I am trying to discover the history of this building, particularly from the time that it was built until the end of the 1800s. Any additions or amendments to what follows would be very gratefully received.

Now called 'The Mansion', in the first documentary evidence I have of the building, the 1881 Census, it was called 'German Ocean Mansion'. This name was changed during WWI, when anything German was unfashionable. In 1881 it was listed as being four dwellings. Three were unoccupied. Living in the fourth were Benjamin and Hannah Curtis and their children Annie aged 10, Amy 8, Kate 6, Alfred 3 and Samuel 10 months. Kate would eventually live in the tiny clapboard cottage nearby, called Kate's Cottage (right - the porch is a recent addition). The reason for my interest is that Benjamin and Hannah were my wife Ros's Great-grandparents, and it is believed that other family members were also employed here.

Benjamin Curtis worked for the Fonnereau family, of Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich. He was Master of their ocean-going yacht, while Hannah was listed in the 1871 Census as having been gatekeeper at Christchurch Mansion, where the family lived in the Lodge. 'German Ocean Mansion' was in the latter part of the 19th century the summer residence of the Fonnereaus, and it is possible that Benjamin Curtis's presence was connected with converting the building to a single dwelling. Benjamin Curtis is listed in the 1891 Census as 'Caretaker of a house' at Shingle Street, Presumably this was German Ocean Mansion and he had retired from the sea.

After the conversion, if that is what happened, my understanding is that the north end of the house was for the Fonnereau's live-in servants. Next came the living/dining area, with the family bedrooms on the south side of the central entrance.

By the late 1890s 'German Ocean Mansion' was owned by the Wellesley Colley family one of whom, Lucy, compiled a book of reminiscences by a variety of people who had lived in or visited it during the time that it was owned by her family. The book was privately published in 1918 and describes, amongst many other events, sailing from Shingle Street to Spithead for the Fleet Review in honour of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The Wellesley Colleys seem to have been seriously into sailing.

Some of those mentioned in Lucy Wellesley Colley's book are: Mrs H. Petre, Tom Petre, Philip Colley, John Colley, Mrs Coleman (referred to as 'Wife'), Old Charlie the boatman, Kate, his wife, apparently the cook, The Kipper, Theodore Sibeth, Margaret Sibith, Billie Colley, Father Cassidy, Monica Bellasis, Mr Gibbins, Chief Officer of Coastguards, Charlie Trueman, Jack Walton and many more referred to only by their forenames.

The Wellesley Colleys entertained the children from Alderton and Hollesley on at least one occasion. A fair, a band and a 'comic singer' were hired and large quantities of fruit, cakes, bread, butter and sweets were ordered from the local trademen. The local policeman estimated that there were 400 guests. To brew enough tea the coastguards lit a large bonfire on the shingle to boil the water and collected cups from the Lifeboat Inn and the residents. It began to rain as the guests departed and one woman absent-mindedly opened her umbrella and the cakes with which she had filled it fell out.

An earlier view, before the outbuilding nearest the camera was extended. Which came first, the boathouse or the chapel?
Picture supplied by Michael Lucock.

Richard Clarke, Station Officer at HM Coastguard
Station, Shingle Street, has kindly obtained the
following information from local residents.

• The building has been known as 'The Long
Summer Residence'.
• Coastguard Officers were stationed there during
both world wars.
• The building has been used as a base for
exercising racehorses.
• It was known as 'The Battery' at some time,
possibly in connection with the large gun
which was situated at the rear of the building
during WWI

In Ordnance Survey maps dated 1881 and 1889 it
is marked 'Coastguard Station', although by that
time it belonged to the Fonnereaus, so this may
have been brought forward from earlier maps
without being changed.

Ros Boon, great-granddaughter of Benjamin and Hannah Curtis,
at Shingle Street.

Links
Cosy in the winter
A history of Shinglestreet by Sarah Margittai & Alec Burwood

Shingle Street with links to other web sites about
Shingle Street.

Benjamin Curtis who was living here in 1881.

Map showing the position of Shingle Street in the
county of Suffolk

Google Earth co-ordinates 52° 1'57.22"N, 1°26'56.10"E
Copy and paste into the 'Fly to' box 
(You can download Google Earth here)

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