The long, uncertain road in the development of Alexandra Gardens

Alexandra Gardens was built on the site of Ventnor Mill and Pond. By 1868, Henry William May, then, of Woodlynch Bonchurch, had acquired the site with a view to develop the area. It seems he was unsure on how to move his ideas forward. In 1874 there is reference to Mr May asking for help from the Local Board (local planning), on how the Mill property could be improved.

The Local Board members continued discussing the development at meetings for a further year. During this time it was suggested that a row of shops could be built on the ground of the cottages which stood in Mill Street, now Pier Street, (right out of the Western end of Alexandra Gardens). The Mill was finally demolished in June 1875. At this time Mr May started to raise the capital to develop the Mill site. He deposited the title deeds relating to his freehold as security for a financial advance.

The original plans of the Mill site and this architect plan are of the same scale. If the Mill plan were laid under the architect plan the exact position of the Mill can be plotted.

Unfortunately, in June 1878 Henry May died. His estate was granted to his widow, Anna Maria, by probate. It would seem that Anna Maria had a determined character and was driven to complete her late husband's plans. However, it was not a good time to be funding new building projects following the credit crash of 1873 and by 1882 Anna Maria was in financial difficulty. Mr Justice Chitty from the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice, had to settle the estate of the late Henry William May. The Court was of the opinion that building leases should be authorised.

The distinguished and prominent architect, Theodore Ridley Saunders, was commissioned to draw up plans for eight semi-detached villas and in 1882 the plans were submitted to the 'Local Board Register of Plans of New Builds'. Messrs. Drudge and Wheeler bought the building leases, for the plots 1 through to 6; the freehold for the land, where 7 and 8 were to be built, had previously been sold by Henry May in an attempt to raise capital. This piece of land was sold to Henry Ingram, a local builder, still in the town today. It would seem likely that Henry Ingram built 7 and 8 but, unfortunately, there is no firm evidence of this, as we were informed at Ingram's office 'all old plans and documents' held by Ingram's Builders 'were destroyed' around 2006/7.

The houses were completed within a year of each other with the last three ready for occupation by 7th July 1884. The final project differed from the original plans. The architect drawings show one less storey. It would seem that a decision to increase the height of the buildings was taken during construction. The other discrepancy, that is apparent in the plan above, is that the original road in Alexandra Gardens was to be a crescent with an additional two houses, but varoius objections were raised that the extra houses would have blocked the sea views of some existing properties, so the private road now spans the length of the eight houses that were built.

Ceiling rose in number 3

The grand gentleman villas were never sold as intended. It would seem that when finished, the houses in Alexandra Gardens were slow to sell despite their grand architectural style with roof turrets, magnificent curved gothic wood staircases, high skirtings high ceilings and impressive ceiling plasterwork. This was a contributing factor in the bankruptcy of Messrs. Drudge and Wheeler. Eventually, each house was sold on a 999 year lease and by the time of the 1891 census only number 1 was occupied by a family - William Buckell, a solicitor - all of the other seven houses were lodging houses.

Alexandra Gardens and Parade were named after HRH Alexandra, Princess of Wales at that time, later to become Alexandra Queen Consort to Edward VII.