Collingrove Homestead

Transcription

1 Collingrove Homestead An Interpretative Brief Prepared for the National Trust of South Australia By Anastasia Tsimourtos This report has been produced as a part of the assessment for ARCH8404 Directed Studies in Archaeology graduate topic in the Department of Archaeology, Flinders University.

2 Contents: 1. Introduction Nature of this document Project background Role of the interpretation brief Interpretative material Study team Background Introduction Overview of Collingrove Homestead Interpretative framework Approach Principles for interpreting site Key interpretative concepts Interpretative design Target markets..12 Conclusion.12 References.13 1

3 1. Introduction: 1.1 Nature of this document: This interpretative brief provides guidance and recommendations for the development of an interpretive plan for Collingrove Homestead, located in Angaston, South Australia, based on the Directed Studies project undertaken by student Anastasia Tsimourtos on behalf of Flinders University and the National Trust of South Australia. 1.2 Project Background: This project was undertaken for the ARCH8404 Directed Studies topic, as part of the Graduate Diploma of Archaeology program at Flinders University. The aim of this project was to conduct an interpretative study of Collingrove Homestead, its rooms and the artefact collection to develop an interpretative plan for the National Trust of South Australia. This interpretative plan will be used to develop a self-guided tour program at Collingrove Homestead. The aim of this study was to: Analyse the house, its rooms and the artefacts they contain in terms of how these constitute and represent key elements of the Angas family story. Succinctly define the story of the house and artefacts in a local/regional context. Benchmark examples of good and bad interpretive practice at other historic houses. Create an interpretive plan for the homestead based on the components of the story that are exemplified by site features/artefacts, and, Detail potential themes, sub themes and other related messages for the interpretation and link these to site features/artefacts. 2

4 1.3 Role of the interpretation brief: This interpretation brief is intended to provide guidance and recommendations for the development of an interpretative plan for Collingrove Homestead. The interpretation brief: Defines the components of this story that are exemplified by the site features, Identifies likely target markets for the site, and, Details themes and related messages for the interpretation and links these to site features. 1.4 Interpretative material: Recommendations are made to incorporate interpretative materials into the presentation at Collingrove Homestead, to be considered by the National Trust of South Australia. 1.5 Study team: This study was conducted by Anastasia Tsimourtos as part of the topic ARCH8404 Directed Studies on behalf of Flinders University and the National Trust of South Australia. Guidance was provided by Heather Burke from Flinders University, Eric Heapy and Sue Scheiffers of the National Trust of South Australia and by Andrew and Marcia Frost, current tenants of Collingrove Homestead. 3

5 2. Background: 2.1 Introduction: Collingrove Homestead was home to John Howard Angas and four generations of the Angas family. Its outbuildings and 5.26 hectares of surrounding land were donated to the National Trust of South Australia by the last resident, Ronald Fife Angas, in In addition to operating as an historic house museum, the homestead serves as a bed and breakfast accommodation facility, restaurant and function venue. The property is leased by the National Trust of South Australia to a lessee, currently Andrew and Marcia Frost, who manage the property on a day to day basis under the supervision of the National Trust. 2.2 Overview of Collingrove Homestead: The current tour program at Collingrove Homestead is designed for both guided and self-guided tours. The tour is conducted in the museum portion of the property and takes visitors through the library, drawing room, dining room, main bedroom, second bedroom, bathroom, nursery, hall, dressing room, scullery and the cook s kitchen, which are used to display and interpret the collection. Firstly, visitors are greeted in the hall by either Marcia or Andrew Frost, and are introduced to the history of the property and the Angas family in detail. Prominent features are identified in the main foyer, such as portraits of important family members, eventually moving into the rooms, starting in the west wing and moving across to the east wing. As visitors move through the rooms, brief presentations are given on the use of the rooms and the artefacts found there. The rooms are presented to show how the Angas family lived on a day to day basis during the nineteenth century. Modern features, such as the modern bathrooms and the industrial kitchen, are highlighted during the tour to show how Collingrove Homestead has 4

6 developed since its construction, combining the original architecture and styling with more contemporary modifications to accommodate current business needs and modern comfort. In each room a large wooden paddle can be found, which gives a brief description of the room, its use and the artefacts found there. This is used for self-guided tours and is used to convey relevant information. These paddles are useful, but need updating in terms of how they are presented and the information they describe. The main themes identified in the artefact collection are family, pastoralism and travel. The sense of family is identified in both the construction of the house a family home with several bedrooms and a nursery and in the family portraits that are found throughout the house. Pastoralism is a theme easily identified in the layout of the house the office and the farming areas of the property and through artefacts related to sheep, cattle and horses, both in a working and leisure/sporting context. One inherits a sense of living and working on the land at Collingrove. The theme of travel is exemplified in the exotic artefacts that are found in the house, particularly in the main hall. A stuffed tiger head, a leopard pelt, a gold plate with a Chinese tableau engraving, African weapons, antelope skulls, ornamental carvings of wild and exotic animals and bullets and rifles are just some examples of the exotic artefacts displayed in the hall. A strong sense of travel and adventure are conveyed in these artefacts; however, there is also a strong sense of coming home in these artefacts, of bringing back exotic souvenirs to share experiences with the family. The significance of the property is derived from its association with the Angas family, as it was one of their principal residences in the Barossa Valley. Collingrove s founder, John Howard Angas, was a key figure in South Australia s settlement, in a social, political and agricultural context. The house itself is an example of changing architectural and domestic taste through the 5

7 nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The contents of the house hold important stories about the domestic, leisure and business activities of four generations of the Angas family (Albert 2012). The artefact collection is generally in good condition. Most items have evidence of general wear and tear from past uses. In some cases there are signs of damage due to environmental factors (Albert 2012). Artefacts in need of immediate conservation were identified in George s assessment (2010). Albert s assessment (2012) noted that items on display in the museum are exposed to ongoing deterioration due to the fact that visitors have open access to them, particularly furniture items. A summary of the general condition of the Collingrove collection was provided in the assessment (Albert 2012). 3. Interpretative framework: The interpretative framework developed for Collingrove Homestead involves reuniting the property with its history. By identifying key concepts in Collingrove s history, visitors can partake in a historical journey of the property, thus understanding its place and significance to the Barossa Valley and South Australia. 3.1 Approach: The proposed concept for the interpretative plan of Collingrove Homestead incorporates all the existing features of the museum. This, as well as the use of interpretative materials, such as panelling, booklets and interactive audio and visual displays, is designed to incorporate the history of the property into the interpretative display of the museum, and engage new audiences. 6

8 3.2 Principles for interpreting sites: The interpretative framework recommends that the interpretation of Collingrove Homestead should adopt the following principles: 1. Interpretation of the site should adopt a strong historical perspective, because of the nature of the site as a historic house museum and the market that exists for such heritage sites. 2. The overarching themes of family and living and working on the land should be adopted to provide focus for interpretation and connectivity between Collingrove Homestead and other sites. 3. Interpretation should strive to present a unique human story associated with the social, political and agricultural developments of the Barossa Valley and South Australia. 3.3 Key interpretative concepts: The key interpretative concepts proposed here are based on a comparative study conducted by the author, which involved undertaking visitor tours at historic houses in South Australia, to experience the interpretative presentation of these facilities in order to benchmark good and bad examples of interpretative practices. Recommendations made in past documents, such as the Collingrove Shadehouse Archaeological Survey (Kostoglou 1988) and the Significance Assessment of the Paper-based Artefact Collection at Collingrove Homestead (George 2010), have been incorporated into this interpretative plan as they exemplify the story of the Angas family and Collingrove Homestead. John Howard Angas: The history of John Howard Angas is currently presented by the tour guide at the beginning of the tour. In order to accommodate a self-guided tour, 7

9 interpretative signage should be installed in order to convey the history of John Howard Angas. This information should include biographical information about John Howard, his accomplishments and contributions to the Barossa Valley and South Australia and photographs. This should be presented in the main foyer of Collingrove, so that visitors are introduced to the protagonist as soon as they enter the property. The Angas Family: Interpretative and interactive materials depicting members of the Angas family, starting with George Fife Angas and progressing to John, his wife and children and subsequent generations, should be displayed, so that visitors can learn about the Angas family as they move through the museum. Framed photographs and portraits already on display at Collingrove Homestead should be incorporated into this interpretative display by placing information plaques on or underneath the images, to identify who is pictured and which generation of the Angas family they belong to. An audio sample of Karen George s interview with Colin Fife Angas (2010) could be incorporated into this display, in order to gain an understanding of what it was like to live at Collingrove Homestead. This audio sample should not exceed seconds, as long segments can cause audiences to disengage and become restless, as seen at Ayers House (Tsimourtos 2013). George French Angas breathtaking watercolours of Collingrove Homestead could also be included in this concept. As the watercolours are on loan to the State Government, an interactive TV display could be installed that shows his range of watercolours. History of Collingrove Homestead: The history of the structure could be incorporated into the interpretative plan in order to help visitors understand how the property was constructed and 8

10 why the property is significant. This section should include information such as: how and why Collingrove Homestead was built, architectural plans and drafts, information on the farming/work areas of the structure, the development of the gardens and interesting information regarding the features of the house, e.g. the copper bath tub, the toilets, the cart (currently on display). Parry Kostoglou s (1988) recommendation to have historical photos, architectural illustrations and a written précis of the history of the shadehouse could be included in this interpretative display, and extended into the museum, with architectural drawings and photographs of Collingrove displayed around the museum. Emphasising the history of Collingrove as a business hub in John Howard s pastoral enterprise, allows visitors to gain an understanding of why Collingrove was a significant place, not only in a local context, e.g. the Barossa Valley, but also in a regional context, e.g. South Australia. Many portraits and artefacts related to pastoralism and living and working on the land are currently on display at Collingrove Homestead, but these artefacts have no interpretative information. A section of the museum that focuses on the pastoral endeavours that occurred at Collingrove would be a useful interpretative display as it would educate visitors about John Howard s business ventures, and would help visitors understand the contributions the Angas family made to local agricultural development. Artefacts: The artefacts on display in the main hallway exemplify all the themes of the artefact collection and should be presented as an artefact gallery. Detailed descriptions of the artefacts on display, such as where, how, when and who (i.e. which Angas family member) acquired the artefact would be an interesting and engaging aspect of the tour. Key issues that impact this interpretative display were highlighted in Albert (2012), which noted that little is known about how the artefacts were acquired. Any information about the 9

11 artefacts and how they contribute to the Angas story would be beneficial, and would support the overall purpose of the interpretative plan. Other stories: There are many stories associated with Collingrove Homestead. John Howard Angas wrote of Collingrove in his diaries; Colin Fife Angas spoke of his memories of Collingrove Homestead in an interview conducted by the Karen George on behalf of the National trust of South Australia (2010); George French Angas illustrated Collingrove in breathtaking watercolours; and the story of a royal visit is noted in historic accounts of Collingrove Homestead. These stories create unique insights into the role Collingrove Homestead played in the lives of the Angas over various generations, as well as the importance of the house in a social and historic context and should be incorporated into the interpretative plan for Collingrove. Consider using these stories in interpretative and interactive ways throughout the museum to represent inter-generational stories of Collingrove through the 1800s, 1900s and the 2000s. Philanthropy: An interpretative display of the philanthropic contributions the Angas family made to the region and to South Australia would help visitors understand why the Angas were an integral part of the social and political development of the Barossa Valley and the state. Affiliations with State Government organisations, local businesses, local religious groups, schools etc. create a unique picture of the philanthropic nature of the Angas. 10

12 Links to other sites: Linking Collingrove Homestead to other sites in the Barossa region, for example Lindsay Park, creates a unique opportunity to link heritage sites so that the cost of marketing to tourists and competition between sites can be reduced. This has the potential to develop a range of sites that complement each other, so that visitors can gain an appreciation of the diversity that exists in the region. To achieve this, two strategies are proposed: 1. Interpreting heritage sites based on a unifying theme: The Angas family. 2. Providing conceptual interpretation links: Possible links could include the development of the Barossa Valley and pastoralism. Community events: Community events have been a successful method of attracting visitors to historic houses, as seen at Ayers House and Carrick Hill. Collingrove could engage the local community and tourists by hosting events in the gardens. For example, events could be held to celebrate the anniversary of the construction of Collingrove Homestead, or the birthday of John Howard Angas. By hosting family-friendly community events, the property can engage new visitors, generate new interest in the property, and contribute to the local community. 3.4 Interpretative design: The overall interpretative design of this proposal involves installing interpretative wall and freestanding signage and panelling into the museum, as well and interactive audio and visual displays. An alternative to this could be producing a booklet that contains all the historical information about Collingrove Homestead and the Angas family. Visitors would be required to purchase the booklet, which would be used to guide visitors through the 11

13 museum, and would retain the booklet after the tour, as a souvenir of their experience. 3.5 Target Markets: By using interpretative and interactive materials, Collingrove Homestead can attract visitor groups of all ages. The key is to keep the information concise and relevant, in order to engage audiences, particularly younger audiences, and to engage the community. Conclusion: The current interpretative presentation at Collingrove Homestead has lost touch with the origins of the property. The history of the Angas family is present in the artefacts; however, the lack of interpretative information makes it difficult for visitors to engage and appreciate the story of Collingrove. By designing a new interpretative presentation, Collingrove Homestead can operate as an interactive self-guided museum that engages the local and new visitors. 12

14 References: Albert, K Collingrove Homestead: Preservation Needs Assessment. Unpublished report prepared for the National Trust of South Australia, Adelaide. George, K National Trust of South Australia Collingrove Homestead: Significance assessment of the paper-based collection. Unpublished report prepared for the National Trust of South Australia, Adelaide. Kostoglou, P An Archaeological Survey/Excavation of the Summer Garden Shadehouse at Collingrove Homestead. Unpublished report prepared for the National Trust of South Australia, Adelaide. Tsimourtos, A Keeping up with the Angas : An interpretative study of Collingrove Homestead. Unpublished report prepared for Flinders University and the National Trust of South Australia. 13