Part 1

BERMUDA HOUSES

ADVANCE SUBSCRIBERS

This book has been prepared and published at the request of a number of prominent architects in New York and Boston. As an expression of endorsement, the following have voluntarily subscribed for copies:

CHESTER H. ALDRICH _New York_ WILLIAM T. ALDRICH _Boston_ FRANCIS R. APPLETON _New York_ DONN BARBER _New York_ ROBERT P. BELLOWS _Boston_ THEODORE E. BLACKE _New York_ BOSTON ARCHITECTURAL CLUB LIBRARY WELLES BOSWORTH _New York_ ARCHIBALD M. BROWN _New York_ CHARLES A. COOLIDGE _Boston_ HARVEY W. CORBETT _New York_ RALPH ADAMS CRAM _Boston_ JOHN W. CROSS _New York_ GEORGE H. EDGELL _Cambridge_ WILLIAM EMERSON _Boston_ RALPH W. GRAY _Boston_ HARVARD UNIVERSITY, LIBRARY OF THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE THOMAS HASTINGS _New York_ F. BURRALL HOFFMAN, JR. _New York_ LITTLE AND RUSSELL _Boston_ GUY LOWELL _Boston_ H. VAN BUREN MAGNONIGLE _New York_ MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, LIBRARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE BENJAMIN W. MORRIS _New York_ KENNETH M. MURCHISON _New York_ A. KINGSLEY PORTER _Cambridge_ ROGER G. RAND _Boston_ RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN, LIBRARY RICHMOND H. SHREVE _New York_ PHILIP WADSWORTH _Boston_

BERMUDA HOUSES

BY

JOHN S. HUMPHREYS, A. I. A.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE HARVARD UNIVERSITY

MARSHALL JONES COMPANY BOSTON · MASSACHUSETTS

COPYRIGHT 1923

MARSHALL JONES COMPANY

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

PREFACE

The architect of today, in designing small houses, is beset with many exactions and complications. The high standard of living with its embarrassing variety of materials and appliances at the architect's disposal, the certainly high cost of labor and the desire for mechanical perfection and convenience, the client who knows too much and too little, and the passing fashions of revived styles and periods, all increase the difficulty of producing houses that fulfill requirements, satisfy clients, and at the same time have order, simplicity and appropriateness to surroundings.

The designers and builders of the old Bermuda houses had relatively few of these complications to contend with. Their pursuits were for the most part agricultural and seafaring, and their manner of life and their luxuries were simple. A generally mild climate, a fertile soil, and easily worked building stone always at hand, lime readily obtained, a plentiful supply of beautiful and durable wood, and cheap labor simplified their building problem. Traditions, if any, were those of English rural architecture, and these, interpreted by shipwrights rather than housebuilders, applied to island materials and island life, have helped to give to the older buildings of Bermuda a particular interest and charm, and have developed an architecture worthy of perpetuation.

The photographs presented in this book have been taken with the idea of collecting and preserving for architects and others interested in small buildings some of the characteristic features and picturesque aspects of the older architecture of the island that are tending to disappear. Many of the older houses are being altered and modernized ruthlessly, or without thought of preserving the old Bermudian character of architecture; others are falling into decay through neglect.

Bermuda is now prosperous, not only through its resources of agriculture in supplying northern markets with winter produce, but also from the great number of tourists and the number of permanent winter residents and house owners that bids fair to increase. Many of the newer houses built in different parts of the island are of the "suburban villa" type, commonplace and smug, devoid of interest, and though not large houses, are so large in scale as to dominate and destroy the small scale of the natural surroundings or of nearby Bermudian architecture. Self conscious "Italian Renaissance," "Spanish Mission" and even "Tudor Gothic" and "Moorish" have put in appearance in some of the more pretentious, newer places.

If Bermuda's prosperity continues to increase, it is to be hoped that the designers of new houses that appear will seek their inspiration in Bermuda's own older architecture. It is eminently appropriate to the climate and other local conditions, harmonious and in scale with the surroundings. It has the unity, charm and simplicity of an architecture that is the unaffected expression and natural outcome of environment, and, from its simplicity, is entirely adaptable to the modern requirements of Bermuda. Architecture such as Italian Renaissance, Gothic and Moorish, referred to above, has no artistic excuse for existing in Bermuda.

To those who are familiar with Bermuda and the houses there, these colorless photographs may be but sorry representations of the actuality, and can only serve to stimulate memory. White, or softly tinted houses with weathered green blinds and doors, frequently buried in luxuriant foliage and blossoms of vivid hues, with glistening white roofs silhouetted against intensely blue sky, or backed against the dull green of red trunked cedars, through which may be glimpses of a turquoise sea, make a strong impression on the senses, but fail to register with the camera--even when held by a more experienced hand than that of the author.

HISTORICAL NOTE

What is now known as Bermuda, sometimes called the Bermudas and at one time known as Somers Islands, is a group of islands said to be over three hundred in actual number, lying in the Atlantic some seven hundred miles southeast from New York, the nearest point on the mainland being Cape Hatteras, in North Carolina, five hundred and seventy miles west. Of these three hundred odd islands, the eight principal ones, totalling in area less than twenty square miles, lie close together and are now connected by bridges, causeways and ferries. A glance at the map of Bermuda shows its general form, with its three almost enclosed bodies of water, the Great Sound, Harrington Sound and Castle Harbor, and nautical charts with soundings marked would show its form extending as reefs under water into a great oval connecting the two ends. These reefs made actual landing difficult, giving the island an evil reputation before its settlement, and no doubt were the cause of many shipwrecks.

The islands were known to exist as early as 1511, as they were noted on a map of that date. They received their name, however, from Juan de Bermudez, who came to Spain with an account of them a few years later, although there is apparently no evidence to show that the Spaniards or Portuguese ever occupied the islands or even landed there.

In 1593, Henry May, an Englishman, was cast away there with others and, eventually making his way back to England, he published an account of his adventures and a description of the group of Islands. Bermuda thus became known to the English. In 1609, the "Sea Venture" which was one of nine ships bound for the infant plantation of Virginia, with a party of "adventurers" ran ashore on Bermuda in a hurricane. The admiral of this fleet, Sir George Somers, with Sir Thomas Gates sent out to govern Virginia, and the entire company and crew of the "Sea Venture," said to number 149 men and women, were landed. With the ship stores saved from the wreck and what the island gave them, this company subsisted there for some ten months. During this time and in spite of mutiny among his charges, two ships were built under Somers' direction, and in May, 1610, the Company proceeded to the original destination, the colony of Virginia.

The Virginia colonists were in straits through lack of food, and Somers returned to Bermuda for provisions for the colony, having found hogs and fish plentiful on the islands. He died there in 1611, and his followers returned to England soon after.

The glowing and exaggerated accounts of the richness of the islands brought back by these colonists excited the cupidity of the organizers of the Virginia Company, who enlarged their original charter to include Bermuda and established a Colony there under Governor Moore in 1612. The shipment home of ambergris by Moore seemed to confirm the reported wealth of the islands, so that, following a method not unknown to more modern exploiters, members of the Virginia Company soon formed a new sub-company which took over the title to Bermuda as a separate proprietary colony, under the name of "The Governor and Company of the City of London, for the Plantation of the Somers Islands."

In 1616, Daniel Tucker was sent out by this company as the first Governor under the new charter. He caused the islands to be surveyed, dividing them into eight tribes, and public lands. These tribes, or proportional parts, assigned to each charter member, were for the most part what are the present-day parishes, being Sandys, to Sir Edwin Sandys; Southampton, to the Earl of Southampton; Paget, to William, Lord Paget; Smith's, to Sir Thomas Smith; Pembroke, to the Earl of Pembroke; Bedford, now Hamilton Parish, to the Countess of Bedford; Cavendish, now Devonshire, to Lord William Cavendish; Mansils', now Warwick, to Sir Robert Mansil. St. George's, St. David's and adjacent small islands were public lands. The tribes were subdivided into fifty shares of twenty-five acres each. Norwood's second map showing these tribes and shares is the basis of land titles in Bermuda today.

Governor Tucker's rule was harsh. The colonists included many criminals and convicts from English jails, so a merciless discipline seemed to him necessary. The severest penalties were enforced, executions, brandings and whippings were frequent. Negro slaves were introduced from Virginia in the endeavor to make money for the proprietors, with the resultant vices leaving their trail to this day. Progress was made in building the town of St. George. Roads and fortifications were constructed and the land planted with tobacco and semi-tropical fruits.

Tucker was replaced by Nathaniel Butler in 1619, but after securing his title to property rather doubtfully acquired, returned to Bermuda where he died in 1632. It was probably during Butler's term that the first stone dwellings began to appear, replacing the earlier thatched roofed cedar houses.

"The history of the colony from 1620, when the first Assembly met, until 1684, or 1685, when the Company was ousted of its charter by _quo warranto_ in the King's Bench in England, is made up of the struggles of the Company in London to make as much out of the colonists as possible; of the struggles of the colonists to remove restrictions on trade with others than the Company, imposed upon them by the proprietaries; and of the efforts of the Governors sent out to the islands to maintain order, enforce the rules of the Company and defend their authority and exercise too often arbitrary power."--(_William Howard Taft._)

From 1685 on, the island became self-governing and was largely left to its own devices by England. Agriculture was neglected or left in the hands of ignorant slaves, while the white islanders were occupied in such maritime pursuits as whaling, fishing and shipbuilding, and were dependent to a great extent on the mainland of America, with which they were in constant contact.

The outbreak of the American Revolution brought divided opinion on the islands as on the mainland. There is, however, little doubt but that there was great sympathy for the cause of freedom in the American colonies. Secret aid was given and commercial relations were resumed with America before the close of the war. If the Continental Congress had possessed a considerable navy, or if the islands had lain closer to the mainland, they might this day have been part of the United States. As it was, they remained ostensibly loyal to the mother country.

The War of 1812 brought changes to Bermuda. She became a port for prizes taken by the British navy and later was intermediary port for trade between America and the West Indies with the result that Bermudians prospered in the shipping trade. To the English, this war called attention to Bermuda's strategic position, and a naval station was established there. Convict labor from England was used to build dock yards, fortifications and roads, to the general benefit of the whole island. Slavery was abolished in 1834, an act which, though a general advantage, hurt Bermudian shipping, compelling, as it did, the employment at pay of sailors. With this decline of shipping attention was again turned to agriculture.

The Civil War brought a great period of activity and prosperity to Bermuda. Through ties of blood and trade, sympathy was entirely with the South and the ports were full of blockade runners bringing cotton from the South for trans-shipment to England. The crews spent much of their high wages on the islands and the Bermudians also engaged in the gamble of blockade running. The end of the war brought losses to many, and Bermuda again settled down to its normal activities, agriculture and fishing.

In later years a new source of revenue to Bermuda has arisen, known there as the "tourist trade," and consisting in providing for the needs and desires of visitors to the island. This has grown to important size and promises a still further increase. The mild climate and charm of beautiful surroundings, excellent steamship service and luxurious modern hotels, attract thousands each year. Building is being revived and Bermuda's commercial future seems assured.

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

PLATE 1. NORWOOD'S MAP OF BERMUDA _Frontispiece_

PLATE 2. NORWOOD'S INSCRIPTION FOR HIS SURVEY OF BERMUDA v

PLATE 3. DIAGRAMS OF TYPICAL HOUSES 8

PLATE 4. "INWOOD," PAGET. PLAN OF GROUND FLOOR 15

PLATE 5. "INWOOD," PAGET 17

PLATE 6. "INWOOD," PAGET. GARDEN GATE 19

PLATE 7. "INWOOD," PAGET. DINING ROOM 21

PLATE 8. "INWOOD," PAGET. VESTIBULE 21

PLATE 9. "INWOOD," PAGET, DRAWING-ROOM 23

PLATE 10. "CLUSTER COTTAGE," WARWICK. PLAN OF GROUND FLOOR 27

PLATE 11. "CLUSTER COTTAGE," WARWICK 29

PLATE 12. "CLUSTER COTTAGE," WARWICK. CHIMNEY AND RAIN WATER LEADERS 31

PLATE 13. "THE COCOON," WARWICK. PLAN OF GROUND FLOOR 35

PLATE 14. "THE COCOON," WARWICK. SOUTH FRONT 37

PLATE 15. "THE COCOON," WARWICK. FROM THE GARDEN 39

PLATE 16. "THE COCOON," WARWICK. APPROACH TO "WELCOMING ARMS" 41

PLATE 17. "THE COCOON," WARWICK. DETAIL OF VERANDA 43

PLATE 18. "HARMONY HALL," WARWICK. PLAN OF FIRST FLOOR 47

PLATE 19. "HARMONY HALL," WARWICK. PLAN OF BASEMENT 47

PLATE 20. "HARMONY HALL," WARWICK. NORTHERN FRONT 49

PLATE 21. "HARMONY HALL," WARWICK. THE GARDEN 51

PLATE 22. "HARMONY HALL," WARWICK. SOUTHERN FRONT 53

PLATE 23. "HARMONY HALL," WARWICK. LIVING ROOM, SHOWING "TRAY" CEILING 55

PLATE 24. "BLOOMFIELD," PAGET. PLAN OF GROUND FLOOR AND GARDENS 59

PLATE 25. "BLOOMFIELD," PAGET. SOUTH FRONT 61

PLATE 26. "BLOOMFIELD," PAGET. LOOKING WEST 63

PLATE 27. "BLOOMFIELD," PAGET. LOOKING EAST 65

PLATE 28. SMALL HOUSE IN CITY OF HAMILTON 67

PLATE 29. SMALL HOUSE IN CITY OF HAMILTON 67

PLATE 30. SHOP IN CITY OF HAMILTON 69

PLATE 31. BUILDING IN PUBLIC LIBRARY GARDEN, "PAR LA VILLE," IN CITY OF HAMILTON 71

PLATE 32. "NORWOOD," PEMBROKE. VERANDA A MODERN ADDITION 73

PLATE 33. "NORWOOD," PEMBROKE. GATE TO PRIVATE BURYING GROUND 75

PLATE 34. SMALL HOUSE IN PEMBROKE 77

PLATE 35. DETAIL OF HOUSE IN PEMBROKE 79

PLATE 36. CHIMNEY ON HOUSE IN PAGET 81

PLATE 37. "BEAU SEJOUR," HOUSE IN PAGET 83

PLATE 38. COTTAGE IN PAGET 85

PLATE 39. COTTAGE IN PAGET 87

PLATE 40. OLD TUCKER HOUSE, PAGET 89

PLATE 41. DETAIL OF TUCKER HOUSE, PAGET 91

PLATE 42. OLD FARMHOUSE IN PAGET, BUILT BEFORE 1687 93

PLATE 43. OLD HOUSE IN PAGET 95

PLATE 44. DETAIL OF HOUSE ON HARBOR ROAD, PAGET 97

PLATE 45. HOUSE IN PAGET. INTERIOR (RECENTLY RESTORED) 99

PLATE 46. HOUSE IN PAGET. INTERIOR (RECENTLY RESTORED) 99

PLATE 47. HOUSE IN PAGET 101

PLATE 48. HOUSE IN PAGET. SIDE VIEW 103

PLATE 49. HOUSE IN PAGET. FRONT VIEW 103

PLATE 50. HOUSE IN PAGET. FRONT VIEW 105

PLATE 51. HOUSE IN PAGET. SIDE VIEW 105

PLATE 52. SHOP AND TENEMENT IN WARWICK 107

PLATE 53. POORHOUSE, PAGET 107

PLATE 54. HOUSE ON HARBOR ROAD, PAGET 109

PLATE 55. "THE CHIMNEYS," PAGET. ROAD FRONT 111

PLATE 56. "THE CHIMNEYS," PAGET. GARDEN FRONT 111

PLATE 57. "SOUTHCOTE," PAGET. FRONT VIEW 113

PLATE 58. "SOUTHCOTE," PAGET. REAR VIEW 113

PLATE 59. "POMANDER WALK," PAGET 115

PLATE 60. "CLERMONT," PAGET. GARDEN WALL AND ENTRANCE 117

PLATE 61. COTTAGE IN PAGET 119

PLATE 62. HOUSE IN PAGET 121

PLATE 63. HOUSE AND GARDEN, PAGET 123

PLATE 64. SHOP AND TENEMENT, WARWICK 125

PLATE 65. OLD HOUSE, HARBOR ROAD, WARWICK 127

PLATE 66. STEPS AND CHIMNEY, HOUSE ON HARBOR ROAD, WARWICK 129

PLATE 67. HOUSE IN WARWICK 131

PLATE 68. SMALL HOUSE IN WARWICK 133

PLATE 69. BUTTERY TO HOUSE PRECEDING 135

PLATE 70. OLD COTTAGE IN WARWICK 137

PLATE 71. OLD COTTAGE IN WARWICK 139

PLATE 72. OLD GATEWAY IN WARWICK 141

PLATE 73. OLD HOUSE IN WARWICK 143

PLATE 74. HOUSE ON HARBOR ROAD, WARWICK 145

PLATE 75. HOUSE IN WARWICK 147

PLATE 76. ENTRANCE STEPS AND VESTIBULE, HOUSE IN WARWICK 149

PLATE 77. "PERIWINKLE COTTAGE," WARWICK 151

PLATE 78. OUTHOUSES, FARM, IN WARWICK 153

PLATE 79. HOUSE NEAR RIDDLE'S BAY, WARWICK 155

PLATE 80. OLD HOUSE IN WARWICK 157

PLATE 81. DOORYARD GARDEN, OLD HOUSE IN WARWICK 159

PLATE 82. DETAIL OF HOUSE ON HARBOR ROAD, WARWICK 161

PLATE 83. DETAIL OF GARDEN ON HARBOR ROAD, WARWICK 161

PLATE 84. FRONT OF "CAMERON HOUSE," WARWICK. BUILT ABOUT 1820 163

PLATE 85. "CAMERON HOUSE," WARWICK. FRONT ENTRANCE 165

PLATE 86. "CAMERON HOUSE," WARWICK. SIDE ENTRANCE 165

PLATE 87. GARDEN GATE IN PAGET 167

PLATE 88. GARDEN GATE IN HAMILTON 167

PLATE 89. BUTTERY OF FARMHOUSE IN PAGET 169

PLATE 90. BUTTERY OF FARMHOUSE ON SOMERSET ISLAND 171

PLATE 91. OLD HOUSE IN SOUTHAMPTON 173

PLATE 92. HOUSE IN SOUTHAMPTON 175

PLATE 93. OLD COTTAGE IN SOUTHAMPTON 177

PLATE 94. OLD COTTAGE IN SOUTHAMPTON 179

PLATE 95. DETAIL OF OLD COTTAGE IN SOUTHAMPTON 181

PLATE 96. COTTAGE IN SOUTHAMPTON (RESTORED) 183

PLATE 97. DETAIL OF COTTAGE IN SOUTHAMPTON 185

PLATE 98. SMALL COTTAGE IN SOUTHAMPTON 187

PLATE 99. "GLASGOW LODGE," SOUTHAMPTON 189

PLATE 100. "GLASGOW LODGE," SOUTHAMPTON. DETAIL 191

PLATE 101. "GLASGOW LODGE," SOUTHAMPTON. INTERIOR OF HALL 191

PLATE 102. SCHOOLHOUSE IN SOUTHAMPTON 193

PLATE 103. FARMHOUSE IN SOUTHAMPTON 195

PLATE 104. "MIDHURST," SANDYS PARISH 197

PLATE 105. "MIDHURST," SANDYS PARISH. KITCHEN FIREPLACE 199

PLATE 106. "MIDHURST," SANDYS PARISH. DRAWING-ROOM FIREPLACE 199

PLATE 107. COTTAGE IN SANDYS PARISH (RESTORED) 201

PLATE 108. OLD HOUSE ON SOMERSET ISLAND, SANDYS PARISH 203

PLATE 109. OLD TAVERN ON SOMERSET ISLAND, SANDYS PARISH 205

PLATE 110. HOUSE ON SOMERSET ISLAND, SANDYS PARISH 207

PLATE 111. OLD COTTAGE ON SOMERSET ISLAND, SANDYS PARISH 209

PLATE 112. HOUSE ON SOMERSET ISLAND, SANDYS PARISH 211

PLATE 113. OLD POST OFFICE, COURTHOUSE AND JAIL, SOMERSET ISLAND, SANDYS PARISH 213

PLATE 114. DETAIL OF HOUSE ON SOMERSET ISLAND, SANDYS PARISH 215

PLATE 115. OLD HOUSE ON SOMERSET ISLAND, SANDYS PARISH 217

PLATE 116. OLD HOUSE ON SOMERSET ISLAND, SANDYS PARISH 217

PLATE 117. DESERTED HOUSE IN SANDYS PARISH 219

PLATE 118. COTTAGE ON NORTH SHORE, DEVONSHIRE 221

PLATE 119. COTTAGE ON SOUTH SHORE, DEVONSHIRE 223

PLATE 120. HOUSE ON NORTH SHORE, DEVONSHIRE 225

PLATE 121. "WELCOMING ARMS," NORTH SHORE, DEVONSHIRE 227

PLATE 122. FARMHOUSE STEPS, "WELCOMING ARMS," DEVONSHIRE 229

PLATE 123. OLD HOUSE IN DEVONSHIRE 231

PLATE 124. OLD DEVONSHIRE CHURCH 233

PLATE 125. DESERTED COTTAGE ON NORTH SHORE, DEVONSHIRE 235

PLATE 126. COTTAGE IN PEMBROKE 235

PLATE 127. OLD COTTAGE ON NORTH SHORE, DEVONSHIRE 237

PLATE 128. OLD COTTAGE ON NORTH SHORE, DEVONSHIRE 237

PLATE 129. COTTAGE IN WARWICK 239

PLATE 130. COTTAGES ON SOUTH SHORE, DEVONSHIRE 239

PLATE 131. "WISTOWE," HAMILTON PARISH 241

PLATE 132. "WISTOWE," FROM THE GARDEN 243

PLATE 133. OLD HOUSE ON HARRINGTON SOUND, HAMILTON PARISH. SIDE VIEW 245