St Helens House history 1766-1805
St Helens House is an historic gem situated in King Street, Derby. Currently, it is the most important and largest surviving domestic building in Derby and is one of the few surviving purpose-built Georgian gentleman’s town houses; a town house, is defined as a residence built by a country landowner for occasional use when visiting his local town; a spectacular Palladian mansion with a memorable façade that sticks out from the rest of the surrounding city.
The Architecture
This Grade one listed building was built between 1766 and 1767 for the Derby Alderman John Gisborne, naturally, Gisborne wanted a Palladian style house as it was an upcoming trend, and because of this he turned to local architect Joseph Pickford for his town house. Pickford worked extensively throughout the Midland counties of England, primarily designing town and country houses in the Palladian style. A significant number of his friends and clients were members of the influential Lunar Society. We only know that Pickford designed St Helens from the journal of the Italian architect Antonio Selva.
The owners
After Gisborne died in 1779, leaving behind his two each surviving sons and daughters who were largely brought up at St Helens House the new owner was now his oldest son, Thomas Gisborne. Whilst being educated at home, his father also engaged the artist Joseph Wright to teach him the rudiments of painting and All Saint’s organist William Denby to teach him music. Later, he finished schooling at Harrow and then went up to St Johns Cambridge gaining his degree in 1780, therefore a well-educated man. While at Cambridge, Thomas formed a life-long friendship with William Wilberforce, and they were both determined to persuade Parliament that the abolishment of slavery was an absolute imperative. However, when he saw the controversy surrounding his dear friend William as he was hardly likely to do much in the continuation of his life, he opted to remain at St Helens and write reflective literature such as the Remarks Respecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade in 1792. In this time, he also became an accomplished poet and moral philosopher. Unfortunately, his time in Derby, writing at St Helens House eventually came to an end when the death of his close friend Joseph Wright caused him to withdraw from living in Derby altogether and with his mother dying in 1800, he struggled to find a viable use for the house until 1805.
Nestled in the heart of the city, this beautifully restored building has a story to tell. Once a bustling hub of industry and innovation, its walls have witnessed decades of history. Today, it stands as a modern office space, blending historic charm with modern functionality. Step inside, and you’ll discover how the building’s rich past seamlessly intertwines with the energy of contemporary work life.
