Alexandra Hotel, 21 Alexandra Road, Hampstead NW3

Hampstead pub history index

A listing of historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Hampstead, London.

Alexandra, Alexandra road and Loudon road, Hampstead NW8, circa 1910 with licensee P Ambridge

Alexandra, Alexandra road and Loudon road, Hampstead NW8, circa 1910 with licensee P Ambridge

The Alexandra, Alexandra road and Loudon road, Hampstead NW8, circa 1940s before demolition

The Alexandra, Alexandra road and Loudon road, Hampstead NW8, circa 1940s before demolition

Site of the Alexandra, Alexandra road and Loudon road, Hampstead NW8, in 2019

Site of the Alexandra, Alexandra road and Loudon road, Hampstead NW8, in 2019

All kindly provided by John Carnaby

Residents at this address

1869/John Yeo/../../../../Post Office Directory

1871/Mary Ball/Hotel Keeper, Widow/43/Eynsford, Kent/Census
1871/Alfred Ball/son, Surgeon Dentist/20/Lambeth, Surrey/Census
1871/Eliza Farnham/Governess/26/Peckham, Surrey/Census
1871/William Hutchinson/Hotel Manager/26/London, Middlesex/Census
1871/William Everett/Potman/18/Bristol, Gloucestershire/Census
1871/Elizabeth Honeycombe/Servant/21/St Giles, Middlesex/Census
1871/Henry Ball/Son/15/Borough, Surrey/Census

1891/Robert Hall/Licensed Victualler/31/St Georges, London/Census
1891/Annie E Hall/Wife/27/Bootle, Lancashire/Census
1891/Frederick Dawson/Barman/21/Paddington, London/Census
1891/Beatrice Stephens/Barmaid/19/Brighton, Sussex/Census
1891/Elizabeth Rouston/Domestic Servant/41/Kilburn, London/Census
1891/Alice Achison/Domestic Servant/17/St Martins in the Fields, London/Census

1893 - 1896, Robert Hall, Alexandra, 21 Alexandra Road, St Johns Wood NW, by the junction of Loudon road

1900 - 1901, George Britain Syrett, Alexandra, 21 Alexandra Road, St Johns Wood NW, by the junction of Loudon road

This hotel once belonged to my husband’s Great Grandfather, James Finch Waddell. *
According to James’ daughter, Alexandra Mary (1901-1998), James lived and worked in Hong Kong for many years. I’ve located documentation of him in Hong Kong between 1885 and 1899. He was an architect for the Tau-Koo (Taikoo) Sugar Refinery.
James Finch Waddell married Elizabeth Ross, a Scottish teacher, in the mid 1890s and they had a young daughter who died in Hong Kong of a flu epidemic before her first birthday. During the pregnancy with their second child in 1899, Elizabeth became very ill with typhoid, so they returned to Scotland, where their only son was born in 1900.
In the 1901 Census, James and Elizabeth were living with their son James Finch Waddell, Jr at 163 Mornington Road, Leyton. Alexandra Mary was born 17 Aug 1901 and her birth was registered 26 Sep 1901. On the birth registration, James indicates he is the Victualler of the above hotel.

According to his daughter, James fell (possibly from scaffolding) at a construction site and was badly injured. She remembered, at about the age of 3-4 years of age, being taken by train with her brother, to live with their Grand-parents in Scotland, as well as returning to visit her father about a year later, before his death in a care facility, likely between 1905 and 1906. I have yet to find any trace of his death, references in newspapers or a gravesite in England or Scotland.

We know that Elizabeth married George Howe Osborne in 1906 or 1907. He was living alone at 5 Culworth Street in the 1901 Census. George was employed as a stockbroker’s clerk. He was raised at Agglethorpe Hall, Coverham, where his father trained racehorses.
According to Alexandra, his step-daughter, he was far more interested in bird hunting than running the hotel and in short order, they were financially in ruins. He skipped the country, emigrating to Saskatchewan, Canada in 1907 and Elizabeth and her two children joined him in 1909.
I haven’t been able to locate any documentation of this second marriage of Elizabeth, nor the foreclosure or sale of the hotel.

1902 - 1905, James Waddell, Alexandra, 21 Alexandra Road, St Johns Wood NW, by the junction of Loudon road

1907 - 1909, Mrs Elizabeth Waddell, Alexandra, 21 Alexandra Road, St Johns Wood NW, by the junction of Loudon road

1910/Arthur Henry Penney/../../../../Post Office Directory

1918 - 1925, Alfred Mark Ambridge, 21 Alexandra Road, Hampstead, electoral register
1918 - 1925, Phoebe Ambridge, 21 Alexandra Road, electoral register

1921/P Ambridge/../../../Hughes Directory

In 1921 census at 21, Alexandra Road, Hampstead NW6
Alfred Ambridge, Licensed Victualler, aged 48 years, and born in Morley, Yorkshire, Employer
Phoebe Ambridge, Wife, Licensed Victualler, aged 52 years 3 months, and born in Camden Town, London Employer
Walter John Gowing, Step-son, Licensed Victualler, aged 30 years 10 months, and born in Camden Town, London
Ella Bertha Gowing, Step-daughter, Tailoress, aged 29 years 2 months, and born in Minories, London
Winifred Gowing, Step-daughter, Burmaid, Bedford Palace, aged 25 years, and born in Camden Town, London
Emily Bonnor. Housemaid, aged 21 years, and born in Woolpit, Suffolk
Walter John Gowing, Grandson, aged 6 years, and born in Finsbury, London

1931, Alfred Mark Ambridge, 21 Alexandra Road, Hampstead, electoral register
1931, Phoebe Ambridge, 21 Alexandra Road, electoral register
1931, Ella Bertha Gowing, 21 Alexandra Road, electoral register

1938/Jas Geo Mitchell/../../../../Post Office Directory

In 1939 electoral register at 21 Alexandra Road, Hampstead are
James G Mitchell, Licensed Victualler, born 02 Nov 1899
Madge E A Mitchell, later Matthews, Assisting Husband, born 23 Sep 1901
Amy A Cooper, Unpaid Domestic Duties, Widowed, born 08 Sep 1868
James Fitzpatrick, Barman, born 06 May 1911
Bernard Carr, Barman, born 27 Nov 1908
Edward Taylor, Barman, born 21 Apr 1912

1944/James George Mitchell/../../../../Post Office Directory


* Provided By Carole (Falkiner) Stoyand

** Provided By Stephen Harris

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  • And Last updated on: Thursday, 25-Jan-2024 16:06:40 GMT