 December 1939
In Quest of Good Hotels
by Ashley Courtenay
To be a home from home is the Highest Achievement at which an Hotel can Aim - Comfort in the West Country
The Redcliffe Hotel, Paignton. When one directs one's car westwards one looks forward to some stay and the sunlight dancing on placid waters, but last week even my mental picture of the West country was blotted out by rain. One hundred and ninety-six miles I drove through wet and a wind which made even steering a car a grim business at times, and at what should have been sunset, I pulled up at an hotel whose entrance and front porch looks sombre at the best of times.
But I had visited the Redcliffe once before and had anticipated for some hours the brightness I should find within.
There was no disillusionment as I walked in. "Welcome home" were the first words which greeted me. There was a welcome look in the eyes of the staff as I re-met them one by one. Warm fires full of dancing flames burnt merrily away in the lounges. Afternoon tea with most tempting cakes appeared in the twinkling of an eye. My bedroom was beautifully warm (actually I turned off the central heating for a while). The bath water was piping hot and, in short, I felt at home. I have a very high regard for this homely hotel, perched as it is in probably the very centre of the curve of Torbay. In this unique position where the sunshine does so often predominate over the rain one is literally by the water's edge. Here I could always feel at home no matter the month or the weather.
But as soon as the war was over De Gaulle was given a great reception at Chartres and the dancing at The Redcliffe Hotel began again.
We are now in the upper lounge named the Dick Francis Suite after the jockey and author. Dick Francis first came to stay at the Redcliffe in August 1951 and he loved it so much that he came back every August for more than fifty years. In this beautiful room with the original ornate ceilings sporting fish and sea horse motifs which repeat in other parts of the building, you will find a selection of his books to while away the hours.
The Guardian - Sat 29 Aug 2009
It was back in 1951 that Dick Francis – then a leading jockey, now a veteran thriller writer – and his wife, Mary, first laid eyes on the Redcliffe hotel in Paignton, Devon. They fell in love with it, booked a holiday right away and vowed to return each year with their family. It's a tradition that has continued for six decades.
But it wasn't just summer holidays, by the late 1950's........
Torbay Express and South Devon Echo - Friday 12 December 1958
South Devon
Many local people will be spending Christmas in South Devon hotels, but the vast proportion of guests are " fugitives " from the big cities.
At the Redcliffe Hotel, Paignton, which is fully-booked, most of the visitors will be arriving from Birmingham.
London, the North and even Scotland will be sending thousands of visitors to expand South Devon's Christmas trade and the hotels will be running elaborate entertainment programmes.
They intend to encourage the increasing trend among many people to spend the Christmas holidays away from home.
These were the earliest "Turkey and Tinsel" trips which we are familiar with today.
A sample menu from the late 1950's Torbay Express and South Devon Echo, is a real taste of the era......
THE REDCLIFFE HOTEL
PAIGNTON
have pleasure in presenting the
NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER MENU
Shrimp Cocktail
Choix Lobster a la Reine
Chilled Grapefruit Juice
Macedoine of Cantaloup Melon
Creme de Volaille Princess
Consomme Olga
Sole Meuniere aux Concombres
Roast Devon Capons Montmerency
Madeliene Chipolata Bread Sauce
Corn on the Cob
Game Chips
Minted Garden Peas
Cauliflower au Gratin
Pommes Alsacienne and Almond
Scoth Bun and Devonshire Cream
Coupe Royale
Pineapple Caprice
Ices Gourmets
Savoury Canape Baron
Various Cheeses and Biscuits
Come, Dine and Dance and enjoy the fun—inclusive charge 25/- each, or limited number of dancing only tickets at 10/6.
That is £26 per head in today's money apparently, which seems quite reasonable for that many courses. But what on earth are they?
The lobster comes in pastry with a rich creamy leek sauce, so it's a sort of Ginsters lobster pasty. The chilled grapefruit juice in the late 50's is positively exotic and worthy of gourmet night at Fawlty Towers twenty years later. A macedoine is fruit salad. For the soup course you could have Cream of Chicken or Consomme Olga the ill fated option that was fed to the first class passengers on the Titanic just before it sank.
The delicate sole came with cucumbers cooked in butter.
For mains you can savour castrated chickens with cherries or castrated chicken surprise, as Basil Fawlty might have offered which would have been castrated chicken without cherries. The castrated chicken came with a side of crisps and peas, yum yum.
I am fairly sure that Scoth bun is a typo and should be Scotch bun. Scotch bun is apparently a rich fruit cake covered in pastry and it comes with clotted cream which is a great dessert to follow lobster in pastry, sole with butter fried cucumber and chicken and crisps with cauliflower cheese. This menu seems like a peasants revolt against the wartime rationing of all those lovely ingredients.
Google is convinced that Canape Baron is a large upholstered sofa so maybe that was required after all the cream, butter and pastry, although I must now remind you that this was a Dine and Dance so whatever you do don't sit down yet, we've got the Jitterbug to try first. Me, I am going to attempt the Sluggerbug, a sort of Dine and Crawl. After the cheese and biscuits of course.
By 1974 we were in the Common Market which meant that we in Britain were recruited to help dispose of the infamous "wine lake", a challenge no respectable Brit was going to shirk at.
Torbay Express and South Devon Echo - Monday 11 March 1974
HOTELIERS AND RESTAURATEURS SAMPLE WINES OF THE FUTURE
A wine tasting was held at the Redcliffe Hotel, Paignton, when for the first time in Devon Vinnicombe Wines Ltd of Teignmouth were showing 45 French and Italian wines.
The wines were all new to the large number of invited trade customers from hotels and restaurants because last September this country came under the Common Market wine laws which basically mean that well known names like Beaujolais, Nuits St Georges and Barsac will eventually disappear as in future these wines will be almost double in price.
The range of wines for tasting were all French or Italian bottled and Mr David Stevens (master of wine) from London gave a talk about the new regulations.
Pam and Bob Vinnicombe reported that their guests showed more interest than ever before and that these wines will be the backbone of their business for the next 10 years. Before lunch the 150 guests were offered for drinking rather than tasting only, France’s largest selling sparkling wine Kriter Brut de Brut 1969.
Britain is rapidly increasing its wine drinking - over nine bottles a head last year nearly double what it was in 1970. Mr Vinnicombe states that “all wine is good” depending on your palate and pocket !
The time to buy your Kriter Brut de Brut was actually 5 years later as a bottle of the rare 1975 vintage would now set you back £200.
"this delightful sparkling wine is richly flavoured and medium dry with a distinctive attractive flavour and a creamy finish." Vintage wine gifts.
Today we have certainly met the challenge set back in 1974. From an average of 9 bottles a year each then, we now consume an impressive average of 108 bottles a year, and I know I am not drinking that many, so who is drinking mine?
As I approach the end of this story I remember that I nearly forgot the jewel thieves, and fans of Hitchcock will remember "To Catch a Thief" the glamourous French Riviera romp of cat burglars and stolen jewels featuring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. No French Riviera alternative worth its salt would miss out on the glamour of jewel robberies and the Redcliffe doesn't disappoint. Of course clambering over the roof of the Redcliffe proved a little dangerous with all those towers, onion domes and castellations so our thieves played safe and went in through the back door.
It's an interesting case as the two robbers appeared in court in 1947 having burgled a very ordinary Paignton bungalow of £40 worth of property. The Chief Inspector however wanted to bring up an unresolved case of some weeks earlier involving the theft of a staggering £6000 worth of jewellery from the Redcliffe. It seems that the couple who had all their loot returned could not hang around long enough for a trial of the men concerned as.....
..... they were now in the process of making plans to leave the country by plane in September for the Bahama Islands, and any postponement of the trip would cause hardship as there was no higher Court sitting before the arranged departure time.
There is no worse hardship surely than missing your flight to the Bahamas.
Our Chief Inspector was asking the court if they could possibly throw in the bungalow raid with the jewel heist and do a two for one, as he felt sure of a conviction for both.
The two accused were of no fixed abode, and the bungalow residence involved was in Duchy-drive. Preston, Paignton. Both accused pleaded "Guilty" and reserved their defence. Both men told Det.-Con. C. J Tarr they wanted to make a fresh start in life when this is all over."Behind this case there is something to my mind, which is very tragic" said Mr. Field-Fisher. These two young men have been educated in that finishing college of Borstal and this is how they have turned out. I hope for their sakes when they have taken their punishment that their desire to finish with crime is genuine."
When I said "staggering" in relation to the value of the jewels, let me elucidate. £6000 in 1947 amounts to £213,000 worth of gems today, sitting in your room at the Redcliffe during your stay.
So the next chapter of the Redcliffe story now begins.
Torbay Weekly- 15th July 2021
One of Torbay's most well-known hotels - and owned by one of the tourism, industry's most respected families - has been sold for £4.5 million. Specialist business property advisor Christie & Co has confirmed the sale of The Redcliffe Hotel, a traditional seafront hotel in Paignton, for the first time in over 40 years.
The property has been owned by the Twigger family since 1979, with the family making the decision to sell as the current owner, Stephen Twigger is looking to retire.
BBC News - 1st March 2024
Paignton's Redcliffe Hotel redevelopment plans approved.
A 150-year-old seafront hotel in Devon has been given permission for a redevelopment that includes ornamental towers and onion-shaped domes. The plans for the Redcliffe Hotel in Paignton were approved by Torbay Council on Thursday.
The owner, the Tudor Hotels Collection, is to reduce the number of rooms and create a new restaurant and bar. Torbay MP Kevin Foster said the investment in Paignton was "very welcome". The detailed plans include reinstating towers and ornamental domes at the corners of the building.
If you want to see how this hotel group operate then you can view my post showing their other Jewel in their Crown, Bodmin Jail, probably another former destination for jewel thieves.
Below, in case you were wondering, is a view of how The Redcliffe got its name.
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