Eldon House
Encyclopedia
Eldon House is a museum
featuring 19th century period mansion and gardens. The Eldon House Intrpretation centre is located on 481 Ridout Street, London, Ontario
, Canada
. The Eldon House and lands are known collectively as Harris Park. Celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2009/2010, Eldon House is London, Ontario's oldest residence. Captain John Harris named Eldon House after the Earl of Eldon
, who he admired.
. Eldon House is the former residence of the prominent Harris Family and oldest surviving such building in London. An Ontario Historical Plaque was erected by the province to commemorate The Eldon House's role in Ontario's heritage. Archives of Ontario. 2005. "Built in 1834 by Captain John Harris, Royal Navy, treasurer of the London District, Eldon House is London's oldest remaining house. With his wife Amelia, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Ryerse (1752–1812), Harris came to London after the district offices were moved here from Vittoria (1815–1825). For many years Eldon House was a centre of London's cultural and social life, and four generations of the Harris family dwelt in in during more than 125 years. In 1960 the family gave the house with most of its furnishings and eleven acres of land to the City of London for a museum and park."
Eldon House was the Harris family seat of Robert Dalzell, 11th Earl of Carnwath
, Ronald Dalzell, 12th Earl of Carnwath
and Arthur Dalzell, 13th Earl of Carnwath
, Representative Peer
of Scotland
.
George Beecher Harris, a partner in the Harris brothers law firm, and Mary Elizabeth Lucy raised their four children at Raleigh House, a few blocks north and in Eldon House, in 1887. Their son, Mr George Henry Ronald Harris, C.E., (1873–1942) a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada
(1890-4) installed his collection of African weapons and big game trophies in the front and back halls of Eldon House. George Henry Ronald Harris, worked as a mining engineer in Greenwood, British Columbia
(1900-1); Quebec; Mossammides, Angola West, Africa (1901–03); East Africa Syndicates (1903-4); and Cassinga Concessions, Angola (1905-8). It was dangerous work; one of his expeditions was massacred while he was back in Canada, and he was once taken prisoner by the Abyssinians now parts of Ethiopia
and Eritrea
for four months. George Henry Ronald Harris and his wife Lorna Gibbons, lived in Eldon House with their three children: George, born in 1910; Amelia Lucy, born in 1913; and Ronald Sutton (Robin) born in 1919. After the death of George Henry Ronald Harris' sister in 1959, his children donated the house and gardens to the city of London.
) offer guests a chance to play period games, sample kitchen treats, and help make ice cream.
, CHIN
, and Virtual Museum of Canada
.
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
featuring 19th century period mansion and gardens. The Eldon House Intrpretation centre is located on 481 Ridout Street, London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The Eldon House and lands are known collectively as Harris Park. Celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2009/2010, Eldon House is London, Ontario's oldest residence. Captain John Harris named Eldon House after the Earl of Eldon
Earl of Eldon
Earl of Eldon, in the County Palatine of Durham, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1821 for the lawyer and politician John Scott, 1st Baron Scott, Lord Chancellor from 1801 to 1806 and from 1807 to 1827...
, who he admired.
History
This historic Georgian property was built in 1834, originally on 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) of land. The heritage property, its grounds and collections were gifted to the city of London by the Harris family as a museum in 1959 and is now a heritage siteHeritage site
A Heritage Site is a location designated as important to the cultural heritage of a governing body such as a township, county, province, state, or country. It is a non-moveable object such as a historic site or national monument, but it may include several sites grouped together such as...
. Eldon House is the former residence of the prominent Harris Family and oldest surviving such building in London. An Ontario Historical Plaque was erected by the province to commemorate The Eldon House's role in Ontario's heritage. Archives of Ontario. 2005. "Built in 1834 by Captain John Harris, Royal Navy, treasurer of the London District, Eldon House is London's oldest remaining house. With his wife Amelia, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Ryerse (1752–1812), Harris came to London after the district offices were moved here from Vittoria (1815–1825). For many years Eldon House was a centre of London's cultural and social life, and four generations of the Harris family dwelt in in during more than 125 years. In 1960 the family gave the house with most of its furnishings and eleven acres of land to the City of London for a museum and park."
Eldon House was the Harris family seat of Robert Dalzell, 11th Earl of Carnwath
Robert Dalzell, 11th Earl of Carnwath
Robert Harris Carnwath Dalzell, 11th Earl of Carnwath was a Scottish nobleman and soldier.He was the eldest of five children born to Colonel Robert Alexander George Dalzell and Sarah Bushby Harris .His mother was the daughter of John Harris RN , Treasurer of the London District of Upper Canada, and...
, Ronald Dalzell, 12th Earl of Carnwath
Ronald Dalzell, 12th Earl of Carnwath
Ronald Arthur Dalzell, 12th Earl of Carnwath was the fourth child and second son of Robert Dalzell, 11th Earl of Carnwath and Sarah Bushby Harris. Sarah was the eldest daughter of Capt. John Harris, R.N., of Eldon House London, Ontario, and his wife, Amelia, daughter of Colonel Samuel Ryerse. She...
and Arthur Dalzell, 13th Earl of Carnwath
Arthur Dalzell, 13th Earl of Carnwath
Arthur Edward Dalzell, 13th Earl of Carnwath CB was a British Army officer and a Representative Peer of Scotland....
, Representative Peer
Representative peer
In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords...
of 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...
.
George Beecher Harris, a partner in the Harris brothers law firm, and Mary Elizabeth Lucy raised their four children at Raleigh House, a few blocks north and in Eldon House, in 1887. Their son, Mr George Henry Ronald Harris, C.E., (1873–1942) a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
(1890-4) installed his collection of African weapons and big game trophies in the front and back halls of Eldon House. George Henry Ronald Harris, worked as a mining engineer in Greenwood, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
(1900-1); Quebec; Mossammides, Angola West, Africa (1901–03); East Africa Syndicates (1903-4); and Cassinga Concessions, Angola (1905-8). It was dangerous work; one of his expeditions was massacred while he was back in Canada, and he was once taken prisoner by the Abyssinians now parts of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
and Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
for four months. George Henry Ronald Harris and his wife Lorna Gibbons, lived in Eldon House with their three children: George, born in 1910; Amelia Lucy, born in 1913; and Ronald Sutton (Robin) born in 1919. After the death of George Henry Ronald Harris' sister in 1959, his children donated the house and gardens to the city of London.
Programs
Tours are available, and a house museum and gardens offers insight into the lives of the Harris family which continued to reside here into the 1960s. Children's programs welcome school groups and birthday parties, and certain days (e.g., Canada DayCanada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
) offer guests a chance to play period games, sample kitchen treats, and help make ice cream.
Affiliations
The Museum is affiliated with: CMACanadian Museums Association
The Canadian Museums Association is a national organization for the promotion of museums in Canada.The Canadian Museums Association is the national organization for the advancement of the Canadian museum sector, representing Canadian museum professionals both within Canada and internationally. The...
, CHIN
Canadian Heritage Information Network
The Canadian Heritage Information Network is a Canadian government-supported organization that provides a networked interface to Canada's heritage, largely through the World Wide Web. It aims to give access to Canada's heritage for both Canadians and a worldwide audience, by supporting the...
, and Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada
The Virtual Museum of Canada is Canada's national virtual museum. With a directory of over 3,000 Canadian heritage institutions and a database of over 600 virtual exhibits, the VMC brings together Canada's museums regardless of size or geographical location.The VMC includes virtual exhibits,...
.