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| Christmas at the Castle, 1927 [Credit : The Late Mrs Lorna Hormann / The Press] |
Christmas at the Castle, 1927
The above delightful photo from the collection of Mrs Lorna Hormann (née Duncan) shows the first Christmas the new owners, Mr and Mrs Purdie, celebrated at the Castle and includes members of their extended joint families happily sitting round a decorated table on the north side of the upper glazed and enclosed Castle veranda. The new owners, Mr J. Jackson Purdie (known within the family as Jack) is at far left with his wife Mrs Laura M. Purdie 2nd from right. Their niece Miss Lorna Duncan (later Mrs Hormann) is 5th from right. The group will also most likely include Lorna’s parents and possibly both Mr & Mrs Purdie's elderly widowed mothers.
This photo portrays a truly traditional Christmas dinner, all getting into the spirit of the day with coloured paper hats (which no doubt indicates a few Christmas crackers have been pulled) but wearing their best clothes, a white (most likely starched) damask linen tablecloth, good china, paper streamers strung across the ceiling, a Christmas tree with balloons and decorations (two with faces) at back, and did you note the small snowman sitting on the table in foreground? Who would not have wanted an invitation to spend Christmas Day here with the Purdie's in this magnificent venue amongst their relatives and which also marked better days ahead for the Castle’s fortunes. Overall, an absolutely delightful photo. A very similar photo taken at a subsequent Christmas dinner can be seen on a Castle information board and again, all wearing a most amazing array of quite elaborate papers hats. In fact, some look like they have been specially made or purchased for the occasion.
In a Sad Condition
By 1927 the Castle, as previously noted, was by now in a “sad condition” with quite some expense required in restoring the buildings and getting the grounds into order and back to something of the grandeur of former days. At purchase only four rooms were classed as "habitable" which was attributed to "the work of the Government Caretaker". During a personal tour in March 1937, one visitor writes of being told that; "... after its neglect, scores of birds' nests and loads of debris were shifted from the dining room alone, which was out of use even when the Government had charge of the castle." Many years later, Mrs Purdie related how, at purchase; "the place was neglected, the garden overgrown, trees encircling and brushing the walls". As to the condition of the building exterior, she also noted that; "The facings of Oamaru stone, cut and set in the wrong way, were in almost perfect condition, only one corner having to be replaced".
I Could Not Have Been More Wrong
As to who actually drove the decision to purchase the Castle, I had surmised that it would have been Mrs Laura Purdie. With her great love of antiques and business flair I believed that her interests most aligned with what the Castle could offer. But it was in fact her Wood and Coal Merchant husband, Mr Jackson Purdie, who had desired the Castle right from the time he was a boy when living across the harbour at Port Chalmers and; "watching the setting sun light up the windows of the castle on the Peninsula [and] decided that one day he would live there."
Her "Biggest Antique Purchase"
Mrs Purdie, being variously described as “an ardent collector of antiques” and a “Connoisseur of Antiques”, would, however, certainly have seen the many possibilities the Castle offered. This was both as a magnificent showcase to display antiques and additionally providing her with a suitable and ready-made venue (i.e, the ballroom) for the sale of antiques and for afternoon teas.
Mrs Purdie appears to have made a rather tongue in cheek comment when she provided a short history of the Castle to a newspaper correspondent when passing through Sydney in March 1937;
"It [i.e. The Castle] was in a state of ruin when Mrs Jackson Purdie, who is a collector of antiques, thought she would make her biggest antique purchase, and so bought it 10 years ago."
But years later she would set the record straight, confirming to a reporter that; "Her husband was responsible for their largest purchase, Larnach's castle". Both Mr and Mrs Purdie would however definitely appear to have both been equally committed to purchasing the Castle.
Mr Purdie certainly appears to have been an astute and succesful businessman. Mrs Barker (in her comprehensive publication, "The Garden at Larnach Castle"), relates the story of how, after
purchase, and being a Wood and Coal Merchant, he felled a great number of trees
on the property which then recouped the purchase price of the Castle. But
Historian Harwicke Knight claims that Mr Purdie had found, upon purchase, that
the property had an “over-abundance of trees”. He then set about removing a
good number. I would place more weight on Mrs Barker’s version of events and
that Mr Purdie just saw a profitable business opportunity. As I relate further
on in this Blog, this mass tree felling may have come at an additional cost to
Mr Purdie. And while he may certainly have recouped the cost of purchasing the
Castle this would have come nowhere near the cost of restoration of the Castle and grounds. That he had
the financial wherewithal to achieve this and to a high standard, was for
the Castle’s future, fortuitous; also that he was able to financially weather the years of the Great Depression (1929 onwards).
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| Larnach Castle as it appeared in the late 1920's. A power pole is just visible so taken 1927 or later. [Credit : National Library of New Zealand] |
From Lamps & Gas Lighting to Electricity
In 1927, and along with substantial restoration and refurbishment work, the Purdie’s spent £1,500 alone (close to $185,000 in today’s values) wiring the Castle for electricity. In Larnach’s day, lighting the Castle had taken some effort, two maids reportedly being required to light, clean and refill a great number of oil lamps. But visitors to the Castle today will also note William Larnach’s “new” innovation, a now ruinous crenellated methane gas plant building at the rear of the property. This utilized human waste (you can still see the holes for the “long drops”) and horse manure from the nearby stables, being collected in a covered “cesspool” in order to produce methane gas for various fixed gas lamps throughout the Castle, a very 'modern' lighting system for the day. I do however note that "a boy” had been required to manually pump the gas up to the house.
There is no mention of the gas generator prior to the time the
Purdie’s took over the property and according to the current owners, all gas
lamp fittings were removed in 1927 when the house was wired for electricity. Mrs Horman tells of one servant being required just to clean and re-fill the lamps before electricity was installed. While
the overall restoration cost of the house, outbuildings and grounds by the
Purdie’s is not recorded it was at least reliably reported in the day as being “tremendous”,
and “a sum running into five figures” so clearly a substantial amount whereas the purchase cost had of course been a ‘mere’ £3,600.
The Long-Lived "Moffat" Range
Included in the cost of installing electricity had been a “Moffat” split level oven and cook top. Incredibly, 40 years later, this range was still in use when the Barkers bought the Castle in 1967 and would continue in daily use “for years” thereafter. I wonder if it beat the 52 years of constant use by my own family’s large (and then still serviceable) “McClary” farmhouse range? Whiteware was made - and expected - to last back in those days. I note at least that the “electric lighting” had been “fully renewed and modernized” in the late 1940’s but even wiring of this period would have needed to be have been subsequently renewed.
The Purdie’s Great Hospitality
Always generous, welcoming, and hospitable hosts, Mr and Mrs Purdie are
noted in June 1928 as having successfully entertained 70 guests who; “…spent a very
enjoyable time wandering around the spacious rooms, [and] viewing the wonderful
scenery”. Guests were served afternoon
tea in the "old dining hall" and “where a huge log fire crackled cheerily”, later being served “high tea” (i.e., a cooked meal).
The newspaper social pages also make mention in September 1928 of Baptist church friends from London spending some time; “admiring the fine collection of antiques and china, while the grounds and surroundings were not forgotten”. The Purdie’s great hospitality was noted, something which, along with Mrs Purdie’s passion for and love of antiques, would both become synonymous with their occupation of the Castle.
A Great Traveller
In early June 1928, and at the Otago Girls' High School, Mrs Purdie gave an "illustrated lecture on European countries through which she had travelled". As we shall read further on in this Blog series, Mrs Purdie had a great love of travel, especially to Europe, also keeping an eye out for antiques suitable for her collection.
Buying back Larnach’s Furnishings
Interestingly, during their tenure of the property, Mr Purdie spent; “large sums of money in buying back as much of the dispersed [i.e. Larnach’s] furnishings and carvings as he could trace in order to restore the Castle back to its former magnificence". But Mr Purdie not only 'bought' back former fittings but also 'hauled' them back, three men noted by Mrs Hormann; “struggling to carry a marble bath back to an upstairs bathroom. It had been found in a paddock, serving as a horse trough. No-one knew how it got there.”
A
Huge Bonfire Marks the Advent of 1930
To signal the advent of 1930 a huge bonfire was set on the Castle front lawn with flames reaching up to 100 feet in height which could be seen from not only surrounding districts but also as far away as the City. Significantly, this year also marked the full re-opening of the Castle and grounds to the general public.
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| A Newspaper Advertisement from August 1930 A further charge applied for entry to the Castle |
Two
Shillings and Sixpence
With renovations having been completed in 1929, June 1930 would mark the beginning of the Castle’s period as a 'showcase' for Dunedin with Mrs and Mrs Purdie, and for a fee of two shillings and sixpence, opening the Castle and grounds to the public from 2pm to 6pm twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Included in a visit would be a free Devonshire afternoon tea (scones with jam and cream) in the spacious 90 foot long, 3,000 square foot ballroom which was largely converted into an Antiques Gallery. This useful space, being built by Larnach in 1887 both as a new billiard room and ballroom had been a (very) belated 21st birthday present for his daughter Kate who unfortunately died in 1891. An extra fee would, however, be charged to view the Castle interior with its rooms filled with expensive antique furniture and china, and to climb the narrow spiral staircase to the top of the 70 foot tower to admire the same view that had inspired Larnach to build his home in this elevated position. However, being staunch Church members, absolutely no public admittance would ever, during their ownership, be allowed on Sundays.
At Last the Castle Comes Into View
A local reporter for the evening newspaper wrote enthusiastically of a visit to the Castle;
“[the Castle] has been restored to its original beauty
in a most marvellous way. Only a visit can give any idea of the magnitude of
the [restoration] work accomplished by Mr and Mrs Purdie…
The approach from the main road is by a drive between avenues of old trees, and at last the castle comes into view, its entrance guarded by the beautifully carved lions, the eagles, and the griffons that have been known to old residents of Dunedin for sixty years... Inside the work of restoration has been carefully carried out, the artistic carving of ceilings and doors being now seen in perfection. The furnishing of the house is in keeping with its simple grandeur, rare pieces of Georgian and Victorian furniture, with cabinets of old china finding here their perfect setting."
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| A published photo view of Mrs Purdie's Antiques Gallery in the Castle Ballroom, taken 1930's [Credit : "The Ordeal of William Larnach, 1981] |
Mrs Purdie's Antiques Gallery
The Castle would now be regularly thrown open to a curious and interested public, including Mrs Purdie's very popular Antiques Gallery. Visitors could then, and no doubt inspired by what they had seen in the Castle, purchase items for themselves to take home or as gifts. I will be featuring an original photo view of the gallery in a future instalment, being amongst a number of photo views purchased by my Great Aunt during a visit at this time and which are now in my possession. The above newspaper correspondent additionally described this wonderful Gallery;
"Mrs Purdie has conceived the idea of turning the spacious ballroom into a gallery of antiques, a unique collection of furniture, china, silver, and bric-a-brac, from which articles may be purchased. Tea is to be served in summer in the conservatories opening off the gallery, and on cold days in the gallery itself beside blazing log fires.”
Already a well-known antiques collector and dealer, Mrs Purdie is noted as having made overseas buying trips as well as ordering in shipments of antiques from England for her new Gallery but will naturally have also looked out for items to decorate her own home. While she found that; "Furnishing the vast place was at once a challenge", it was also; "a delight to a zealous collector."
Additionally, she proudly stated that she; "managed her buying on her own money [and] only once asked her husband for his assistance and that was to buy an Adam mahogany corner cabinet of 1770".
Her last overseas trip before purchasing the Castle would appear to be 1925, travelling on her own over to England for an indeterminate period with Mr Purdie remaining in Dunedin. Eager to advance her knowledge of antiques, I note that on one trip she; "attended classes at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London".
Even by the early 1920's Mrs Purdie's love of and knowledge of antiques was so well known that she was asked by a couple of Dunedin notables (one being Mr David Theomin of Olveston House) to start the Dunedin Public Art Gallery Decorative Arts Collection, remaining "actively engaged" in this project until 1980. Mrs Purdie would also act as the Art Gallery's Agent for purchases overseas, a task I note she undertook in 1950.
Lorna
Hormann, the afore-mentioned niece of the Purdie’s, and who often stayed at the
Castle, recalled helping out with the Devonshire teas served in the Ballroom, which are in fact still served here today. A staff of five were required to run the Castle while;
“big American cars” were used by the Purdie’s to negotiate
the steep climb from Dunedin up Highcliff Road to the Castle, being built 1,000 feet above sea level.
Such was the popularity of a visit to the
Castle with residents and visitors alike that the Peninsula Motor Service Ltd.
ran regular Saturday bus excursions, departing Queens Gardens at 2pm and
returning to Dunedin at 5pm, the bus fare being the same as the basic Castle
admission, i.e, two shillings and sixpence.
The Castle Staff
Amongst their staff of five employees, the
Purdie’s, and then being a family of three adults, would be assisted from (at
least) 1929 by a Housekeeper, from 1930 by a “Cook-General” at a wage of 30
shillings a week, and I also note a Head Gardener’s position being advertised
in August 1930. I do not know the number of gardening staff he would have supervised. A knowledge of hothouses, nursery, flowers,
vegetables, and designing and laying out gardens was essential but the
(unspecified) remuneration would be “excellent”. The successful applicant will
have been Mr Ira Vincent Thornicroft (being mentioned by Mrs Barker), laying out all
the Castle gardens during the 1930’s.
One particular job for the Maid was to
bring breakfast on a tray to their niece, Lorna Hormann’s bedroom when she was staying at the Castle, a room having been permanently set aside for her use and which included a four poster bed. But
despite being 'waited on' in such a manner, Lorna would still happily assist the household staff to dust the; “...gorgeous bannisters, wood panelling, and furniture”.
But a staff of five was a far cry from
Larnach’s day when around twenty staff were employed just within the Castle
with a reported total staff of 46 employed between the house and attending to the
extensive grounds. As to the fore-mentioned “family of three adults”, this is
known to originally be four, with both Mr and Mrs Purdie’s widowed mothers initially residing with them, being Mrs Catherine Purdie (died Jan 1928) and Mrs Mary
Duncan (died July 1949). Both these women may appear in the photo at the top of this page.
This eight part Blog series featuring the Purdie family and their ownership of the Castle follows a more or less consecutive timeline through the highs and lows for this period. Please click HERE to read the next instalment.
Corrections : Correction of any unintended errors and any relevant additions in relation to the time period in question are always welcome. Please email me (quoting your source) using the "Email Me" button in the right-hand menu bar. Thank you.
Bibliography & Sources :
- “King of the Castle” by Fleur Snedden 1997 (from my own collection)-“Larnach and His Castle” by Alfred H. Reed, 1950 (from my own collection)
-“The Ordeal of William Larnach” by Hardwicke Knight, 1981 (from my own collection)
-"R.A. Lawson Victorian Architect of Dunedin" by Norman Ledgerwood (from my own collection)
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