Mr Thomas Bellamy Dale

1808 - 1890

Compiled for the benefit of Warwickians and others by Anthony James Leahy May, 2009

 The Dale Temperance Hotel and Coffee Tavern was built in 1880 by Thomas Bellamy Dale a local manufacturer and philanthropist who was concerned with charitable work and the improvement of living conditions within the town. He was a cousin and partner George Nelson,

Mr. Dale, who was some eight years younger than his partner, and managed the London business of the firm George Nelson, Dale & Co; until the death of Mr. Nelson in the year of 1850, when he found it necessary to take up his residence in Warwick as the head of the firm.

He took an active part in local affairs, and was thrice Mayor of Warwick. Mr. Dale was a philanthropist in every sense of the word, for his name was connected with the principal benevolent institutions of England, of which he was a generous supporter; as a public man he took a very active part in the sanitary improvements of the borough of Warwick, and in the adoption of the Free Library Act. He was a generous supporter of every useful institution in the town, and, though exceedingly charitable, was most unostentatious in all his benefactions.

Mr. Dale died in the year 1890 at the ripe age of eighty-two, deeply lamented by all who knew him.

The Temperance Hotel was designed by architect Frederick Holyoake Moore of Warwick who lived in Northgate Street. Thomas Bellamy Dale, provided a teetotal establishment with entertainment at the hotel and coffee house to encourage men away from the numerous public houses that were universally held responsible for drunkenness and poor health amongst the working classes.

There was bar and coffee room on the ground floor with service rooms at the rear of the building. On the first floor there was a bagatelle with a smoke room to the front, with an extensive committee and club room to the rear of the building . The bedrooms for hotel guests were situated on the second floor.

After the death of Thomas Dale the proprietors were Briscoe and Buckley and in 1890 were continuing to offer hot dinners of chops or steak as well as offering accommodation to “commercials, tourists and cyclists” under the Dale Temperance Hotel and Coffee Tavern banner. The building was purchased by Warwickshire County Council in 1936 and was used initially as the  Staff Club before conversion to offices.

Mr Dale lived at 38 Coten End Warwick and is believed to have purchased Christ Church once situated at the top of the Parade in Leamington Spa.

The Dale Temperance Hotel and Coffee Tavern 1890's Ad

Dale Temperance Hotel view from New Street (left by kind permission Elizabeth Hitchcox: right ajl)

1904 Spennell's Directory

Christ Church Leamington

38 Coten end Warwick (2009) - The Home of T. B. Dale from 1850 after the death of George Nelson

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