Monday, November 15, 2010
'Ormston'
'Ormston', the John Edward Aldred estate designed by Bertram Goodhue between 1913-18 in Lattingtown. Aldred was president of the Baltimore Light & Power Company and together with his neighbor William Guthrie, owner of 'Meudon', purchased much of the original village of Lattingtown to build their estates. Click HERE to see the brochure from when 'Ormston' was for sale. Click HERE to see 'Ormston' on google earth and HERE on bing.
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Lattingtown
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I am told that Aldred, one of the richest men in the United States at one point, lost his fortune in the late 1930's due to the nationalization of his utility holdings in Germany. A descendant of George F. Baker, a neighbor of the Aldred's told me a really cruel and unpleasant story about the last days of the Aldreds at Ormston. The person who related it to me, very oddly, viewed it as neither cruel nor unpleasant: The Aldreds were, apparently, not viewed as grand or blue blooded enough by their fancier neighbors and were very much not a part of the local social swim. A day or two before he left Ormston for the last time, Mr. Aldred called Mr. Baker to ask if perhaps Mr. Baker would like to come over and purchase anything in the house as it was all to be auctioned off shortly thereafter. According to my source, Mr. Aldred's inquiry was met with a sharp and terse, "No thank you" and an immediate hang up. I have often wondered if the original George F. Baker, founder of the family fortune a mere 30 years before would have behave with such arrogance.
Not Germany. Aldred had his electric company (Shawinigan Water and Power) nationalized in our friendly neighboring country to the North: Quebec, Canada. That company (and another) became what is still today Hydro-Quebec.
Is this the same George F. Baker of Tuxedo Park?
I believe that the Tuxedo Park Baker was the founder of the family fortune (National City Bank- now Citicorp) and father of the Baker in my story. His son, George Baker, Jr. purchased a large tract of Sound front property in Lattingtown bordered by the Aldreds on one side and Henry Davisson's Peacock Point and William Guthrie's Meudon on the other. A small point of interest: The William Woodward murder took place on an evening that had started at the George Baker house. Edith Kane Baker (George, Jr.'s widow) was a great friend of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. They were staying with her and she gave a dinner in their honor. The Woodward's attended and it was at this party that Ann Woodward blabbered to all and sundry about the alleged neighborhood intruder of whom she claimed to be so terrified. The rest, as they say, is history.
I must admire Aldred, who faced his financial reverses with the apocryphal stiff upper lip, admitting that he enjoyed it while he had it but that his run had ended. As a successful, full-service country seat, it has always been one of my favorites (and a peripheral site to a still-uncompleted supernatural novel by moi about the demolishing of Lattingtown to make way for these estates).
One must read the bio, This Crazy Thing Called Love, to get even a glimpse into the ugliness that was the Woodward marriage.
There are more than just faintly veiled references to the recent burglaries plaguing the North Shore set, and it was a major topic at the dinner conversation, along with a few well-placed hints regarding guns & such at the Woodward Playhouse.
The sad demise of the children speaks volumes as to the deep unhappiness that pervaded that household; those romantics amongst us can make much of the purported fact that the cobblestones in the Playhouse courtyard were supposedly the same ones Marie Antoinette paced on her way to the guillotine.
Madness.
The Two Mrs. Grenvilles is a good account of the story about the Woodwards.
AC Bostwick estate up for auction Nov. 18th.
Robert INNATESTYLE.com
Many years ago I stumbled on the Life Magazine article in the November 14, 1955 issue. I had read 'The Two Mrs. Grenvilles' and upon reading this article I felt Dominick Dunne must have been powerfully influenced by this article and the photos. It is very worthwhile reading and easily accessed. Enjoy.
Magnus -
Thanks for your comments. Always interesting and provide some local insight and color. Have not heard much about Baker, Jr. before, usually his wife that seemed to be written about. Maybe they were a good match.
magnus --
I have no idea how many Baker descendants there are, but the ones I know are uniformly good people. They seem to have held on to their money in the way many other old families conspicuously failed to do, and they are all charitable to a fault. The only downside is that several of them are mad as hatters. (Schizophrenia, perhaps, manic-depression certainly, in several generations. But as I said, good people, which is rare enough.)
The Bakers have had a lot of tragedy in their family.
The Baker family is one of true phenomenon. Whilst many Gold Coast family's struggle to maintain the legacy of the title they once maintained- perhaps even auction off their titles on ebay; one who truly understands the legacy of the Baker Name has sat in front of Viking's cove, has only begun to discover the clues that have led to the respect and generosity that to this day surround such a grand lineage. Recalling those that hid behind what is left of today's "Old Money"from an America Past: Woodward, Woolworth..one must ask himself- Is it Pride, or Publicity that stand before a fall? Tragedy and loss has plagued a great majority of family fortunes. Alas, those Bakers still stand strong. Research more rigorously and perhaps you still wont find the truth that stands behind the misled words of a mystery unsolved.
A magnificent estate setting with spectacular gardens and terraces and a superb architectural masterpeice as the central jewel. Add in the two unique gatehouses and entrance gates and this is definitely a gem. Hopefully it always remains intact and appreciated.
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