History of Ashwell House St Albans, continued

Lot 16, which included Ashwell House was knocked down to a local Estate Agent, William Adolphus Dorant. This Lot fetched the sum of £3,005. Dorant lived at the house until July 1929 when it was sold to the “Society for the Overseas Settlement of British Women” of Caxton House, Tothill Street, London for the sum of £2500. This must have been a residential establishment for the training of young ladies for British Embassies, Consulates and other purposes.

At about the turn of the Century a photograph shows how Ashwell House once looked. In front were iron railings (no doubt removed in the Second World war), and central steps lead up to the stately entrance which is no longer used.

On the 13th December 1934, John Charles Herbert Lewis, Alderman of the City, and one-time Mayor, who lived in Lemsford Road and William George Marshall of “Copthorne”, Britton Avenue, who was the Town Clerk for the City of St. Albans, together bought Ashwell House for the princely sum of £750. Both these men were Masons, and their purpose was to find a dedicated Masonic meeting place rather than use the Assembly Room at the Town Hall.

On the 24th September 1935, a Dedication ceremony took place at Ashwell House. The ceremony was conducted by The RW Admiral Sir Lionel Halsey, Provincial Grand Master of Hertfordshire, supported by the Provincial Executive team.

On the 28th March 1936 the present company, “Ashwell House (St Albans) Limited” was Incorporated and the Articles of Association and Memorandum were established.

In January 1936 the company created new plans for the future development of the building. During the Second World War the building became a British Restaurant. During the years that followed the war the building had become quite neglected.