The Englishman of the Peseta: The English grandfather of Costa del Sol tourism

In 2010 I discovered the existence of an Englishman whose charitable acts around the area of Torremolinos forced

him to open his home as the first hotel on what we now know as the Costa del Sol.

My research revealed a remarkable story of a man born into a wealthy family in Victorian Manchester who chose

a military career, but after marriage and injury sought the benign climate of southern Spain. Turning to religion

after his wife’s untimely death, he gave away his fortune a peseta at a time, hence his nickname. To keep their

idyllic home, he and his loyal staff converted the house and grounds into a hotel frequented by British visitors and

also Spanish artists including Dali keen to escape the suffocating restrictions of Spanish society. The talk is

illustrated by images including many from the private collection of a Spanish woman whose parents both served

as staff at the hotel.

Review – “Mike Shapton’s theme is an unusual one being both a biography of the subject and a summary of his place in the early days of the tourist industry in Spain.

Mike illustrates his research with many slides of the time, supported by his close personal knowledge of the area. Our members thoroughly enjoyed the experience” W. Oxford U3A.