- Acton Hall
Acton Hall in
Wrexham ,Wales was the birthplace ofGeorge Jeffreys , 1st Baron Jeffreys ofWem , PC (May 15 ,1645 –April 18 ,1689 ), better known asJudge Jefferies or "TheHanging Judge ", became notorious during the reign of King James II, rising to the position ofLord Chancellor (and serving asLord High Steward in certain instances).Sir Griffith Jeffreys rebuilt the family home between 1687 - 1695. His wife Dame Dorothy set up a charity in her will which helped found many of the first schools in Wrexham. After the Jeffreys the house belonged to
Philip Egerton and thenEllis Yonge before being purchased bySir Foster Cunliffe for £27,000.Later generations did little to improve the property. The 4th Baronet stuccoed the walls of the house, while the 5th Baronet faced it with stone in such a way that the house seemed to be of three different styles - none matching the other.
In 1917 Acton Park was bought by Sir
Bernard Oppenheimer . The DenbighshireHussars were still billeted in the house and grounds. Oppenheimer opened a diamond cutting training school and workshop in the grounds of Acton Park. The scheme was designed to ensure jobs for ex-servicemen. It was the 'Homes Fit For Heroes' ethos in action, but Sir Bernard's untimely death in 1921 led to the workshop closing.Nine Acre Field and sixty acres by Rhosnesni Lane were bought by the Borough Council.
Patrick Abercrombie was commissioned to design a quality housing scheme for the sixty acres. Building started in 1921. Abercrombies design survives to this day. The rest of the estate was turned into small holdings for ex-soldiers. There were seven market garden and four dairy holdings.William Aston purchased the house and grounds on the death of Sir Bernard. His initial plan to turn the hall into a technical school never took off. Instead the hall became a showroom and store for Aston's furniture company. The grounds were opened to the public.
In 1939 the War Office requisitioned Acton Park. Nissen huts were erected in the ground for the soldiers. The officers were billeted in the house.
The Lancashire Fusiliers , theRoyal Welch Fusiliers , theSouth Wales Borderers and theGurkhas were just a few of the regiments who stayed at Acton during theSecond World War .In 1943 the
33rd Signals Construction Battalion and400th Armoured Field Artillery Battalion were billeted at Acton Park. Wrexham was host to men fromKentucky ,Ohio ,West Virginia andIndiana .Eagles Meadow became their vehicle store, the Butter Market their canteen, Acton School Hall the venue for their dances and chewing gum was sold at the US Army store in Garden Village. TheUS Army was still segregated. Black soldiers were billeted at 'The Studio' by the junction of Chester Road and Grove Road.The house just survived the
US Army , but in a very poor state. The north wing was demolished just after the war. People plundered the park for firewood in the tough years of rationing in 1945-47. By 1954 the house was an eyesore. Alderman Hampson campaigned for the house to be saved as the town's museum. He failed and the demolition team set to work in August 1954.Nothing now remains of the house. A new housing development along Herbert Jennings Avenue was built over much of the park, while the remainder was saved as a green space for the people of
External links
* [http://www.wrexham-connection.co.uk/old3.jpgPhoto of Acton Hall]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/guides/halloffame/historical/judge_george_jeffreys.shtml BBC on Judge Jeffreys]
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