THERE are no records in the Prince of Wales’s diaries or any other royal archives that the Prince had any connection with the Red House in Bournemouth, or ever stayed there.


It is true that the then-Prince of Wales, although married and with six children, took Lily Langtry as his mistress. She was not only extremely beautiful, but also intelligent and witty.


Several Bournemouth sources state that, rather than simply giving Lily jewellery and gifts, the Prince arranged for the Red House to be built in Bournemouth to her design on land owned by Lord Derby.


While the house was being built, the Prince and Lily were said to have stayed in Derby Lodge, which was a smaller property on the land.


There is no evidence that Lord Derby owned any land in Hampshire, nor ever mentioned Lillie Langtry or the Red House.


In 1938 the house was converted into the Manor Heath Hotel and advertised for sale as having been built for Lillie Langtry by the Prince of Wales.


It was renamed the Langtry Manor Hotel in 1977. Bournemouth Council erroneously arranged for a Blue Plaque to be fixed on the front, right elevation of the hotel.


Your article correctly states that on the foundation stone of the house is the date 1877 and the initials ELL, said to stand for Emilie le Breton Langtry. In fact, the Red House was built for Emily Langton Langton, a social pioneer, hence the initials ELL. (The reason for the double Langton was that she married her cousin who had the same family name).

The inscription “They say-what say they? Let them say” was one of Emily’s mottos.


On Friday 16 April 1880, Emily held a party in the Red House to thank the 50 workmen who had just completed its erection.


There are accounts of her holding other parties in the house and raising funds for the Bournemouth Dispensary.


Emily spent much of her life in Bournemouth and was active in the temperance, anti-vivisectionists and other women’s movements.


She founded the Pioneer Club in London to press for the political and moral advancement of women. L T Meade wrote a novel based on her life and titled The Cleverest Woman in England.


Following the death of her father, she inherited the family home of Gunby Hall, built in 1700.


She then managed the estate for four years before returning to Bournemouth.


In 1944 the family donated the Grade 1 listed Gunby Hall, together with its contents and 1,500 acres of land, to the National Trust.


Emily is worthy of a blue plaque. Perhaps one should sit alongside that to Lillie Langtry on the Langtry Manor Hotel, emphasising the history of the hotel.


I would like to thank Michael Stead of the Heritage Section in the town’s library for first pointing out the significance of Emily Langton Langton.


DR R F COOPER
West Cliff Road, Bournemouth