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Click to view map Coordinates: | (SAB Jan 1930:37; FRIBA nom papers 1945) Cumming-George 1933 THIS residence, which was built for Lady Graaff and is now occupied by the High Commissioner, is situated at Milnerton on the sea front and covers a considerable area. The house is approached along a motor drive to the entrance door, the main feature of which is the fine porté couché [sic porte-cochère] with the sun balcony above, which balcony is fitted with sliding windows. The style is Spanish Mission, and shows the twisted chimneys and walls finished in rough plaster. The small octagonal tower on the roof masks the water tank. Salt water for sea baths is also supplied to the house and heated by means of electric motor. A very large portion of the plan is devoted to service and servants' quarters. There is an additional staircase in the servants' wing and one also to the basement, where the central heating chamber is situated. There is a fine servants' dining hall situated in the enclosed yard which links the house with the double garage, over -which are chauffeurs' quarters. In this portion of the plan there is- also a self-contained and fully equipped laundry. The house is entered through a wide vaulted corridor 8 ft (2.4m). in width. Off this are the drawing room, dining room, library, cloak room, and staircase. Both drawing room and dining room are " L " shaped and open to the multi-vaulted loggia which fronts the octagonal garden. The staircase is very unusual with heads and risers in hand-made tiles, with wrought iron baluster. Upstairs are three bedroom suites each with own bathroom, a day and night nursery and the big sun balcony. The bathroom of the main suite opens to this, also the other bedrooms. ____________________ Zonnekus (Dutch for sunny coast) was the first house built on Woodbridge Island, in 1929. 'An offer to purchase this property, made by the late Sir David Graaff in November 1928, was accepted by the Board of Directors, under the chairmanship of the late G. B. van Zyl, later Governor-General of the Union of South Africa. The purpose: "To erect a high class private residential property at an estimated cost of £10 000 as practical proof of Sir David's confidence in Milnerton Estates Limited and in the belief that such development should provide an incentive to development generally". The architects were Messrs Walgate and Elsworth, and the builders Messrs H. Wier & Co. The house was used by Sir David Graaff and his family as a seaside residence until his death on 13 April 1931. Thereafter it was leased to the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom, Sir Herbert Stanley. In 1951 a portion of the land, including the buildings, was sold to the late David Graaff, the second son, who occupied the property until his death. Source Milnerton History. All truncated references not fully cited below are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon. Books that reference House Sir David Graaff - Zonnekus
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