Description:

Hearst William

William R. Hearst Letter on Building out his Medieval Castle in London

 

Five page autographed letter signed. Written in graphite to "Sir Charles" on the rectos of each 5" x 8" page, with versos left blank. Pages numbered along top edge "783," appearing for indexing purposes. Undated. Signed by William Randolph Hearst as "WR Hearst."  Several faded handling marks, most prominent to the first page.

 

A wonderful and revealing ALS. WR Hearst writes this letter to Sir Charles in his classic over-the-top extravagance mode, making lavish preparations to fireproof evervy single molecule of his newly acquired medieval castle in preparation  for the arrival of his collection "We are getting so many beautiful and historical things here that I feel an absolute responsibility to protect and preserve them."

 

"Will you please make all new construction fire proof - everything except of course old wood. This means the great hall … the round tower … the new construction .. In fact when straddling rooms and rooms above are reconstructed  I wish you would make them fireproof … make everything as fire proof as possible as the wood work here will be mew it can be soaked in fireproofing. The floors and ceiling can be filled with cinders which will make them not only fire proof but sound proof … "

 

Although this letter is undated, we know it is circa 1926 based on the context. Hearst was discussing his newly acquired medieval castle, St. Donat's in England. In 1925, Alice Head walked into her London office to find an overnight cable from her American boss, newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst who was well into construction of his legacy estate, San Simeon, on the central California coast. Head, managing director of Hearst’s operations in the United Kingdom, must have been perplexed to learn of her 62-year-old boss’s sudden new interest when she read the short cable: “ ‘Buy St. Donat’s Castle,’ she recalled. “Not a word about how much! He just said, ‘Buy St. Donat’s Castle.’ ” “So I just bought it…130,000 pounds for him was nothing,” said Head. What Head bought is known today as “Hearst’s other castle.” On 111 acres, the medieval St. Donat’s fortress with 135 rooms dates to the 12th century. It overlooks the Bristol Channel on the Welsh coast Hearst had a passion for things medieval and this castle came ready-made with a moat, portcullis, battlements and dungeons. But Hearst had his own plans to make the place even grander by importing fireplaces, paneling and tapestries, and to amass a collection of arms and armor. He even had moved and then inserted rooms from an English priory to create a great hall and other spaces.

 

 

As architect Julia Morgan guided work on San Simeon in California, Hearst hired Sir Charles Allom to lead the expansion and redecoration of the moldering Welsh estate. Allom had won a knighthood for his redecoration of Buckingham Palace. At one point, it was estimated that Hearst was spending more $11,000 a day on architectural adornment and art for St. Donat’s. In the late 1920's and 1930's, the castle With Hearst as owner, became the A-list retreat in Britain for celebrities who wanted to curry favor with the influential, though untitled, press baron. “There was nothing quite like dinner at St. Donat’s,” wrote Enfys McMurry, the Welsh-born author of “Hearst’s Other Castle” who now lives in Iowa. When the household staff of 40 was too small, waiters and butlers were recruited from Claridge’s and the Savoy in London. Guests included Winston Churchill, Welsh politician David Lloyd George, Bob Hope, Errol Flynn, Charlie Chaplin, Maurice Chevalier, Clark Gable and George Bernard Shaw. Joseph P. Kennedy, who was the American ambassador to Great Britain, visited with his wife, Rose, and their nine children, including a young JFK, who frolicked in the pool!

 

Despite spending cartfuls of money on renovations, Hearst only visited the St. Donat’s estate five times. But he is surely remembered in the nearby villages. Not saddled by British convention, his was not a “Downton Abbey” existence. Rumors spread quickly in nearby villages of wild parties, public intoxication, nude swimming and sexual license, wrote McMurry. Today it remains controversial is any of that involved Hearst himself, except for his devoted, and public, affair with Davies. “We always had a good time at St. Donat’s,” wrote Davies in her autobiography.

 

However as the Hearst empire began to collapse, he made his last trip to St. Donat’s in 1936 as Europe headed toward war, and the British government requisitioned St. Donat’s for use in World War II, and it was fitted out as a post D-Day recuperative center for American soldiers.

 

Today St. Donat’s is now the home of Atlantic College, a residential school for international students ages 16 to 19. Its mission is to promote international understanding though education. The Hearst Corp.’s sole remaining connection is a scholarship program for Atlantic College students.

 

A most unique, intimate, letter revealing how Hearst was involved in the development and design of his "castles."


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