When newly weds Herbert Porter and his bride Florence Jolly moved into their new home at 434 King Street Newcastle, in 1909, their thoughts would probably have focused on the here and now, the need to cultivate their general store and carrier business in nearby Bland (now Hunter) Street. They would have pondered too the prospect of starting a family, because Ella was born in 1911 and Hazel in 1914. Sadly, Herbert, and his mother Eliza (neé Lintott), fell victims to the influenza epidemic in 1919, and Florence was left to raise the two girls.
Little would the Porters have imagined then that their house would, one hundred years letter, be a National Trust House. But as they aged, the daughters, who never married and lived in the house all of their lives, entertained an ambition to bequeath the house to the National Trust. This ambition was realised following the death of Hazel in 1997. Ella had died two years earlier. Miss Porter’s House now stands as Newcastle’s only National Trust property.
The Friends of Miss Porter’s House plan a number of events to mark the centenary of the House. In particular there’ll be a Centenary Fair on 30 May 2009. NTA members with Antiques, Arts and Crafts and Collectables to sell at the Fair are invited to contact Patti Graham (4953 9034).
Other Miss Porter’s Centenary events will be publicised from time to time in the National Trust NSW eNews.
THE HOUSE WILL BE OPENED ON SUNDAY 8 FEBURARY 1-4pm, 434 KING STREET, NCTLE
No comments:
Post a Comment