1910 – A South African Residence for King George V

Published in The Building News, July 15th 1910. “A commission to design a residence in South Africa during his recently proposed visit as Prince of Wales led to the subsequent preparation by Mr. A.O. Collard and Mr. J. Seddon, architects of the perspective drawing of the African prospective home here illustrated. The design is based on the work of early Dutch settlers in Cape Colony, whose requirements and the limitation of local materials and workmanship induced the production of homesteads of charming simplicity in design and detail; though reminiscent in some of their details of the more ornate buildings of the Netherlands. The tower is introduced as a useful feature – primarily for a water tower – a gunroom being situated on the ground level with an outlook balcony and a belfry and clock above. Provision for coloured and outdoor servants is comprised by the outbuildings connected with the residence by a covered way. The “stoep” is carried around the building as a verandah. There is also a covered walk around the court, the openings of which could be closed with glazed screens in cold weather. The site being an ideal one, near a river, a branch of it runs through the grounds and provides running water in the court at the base of the tower and so on to the outbuildings.”