Stephen Courtauld
Encyclopedia
Sir Stephen Lewis Courtauld, MC
(1883–1967) was a member of the wealthy English
Courtauld textile family (he was the son of Sydney Courtauld
(10 March 1840 - 20 October 1899) and Sarah Lucy Sharpe (1844-1906) and youngest brother of Samuel Courtauld
, founder of the Courtauld Institute of Art
). He did not enter the family business but his wealthy background enabled him to travel extensively and to pursue cultural and philanthropic interests — most notably, the redevelopment during the 1930s of Eltham Palace
in Eltham
, south-east London
.
Serving in the Artists’ Rifles
during World War I
, Courtauld won the Military Cross
in 1918. After the war, in 1919, as an enthusiastic mountaineer
, he completed the first ascent of the Innominata face of Mont Blanc
in the French
Alps
. Also in 1919, he met his future wife, Virginia (née Peirano), whom he married in 1923.
Courtauld was financial director of Ealing Studios
, a trustee of the Royal Opera House
in London's Covent Garden
, and provided financial support for the Courtauld Galleries in Cambridge
’s Fitzwilliam Museum
.
He undertook the redevelopment of Eltham Palace with his wife. They employed architect
s John Seely (1899–1963) and Paul Edward Paget
(1901–1985) and fashionable Mayfair
interior designer the Marchese Peter Malacrida (1889–1980) to design a new private house in the Art Deco
style to adjoin the existing Palace building, which was extensively restored. Malacrida also designed the interiors of the Courtauld's luxury yacht
, Virginia (launched in 1930 at Dalmuir
on the Upper Clyde
in Scotland
).
The Courtaulds left Eltham Palace in May 1944 to live in Scotland. In 1951 they moved again, to Southern Rhodesia
, now Zimbabwe
. They established a home at Penhalonga, near Mutare. The estate was named La Rochelle after the place of origin of his family. There they established an extensive botanic garden designed by an Italian landscape artist. He was knighted in 1958.
After Stephen’s death at La Rochelle in 1967, Virginia moved to Jersey
in 1970 where she died in 1972.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(1883–1967) was a member of the wealthy English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Courtauld textile family (he was the son of Sydney Courtauld
Sydney Courtauld
Sydney Courtauld JP was a Crepe and Silk manufacturer, and part of the Courtauld family empire in Great Britain-Personal life:He was born on 10 March 1840 in Bocking, Braintree, Essex. He was the son of George Courtauld and Susanna Sewell . He married Sarah Lucy Sharpe on 4 April 1865 at the...
(10 March 1840 - 20 October 1899) and Sarah Lucy Sharpe (1844-1906) and youngest brother of Samuel Courtauld
Samuel Courtauld (art collector)
Samuel Courtauld son of Sydney Courtauld and Sarah Lucy Sharpe was an English industrialist who is best remembered as an art collector...
, founder of the Courtauld Institute of Art
Courtauld Institute of Art
The Courtauld Institute of Art is a self-governing college of the University of London specialising in the study of the history of art. The Courtauld is one of the premier centres for the teaching of art history in the world; it was the only History of Art department in the UK to be awarded a top...
). He did not enter the family business but his wealthy background enabled him to travel extensively and to pursue cultural and philanthropic interests — most notably, the redevelopment during the 1930s of Eltham Palace
Eltham Palace
Eltham Palace is a large house in Eltham, within the London Borough of Greenwich, South East London, England. It is an unoccupied royal residence and owned by the Crown Estate. In 1995 its management was handed over to English Heritage which restored the building in 1999 and opened it to the public...
in Eltham
Eltham, London
-Parks and open spaces:There is a large variety of open green space in Eltham, in the form of parkland, fields and woodland.*Avery Hill Park is large, open parkland, situated to the east of Eltham. It is most notable for its Winter Garden, a hothouse containing tropical trees and plants from around...
, south-east London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Serving in the Artists’ Rifles
Artists' Rifles
The Artists Rifles is a volunteer regiment of the British Army. Raised in London in 1859 as a volunteer light infantry unit, the regiment saw active service during the Boer Wars and World War I, earning a number of battle honours; however, it did not serve outside of Britain during World War II, as...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Courtauld won the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
in 1918. After the war, in 1919, as an enthusiastic mountaineer
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
, he completed the first ascent of the Innominata face of Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. Also in 1919, he met his future wife, Virginia (née Peirano), whom he married in 1923.
Courtauld was financial director of Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever since...
, a trustee of the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
in London's Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
, and provided financial support for the Courtauld Galleries in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
’s Fitzwilliam Museum
Fitzwilliam Museum
The Fitzwilliam Museum is the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge, located on Trumpington Street opposite Fitzwilliam Street in central Cambridge, England. It receives around 300,000 visitors annually. Admission is free....
.
He undertook the redevelopment of Eltham Palace with his wife. They employed architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
s John Seely (1899–1963) and Paul Edward Paget
Paul Edward Paget
Paul Edward Paget was the son of Henry Luke Paget, Bishop of Chester. He became business partner of John Seely , whom he met at Cambridge and with whom he restored many damaged church buildings after World War II....
(1901–1985) and fashionable Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
interior designer the Marchese Peter Malacrida (1889–1980) to design a new private house in the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style to adjoin the existing Palace building, which was extensively restored. Malacrida also designed the interiors of the Courtauld's luxury yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
, Virginia (launched in 1930 at Dalmuir
Dalmuir
Dalmuir is an area on the western side of Clydebank, in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland.-Location:It is neighboured by the village of Old Kilpatrick, the Mountblow and Parkhall areas of Clydebank, as well as the town centre...
on the Upper Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
).
The Courtaulds left Eltham Palace in May 1944 to live in Scotland. In 1951 they moved again, to Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
, now Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. They established a home at Penhalonga, near Mutare. The estate was named La Rochelle after the place of origin of his family. There they established an extensive botanic garden designed by an Italian landscape artist. He was knighted in 1958.
After Stephen’s death at La Rochelle in 1967, Virginia moved to Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
in 1970 where she died in 1972.