The once-empty, quiet compound of the historic Eldemire House on Cayman Brac will again be abuzz with activity as the long-awaited renovation of the property begins.
It’s a welcome project, said Simone Scott, a member of the Cayman Brac District Committee of the National Trust, noting the the house, located at The Creek, holds special meaning for many in the community.
“It is a wonderful community project that I hope the community gets involved in,” she said.
Donated to the Trust in 2005 by the Eldemire family, the house was constructed in 1928 by Cayman Brac labourers utilising local and imported materials, a National Trust article on the property said.
Five years after construction, the storm of 1932 struck Cayman Brac and devastated the island, destroying all but 11 homes in its path.
“While the [Eldemire] house was washed off its posts, it remained standing after the storm’s passage because it had been wedged against the cistern and kitchen, saving the lives of the 34 people who took shelter there,” the National Trust stated.
The house was further damaged during Hurricane Paloma in 2008, just three years after the family donated the home to the Trust.
Stuart Wilson, National Trust historic programmes manager, said the cost of the project is $38,000.
“This project is a great example of the National Trust’s commitment to continue protecting the built heritage of the Cayman Islands for present and future generations. It will serve as a place where people can visit to learn about the history of the Islands, as well as a place for the community and a satellite office for the National Trust,” Wilson said.
Passion project
This is not the first attempt at restoring the historic house.
In 2012 the home was restored to its former glory following extensive cosmetic and structural restoration efforts with contributions from Seth Arch and Jim Scott, and the financial assistance of Maples, Jacques Scott and William Reid, according to the Trust.
Now local contractor and Brac resident Thomas French has embarked on the journey to restore this structural treasure.
“There’s so much history involved… 1928 all the way through it survived two to three major hurricanes plus… I’m just thrilled to be a part of the project. I like to do this type of thing because I want to keep the original look, original ambience of the house. That’s all part of it for me,” French said.
The project does have its challenges, though, due to the damage over the years and termite infestation.
However, French said he is determined to restore the house to how it looked when first built, using the same type of materials.
“They didn’t build it with the pressure-treated lumber, but the older pine material’s got such a high content of the sap in it that the termites didn’t like all of it, but they do eat some of it. So we’re having to go through and pick out the boards that the termites have eaten,” he said.
This is the first stage of the restoration process, he said, which will be followed by redoing the entire floor.
“The community is really gonna be affected by this. They’re excited… So when it’s all said and done, I believe that we will be able to be very proud of the restoration of this historic house,” French said.
The project could take from three to four months to complete because walls will have to be torn down, he said, adding the timeframe also depends on availability of materials.
French said he and his wife bought and renovated a house that was built in the 1950s with similar construction so it was an easy decision for them to get involved with the Eldemire project.
“That’s the style of house that we like ourselves,” he said.
As they work on the restoration, they will reuse what they can instead of trying to match new material.
“The profile of a lot of the lumber is different these days. So I will try to keep the original material and utilise that… where I take out a piece out of a wall I’ll put something back in what’s in good shape. I’m trying to keep the original material [and] the original look,” he added.
Coming full circle
The Eldemire House, after the 1932 storm, became a centre of the community as one of the few remaining buildings. People from Creek and Watering Place were able to get food and support from the Eldemire family, the Trust said.
The home was also the site of a community dentistry during its extensive history, Wilson added.
When the restoration is completed, Scott said, the aim is to have the house become a base for Cayman Brac District Committee community engagement officer Alex Flores, who was recently appointed.
Wilson said Flores “will be focusing on community engagement and education and so the Eldemire House will be a hub for her activities.”
It will also be a heritage site with information about the Brac as well as the Eldemire family.
“I think it’s a great opportunity. The people will be able to come in and learn about the Eldemires. There should be an exhibit going up in there,” Scott said, adding that she would love for the National Trust to use the house all the time.
An old boat was also donated to the Trust and will be restored together with the house to add to the heritage ambiance.
Wilson said the National Trust thanks the Dart Organization, who donated a substantial sum toward this restoration as well as Island Heritage, whose ‘Island Heritage Charity Drive’ allowed the NTCI to raise the funds for the current restoration project.
About the Eldemire House
Built in 1928 by Cayman Brac labourers utilising local and imported materials, the home was the dwelling place of Philip Charles Eldemire, his wife Georgilla and their 8 children, Melrose, Merrick, Delaware, Dorson, Benson, Coburn, George and Bruce.
Only four years after it was built, the infamous Storm of 1932 struck Cayman Brac and devastated the island, destroying all, except 11 homes in its path.
The Eldemire House was one of the only homes in Cayman Brac to survive the onslaught and though the house was washed off its posts, it remained standing after the storm’s passage because it had been wedged against the cistern and kitchen, saving the lives of the 34 people who took shelter there.
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