Sewell Barn Theatre space for presentations, meetings and other private hire uses. Originally the barn belonged to Clare House which was owned by Philip Sewell, a local benefactor, from 1864 to 1906. Anna Sewell, author of the children’s story "Black Beauty", was Philip’s sister and lived in the White House, Spixworth Road, Spixworth. Philip owned a mare called Black Bess which used to draw his carriage along Spixworth Road and it might be supposed that Bess was the original inspiration for Black Beauty, and the barn a prototype for Black Beauty’s stable. The book was published by Jarrolds in 1877. Philip Sewell died
Bill Sewell (politician) January 1926, with whom he had two children. Bill Sewell (politician) William Hawkins Sewell (7 February 1901 – 13 June 1980) was an Australian politician who was a Labor Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1950 to 1974, representing the seat of Geraldton. Sewell was born in Beverley, a small town in Western Australia's Wheatbelt region. After leaving school, he worked as a shearer for a period, and later went to Geraldton, where he eventually became a works foreman for the Geraldton Municipality. A long-time member of the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) and the Labor Party,