In 1895, architect Alan Cameron Walker designed his own home, Huonden, in his birthplace of Hobart.
The property had an immediate impact;
That charming coterie of accomplished ladies and gentlemen who strive to keep an interest in art alive in our midst and who form the Arts Society of Tasmania, are fortunate in having been invited by Mr. and Mrs. Alan C. Walker to hold their double quarterly exhibition this time at Huonden, Macquarie Street, an exceedingly interesting Americanesque built residence just about being finished….For several weeks the house has attracted the curiosity of the passer-by, on account of an indescribable artistic uniqueness about its appearance. It has been erected in a new-fashioned style, called ‘Anglo-American’. Whilst the exterior presents a wonderful combination of wood and brick, the interior contains much more that is novel. (Mercury, 24 Oct. 1895)
Alan Walker was also a silversmith and enameller and very involved in the Arts and Crafts Movement.
Some features of the home’s ‘novel interior’ survive to this day, including the decorative staircase and extensive stained glass windows.
Alan Walker had married Mabel Robertson in June 1889 . Mabel’s widowed mother Laura and older sister Ethel were frequent guests at Huonden. The house became a centre of Hobart society, location for all manner of parties, exhibitions and charity events.
In 1905 Mabel’s sister Ethel married Richard Ashe, in Durban. Her mother attended the wedding.
The newlyweds were living at the gold mining town of Krugersdorp, in the Transvaal. Richard Ashe was the manager of a large contingent of Chinese miners.
Four years later Laura, now Mrs Sillert, sailed to South Africa to spend a few months with her daughter and son-in-law. She joined the S.S. Waratah in Sydney. The luxuriously appointed ship was completing its maiden, round trip passage from London.
The S.S. Waratah
After disembarking in Durban, Laura Sillert travelled on to Krugersdorp. It must have been such a special time. Besides simply spending together, mother and daughter had exciting plans. They intended to wait for the S,S, Waratah to return on her next trip from London and to travel together to England.
The ship duly arrived at Durban on July 25 1909 Not everyone on board had been happy with the ship’s performance during the passage from Australia. One London bound passenger was engineer Claude Sawyer. He actually disembarked at Durban, claiming the Waratah was top heavy and unstable. There was barely time for such adverse reports to circulate, as the ship left next day enroute for her next stop, Cape Town. Mrs Sillert and Ethel Ashe were on board. Oddly enough their cousin. Lydia (Lily) Govett from Victoria was also a passenger. Forty four year old Mrs Govett was heading to London to establish a home there for her student son.
The Waratah was due at Cape Town on July 29, but failed to arrive.
On August 9, Hobart’s Daily Post reported on Mrs Walker’s missing family members;
Among the passengers on board are Mrs Sillery and Mrs Ashe, The former is Mrs Alan Walker’s mother, and Mrs Ashe is Mrs Walker’s sister. Both ladies are well known in Hobart.
Extensive searches failed to find any trace of the missing ship. Suddenly, that wonderful life at Huonden was over for Mabel. Like so many others, she endured weeks and then months of diminishing hope and absolute heartbreak. There were constant rumours, wild theories, and unconfirmed sightings. Worse still were the hoaxes, The following example was published around Australia in October 1910. There had been no such passenger as J.D. Jones
It was not until December 1909 that Lloyds of London officially declared the ship lost. It was hardly surprising that Mabel Walker’s health broke down.
Mrs Alan Walker, who has been seriously ill, has made such a good recovery that it is thought she will be able to return to Tasmania in about a fortnight. Mrs Walker’s mother, Mrs Sillery and her sister, Mrs Ashe, were passengers by the ill-fated Waratah. They joined the steamer at Durban, Mrs R. Govett a passenger from Melbourne, is Mrs Walker’s cousin. (Punch, Melb. April 7 1910)
Another horrible complication for grieving relatives was the length of time it took for missing loved ones to be declared dead, This created all manner of legal problems. Mabel had to wait until April 1911 before she was granted probate on her mother’s estate.
Life and laughter did return to Huonden. In 1914 the Walkers entertained over 100 guests to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary. In 1917 they hosted an event for their daughter Marjorie following her marriage to Dr. Charles Atkins at St David’s Cathedral. The house (and the Walkers themselves) even featured in a film of the wedding which was shown at theatres around Tasmania. I wonder whether that film has survived?
Mabel Walker died in 1918, aged 58.
Huonden still stands and is currently being used as commercial office space.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CAREER OF ALAN CAMERON WALKER, CLICK HERE.
