OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Personal Histories RICHARDSON HOUSE - Mervyn as Millionaire

Hi ODK History Lovers,

The more I read about "Mr Victa" - Mervyn Victor Richardson - the more I am amazed.
His rise to fame and fortune was astounding. But he had taste as well!
Coming from Queensland as I do, Millionaires and taste are not synonymous.
One only has to look at all those Gold Coast canal costalottas to see that: UGLY.

Mervyn was an enigma -
Take this extract from The Australian Dictionary of Biography -

Richardson enjoyed the fame and trappings of life as a 'self-made' millionaire.
He indulged in sports cars and ballroom dancing, yet still took a cut lunch in a paper bag
to work each day. His life was the subject of a number of articles in popular magazines.
At Pittwater he delighted in showing off the amphibious-aircraft hangar and boatshed
of his ultra-modern house, Kumale, designed by the architect Peter Muller.

Peter Muller is one of our great architects. He was heavily influenced by the
American master Frank Lloyd Wright. I had always been a big fan of Wright's work.
[Just Google 'Fallingwater' to get the idea].



So what was Richardson's new 1957 house like?
Have a video look at the house here:-

[VIDEO REMOVED - NLA]

RESOURCES:-
You may also like to orient yourself at Google Maps:
http://goo.gl/maps/xAxk

The beautiful B&W photos (below) are credited to Australia's
most famous photographer Max Dupain.

References:
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/richardson-mervyn-victor-11517
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Muller_(architect)

All very interesting.
-------------------------------------
JACK

An excellent Photo Record of Kumale is available HERE.

MERV JOY RIDING?



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