From Lincoln Grocer to Hollywood Royalty: The Extraordinary Journey of Esme Isabel E Hall

Category: Genealogy / Hollywood History / Biography 

In 1939, a legal notice appeared in the London Gazette asking a simple question: Where is Esme Isabel E. Warde?

The solicitors searching for her knew her as the daughter of the late Albert Wingfield Hall, a provision merchant from Lincoln. They needed to settle his will. But what those solicitors likely didn't know was that while they were searching the archives of Lincolnshire, their "missing" heiress was busy shaping the literary tastes of Golden Age Hollywood, married to a famous character actor, and running a bookstore on the Walk of Fame.

This is the incredible, reconstructed timeline of Esme Isobel Haigh Hall—a woman who journeyed from the English Midlands to the heart of the MGM studio system.

The Origins: A Lincoln Merchant’s Daughter

The story begins in Lincoln, England. Albert Wingfield Hall* (1841–1910) was a successful family grocer and provision merchant. Alongside his wife, Clara, he operated businesses in the city, including the old Pea Warehouse at Wigford Yard.  Albert's first shop was at Garmston House, later moving to the Cardinal's Hat.

When Albert died in 1910, he left behind a will, but the chaos of the early 20th century—and his daughter's adventurous spirit—meant that settling his estate would take decades.

At the 1911 Census Esme was at Southport, Lancashire training to be a nurse.

*  Albert's family had owned Wingfield Hall, Derbyshire for several generations, his father was an auctioneer.

The Departure: Ellis Island and The Nairobi Mystery

In 1915, the First World War was raging, and Esme’s life changed forever. She married Reginald Warde and almost immediately left England.

Records confirm her arrival at Ellis Island on October 31, 1915. She was just 20 years old, listed as "Married," and arrived with $50 in her pocket. By 1916, she was writing letters from 101 West 109th Street in New York City.

But the trail didn't stop in America. In a twist worthy of a movie script, records place Esme in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1930. Whether she lived there with Reginald or was simply settling affairs remains a mystery, but it marks the transition between her old life and her reinvention.

The Reinvention: The Esme Warde Bookstores

By the late 1920s, Esme had arrived in Los Angeles, and she wasn't just a housewife—she was a pioneer.

She opened the Esme Warde Bookstores, with a flagship location at 6613 Hollywood Boulevard, right next to the legendary Musso & Frank Grill. In an era before film studios had massive internal script departments, Esme became the literary tastemaker for the industry.

She supplied novels and galley proofs to studios like MGM, helping executives find the next big picture. In fact, Esme is credited with writing the synopsis for Stefan Zweig's Marie Antoinette, explicitly recommending it as a vehicle for Norma Shearer. Her advice was taken, and the 1938 film became a classic.

Love and Legacy: The Actor and The Publicist

Esme’s personal life in Hollywood was just as notable as her business career.

• The Second Marriage: On December 4, 1928, she married William V. Mong, a prolific American character actor who appeared in nearly 200 films, including The Last Days of Pompeii.

• Citizenship: In 1944, living as a widow in Los Angeles, she finally became a naturalised U.S. citizen under the name Esme Mong.

Esme's Naturalisation Certificate
(Her age is incorrect as she was born in 1893 - 49 is better than 51.)

Perhaps her greatest contribution to Hollywood was her daughter, Esme Chandlee (1918–2012). Raised in the glow of the studios and calling William Mong her "stepfather," Esme Chandlee went on to become a legendary publicist at MGM. She managed the images of icons like Judy Garland, Clark Gable, and Grace Kelly, continuing the legacy her mother started.

The Conclusion

When the London Gazette placed that notice in 1939, they were looking for a merchant's daughter. They couldn't have guessed they were searching for a woman who was, at that very moment, selling books to movie stars on Hollywood Boulevard.

Esme Warde’s life serves as a reminder that behind every dry genealogy record, there is often a story of adventure, reinvention, and history in the making.

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Key Timeline

• 1841–1910: Life of father, Albert Wingfield Hall (Lincoln).

• 1893: Esme born to Albert Wingfield and Clara Hall

• 1915: Esme marries Reginald Warde and immigrates to NYC via Ellis Island.

• 1918: Esme Chandlee Wardle born to Reginald and Esme Haigh Warde.

• 1928: Esme marries actor William V. Mong in Los Angeles.  Click here to read about Mong.

• 1930s: Esme operates "Esme Warde Bookstores" on Hollywood Blvd.

• 1939: Notice placed in London Gazette regarding her father's will.

• 1940: Death of William V Mong

• 1942–2000s: Daughter Esme Chandlee works as a top MGM publicist.  Click here to read about Esme Chandlee

• 1964: Death of Esme Mong.

• 2012: Death of Esme Chandlee.

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Have you discovered an ancestor who vanished from the records only to reappear in an unexpected place? Share your genealogy mysteries in the comments!

Haverholme Priory and an American heiress

 

The tale of Haverholme Priory stone is one of local legend, an American heiress, and a bizarre twist of fate. But a shocking discovery in 1927 in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, connects the priory's history to a tragedy involving a well-known figure in the world of fox hunting, providing a much clearer, albeit grim, account of where some of the stone ended up.

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The Legend of Haverholme Stone

The widely circulated story holds that the ruins of Haverholme Priory were purchased by an American woman intending to have the ancient structure dismantled and re-erected across the Atlantic. The tale concludes tragically: she was supposedly killed in a train crash, and the stone meant for her grand new home was instead diverted for a far more mundane purpose—to extend the docks in Liverpool.

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Shocking Discovery: Mrs. Edith Fernie

However, reports from March 1927 introduce a different, more verifiable fate for some of the priory's architectural elements.

On Tuesday morning, March 1st, 1927, a platelayer at the Woodhall Spa Golf Links level crossing over the London and North-Eastern line made a horrifying discovery. Lying near the tracks was the terribly mutilated body of a woman. It was later identified as Mrs. Edith Roberta Fernie, aged 52 (or 54 in some reports), a celebrated figure in hunting circles.

• Identity: Mrs. Fernie was the widow of a former Master of the Fernie Hunt and had even served as Master herself for a few seasons. She was an accomplished rider and an enthusiastic sportswoman.

• Context: She had been staying at Southcote, Woodhall Spa, for the past two seasons, hunting with the Blankney and Southwold Hounds. She was known to sometimes go for walks at night.

• The Incident: Mrs. Fernie had left her apartment on Monday afternoon. When her dog returned home without her, a search was launched. It is supposed she was knocked down by a train traveling from Woodhall Spa to Horncastle on Monday evening and lay on the track all night. Her coat was found fifty yards from her remains. The body was partially decapitated, and both arms were severed.

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The Priory Connection

Crucially, Mrs. Fernie was not just a visitor; she was building a new residence just outside Woodhall Spa.

According to The Daily Chronicle on March 2nd, 1927, Mrs. Fernie had purchased stone and an ornamental gate from Haverholme Priory for this new house. Her tragic and premature death on the railway line meant her ambitious plans for the priory stone were halted, providing a concrete, non-mythological link between a piece of the priory's ruins and a shocking local event.

An inquest into the death was held the following day, March 2nd, 1927, at the Eagle Lodge Hotel. While the ultimate use of the materials she purchased is unknown, Mrs. Fernie's tragedy firmly ties a portion of Haverholme Priory's stone not to an American legend, but to the fateful final journey of a devoted English hunting 

Click here to read about Haverholme Priory

Lincoln's Stonebow and Guildhall: A Gateway to 2000 Years of History

The Stonebow early 20th century

If you've ever walked down Lincoln's bustling High Street, you simply cannot miss the magnificent, limestone archway that dominates the lower city centre: the Stonebow. Capped with the stately Guildhall, this building is more than just a landmark; it's a living, breathing history book, and arguably the heart of Lincoln’s civic life for centuries.

Here’s a look into what makes this Tudor treasure one of the city's most significant buildings.

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A Story in Stone: From Roman Gate to Medieval Arch

The history of the Stonebow is incredibly deep, tracing its roots all the way back to Roman Britain.

• Roman Foundations: The Stonebow marks the site of the original southern gateway to the Roman lower town (Lindum Colonia). The first gate stood here as early as 211 AD, forming a crucial point on Ermine Street, the main route connecting London and York. Parts of this original Roman structure are still beneath the current arch!

• The Norse Name: The modern name, 'Stonebow,' is a direct link to Lincoln's Viking past. It comes from the Danish word, 'stennibogi', which simply means 'stone arch'.

• A Century of Delays: After an earlier medieval gate was demolished, King Richard II ordered a new gate to be built in 1390. However, there were extensive delays in the building process. Lincoln was no longer the prosperous city it once was; the loss of the Wool Staple (which moved to Boston), among other economic factors, meant the city could not easily afford the expense of a new gateway. The Stonebow was eventually completed around 1520 by William Spencer, a freeman of the city, nearly 130 years after it was commissioned.

• Tudor Masterpiece: The gateway you see today, with its beautiful Tudor architecture, replaces that earlier medieval structure. The intricate carvings on the south face, including the figures of the Virgin Mary and the Angel Gabriel, make it a true masterpiece of 16th-century craftsmanship.

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The Guildhall: The Seat of Civic Power

Perched directly above the archway is the Guildhall. While the current building dates from the 16th century, the site has been the continuous home for Lincoln’s local government since 1237, making it one of the longest continuously used council sites in the country.

• The Council Chamber: This impressive room on the first floor still serves as the active meeting place for the Lincoln City Council. Here, you can find 18th-century panelling and the coat of arms of King George II.  The Council Chamber Table dates from the early 18th century.

• The Clock: The clock face that sits proudly on the stepped gable was provided by the manufacturer Potts of Leeds in connection with the extensive restoration and alterations carried out by architect J. L. Pearson in 1887.

  The person who gifted the clock was Joseph Ruston, J.P., a prominent local industrialist, engineer, and former Mayor of Lincoln (1883-1884). Ruston was one of the founders of the major engineering company Ruston, Proctor and Co. (later Ruston & Hornsby).

I doubt many people notice this sign as they 
walk through the Stonebow

• The Mote Bell: One of the Guildhall's most fascinating features is the Mote Bell, which was cast in 1371. This bell still summons councillors to their meetings, a tradition of over 650 years!

• A Treasury of Regalia: The Guildhall houses an extraordinary collection of civic regalia, which tells the story of Lincoln's relationship with the Crown. Highlights include:

  • A magnificent sword presented to the city by King Richard II in 1387.

  • The Mayor’s ceremonial mace, dating from 1640.

  • The Mayor's chains of office and the unique Mayor's posy ring.

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The Arch That Was Nearly Moved: A History of Preservation

For all its beauty and history, the Stonebow's position in the middle of a major thoroughfare has made it a continuous obstacle to traffic for centuries. This led to serious, and thankfully rejected, proposals to dismantle and move the ancient structure.

• 19th-Century Plans to Demolish: The most serious threat came in the 19th and early 20th centuries, when traffic struggled to navigate the narrow archway. In 1809 and again around 1880, the idea was floated to demolish the Stonebow entirely to widen the road and improve traffic flow.

• The Radical Relocation Idea: A more outlandish plan in the mid-19th century proposed dismantling the entire Stonebow and Guildhall and re-erecting it in another location, likely in a new square or park, to preserve the monument while clearing the street. This would have meant the complete loss of its function as a civic gateway and the destruction of the Roman and medieval foundations beneath it.

• The Power of Preservation: Fortunately, Lincoln’s citizens and historians consistently fought against these proposals. They successfully argued that the Stonebow was too important to the identity and history of Lincoln, and today, it is protected as a Grade I listed building, ensuring its permanent place on High Street.

North side of the Stonebow in 18th century

A Place of Public Life

Beyond governance, the Stonebow and Guildhall have witnessed and participated in nearly two millennia of city life:

• Prison and Court: For centuries, the East Wing of the Guildhall held the city prison. The Council bought an adjacent house to expand the facility in 1586, the conditions were stark. There were just two ground-level rooms: a 13-foot square room for men and an 8-foot square room for women. In a curious arrangement, each room had a small, iron-grated window opening onto Prison Lane (now Saltergate). Passersby could literally see, talk to, and even pass food and drink to the inmates. This jail was finally closed in 1809 when a new prison was constructed at the Sessions House. The East Wing was pulled down and rebuilt in 1842 in a style matching the Stonebow and now appropriately houses the Guildhall Treasury.

• Royal Visits: Throughout its history, monarchs and significant figures have passed under the arch, including Henry VIII and Catherine Howard in 1541.

• A Defining Boundary: The Stonebow sits at the junction of High Street and Saltergate, historically marking the southern boundary of the original city and providing a dramatic, formal entrance for those arriving from the south.

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Plan Your Visit

The Stonebow is a public thoroughfare, but to truly appreciate the history, you should step inside the Guildhall.

Guided Tours are often available on specific days (typically Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays—check local listings!) and offer a fantastic opportunity to see the Council Chamber, the Civic Insignia Room, and hear the incredible stories that connect this landmark to Roman legions, Viking settlers, medieval merchants, and modern democracy.

The Stonebow and Guildhall are not just beautiful architecture; they are the enduring symbol of Lincoln's long and continuous history of self-governance. It's a must-see on any trip to the city!

Check visiting times here: https://www.lincolnguildhall.com/guidedtours

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