Place

Type: Officers Quarters

On Ordnance Survey maps from 1856 onwards, Tempest Road was recorded to be a long road directly perpendicular to North Road, the main “high street” running along the coast of Seaham. However, 1-4 Tempest Road was formerly known as Sebastopol Terrace – referring to the four houses that stood on the junction between North Road and Tempest Place itself. And so the etymology of 3 Tempest Road is as such:

Circa. 1843-1900: 3 Sebastopol Terrace (Tempest Place was possibly also used at the same time informally)
Circa. 1900-1960: 3 Tempest Place
Circa. 1960-present: 3 Tempest Road

The land rights to Front Street, North Terrace and Tempest were granted in 1843 by the Marquis of Londonderry to several men such as: Frederick Williams Cadwalder Beavan, William Nicholson. This marked the beginning of the development of the coastal strip of Seaham, which would come to be a commercial and residential center of Seaham.

Phase I:
The group of four buildings were believed to be owned by the Treasury Valuer, The Treasury Whitehall London. They were used as coast guard houses as they looked directly over the harbour before the development of North Road.

Phase II:
In 1911, plans were drawn for new elevation and bay windows for 1-4 Tempest Road. This suggested a renovation of the site occurred, possibly as the houses were transferred to private ownership.

3 Tempest Road was first owned by solicitor Henry Brougham Wright in 1909, where he set up his firm, HB Wright and Co. Wright was also Clerk to the Urban District Council of Seaham Harbour.

By 1914, it was occupied by Rev. Carl Johan Engvall, a Scandinavian Minister.

Phase III:
During the First World War, 3 Tempest Road was believed to be used as an officers’ quarters. While not confirmed, it may have suited the needs of the likes of Major Dillon, a doctor who ran Seaham Hall Military Hospital at the time, but was also involved with the running of Seaham Infirmary, which was across the road. 3 Tempest Road was possibly still owned by HB Wright and Co. as they were charged by the Urban District Council to build new lavatories for the premises during 1916.

Phase IV:
3 Tempest Road became the County Court Office, headed by T. Richardson as judge. AEE Bolton was registrar and high bailiff. W Gray was managing clerk and JD Armstrong was bailiff.
3 Tempest Road remains standing today and is still part of the 4-house-group that forms 1-4 Tempest Road. While retaining a Georgian design, it has been restored along with 2 Tempest Road and sold as a residential dwelling.

Cited Sources:
UD/Sea 63
Urban District Council Records of Seaham Harbour (1913-1916)

D/Lo/E 190-191
Appointment of premises on Front Street, North Terrace and Tempest Place, 1843

Keys to the Past:
http://www.keystothepast.info/Pages/pgDetail.aspx?PRN=D47216

Relevant Sources:
M/ED 65
Correspondence between H.B. Wright & Co., 3, Tempest Place and various clients, 1907-1908

EP/Ho 891
EP/Ho 897
EP/Ho 898
D/Ni 14/28
Correspondence between H.B. Wright and Co. and client, 1905

CC/Cl 1/226 M67/154
1919 October
Seaham
(Seaham and Dawdon)

CC/C1 1/184 M67/139-140
1915 January
South Eastern Division
(Dawdon)

Plans and Images:
D/Lo Acc 1251(D) Plans 232
Plan of house proposed to be erected in Tempest Place, Seaham Harbour, for R.A. Grimes, n.d. Scale: 8 feet to 1 inch [1:96]
 
D/Lo Acc 1251(D) Plans 237
Plan of Tempest Place Building Grounds, 26 April 1911 Scale: 30 feet to 1 inch [1:360]
 
D/Lo Acc 1251(D) Plans 255
Plan of elevation of proposed houses in Sebastopol Terrace [Seaham, Harbour], 30 October 1911 Scale: 1 foot to 2 inch [1:24]
 
D/Lo Acc 1251(D) Plans 256
Plan of details of bay windows for houses in Sebastopol Terrace [Seaham Harbour], 1 November 1911 Scale: 1 foot to 1 inch [1:12]

Civil Parish: Dawdon

Contributed by Tullia Fraser | Durham County Council Archaeology Section