Dining Room
A party place
This is the dining room, where many a party was held during the Harris’ era. What a stunning space to entertain in, and the Harris’ were known for their hospitality, making sure they remained at the centre of Brisbane society. The well-appointed dining room and drawing rooms were where they hosted their guests and could show off their status, wealth, and worldly travels. By today’s standards, they would have spent about $1m a year on entertaining.
George Harris was known to also hold parties in his wharf-side warehouse. A contemporary of the Harrises, Nehemiah Bartley, described these soirees:
“George Harris was a gentleman of great vital business energy and hospitality. The writer has known him in 1855 and 1857 to clear out and pile up the merchandise in his capacious store at the Short-Street wharf, cover it up with red and blue blankets and white calico in a decorative style, and give a grand dance and supper on the premises to the leading people of Brisbane, the proceedings lasting till 4 a.m., when he, having shaken hands with the last guest, would set to work, replace the merchandise, and be a full swing of business again at 9 a.m., without one minute of sleep, and without having lost a moment of the working business hours in the twenty-four.”
What was in this room?
Scroll through the 1890 auction catalogue below to find out what was in this room.
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3 Adjacent Rooms
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