Tregonwell, Lewis Grosvenor Dymoke

ENTREPRENEUR (ENGLAND)
BORN 14 Feb 1758, Anderson, Dorset - DIED 18 Jan 1832, Cranborne, Dorset: Cranborne Lodge
GRAVE LOCATION Bournemouth, Dorset: St. Peter's Churchyard

Lewis Tregonwell was the son of Thomas Tregonwell, of Anderson. His father died in 1761 and after he came of age he became High Sheriff of Dorsetshire. He lived in Anderson as squire. He had two children by his first wife Catherine, a heiress. By his second wife Henrietta Portman he had another three children.

During a holiday at Mudeford near Christchurch in Dorset, Tregonwell and Henrietta visited 'Bourne'. They liked it so much that they bought land in 1810 and built a house to live in the summer months. He bought 8.5 acres of land located at what is now the city centre of Bournemouth. The house is now part of the Royal Exeter Hotel. His butler Symes had his own cottage, later renamed to Portman Lodge.

Tregonwell is regarded as the founder of Bournemouth and there is a statue for him in Bournemouth. He died in 1832 and he was buried in Anderson. In 1846 his wife transferred his remains to St Peter's Churchyard in Bournemouth. When Portman Lodge was demolished in 1930 it appeared that smuggling activities may have taken place there because a secret chamber was found.

Images

The grave of Lewis Tregonwell at St. Peter's Churchyard, Bournemouth.
Picture by Androom (18 Jun 2010)

 

Sources
Lewis Tregonwell - Wikipedia (EN)


Treitschke, Heinrich von

Published: 04 Jun 2017
Last update: 02 Mar 2022