THE Darlington Peases were Quakers - pacifists, promoters of temperance, studiers of nature - but one of their number became renowned as a big game hunter.

He was Sir Alfred Edward Pease, born at Woodlands which is now St Teresa's Hospice, who was photographed with Theodore Roosevelt, the 25th president of the United States, and a dead lion which together they had shot.

The Northern Echo: Sir Alfred Edward Pease of Pinchinthorpe, centre, in 1909 with the 25th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, right, and his son, Kermit, and a lion

Sir Alfred Edward Pease of Pinchinthorpe, centre, in 1909 with the 25th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, right, and his son, Kermit, and a lion

The Northern Echo: The Woodlands, in Woodland Road, Darlington. It is now St Teresa's Hospice, but it was the birthplace of Sir Alfred Edward Pease, the noted big game hunter

The Woodlands, in Woodland Road, Darlington. It is now St Teresa's Hospice, but it was the birthplace of Sir Alfred Edward Pease, the noted big game hunter

Sir Alfred’s father was Sir Joseph Whitwell Pease, of Woodlands, although when the Peases drove the Middlesbrough & Guisborough Railway across the flatlands at the foot of the Cleveland Hills, Sir Joseph built Hutton Hall, near Guisborough, as his country retreat. From here, he could oversee the growing ironstone interests. A private station, Hutton Gate, served Hutton Hall.

The Northern Echo: snowdrops at hutton hall by brian gleeson.

Hutton Hall in springtime, by Brian Gleeson

He tried to buy up neighbouring estates, including those at Pinchinthorpe.

But, says Richard Winterschladen, the Lee family would not sell Pinchinthorpe Hall, which was originally a large farmhouse, so he had to make do with leasing it.

The Northern Echo: Pinchinthorpe Hall and entrance

Pinchinthorpe Hall, near Guisborough, is now a wedding venue. The Peases never owned it, although Sir Joseph did lease it for a couple of decades

However, in 1864, Sir Joseph – who was the son of the Joseph Pease who stands as a statue in Darlington’s High Row – was able to buy Pinchinthorpe House, a 17th Century property which stands on the site of a medieval moated manor.

The Northern Echo: Sir Alfred Pease of Pinchinthorpe House: MP and big game hunter

Alfred Edward Pease

In 1878, at Hutton Hall, Sir Joseph threw a coming of age party for Alfred which was attended by 800 people. After that, Alfred settled with his first wife at Pinchinthorpe House, where he caught trout in the medieval moat.

The Northern Echo: Pinchinthorpe House, home of Sir Alfred Pease. Picture: Google StreetView

Pinchinthorpe House, home of Sir Alfred Pease. Picture: Google StreetView

In fact, Alfred caught most things: from lion in Africa, ibex in the Pyrenees, to Barbary sheep in Algeria, little was immune from his attentions. He was a great nature lover, immersed in the lore of the North Riding, even compiling a dictionary of the local dialect in 1928.

But he was renowned as a big game hunter. He toured the world hunting game, and Roosevelt, whom he met in 1909, described him as “one of the best game shots I have ever seen”.

Alfred was a North Yorkshire County Councillor and a Liberal MP for York (1885-1892) and then for Cleveland – he was elected in 1897 when he was hunting in Somaliland and resigned in 1902 when the family finances collapsed catastrophically.

The Northern Echo: Hutton Hall in 1968. It was designed for Sir Joseph Whitwell Pease by Alfred Waterhouse, the greatest Gothic architect of the Victorian era who was also responsible for Darlington's covered market complex and Barclay's bank on High Row, plus

Hutton Hall in 1968. It was designed for Sir Joseph Whitwell Pease by Alfred Waterhouse, the greatest Gothic architect of the Victorian era who was also responsible for Darlington's covered market complex and Barclay's bank on High Row, plus Rockliffe Hall at Hurworth

The collapse caused Sir Joseph to sell Hutton Hall and he died soon after of a broken heart. Alfred then inherited his father’s title, but, such were the family finances, he also had to earn money for the first time to keep the wolf from the door (although it there had been a wolf at the door, he would have probably shot it).

He was appointed resident magistrate in the Transvaal in South Africa for a couple of years, and while out there he tried his hand at a spot of ostrich farming.

He returned to Pinchinthorpe House when the finances stabilised, and caused a “mild scandal” in 1922 when, eight months after the death of his second wife, he married his nurse, Emily, who was 40 years his junior. They had three children together before he died at Pinchinthorpe House in 1939.

READ MORE: SAVING SIGNAL HOUSE, A CURIOUS-SHAPED RAILWAY RELIC IN DARLINGTON

READ MORE: WHEN DARLINGTON WAS ROCKED BY THE GREAT COFFIN LID SCANDAL