# The Wabe

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For other uses, see [Wabe (disambiguation)](/source/Wabe_(disambiguation)).

**The Wabe** is an architecturally eclectic detached house on Redington Road, [Hampstead](/source/Hampstead), London, built in 1902–1903 for the academic and mathematician [William Garnett](/source/William_Garnett_(professor)). It was subsequently the home of the Canadian explorer [Mina Hubbard](/source/Mina_Hubbard) and her husband, and later of the actor [Tom Conti](/source/Tom_Conti) and his wife.

## History

The house was designed and built in 1902–1903 for the academic and mathematician William Garnett, in a mixture of styles that include [Arts and Crafts](/source/Arts_and_Crafts), [Art Nouveau](/source/Art_Nouveau) and [Scottish Baronial](/source/Scottish_Baronial). It was inspired by Garnett's love of [Lewis Carroll](/source/Lewis_Carroll)'s *[Jabberwocky](/source/Jabberwocky)* poem, "Twas brillig, and the slithy toves/Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:/All mimsy were the borogoves,/And the mome raths outgrabe."[1]

In 1913, Garnett sold the house to the Yorkshire industrialist, [Harold Ellis](/source/Harold_Ellis_(businessman)), and his Canadian explorer wife [Mina Benson Hubbard](/source/Mina_Benson_Hubbard).[2][3][4] Hubbard was an advocate of [women's suffrage](/source/Women's_suffrage) and their guests at the house included the leading suffrage campaigner [Emmeline Pankhurst](/source/Emmeline_Pankhurst), [Isadora Duncan](/source/Isadora_Duncan) who gave a dance performance there to raise funds for the cause, [George Bernard Shaw](/source/George_Bernard_Shaw), [Rudyard Kipling](/source/Rudyard_Kipling) and [H. G. Wells](/source/H._G._Wells).[1]

The house was converted into flats in the 1950s.[2][4] The photographer [Harrison Marks](/source/Harrison_Marks) and his partner the nude model [Pamela Green](/source/Pamela_Green) lived in one of the flats.[5] The house was restored to a single dwelling in 1985 after it was purchased by the actor Tom Conti and his wife [Kara Wilson](/source/Kara_Wilson).[4] In May 2015, The Wabe has been listed for sale, following a protracted dispute with Conti's neighbour, the former footballer [Thierry Henry](/source/Thierry_Henry).[3] In 2015, Conti commented that "this used to be a wonderful place to live, but in the past ten years there's been endless, endless building."[3] Henry had obtained planning permission to demolish his house and build a new one, including a 25,000-litre (5,500-imperial gallon; 6,600-US gallon) aquarium spanning four floors.[3] But he also remarked "“It becomes silly as I sit here looking at my vast heating bills. So we are downsizing", and denied Henry was a reason he would sell. In late 2018 the house was sold to filmmaker [Tim Burton](/source/Tim_Burton) for £11million.[6]

## References

1. Frankie Crossley (3 April 2017). ["Welcome to Wonderland: the £15 million home with a curious history – Hampstead & Highgate Property"](http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/property/welcome-to-wonderland-the-15-million-home-with-a-curious-history-1-4960189). Hamhigh.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2017.

1. ["The Wabe Hampstead, London"](http://www.thewabehampstead.co.uk/). Thewabehampstead.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2017.

1. Gareth Vipers (30 May 2015). ["Tom Conti puts £17.5m Hampstead mansion up for sale after long-running battle with neighbour Thierry Henry"](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/tom-conti-gives-up-on-long-running-battle-with-neighbour-thierry-henry-over-building-works-and-puts-10286620.html). *London Evening Standard*. Retrieved 10 April 2017.

1. Interview by Rosanna Greenstreet. ["Actor in residence: Tom Conti's Hampstead home"](https://www.independent.co.uk/property/interiors/actor-in-residence-tom-contis-hampstead-home-853286.html). *The Independent*. [Archived](https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220620/https://www.independent.co.uk/property/interiors/actor-in-residence-tom-contis-hampstead-home-853286.html) 20 June 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 10 April 2017.

1. ["The Wabe in Reddington Road"](https://pamela-green.com/the-wabe-in-reddington-road/). *Pamela Green*. 30 September 2018.

1. ["Tom Conti sells stunning London home to Tim Burton - at a HUGE discount"](https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/property/tom-conti-sells-stunning-london-home-to-tim-burton-at-a-huge-discount/13/01/). 13 January 2019.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Wabe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wabe) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wabe?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.