Heathlands

The house was designed by Clegg and Knowles, architects from Manchester. It was described as "a detached residence containing three reception rooms, billiard-room, conservatory, the usual accommodation for servants, and nine bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. There is stabling for five horses and a separate house for the coachman. "

The census of 1871 shows George Lord (b:1832), a French merchant, living at Heathlands, with his wife Margaret, 2 sons and 4 servants. His coachman and wife lived in a separate property on site. George was recorded as a British subject and had previously baptised, and sadly buried a son, also called George, at St Mary's in Prestwich, in 1865. The son was recorded as being just 6 hours old at his burial. George and Margaret also baptised a second son two years later who they also called George.

In 1881 George was out of the country, and his 6 children were in the company of their aunt, a governess and 6 servants.

In 1882 George & his carriage were in the cortège for the funeral of the 2nd Earl of Wilton, that rode from Heaton Hall to St Mary's, and in 1883 a serious case of Foot and Mouth broke out in the country and George's livestock were infected.

The Heathlands property was not listed in the census of 1891.

The census of 1901 shows the family of Stephen Demetriadi, a 21 year old Greek Merchant, living with 6 servants.

Stephen's parents, Constantine and Amelia, were born in Turkey and in 1891 lived in a "Morningside" on Singleton Road along with their 4 children. Constantine, had been born into the ‘da Capello' family, but took his adopted name aged 6.

He went on to be director of Ralli Brothers, a firm of merchant shippers and bankers,perhaps the most successful expatriate Greek merchant business of the Victorian era. Stephanos Ralli (1755–1827) had settled in Marseille, but after the Napoleonic wars, sent his eldest son John to London to explore business opportunities.John Ralli traded Russian grain and oriental silk for British textiles. Encorporating Ralli Brothers in London.

John brought over his brothers to help. One, Eustratios, set up in Manchester. Their move away from their home of Greece and the Ottoman Empire was fortuitous as turmoil soon befell the region, in fact Ralli Brothers did well exploiting opportunities presented by war, politics and new markets, such as opium and silk, elsewhere too. Expanding across the Mediterranean, by 1831, Ralli Brothers aready employed 40,000 people worldwide.

Another of the brothers, Pandia Ralli married Marietta Scaramanga, see Sedgley Mount and Singleton Lodge. The Scaramangas were a trading family with great operations in Russia, and Ralli Bros then expanded into India and the US, setting up offices in Calcutta and New York. They also benefitted greatly during the Crimea war.

Despite having all these business interests, the family still befell common misfortune, offering a reward for their missing dog in 1901.

St Mary's church records the burial of Constantine, resident at Heathlands in 1908, his estate of £100,000 (£11m today)built up after several family members had died, was left to his wife.

[The Ralli business dissolved upon the death of Pandia, and the Russian arm passed back to the Scaramanga family. See Sedgley Mount]

[A letter dated 3 Jan 1905 from The Heathlands, by Stephen Demetrius Petrocokino, gives a very satisfactory reference for a Mrs Minnie Graves Hall (née Marshall, a widow who later remarried to a Mr D’Abreu) who was nurse to his children and who had served the family in Calcutta. The Petrocokino family lived at Sedgley House]

Stephen Demetriadi was director of Naval and Military War Pensions in WWl and went on to be knighted Sir Stephanos Constantine ‘Stephen’ Demetriadi KBE. Chairman of the London Chamber of Commerce (1926), and later president 1934-36, Knight Grand Cross of the Latvian Order of Three Stars, he was the owner of a pre-WWl Rolls-Royce and lost a son Richard in the battle of Britain.

In 1911 Athanasius Constantine Demetriadi, Stephen's younger brother had taken up residence in Heathlands, but like his brother he was single (aged31) and living with his 5 servants. Athanasius like his father, was director of Ralli Brothers. He was a generous and charitable man, remembered to this day for handing children a sixpence on Christmas Day, or maybe a shilling if you were lucky! He also bought local kids new clothes when they left school. He owned Silver Ghost No: 1759 and a 1932 20/25 Rolls Royce - chassis GZU7). Athanasius died in 1963 aged 85.

Anna Demetriadi, sister of Athanasius Constantine, married Stephen Demetrius Petrocokino who's family lived a Sedgley House . Stephen and Anna Petrocokino are buried in St Mary's churchyard in the Demetriadi vault.

Another Brother George Demetriadi, and East Indian Merchant born in Calcutta, aged 34, was living with his wife Nellie, and son in "The Holme" on Sedgley Park Road, near Sedgley Hall in 1911. With just the 7 servants. George was the first owner of Rolls Royce Silver Ghost (number 1798) and died in Prestwich in 1949.

The burial of George's son, also George Demetriadi aged just 11 weeks in 1911, is recorded in St Mary's.

George's other sons included: Lt Col, 2nd Bt. Royal Welch Fusiliers. George Demetriadi M.B.E. and Stephen George Demetriadi, Capt TA.

In 1915, Athanaius's driver had a deadly accident in one of the cars.

[A possible relation Athanasius Demetriades, Shipping agent born Constantinople aged 51, had been living at 32 Ducie Street, Manchester in the census of 1901 with his son Athanasius, born 1897]

Here is a Link to a photo gallery of Greek Graves in St Mary's Churchyard.

You can also read more about some of the Greek Families buried at St Mary's here.

The house was demolished in the 1960s with a Jewish care home built in its place.