Rippon Lea - expansion.
Continuing the story of Fred, his new wife Julia, an undisclosed number of children and their rather nice house.
Fred was knighted in 1890 and renovated his house again in 1897.
The front entrance was remodeled to what visitors see today.
He added a gentleman's wash room and study, enlarged the old study to make a drawing room, and made the old drawing room a less formal sitting room.
The staircase was remodeled to the grand staircase that's seen today, a bathroom added upstairs and bedrooms added making a total of 11 bedrooms, to accommodate staff and a growing family.
Fred's business continued to thrive in Australia and New Zealand and he was elected to the first Australian Senate in 1901.
Life was good.
However only two years later, in 1903, while on a trip to New Zealand, Fred became suddenly ill and died.
What happened to the house then?
Stay tuned for the next installment.
Rippon Lea Estate, Melbourne - May 2016
Fred was knighted in 1890 and renovated his house again in 1897.
The front entrance was remodeled to what visitors see today.
He added a gentleman's wash room and study, enlarged the old study to make a drawing room, and made the old drawing room a less formal sitting room.
The staircase was remodeled to the grand staircase that's seen today, a bathroom added upstairs and bedrooms added making a total of 11 bedrooms, to accommodate staff and a growing family.
Fred's business continued to thrive in Australia and New Zealand and he was elected to the first Australian Senate in 1901.
Life was good.
However only two years later, in 1903, while on a trip to New Zealand, Fred became suddenly ill and died.
What happened to the house then?
Stay tuned for the next installment.
Rippon Lea Estate, Melbourne - May 2016
The place certainly does evoke the past.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see it in it's normal state and get a better idea of life back then.
DeleteOh no, Fred.
ReplyDeleteI know, quite sad. Just when things were going well :(
Delete:-(
DeleteThere are so many treasures to find inside there!
ReplyDeleteCountless :)
Delete