The history of Reed Hall
Originally named Streatham Hall and built on the site of the original Duryard Hall, this Victorian Italianate style mansion was home to the Thornton West family, wealthy merchants who traded in the Eastern Indies during the second half of the 19th Century.
The impressive mansion was built in 1867 for Richard Thornton West, nephew of London merchant and speculator, Richard Thornton. Richard Thornton died in 1865, leaving his nephew a sum of around one million pounds. When Thornton West died in 1878 the property passed to his son, Richard Bowerman West. On his death in 1900, the mansion was put up for sale and outlying parts of the estate were built over (Thornton Hill and West Avenue).
In 1906 the hall and some of its land were offered to the City of Exeter, but no action was taken, despite the use of the property as a hostel for students being considered.
During the war Streatham Hall was converted into a military hospital and in 1919 was again on the market, priced at £8,000. The proprietor of the Express & Echo and chairman of the college appeal, Sir James Owen, secured promises of £6,000 towards the hall’s purchase. This sum included £1,000 from Sir Henry Lopes who described the estate as ‘the only available site for a future university’. The syndicate failed to secure the property. Sir E. Chaning Wills of Torquay next prepared to buy it for the college at £7,000, but died before he could persuade the vendor to accept such a low price for a mansion with 11 acres.
After these disappointments came triumphant success. On Christmas Day 1921 Sir James Owen informed the vendor that Alderman W H Reed, a former Mayor of Exeter, was willing to buy Streatham Hall for the college. However, this would only be done if and when the college’s new status as a university was assured. In 1922 Alderman W H Reed, gifted the hall plus 11 acres to the University College of the South West to form the heart of the Streatham Campus. The building was re-named Reed Hall to commemorate its generous benefactor, and in 1925 opened as a hall of residence for men. This was shortly after Walter Moberly had become principal, who was then replaced after two years by John Murray. The hall had few single-study bedrooms, but a considerable number of large rooms with high ceilings, which could be shared by several students. During the second world war evacuees took the places of students called up to war service, so as to ensure attendance did not drop at the College. Some 70 students from the Central School of Speech and Drama occupied Reed Hall from 1940-1942.
This majestic hall is set within beautifully landscaped gardens, which were laid down by local horticultural firm James Veitch. With the acquisition of Reed Hall in 1922, the College became custodian of the formal gardens, lake and valuable arboretum. The grounds were planted with rare specimen trees and shrubs, collected by the Veitch family themselves from around the world.
