History of the House

Boston Manor House is a Jacobean Manor House, built in 1622-3. There was a Tudor mansion on site previously, but it was cleared to build the current house. The House has large park grounds (28-30 acres) which have recently completed development through a separate National Lottery Heritage and Community Funded project.

Queen Elizabeth I granted Boston Manor to Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester who immediately sold it to Sir Thomas Gresham, an internationally wealthy merchant and financier who had also bought Osterley as his summer residence. He later founded the Royal Exchange.

As Gresham died without children, the property went to his stepson (Sir William Reade) who lived in Osterley so had to obtain a Patent of Possession in 1610 from James I so that he could inherit. He married Mary Goldsmith who built Boston Manor House in 1622–3, immediately after Sir William Reade's death. She then married Sir Edward Spencer of Althorp, who gained ownership and appears to have bought out the claim of the late William Reade's heirs so that, upon her death in 1658, the lands passed to Lady Mary's heir, John Goldsmith.

In 1670, his executors sold Boston Manor House to another very wealthy city merchant: James Clitherow I and the Clitherow family owned Boston Manor from 1670-1922. John Bourchier Stracey-Clitherow was the last private owner of Boston Manor. The House and the surrounding 20 acres was purchased by the Brentford Urban District Council and opened as a public park in 1924.

The House reopened to the public in July 2023 after a five-year restoration programme, which has seen it completely refurbished with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and a range of other funders.

The House has not been restored to look as it did in one particular period of its history. Instead, wherever there was the strongest surviving evidence of a decorative style in a room, the room was restored to that period. This means Boston Manor House has rooms in 17th, 18th and 19th century styles.

Exhibition: My Country is My Home

My country is my home.

To me, the Polish home was given.

That is my homeland.

All other lands are but hotels.

Polish Flowers (Kwiaty Polskie), Julian Tuwim

My Country is My Home: The Polish Community in the United Kingdom

The Polish community in the United Kingdom has a long and diverse history, shaped by multiple waves of migration. Early movements were driven by political upheavals like the Partitions of Poland in the late 18th century and 19th-century uprisings, but it was the events of the 20th century that truly defined the Polish presence in Britain.

The largest migration wave occurred during and after the Second World War. Thousands of Polish soldiers, airmen, and civilians arrived in Britain, contributing to the Allied war effort. Led by the Polish Government in Exile, which based itself in London, they worked to represent a free Poland on the world stage. With Poland occupied by the Soviets after the war and transformed into the communist Polish People’s Republic, many Poles had no choice but to remain where they were. These early post-war years saw the establishment of vibrant Polish communities, which, despite the challenges of displacement, retained strong cultural traditions.

Another big wave of migration occurred after Poland’s accession to the European Union in 2004, when many Poles moved to the UK for economic opportunities, making Poles one of the largest immigrant groups in the country. The significance of the Polish community is reflected in the 2021 UK Census, which identified Polish as the most spoken non-native language in England and Wales. Despite challenges such as Brexit, which introduced uncertainty for many, the Polish community remains a vital and enduring part of British life.

This exhibition explores the contributions of the community to British life through work and culture, and offers a glimpse into their experiences and resilience.

Exhibition curated by Olga Topol and Magdalena Paczocha.