Frances Hale (1818-1881)

Frances Hale 1818-1881 (née Read) was associated with the builder’s yard at 36 Castle Street for her entire life, from newborn baby to matriarch of a workforce of over 400 people. One of six children raised by George and Ann Read, aged  22 she married Raymond Hale, a carpenter.

Frances took over the business after Raymond’s death.  n 1875 Frances put out another announcement in the Salisbury journal making it clear that the business  was  hers, with her sons as junior partners.

Two of the most striking Victorian buildings in Salisbury were constructed by the business run by Frances. The Literary and Scientific Institution was built in the free gothic style and replaced the demolished New Street Theatre ( Richardson’s Wine Stores in the High Street  was built in the Italian gothic style for a long established Salisbury firm – claimed to be the oldest wine merchants in Britain.  In between these two projects were others which impacted the public life of the city and surrounding area. These included building Durnford village school and schoolhouse, building the Baptist schoolroom in Brown Street and restoring Dinton church. She worked with the cathedral’s architect, the renowned G.E. Street, when she restored Britford church and again, three years later, when she was involved in a project to build the western transepts of St Peter’s church in Bournemouth. This grade 1 listed building is considered one of the finest Gothic Revival churches anywhere in England.

After Frances took her sons into partnership, they built the north aisle of St Paul’s church, an extension to cope with the increased population of Fisherton. Three years later, they built the Congregational Church in Fisherton Street to replace a small chapel in Endless Street.  In 1876 they won the contract to rebuild the Alderbury Union workhouse in Coombe Road. Their workforce expanded from 80 to 400 within a year.

Having set up a base at Coombe Road, they then fitted out Castle Street to support this larger business. Costs ran out of control and in 1880 the firm was declared bankrupt. The business was sold, but they were allowed to stay on in the accommodation at the yard. A year later Frances died, aged 63. Henry moved to Kent and got work as a surveyor, and Edward set up a small business in Salt Lane. Within five years Edward had reacquired the old premises, and Hale family builders were once more trading from 36 Castle Street.