Living room at Paringa Hall near Glenelg. Built in 1882 for wealthy SA pastoralist James Cudmore. it is now Sacred Heart Catholic College.
.James Cudmore- Paringa Hall (Sacred Heart College.) Unlike many other great pastoralists Daniel and James Cudmore came from an Irish background. They arrived in SA in 1837 and soon had the leasehold of an extensive station near Jamestown called Yongala (1847). James soon added a huge station of the River Murray which he called Paringa, hence the township of Paringa outside of Renmark and Paringa Hall at Somerton. Daniel acquired other stations near Wilmington, and a number of large properties in Queensland for sugar growing. He used Kanaka indentured labourers from the New Hebrides for this. Daniel also ran Avoca station near Wentworth on the Darling River. He lived at Claremont estate next to Peter Waite at Urrbrae. When Daniel died in 1891 he left his various properties to his sons. James kept Paringa station and some Queensland properties. Daniel junior inherited other SA properties and built a lavish summer home at Victor Harbor called Adare which is now owned by the Uniting Church of Australia. James built a huge mansion for his family at Somerton which he called Paringa Hall. He moved into the new house in 1882. But his fortunes changed. In 1886 he went into insolvency but Paringa Hall survived as it had been transferred into his wife’s name and he had income from his interstate properties not covered by SA insolvency laws. He lived on at Paringa Hall until he died in 1912 when a life insurance policy enabled his estate to pay off his debts. In his will he also provided for a spinster at Nailsworth who had born him two illegitimate children! He was survived by 11 children from his marriage! Edmund Wright designed Paringa Hall for the Cudmores. The entrance hall is the grandest in SA. James Cudmore’s wife died in 1912 also and the house was sold to the Marist Brothers in 1914 as headquarters of their Sacred Heart College which had been established in 1897 at Port Adelaide.
Although we will not see the interior of Paringa Hall its 20 or so rooms are quite lavish. The stairwell of mahogany has lizards carved into the column tops and magnificent stained glass windows let in the light from the east. The hall has mosaic tiles on the floor and bronze classical female figures holding up the stair lights. The ballroom is known for its exquisite ceiling, complete with portraits of mediaeval musical instruments. Beautiful black marble mantles adorn the many fireplaces. The clock in the stables kept correct time for SA for many years.
The Sacred Heart chapel was opened in 1924 as a memorial chapel for the old collegian soldiers who lost their lives during World War One. It is a grand chapel adding to the ambiance of the Paringa Hall precinct.
Living room at Paringa Hall near Glenelg. Built in 1882 for wealthy SA pastoralist James Cudmore. it is now Sacred Heart Catholic College.
.James Cudmore- Paringa Hall (Sacred Heart College.) Unlike many other great pastoralists Daniel and James Cudmore came from an Irish background. They arrived in SA in 1837 and soon had the leasehold of an extensive station near Jamestown called Yongala (1847). James soon added a huge station of the River Murray which he called Paringa, hence the township of Paringa outside of Renmark and Paringa Hall at Somerton. Daniel acquired other stations near Wilmington, and a number of large properties in Queensland for sugar growing. He used Kanaka indentured labourers from the New Hebrides for this. Daniel also ran Avoca station near Wentworth on the Darling River. He lived at Claremont estate next to Peter Waite at Urrbrae. When Daniel died in 1891 he left his various properties to his sons. James kept Paringa station and some Queensland properties. Daniel junior inherited other SA properties and built a lavish summer home at Victor Harbor called Adare which is now owned by the Uniting Church of Australia. James built a huge mansion for his family at Somerton which he called Paringa Hall. He moved into the new house in 1882. But his fortunes changed. In 1886 he went into insolvency but Paringa Hall survived as it had been transferred into his wife’s name and he had income from his interstate properties not covered by SA insolvency laws. He lived on at Paringa Hall until he died in 1912 when a life insurance policy enabled his estate to pay off his debts. In his will he also provided for a spinster at Nailsworth who had born him two illegitimate children! He was survived by 11 children from his marriage! Edmund Wright designed Paringa Hall for the Cudmores. The entrance hall is the grandest in SA. James Cudmore’s wife died in 1912 also and the house was sold to the Marist Brothers in 1914 as headquarters of their Sacred Heart College which had been established in 1897 at Port Adelaide.
Although we will not see the interior of Paringa Hall its 20 or so rooms are quite lavish. The stairwell of mahogany has lizards carved into the column tops and magnificent stained glass windows let in the light from the east. The hall has mosaic tiles on the floor and bronze classical female figures holding up the stair lights. The ballroom is known for its exquisite ceiling, complete with portraits of mediaeval musical instruments. Beautiful black marble mantles adorn the many fireplaces. The clock in the stables kept correct time for SA for many years.
The Sacred Heart chapel was opened in 1924 as a memorial chapel for the old collegian soldiers who lost their lives during World War One. It is a grand chapel adding to the ambiance of the Paringa Hall precinct.