Thursday, March 28, 2024

A Victorian wallpaper story or do not lick the wallpaper

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Palm House in Maldon is an impressive example of a pristine, well-preserved heritage home with all the Victorian charm that is part of Maldon. Situated on High Street, south of the township, serving as a B&B and loved home for Andrew and Amanda Fedorowicz, the residence is a step back in time.

The house was once owned by a Scottish engineer who became prominent Maldon Shire President William Blair Gray. He went on to be a minister in Victorian Parliament. Gray bought the house in the 1870s and renovated it in the mid-1890s. He had four daughters and one son who grew up in the house.

It seems Gray had dreams of grandeur as demonstrated by the design choices he made for the house. The large dining and living room features a grand, detailed and decorative 13-foot plaster ceiling. The walls are covered with a fine example of Victorian wallpaper with exuberant patterns and iridescent colours in shades of sage green, gold and dusty pinks and has to be seen to truly appreciate the effect.

Andrew jokes to his visitors not to lick the wallpaper with good reason. In Victorian times, arsenic was found to bring out the colours more vibrantly in paint and wallpaper and was thus added to the colours for this purpose. As arsenic was used in many other products in the 19th century, it was considered to be safe in small doses. In the mid-1860s, however, doctors discovered the dangers of the poison, and alternatives eventually replaced its use.

Amanda has researched both William Gray and the home’s history and has found examples of Gray’s preference for ostentation. An example was his proposal to build a new and grand town hall in Maldon in 1899 at the Baringhup and Walmer ratepayers’ expense. The town hall plan was opposed by disgruntled ratepayers and did not proceed.

The remains of the South German Mine, which Gray managed, can be seen from Amanda’s office in the front of the house. She imagines this may have been Gray’s office where he could look out the window and keep an eye on the mine.

In many other rooms in Palm House, walls are covered in decorative designs of Victorian wallpaper, but the pièce de résistance is the wallpaper in the living room. Wallpapers in Victorian times went through some design changes when machines began to be used in wallpaper manufacture.

One famous British designer of wallpaper was William Morris, who based his designs on common plants from his surrounding countryside and continued to use the traditional methods of printing with wooden blocks rather than machines to print his wallpapers. During a time when machines were the preferred option, Morris and his plant designs broke away from conservative patterns and modern printing methods. As Morris gained popularity, he was asked to design wallpapers for the Royal family for St James’s Palace and Balmoral Castle. His patterns were not suited to the average home but more for a luxurious preference that would possibly have suited Gray’s tastes.

Amanda has an honours degree in design, amongst other accomplishments and is hoping to collate a catalogue that lists the wallpapers of Maldon – if one does not already exist. It would serve as a record of past interiors and provide authentic guidance on heritage decor. She has no proof that the wallpaper adorning the living room is a William Morris design, but it is reminiscent of his particular style. The catalogue could solve some mysteries of the origins of the makers and designers of the historical Maldon wallpapers as well as keeping heritage values alive.

Palm House is a magnificent example of a living past, taking you back to a time when houses were built and decorated with exceptional skill and remain today for all to enjoy. As long as you don’t lick the wallpaper, all will be well! 

Tarrangower Times 27 January 2023

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 27 January 2023.

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