Place Name
Alexander William George Duff (November 10, 1849 – January 29, 1912) was the 1st Duke of Fife (earlier the Earl of Fife) who resided at East Sheen Lodge between 1880 and 1906. He was created a duke following his marriage to Queen Victoria’s granddaughter Princess Royal Louise. In 1890 he was granted permission to close the footpath called Turtons Alley that ran from Well Lane to Stonehill Road. As an alternative he offered land running to the south of his property, as a new highway; the western end having already been around for about 20 years. This was named Fife Road in his honour. It was at the house that the future George V, proposed to Queen Mary, by the pond. In 1905 the duke decided to sell up and in October of that year The Times ran an advert announcing the sale of the property, sycophantic beyond even the usual estate agent’s blurb: “By direction of his Grace the Duke of Fife, KT. RICHMOND-PARK EAST SHEEN. The exceptionally choice and very valuable Residential Property, distinguished as EAST SHEEN LODGE most charmingly situate adjoining and overlooking Richmond-park close to East Sheen Gate. The Mansion is approached by a broad carriage drive through exceedingly beautiful grounds and gardens with lodge entrance, and is most pleasantly placed, well sheltered from the north and commands exquisite sylvan scenery on the south. It contains a suite of four well disposed reception rooms, 16 bed and dressing rooms, with bath rooms, &c. and extensive domestic offices and outbuildings. Adjoining the lodge entrance and well removed, from the mansion is stabling accommodation for eight horses, four carriages, &c. The spacious grounds are laid out with great taste, having extensive lawns and broad gravelled walls, bordered by beautiful flower beds and extending through rose and other gardens to the well-timbered plantations, which form a beautiful background to the estate. The parklands are studded with fine specimen forest trees and conifers, and there are excellent, fruit and vegetable gardens, ranges of hot-houses, vineries. &c. also head gardener’s cottage, farm, buildings, substantially constructed. Tennis and Racquet court, and other amenities usual to a property of this important character, the whole extending to an area of nearly 30 acres. Distinguished as the property is not only for the position it occupies, but as having been the residence for many years past of a member of the Royal Family, it is one which cannot be equalled for its compactness and seclusion, with the great advantage of easy accessibility to the West-end of London. It is essentially suitable for a nobleman, a member of Parliament, banker, or other gentleman occupying a leading position in the City, desirous of being within easy reach of the west-end, the Houses of Parliament, or the Bank of England, and yet in a position as secluded as is usually only obtainable by a railway journey of considerable duration. Apart from the great charm of the property as a residence, it in addition presents in the near future a peculiarly advantageous opportunity of dealing with the extensive frontages to the roads which bound it on three sides, which might if desired be dealt with immediately at practically no cost of development and without detriment to the mansion.” In December 1911, while sailing to Egypt on the SS Delhi, the duke and his family were shipwrecked off the coast of Morocco. They spent some time in the water before being rescued and then had to walk four miles to find accommodation. Although they all survived, the duke fell ill with pleurisy, probably contracted as a result of the shipwreck, and died soon afterwards. Two years later his eldest daughter Alexandra, who had been born at East Sheen Lodge, on May 17, 1891, married her first cousin, once removed, Prince Arthur of Connaught, a grandson of Queen Victoria, at the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace.
