At its last meeting, Tenby Historical Society learned of recent research which gives more of the background to the controversies that surrounded Tenby's Sion House.

Built in 1790 on the site now occupied by Croft Court, Sion House was designed by the Prince Regent's favourite architect, John Nash, as a holiday home for the Bristol printer, William Routh. When Routh's widow, Catherine, died in 1809, Jacob Richards and Sir William Mannix were each determined to buy the house.

Both were resourceful and tough characters; Richards, who lived in Croft House, had risen from humble beginnings to make a fortune in India and Mannix had been one of the main opponents of the Irish independence movement in his native Cork, and as a result, had escaped to Pembrokeshire to avoid assassination.

Stella Pedersen, a descendant of the Routh family, described the competition between Mannix and Richards as revealed by correspondence found in the archives of Jacob Richards held by the National Library in Aberystwyth.

By March 1811, this had reached the point where Richards and his strong arm men occupied the upper part of Sion House whilst Mannix and his retainers had broken into and occupied the basement.

Sir Henry Mannix eventually won the battle, but the feud between the families persisted.

In 1839, Henry Mannix, Sir Henry's illegitimate son and heir to Sion House, called out William Richards, Jacob's son and Mayor of Tenby over a dispute concerning land attached to Sion House.

In the ensuing duel, Mannix shot Richards and severely injured him.

The next meeting of the Tenby Historical Society also promises some interesting revelations.

It is on the subject of attitudes to mental health in South West Wales during the 19th century. The speaker will be Conway Davies, of Trinity College, Carmarthen. The meeting will take place at 7.30 on Tuesday, May 26, at Tenby Bowling Club. Visitors are most welcome.