Phillip Eldemire was just 3 years old when he witnessed the devastation the storm of 1932 left on Cayman Brac as his family opened their home to the community as a shelter.
Recently Eldemire, now 93, visited the home built by his father Philip Charles Eldemire back in 1928, according to a National Trust for the Cayman Islands press release.
It was during that visit that Eldemire, now retired and residing in Grand Cayman, reflected on the significance of his childhood home, located at The Creek, and the memories it held of that fateful storm that eventually claimed 100 lives.
Eldemire and his family sheltered in that house, along with many others from the Brac community, to weather the storm that destroyed 11 homes.
He told the story of how a catboat was used to transport people stranded by the storm to high ground on the Bluff, the release said.
“We had to bring the catboat around to the back of the house and the water was so high. We loaded everyone into the boat and then took trips back and forth, making our way to the bluff,” Eldemire said.
He said the house was a “rallying point” for the community after that devastation and that the structure used to be closer to the road before being pushed back by the storm’s fury.
Restoration ‘progressing well’
The historic home, which was donated to the Trust in 2005 by the Eldemire family, is under renovation for a second time with Pastor Thomas French leading the work to restore the house to its former glory.
Simone Scott, a member of the Cayman Brac District Committee of the National Trust, told the Compass that the renovation was “progressing well”.
However, she said the home has been severely damaged by termites and more time will be needed to complete the renovation.
Earlier this year, the Compass highlighted the work being done on the historic house, and French’s passion for the project. The local contractor and Brac resident said he embarked on the journey to restore the structural treasure to its original state.
“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,” French said. “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.”
Stuart Wilson, National Trust historic programmes manager, previously told the Compass the restoration project would cost $38,000.
The home was first renovated in 2012 when extensive cosmetic and structural restoration was done by Seth Arch and Jim Scott, with financial assistance from Maples, Jacques Scott and William Reid.
The house was originally constructed by Cayman Brac labourers utilising local and imported materials and was one of the only homes in Cayman Brac to survive the 1932 storm.
“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,” the Trust said.
The home was also the site of a community dentistry.
It sustained further damage from Hurricane Paloma in 2008, three years after it had been bequeathed to the National Trust.
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 in a previous article on the house.
When the restoration is completed, the aim is to have the house become a base for the Cayman Brac District Committee and community engagement officer Alex Flores.
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