Hedgefield House

In the early 19th century Ralph Shipley's House & Garth (as shown on a plan of Stella of 1767) was demolished and replaced by Hedgefield House by William Matthias Dunn. It is shown on Ordnance Survey first and second editions. From 1864 to 1894 Hedgefield House was occupied by Mr John B. Simpson who became one of the directors of Addison Colliery (HER 5033). He then went to live at Bradley Hall. His son Col. Sir Frank Simpson lived at Hedgefield House until 1926, when he joined his father at Bradley. H.E.B. Daniel, Chief Agent of Stella Coal Company, moved in. Hedgefield House is thought to be one of the first houses in Britain to have a telephone installed, because in 1877, Professor Graham Bell conducted experiments linking Addison Colliery to the surface, and the people in the mine could hear the piano being played in the drawing room of Hedgefield House. The first offices of Addison Colliery were rooms in Hedgefield House. In 1894, however, separate offices were built (NZ 1670 6415). These offices were later converted into a hotel which still survives.