Magnificent Practicality Hampton Court keeps pace with grace

There aren’t very many organizations that would invest in a century’s old designated historical facility, with restrictions on renovations in an under populated region, but Retirement Living by Revera took on just such a challenge.

Known best for its 200 plus nursing facilities throughout the U.S. and Canada, Revera took on the challenge of Hampton Court. The results have been appreciated by a very proud community.

Now celebrating 25 years as a retirement senior care facility Hampton Court is situated in Ontario’s Lake Huron community of Southampton. Although a senior home since 1986 it has a long a storied past in the community.

A past not to be forgotten

The renovations of a structure as grand as Hampton Court did not come without challenges and the facility has seen several transitions over the years. Completed as a private home in 1902 by a platoon of carpenters, master masons, and artisans the structure stands today in much the same exterior condition as when its original owner, Charles M. Bowman, first moved in.

Bowman, a wealthy local businessman and industrialist, built the three-storey red brick structure to his own demanding tastes. It had 12 bedrooms and five fireplaces with intricately carved columns. Colourful leaded glass windows reflected daylight throughout the structure by day and leaded coloured glass tiffany lamps illuminated each room by night.

Woodwork throughout the building utilized all the local exotic woods and is a marvel of everything carpentry could be in that era. Foot high baseboards, bird’s eye maple and walnut wall panels graced by intricately inlaid parquet hardwood flooring give each room a natural glow. The staircases are elegantly designed with dark curved banisters and turned and tooled spindles.

The exterior work consists of red brick imported from Scotland with carved rounded corners. Custom stone corbelling line each window top, each elaborately carved with designs reminiscent of the European masters that inspired the overall design.

Hampton Court’s distinctive orange clay tile roof is as old as the rest of the structure and impressively in 110 years has never leaked. Although some brick repair has occurred in small areas the chimney brick work has held up well and stands as a magnificent testament to its builders.

Evolution meets transitions

Bowman was a man of great vision, capability and capacity. It was an era when men with great wealth built show pieces such as Toronto’s Castle Loma and Hamilton’s Dundurn Castle. In this sense the realization of Hampton Villa reflected everything about the man but little about the future. It was an indulgence which reflected his passion for beauty and craftsmanship but little in utility.

The building was impressive and was used to benefit Bowman’s ambitions in work, politics and, as he would see it, the community and society at large. Being elected as a member of the provincial legislature and rising within the ranks of local party politics was helped along by a vision with the grandeur of Hampton Villa.

All this fell short of the expectations of the next generation, however, and Bowman could not get his three children to take the same interest in the building. Upon his death in 1932 the building was left to his best friends Jack and Jean Spence for disposal. Two years later it was sold to Allen and Lillian Webster, who launched it on a new path as a summer tourist home.

In 1953 the building was purchased by a group headed by Helen and Clarence Buckton along with a local well-known hotelier, Morley Lymburner (the author’s uncle and name sake). Hampton Villa had new life breathed into it by this new ownership arrangement. Lymburner was a well-known entrepreneur and former pharmacist who specialized in the hotel and hospitality business. His operations over the years included five full-service hotels in four communities and taking on the stately challenges of Victorian era Hampton Court appealed to him.

The Buckton’s were both hard-working and loyal employees in many of Lymburner’s operations and were enthusiastic to take up a partnership in the new challenges presented by Hampton Court.

Originally purchased for $33,000, a bargain by today’s standards, the Bucktons and Lymburner upgraded and repaired the facility, installed private baths, dressed up the dining room with linens, bought new furnishings and brighter bed spreads. Helen renewed the rose gardens, put flowers on the tables, opened a bar, put prime rib on the menu and hired a pastry chef. For the next 35 years it prospered as a bed and breakfast style tourist resort.

During the resort’s heyday years of the 50s, 60s and 70s many hundreds of tourists came to visit. The younger people would head for the numerous sandy beaches that grace Lake Huron’s shores while their parents rested in the stately charms of the front porches. Popularity brought more demand and the servant’s quarters building to the rear was renovated to allow for more guests. The popular management style created more demand and resulted in a small motel at the front and another across the street.

After Lymburner’s death, the Bucktons carried on but a changing tourist industry caused them to look around at other options. In 1986 Hampton Court Villa was purchased by a retirement home chain and Helen remained on as its administrator in a new but not so unusual position from that of the past. The facility was always managed in the best principles of the hospitality industry and reframing its focus exclusively to seniors was not a large change in style or form.

Over the next 25 years it has remained a private senior care facility with one of its more notable residents being the mother of former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. The Nobel laureat was not a stranger to other residents and staff with his frequent visits to his mother accompanied by shared meals prepared by Helen.

Historical charm meets a modern world

New regulations, bylaws and demands upon an aging structure have certainly brought new experiences for this graceful dowager of a building.

Being designated a structure of historical importance by the community comes with many challenges for a company which needs to have it function to levels of modern efficiency. The biggest challenge initially was to make the facility environmentally cost effective. A new furnace and electric baseboard heaters deliver the required comfort levels but cost efficiency means proper insulation and massive alterations to windows.

With such a unique building there were a few problems to overcome such as retrofitting 130 differently sized windows with thermal pane glass. Some had leaded glass which needed to be preserved and incorporated with the alterations. Much of the interior and exterior glass is bevel edged. Much care and consideration went into each window to either retrofit or appropriately reseal and insulate them.

Archie Hayden, manager of environmental services, points out that the facility is one that requires constant attention to detail. “It is like a thousand little things and not the really big things.” he said. “One of my biggest challenges for instance was the lack of outside water outlets.”

Strange as it seems it is the one factor that was never an issue when the building was first constructed and one that has become a minor nuisance over the years. Of course exterior gardens and yards are important for senior residents and the need for more efficient exterior maintenance required placing exterior taps around the building.

Other challenges included a lack of clothes closets, which were not in style around the turn of the last century. That era demanded stylized wardrobes for the meagre number of clothes people had and little architectural consideration was put into such things as closets. Nor was there the modern demand for private and multiple washroom facilities. Retrofitting most private rooms with toilet, wash basins and bathing facilities added unique challenges for the owners over the years.

Although the charms of the structure outwardly have changed little in the past hundred years new wings have been added to ensure efficient operations. Health and fire regulations meant a new kitchen capable of feeding the residents while ensuring safe fire abatement and exit strategies. A dispensary and staff rooms were also important as was appropriate storage capacity. All this required electricians, plumbers and technicians to use extra care and creativity to ensure the structural atmosphere could be preserved.

Community connections

“Having a close relationship with the local historical committee and town councils has meant a smooth transition over the years,” says Mary Stokes, Executive Director.

“Keeping the outward appearance of an historically important building and yet ensuring its financial security is a trade off that both owners and community have long recognized,” remarks Stokes.

“We are proud of our close relationship with many of the town’s organizations and committees and work hard to maintain those connections. After all, they are our neighbours too.”

Stokes points out that her coming to Hampton Court was a dream job. After working many years as a nurse in a hospital in nearby Wiarton she came to appreciate the facility, staff and residents.

The sterile hallways of the hospital were replaced by the stately grace of walnut panelling and decorative hardwood floors. Paved parking lots had now become well groomed yards and flower gardens, short stay patients had now become long term friends in a family environment.

“What’s not to love about all this!”

Staying close to the building that has meant so much to her over the years was important for Helen Buckton, the former owner and co-developer of Hampton Court. She now lives in the converted stables and carriage house, which were converted to staff and servants quarters in the late 50s, at the rear of Hampton Court.

“Clarence and I raised our two boys on the third floor of the building,” Helens says proudly. “It has been such an important part of our lives that I was happy to live next door... just to keep an eye on things,” she added with a smile.

Spry and lively and in her late 70s Helen enjoys her visits and chats with many of the staff. Arch Hayden points out his fondest memories as a youth was coming to Hampton Court each Sunday with his parents to enjoy Helen’s buffet lunches. “Being a teenager you can imagine the delight of seeing such a huge table full of everything you would want to eat.”

Many years went by and that same young man came to work with the building and with the person he so admired. “When I came to work here,” remarks Hayden, “I quickly realized that Helen could always find a solution to any problem almost instantly.”

One day there was a photography crew coming in to promote the business and the cake that was supposed to be the centre piece on the buffet table collapsed for some reason. Helen did not even bat an eye as she went to the kitchen and appeared five minutes later with a perfectly decorated cake. Amazed by this they asked her how she did that. She simply told them that it is not too difficult to ice an upside-down cake pan.

Grace meets function

Retirement Living by Revera’s unwavering commitment to service and the history of Hampton Court while maintaining a vision for the future has helped more than the community of Southhampton and their history.

It has supplied a comfortable retirement facility which permits its residents a dignified home and its proud staff with a workplace that is both functional and full of grace. After 25 years of caring for the elderly Hampton Court seems to know its place in the community, and it shows.