Staunton Hall, Nottinghamshire
The family stayed in Nottingham until around 1898 when they moved again, to Staunton Hall, near Newark, another large country house. The family lived there until Redmond relinquished control of the business, passing it to his sons in 1908.
Since taking over in 1881, Redmond had built Cafferata & Company up from employing 100 men to more than 500 by the time of his retirement. He did whatever he could to promote his business interests – he was a long time Chairman of the Gypsum Association of Great Britain and he was a director of the Trent Navigation Company. In 1896 he was appointed a Trent Navigation Commissioner.
As one of Newark’s leading citizens, Redmond had also been offered his fair share of civic responsibility – he was appointed a Justice of the Peace some years before his death, an honour he declined. He had also stood for a seat on the Town Council, but had been defeated in the election.
There were two main reasons for Redmond’s retirement from business; there were some financial problems with the business and Redmond had a breakdown in health. The two, of course, may well have been linked. He then moved to his final home, Harrowby House, Grantham. It was there that, around three months before his death, Redmond’s health began to give cause for concern, and it led him to become bedridden. The Newark Advertiser speculated that “his strenuous life and keen application to business over many years had undermined his constitution.” (5)