Hulse Hall

Edith Hulse

The 6th Baronet, Sir Edward 1859 – 1903 was the M.P. for Salisbury and fought in the Boer War, where his brother Charles sadly lost his life. On 1888, Sir Edward married Edith Maud Lawson, daughter of Lord Burnham, the founder of the Daily Telegraph. They had one son, Edward Hamilton. When Sir Edward died in 1903, The Hon. Lady Hulse worked diligently to put the Breamore Estate into good order. She presided at Breamore at a time of momentous change. Lady Edith faced the opposition of her groom, Smerthwaite, and introduced the motor car and together with her chauffeur, Harwood, brought Breamore into a new era. A great patriot and tireless supporter of the War effort, Lady Edith is one of twelve Ladies featured in ‘Women of the Great War’. Lady Edith was a member of the Fordingbridge District Council and later Salisbury City Council through her ownership of Hulse House (a memorial to her son), a property used for child welfare and maternity work as well as serving as the headquarters of the Y.W.C.A. She later became Mayor in 1927 and 1928.

The loss of her only son in 1915 was a tragic blow and in addition to Hulse House she also built Hulse Hall in Sir Edward’s memory. There is no question that Lady Edith was an outstanding chatelaine of Breamore – she died in 1937 in the arms of the inestimable Mr Cooper, her butler, who later became Verger at Salisbury Cathedral. There can be seen a statue in Salisbury Cathedral in memory of Lady Edith Hulse “Great Lady in Deed and Word” July 19th 1866 to Nov 1st 1937.

Committee Members

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