Sunday 11 May 2014

The Kaiser Cup - and the Edwardian age of opulence




The reign of King Edward VII was a gilded time for the rich in Britain; the great shooting parties were in full swing, London was en fete, the country houses were run by armies of servants and England was more confident than ever. For some it must have been one long house party.

                        My Great Grandmother, Mabel Dempster, at Methven in 1908

      Methven Castle with some Dempster ladies in the foreground - September 1908

The rich at the time were intent on having the latest luxuries and the one-upmanship must have been exhausting to say the least. My own Great-Great Grandfather, having inherited a large family company and having made a mighty fortune himself, set about living in a princely way. His houses changed with his fortune; first it was Grosvenor Mount, in Broughton in Salford, then Park Lea (also in Broughton) and, as a country house, Drimsynie House at Lochgoilhead, then  Methven Castle in Perthshire and, finally, the monster of a house, Keele Hall, Staffordshire. The latter's lease was taken after Grand Duke Michael of Russia vacated. Keele's indoor staff numbered over twenty-five, with the same number in the garden. Even the upper servants were waited on by the lower ones.

The Dempster family at Methven. John Dempster is second from the right seated next to his son, Charles. Edith Dempster (later Edith Pretty of Sutton Hoo) is standing next to him - 1908

                              Methven Castle - 1908

             John Dempster (standing on the right) shooting at Monzie Moor - 1910
 -
I had heard of the yacht the family had once owned, The Vol-au- Vent, from my Uncle and, on having inherited some photographs of it, decided to find out a little more. John Dempster's floating home was on board this 104 ton vessel and its mahogany and teak saloon and numerous apartments must have been a real pleasure. At Drimsynie he built a golf course below the castle-like mansion and below that he used to moor 'Vol-au-Vent'…what the locals thought of this extremely exuberant lifestyle is anyone's guess. It must have been enormous fun.

                           Drimsynie House - c.1902


A letter from my Grandmother, Diana, to my Grandfather talking about her Grandfather's house and yacht - c. 1938

Tea in the garden at Drimsynie. Mrs John Dempster is pouring the tea seated second from the right. My Great Grandmother, her daughter, is third from the left

My Great Grandmother, Mabel, on her horse and her Mother, Mrs Demspter, standing with the family dog, Drim. Drimsynie House, c. 1903


                           Drimsynie 

Having a yacht at this time was the last word in luxury. Many had grand houses, shoots, smart cars, but a yacht was an enormous expense. The Vol au Vent had a crew of more than 15, which included the Captain, Skipper, Butler, Cook and others. Each of the crew had a jersey with 'Yacht Vol-au-Vent' printed in a semi-circle. Sam Carey, who had been the Dempster's Butler at Park Lea and Methven Castle, was cook and steward and his Father was Captain. Later on Sam was butler for the Dempsters at Keele Hall. The yacht was built by Michael Edward Ratsey in Cowes in 1875. It was 81.8 feet long, 17.4 feet wide and had a depth of 10.9 feet. Its sail height was 82 feet.

                 'Vol-au-Vent' in the locks at Fort Augustus - 1904

'Vol-au-Vent' (left) with 'Pegotty' at Gairlochy - 1904


The Vol au Vent was clearly quite celebrated during her day. My Great Great Grandfather won numerous competitions and was often seen racing at Cowes, where he once entertained King Edward VII on the boat. His daughter, my Great Grandmother, and son, Charles Dempster, would often race with him and also his niece, Edith (later Mrs Pretty), was a keen yachtswoman. Edith was on board 'Vol-au-Vent' for the 1904 King's Cup Race from Dover to Heligoland. This time 'Vol-au-Vent' came Eighth. Edith managed to keep calm and enjoyed the forty-hour race, while other young society ladies succumbed to sea sickness and 'turned green'. She attended the Kaiser's reception with her Aunt and Uncle. Edith was widely travelled and she would later find international fame as the finder of the Sutton Hoo treasure, which she gave to the Nation in the single largest gift ever in the lifetime of a donor.

Edith Dempster (left) at Buckingham Palace - c. 1908

The Vol au Vent joined the league of Edwardian super yachts when she competed in the Dover to Heligoland yacht race, the brainchild of King Edward's cousin, Kaiser Wilhelm . This race was open to any cruising yacht of over 70 tons that was a member of any of the royal or recognized British yacht clubs built in Britain and owned by British a subject. John Demptster and 'Vol-au-Vent' were members of the Royal Manchester Yacht Club 

According to the New York Tribune on June 10th 1902 'Only eight yachts were entered on May 31 for the handicap match for the Heligoland Cup, presented and designed by the German Emperor, according to the current issue of 'The Field'. The race is to be sailed on June 21, the start being made from Dover. The yachts entered so far are: the Cicely, schooner (200 tons), Cecil Quentin, owner: the Vol-au-Vent, yawl (104 tons), J. Dempster; the Leander, yawl (93 tons), Rupert Guinness; the Isola, yawl (91 tons), Spencer and Combes, the Dimsdale, ketch (91 tons), The Earl of Arran; the Clutha, yawl (91 tons), Lorne C. Currie; the Fiona, cutter (80 tons), Henry M. Rait; the Columbine yawl (81 tons), A.F. Fynn.
The Cicely was designed to defeat, if possible, the American built schooner meteor III, which, it is understood, will not be entered for this race.'

'Magnificent water prevailed, and a capital start was made' (The Assizes) and the huge boats were off. Cicely arrived first but was 'Beaten by time allowance' (Spokane Daily Chronicle, Tuesday 24th June, 1902).


'Vol-au-Vent' on the Caledonian Canal at Inverness - 1904

From another paper;
'Island of Heligoland, June 24th - The Leander, owned by Rupert Guiness (sic), arrived here at 8.50 pm yesterday, so that both the yawls, the Vol-au-Vent, owned by John Dempster, and the Leander, which started from Dover, England, at noon, June 21, in the race to this island, for the German Emperor's cup, beat the new English schooner yacht, Cicely, owned by Cecil Quentin, designed to challenge Emperor William's Amercian built yacht, Meteor. The cicely was the first yacht in the race to reach Heligoland, but she was beaten on time allowance. She allowed the Vol-au-Vent five and one half hours and the Leander three and one half hours. Mr Dempster's Vol au Vent was second, arriving at nine minutes past seven o'clock. '

It was reported in The Times on 25th June 1903 that ''Vol-au'-Vent' had won the race.' On the 29th June The Times reported;'The Emperor yesterday handed to Mr. Demspter, owner of Vol-au-Vent, the winner of the Dover to Heligoland yacht race, the Heligoland Cup, on board the Imperial yacht Hohenzollern.'




'Vol-au-Vent's' Motor launch


The 'VoL-au-Vent' became a celebrated Edwardian yacht when she won the Heligoland Yacht Race and Mr and Mrs Dempster went over to Germany on at the invitation of the Kaiser to dine and accept the three and a half foot high silver cup, The Kaiser Cup. This must have been an amazingly exciting time for the Mr Dempster. He later also won 'The Warwick Cup' and numerous other races and he competed at Cowes for the Queen's Cup with 'Vol-au-Vent' on several occasions.
The Kaiser Cup had, on one side, an image of Kaiser Wilhelm and, on the other, King Edward. Our cousin inherited the cup from her grandfather, Charles Dempster, and always made sure that, as had been done since the War, the English King faced out and the Kaiser faced the wall…woe betide the daily who got that wrong!

The Kaiser Cup, before it was stolen



'Vol-au-Vent' competed in the 1900 King's cup and then again in 1904. She did not repeat her win of 1903.

John Dempster obviously treasured these trophies hugely. In his will the two cups were the sole items named from what must have been a palace full of things. The wheel of the yacht also went to Charles and the cleat to my Great Grandmother at Little Onn Hall. The wheel came to a tragic end, along with my Great Great Uncle , Charles Dempster. The wheel hung in the hall of his Cheshire home, Colshaw Hall. On the 26th of May 1962 a fire was raging at Colshaw. The Butler, who had been asleep, was the first to notice. He raced to find his master. On reaching Mr Dempster's Business Room he found the floor destroyed and his master amongst the burning wreckage. A great part of the house was burnt to the ground, Mr Demspster was killed and the wheel of yacht 'Vol-au'Vent' was destroyed. The cleat from the boat and a signed personal photograph from The Kaiser went when Little Onn was sold up. The Kaiser Cup is also now gone, as it was stolen from my cousins in Cheshire two years ago. Mercifully the invitation and press-cuttings from the Imperial dinner remain.


John Dempster with his Granddaughter, Barbara Heywood, at Methven in 1910


Mary Dempster



'Bloodhound' near Kyle Akin - 1903

                                    Yawl 'Nixie' in Oban Bay - 1903

William Dickins Heywood (my Great Grandfather), Joseph Holt, centre (son of Sir Edward Holt, Bart), brother-in-law of Charles Demptser, who is standing on the right. I am not sure the name of the seated gentleman. On board 'Vol-au-Vent' - 1903



My Great Grandfather (right) at the wheel of 'Vol-au-Vent'



The Skipper - 'Vol-au-Vent' - 1903

The Skipper helping the Game Keeper at Drimsynie House - c.1902

The Demptser family at Drimsynie - c. 1902. John Demptser is standing on the left. This was at around the time he won the Kaiser Cup. My Great Grandmother is seated in the centre with 'Toby', the dog, while 'Drim' is being held by her cousin.

On board 'Vol-au-Vent' - 1904. Charles Demptser, my Great-Great Uncle, is on the right


'Vol-au-Vent' - 1903 

'Vol-au-Vent' - 1903

Charles Dempster on board 'Vol-au-Vent' - 1903

A letter from John Dempster, written onboard 'Vol-au-Vent', to his daughter, Mabel, on the birth of her daughter, my Great Aunt Barbara, in 1910. The D for Dempster is entwined around the flags on the 'Vol-au-Vent' writing paper.




Despite the loss of the yacht and the cup what remains are the wonderful photographs, which give a glimpse in to the days when real adventure was the sport of princes and the Indian Summer of the Edwardian era was in full swing.








ps: If anyone who reads this ever sees the Kaiser Cup anywhere please do let us know. It would be heartily welcomed home!! Thank you







The photographs are information contained in this blog are copyright of Oliver Gerrish. Please do ask if you wish to use them, thank you.


New Georgian Opera

In aid of

The Grand Pavilion Matlock Bath
and
The Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust

Saturday 3rd May 2014



Saturday saw the launch of New Georgian Opera in the magnificent setting of The Grand Pavilion at Matlock Bath. The sun shone as spinto soprano Meeta Raval, tenor John Pierce, pianist and Musical Director of NGO Kelvin Lim and I rehearsed in the huge and slightly scruffy concert hall. It was a thrill to test the acoustic of the hall and we were soon quite at home, once the lights had been turned on…although they seemed to be the same as those used for the Rock concert act the night before, so we were all bathed in a particularly loud pink filter!


Elisbabeth Stoppard at The Grand Pavilion

Our marvellous New Georgian artistic team arrived, in the form of Elisabeth Stoppard and Mike Susko (in full Georgian regalia), the red carpet went down, torcheres were lit and the stage was set for the music making in aid of these two great charities.



The Grand Pavilion is one of Derbyshire's great public buildings. It was once an Edwardian palace to the arts, gilded and grand. After years of decline, finally finding a use as a nightclub, it is now back as a venue for music and the arts.

John Pierce, Kelvin Lim and Meeta Raval

John Pierce

Kelvin Lim

                      Meeta Raval

                       Oliver Gerrish

The Derbyshire Hisroric Buildings Trust was set up in 1974, so this was the Fortieth Birthday party for the Trust. We were delighted that Allan Morrison introduced the show and that Barry Joyce and many of the DHBT were in attendance.

                          Kelvin Lim, Meeta Raval and Oliver Gerrish

The gala showcased many of the great opera works of the last three hundred years and we were thrilled to be performing to a full house.

                         John Pierce, Kelvin Lim, Meeta Raval and Oliver Gerrish

Allan Morrison, Elisabeth Stoppard and Barry Joyce of the DHBT

The New Georgian Opera team spent a great deal of time spreading the word about the plight of the Grand Pavilion and the DHBT, so it is to be hoped that this has gone a little way further to ignite people's imagination for this magnifienct former pleasure palace and Derbyshire's foremost architectural charity.

Meeta Raval and Shire, AKA Diva Dog

New Georgian Opera will next be performing at Gunton Park, in aid of the Eighteenth Century working sawmill there on June 21st. We will also be performing in Luxembourg at a special occasion on May the 25th, for the Tete a Tete Festival in London on 6th and 7th August and for the Arkwright Society at Christmas time.

These projects would not be at all possible without the great help and support of of families and friends and, in particular, Zuleika Parkin, our devoted secretary…and not forgetting Shira, our canine mascot…!





For more information on the amazing Grand Pavilion go to:-
http://www.thegrandpavilion.co.uk

For information on the DHBT please go to:-
http://www.derbyshirehistoricbuildings.org.uk

And on us at NGO:-
www.newgeorgianopera.co.uk