Sunday 11 May 2008

Un bienfaiteur d'Adelaïde



À six kilomètres du coeur commercial d'Adelaïde, est la banlieue, (dans les contreforts), d'Urrbrae où j'ai grandi.
Ici, on trouvera l' Urrbrae House, un beau manoir construit en utilisant "la pierre bleue d'Adelaïde", en 1891 pour Peter Waite, un homme de grande vision et intérêt au développement économique de l'Australie du Sud.
C'était la première maison privée en Australie du sud pour avoir l'électricité et sa propre installation frigorifique domestique.
En 1913 il s'est présenté, sa maison valable et le domaine entier, de 54 hectares, à l'université d'Adelaïde.
La maison a été conçue par Marryat and Woods, et les décorations intérieures ont été conçues par Aldam Heaton, qui était également le créateur pour les salles d'état à bord de Titanic.
An Adelaide benefactor.
Four miles from the commercial heart of Adelaide, is the foothills suburb of Urrbrae where I grew up.
Here, one will find Urrbrae House, a beautiful bluestone mansion, built in 1891 for Peter Waite, a man of great vision and interest in the economic development of South Australia.
It was the first private house in South Australia to have electricity and its own domestic refrigeration plant.
In 1913 he presented, his valuable house and the entire estate, of 54 hectares, to the University of Adelaide.
The house was designed by Marryat and Woods, and the interior decorations were designed by Aldam Heaton, who was also the designer for the State Rooms aboard the Titanic.

7 comments:

Trueblue Bob said...

M.Benaut, you little ripper, these shots have made my heart miss a beat. Only 47 years ago on May 8 (VE Day) as a raw 18 year old, I started work some 500 metres towards the hills from this beautiful house. It sits amid what is now know as the Waite Campus housing many research facilities with large laboratories and buildings.
My employer was the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) to whom I gave faithful service for 45 years starting as a survey draftsman to Cartographer then Graphic Artist/Photographer before retiring in 2006. In 1961 the Director of the Waite Research Institute lived with his family in the upstairs area of this house while the downstairs area with its huge billiard room, ballroom room and supper room were available for Waite campus staff to use. My interest was in table tennis. The huge ballroom with its beautifully polished floor was completely empty except for one table tennis table. The same applied to the almost as big supper room adjoining. The joy of rushing there at lunch times and after work for a game of table tennis was enjoyed by many and looking back I am sure we took the sumptuous surroundings for granted.
When I look at all the other loverly 'blogs' in this family and read of the many things you have all done in your lives just think of poor old me stuck for 45 years in the same job with the same surroundings.

M.Benaut said...

Bon soir, Herr Schaussengraben,

Il me fait le grand plaisir, de savoir que vous avez de telles mémoires affectueuses, de ce beau, vieux manoir. Peut-être vous avez quelques anciennes photographies de lui, que vous voudriez partager avec nous ?

It's so nice to remember the past and to remember all those enjoyable times, so long ago.

Maria said...

That is such a lovely, stately place. I wouldn't mind living there one bit.

Cheltenhamdailyphoto said...

Could i have the West Wing? :)

Chuck Pefley said...

I'd be happy just staying in this house for a month or so. Peter Waite was a very generous man! Lovely post!!

Jules said...

Bet Dive will love this house.

Can you take photos inside M B??

dive said...

Jules is right. That's a doozy, Monsieur.
Any chance of sneaking in and taking a few shots?