The house that led to the establishment of the National Trust in Tasmania.
Franklin House can be found just outside the Launceston city centre in northern Tasmania. The campaign to save the house in 1960 led to the establishment of the National Trust in Tasmania. The house was built in 1838 by a former convict Britton Jones, he ran the pub in what was a village outside Launceston on the Hobart Road. He used convict labour and they manufactured the bricks on site. Britton Jones built the house as an investment, and not for him and his family to live in. Initially it was rented out to a solicitor a Mr G. Horne who used it as a family home. In 1842 it was leased to William Keeler Hawkes who eventually bought the property in 1848. Keeler Hawkes established a school on the property that became one of the leading educational establishments of the colony. The school was officially called the Classical and Commercial School, but locally known as Mr Hawkes' Academy.
After the last of the Keeler Hawkes died, the house was sold to a succession of families and by 1960 was very rundown. The property was to be sold and the house demolished, so the land could be used for light industry as the surrounding area had become an industrial estate.
Driving along to see the house I expected it to be in an area with some nice homes, it was strange to see it amongst the industrial estate. Luckily there were people who had the foresight to campaign for the house to be saved, restored and refurbished.
The grounds have an old road marker, from the time of the Franklin Village, all that's left now is Franklin House and St. James' Anglican Church across the road from the house.
Upstairs is a large room that goes across the front of the house, although there isn't much information from when the school existed, there's a suggestion that Keeler Hawkes rented the house based on this large room as he saw the potential to make it into a dormitory.
On display is the wedding dress of Sarah Ralph, she married Herbert Stebbeings in 1885. He had built the family home opposite Franklin House. (Sadly not there anymore, just an industrial estate)
The National Trust, restored and refurbished Franklin House with items from the 19th century.
William Keeler Hawkes had a school room built at the rear of the house. His school was quite rigorous, with Greek, Latin, French, English Composition, Writing, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geography, History, Logic and Rhetoric all being taught. The boys boarded at the school and went home once a year, the school educated the sons of the wealthier farmers from the surrounding area. The day before I visited Franklin House I had seen Clarendon which is further away from Launceston, the Franklin House guide made a connection for me by telling me that the Cox boys from Clarendon had been students at Franklin House.
Franklin House can be found just outside the Launceston city centre in northern Tasmania. The campaign to save the house in 1960 led to the establishment of the National Trust in Tasmania. The house was built in 1838 by a former convict Britton Jones, he ran the pub in what was a village outside Launceston on the Hobart Road. He used convict labour and they manufactured the bricks on site. Britton Jones built the house as an investment, and not for him and his family to live in. Initially it was rented out to a solicitor a Mr G. Horne who used it as a family home. In 1842 it was leased to William Keeler Hawkes who eventually bought the property in 1848. Keeler Hawkes established a school on the property that became one of the leading educational establishments of the colony. The school was officially called the Classical and Commercial School, but locally known as Mr Hawkes' Academy.
After the last of the Keeler Hawkes died, the house was sold to a succession of families and by 1960 was very rundown. The property was to be sold and the house demolished, so the land could be used for light industry as the surrounding area had become an industrial estate.
Driving along to see the house I expected it to be in an area with some nice homes, it was strange to see it amongst the industrial estate. Luckily there were people who had the foresight to campaign for the house to be saved, restored and refurbished.
The grounds have an old road marker, from the time of the Franklin Village, all that's left now is Franklin House and St. James' Anglican Church across the road from the house.
Upstairs is a large room that goes across the front of the house, although there isn't much information from when the school existed, there's a suggestion that Keeler Hawkes rented the house based on this large room as he saw the potential to make it into a dormitory.
On display is the wedding dress of Sarah Ralph, she married Herbert Stebbeings in 1885. He had built the family home opposite Franklin House. (Sadly not there anymore, just an industrial estate)
The National Trust, restored and refurbished Franklin House with items from the 19th century.
William Keeler Hawkes had a school room built at the rear of the house. His school was quite rigorous, with Greek, Latin, French, English Composition, Writing, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geography, History, Logic and Rhetoric all being taught. The boys boarded at the school and went home once a year, the school educated the sons of the wealthier farmers from the surrounding area. The day before I visited Franklin House I had seen Clarendon which is further away from Launceston, the Franklin House guide made a connection for me by telling me that the Cox boys from Clarendon had been students at Franklin House.
The school operated from 1842 to 1866, Keeler Hawkes then entered politics, he continued to live at Franklin House, although no longer a school, it was still his family home. He died there in 1882, his wife followed in 1886 and his sister Charlotte who inherited the house, only survived her sister-in-law by 2 years, as she died in 1888 and the house was then sold.
The National Trust maintain the garden, it has a formal area as well as a kitchen garden. In the Victorian era the kitchen garden was the supermarket of the times!
The gardens at the back of the house, popular location for weddings.
Chatting to the lovely National Trust guide while in the house, she explained that Keeler Hawkes' wife Martha was heavily involved in the establishment of the Franklin Village Chapel which is now the St. James Anglican Church across the road from the school. Since I was interested she gave me the key so I could go across the road to have a look and also look around the churchyard for the Keeler Hawkes graves.
St. James' Anglican Church, there are still services held in the church. It was built in 1845 on land donated by Britton Jones (the original builder of Franklin House) and Keeler Hawkes led a fundraising drive to build the chapel. Once built the boys from the school could attend each Sunday. The church also ran a village school on the site, wealthier children could pay to get a 'classical' education, poorer ones learnt the basics!
Inside the church.
Found it! The Hawkes family graves in the churchyard.
Franklin House is on the Hobart Road at Youngtown (a suburb of Launceston), it's open everyday from 9am Monday to Saturday and noon on Sunday.
There's a tearoom on site so it's possible to enjoy the traditional scones, jam and cream as part of your visit. (All run by volunteers)
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