Wakehurst
Renowned anglophile James J. Van Alen, who graduated from Oxford University and was a leader in New York society, commissioned British architect Charles Eamer Kempe to design Wakehurst as a replica of an Elizabethan manor house in Sussex, England. Local architect Dudley Newton managed the construction and design of Wakehurst with Kempe's plans and off-site guidance. The mansion was completed in 1887.
The property features formal gardens and grounds, created by landscape designer Ernest Bowditch, that reflect the style of an English country estate. Margaret "Daisy" Van Alen Bruguiere, wife of James Laurens Van Alen, owned the home until Salve Regina University acquired the property in 1972.
Sources: "Newport through its architecture" by James L. Yarnall, and Campus buildings of Salve Regina University
Resources
- James H. and Candace Van Alen papers, 1746-2002 and undated (bulk 1949-1991).The James H. and Candace Van Alen papers are housed at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. This collection consists of personal records, correspondence, published and unpublished writings, clippings, photographs, scrapbooks, audiovisual materials, artifacts, and textiles which document the lives, interests, and residences of James H. Van Alen and Candace Van Alen both separately and as a couple. Also included are materials related to ancestors of the Van Alens, including the Alig, Astor, Baird, Van Alen, and Vanderbilt families.
Newport Villas by Call Number: NA7238.N67 K38 2009ISBN: 9780393732702Publication Date: 2009In Newport, America's plutocracy commissioned the country's most accomplished architects to boldly display their affluence and sophistication by building summer "cottages" of fabulous magnitude." In this volume, abundant archival and new photographs and accompanying floor plans show off 35 featured houses, and a selected catalog illustrates 39 additional residences covering the gamut of revival styles from Italian Renaissance and Colonial Revival to French Neoclassic and English Manor. Additionally, find biographical information on the residents of many Newport homes, including James J. Van Alen, who commissioned Wakehurst, and the Goelets of Ochre Court, and Mrs. Emile Bruguiere and her son, Louis Bruguiere, of Castlewood.
Newportraits by Call Number: 9780393732702ISBN: 9781584650188Publication Date: 2000The Newport Art Museum assembled an exhibition of 223 portraits of Newporters painted over a period of three centuries, including Margaret "Daisy" Van Alen Bruguiere, of Wakehurst, and Ogden Goelet, of Ochre Court. It presented not just a gallery of the Newport elite and some of its haute bourgeoisie, but also a showcase of the most famous portraitists and portrait styles throughout United States history.- Newport pleasures and palaces byCall Number: F89.N5 S56Publication Date: 1963This book provides accounts of the lifestyles on gilded estates, along with photos, and features matrons of Newport, including Margaret "Daisy" Bruguiere of the Wakehurst estate, and Edith Wetmore of Chateau sur Mer.
Tie Breaker: Jimmy Van Alen and tennis in the 20th Century by Call Number: GV994.V3 D85 2010ISBN: 9781905377404Publication Date: 2010With a focus on the history of tennis in the 20th century, this book starts with the sport's amateur beginnings on grass court and tracks its evolution to the current state of the sport. James "Jimmy" Van Alen, an "innovative and energetic" personality hailing from the wealth and privilege of Newport, is the focus of the story for his commitment to transform the sport of tennis to one that is more accessible and interesting to the public.- Ogden Codman and the Decoration of Houses byCall Number: NA737.C6 O34 1988ISBN: 9780879237776Publication Date: 1988Ogden Codman, Jr., renowned interior designer and architect, is known for his countless commissions and work with Edith Wharton. He designed the second and third floors of The Breakers, and also created the plans for the garden trellis for J.J. Van Alen's home, Wakehurst.
Pioneers of American Landscape Design by Call Number: SB469.9 .P56 2000ISBN: 9780071344203Publication Date: 2000Landscape architect Ernest W. Bowditch designed the grounds of Wakehurst and Vinland estates.
Margaret "Daisy" Van Alen Bruguiere
Margaret "Daisy" Bruguiere resided at Wakehurst for many decades, and she considered the estate to be "the last in Newport to be run properly," (Kathrens, 2009). Her second marriage to Louis S. Bruguiere took place in January, 1948, and she passed away at the age of 92 in January, 1969.
Kathrens, M. (2009). Newport villas : The revival styles, 1885-1935 (1st ed.). New York: W.W. Norton.
James "Jimmy" Van Alen
James H. "Jimmy" Van Alen, son of Margaret Bruguiere, was married to Candace Van Alen. He lobbied for the foundation of the National Lawn Tennis Hall of Fame in 1954 in Newport. He is also known for developing the tiebreaker/VASSS scoring system for the game of tennis, as detailed in the book Tie Breaker: Jimmy Val Alen and tennis in the 20th Century.
Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame
Martin and Rita Munroe
Martin J. and Rita Monroe
Martin J. Munroe was a member of the university's Board of Trustees from 1982 until his death in 1989. He and his wife Rita, along with family, were instrumental in the establishment of the new campus technology center, housed in the former carriage house and stables of Wakehurst estate. The Munroe Center, acquired in 1972, was named in 1987 for Martin and Rita Munroe.
The life of Louis S. Bruguiere
James J. Van Alen
Wedding at Wakehurst
The New York Times, Mar. 22, 1931