Own a piece of the Red House

For as little as $200, anyone can own a piece of the Red House, thanks to the National Trust.

On Saturday at 4pm, there will be a fundraiser at 2 Scott Street, St Clair, Port of Spain, where almost 200 pieces of the ornate plaster-of-paris ceiling décor of the legislative chambers will be available to the public, in return for a donation.

Newsday spoke with chairman of the National Trust Margaret McDowall about the trust's acquisitions of the ornamental pieces of the ceilings. She said when the Red House was being rebuilt, after the fire set during the Water Riots in 1903, there were two chambers – at the north and south ends – which were later used by the House of Representatives and the Senate.

"They had the whole ceiling with plaster of paris...the ceiling of the House chamber was also decorated, but the Senate chamber (ceiling) was much more ornate. That's been there since 1904."

The ceiling of the northern chamber, used by the House, was previously painted ochre, with the gesso details picked out in white. The former Senate chamber in the south had a wedgwood blue ceiling with white details. The southern chamber was once used for the law courts.

The entire Red House, the oldest parts of which date back to 1844, is being refurbished for Parliament to move back in from an office building at the Waterfront.

"When it was being rebuilt, there were a few issues," McDowall explained.

In the case of the House of Representatives, there were bullet holes from the 1990 coup attempt, which were fixed. The other chamber needed a lot of work on the roof, where leaks had soaked the plaster ceiling, which had collapsed. The Senate chamber had not been used for many years.

"Both chambers are being restored so both chambers can be used," MacDowall explained. "That is how it's supposed to be. The roof above the Senate, there is a lot of work to be done. The plaster of paris, it started to fall. It was so old it could not be repaired, so they started to take it down."

Italian craftsmen designed the ceilings in 1904. They featured designs such as flowers, wreaths, shells, mythical objects and a Lady Justice. However, Lady Justice will not be available: McDowall said the figure is reasonably intact and the Parliament will keep that piece for its museum.

"That's too priceless to sell."

Parliament kept some of the pristine pieces that were not damaged. But because the plaster of paris ornaments were brittle, a lot were broken. When the National Trust got word, it jumped at the opportunity to acquire those pieces of history.

"They decided to get rid of it. We heard about it and begged for the pieces. We felt it was part of history. We wanted to have a piece of what the chamber looked like."

The National Trust did not buy the pieces of ceiling – they were donated, and hence it will be offering an ornament in exchange for a donation to the trust.

"We can't sell it for a lot of money. That's why we asked people to donate to the National Trust."

The smaller pieces can be acquired for between $200-$450. People can also buy larger pieces, but the donation will be at the discretion of the National Trust.

As for the renovated ceilings, Colombian artisans are remodelling the plaster of paris designs.

"Colombians are very versed in plaster of paris. They have a lot of heritage to preserve. They have a lot of skill. They have done the new ceiling, and it's a little more modern. Nothing as mythical with shells, but they put up an absolutely spectacular piece."

This is the second time pieces of the Red House is being offered to the public. The trust first offered the ceiling fragments last month.

"We had an offering earlier just to get a feel of what the people were interested in. The people who came decided to mount it or frame it or do a shadow box, do something in the garden with it, all kinds of ideas," McDowall said.

–With reporting by RACHAEL ESPINET and JUDY RAYMOND