HARTFORD HOUSE Suites - Moor Suite

A journey through the suites at Hartford House recently included among the Top Boutique hotels in South Africa.

This week’s choice of suite is the Moor Suite (Suite 1).

Moor SuiteNamed for the Moor family, who occupied Hartford from 1875 to 1937, and in particular the two brothers, John and Frederick. John Moor was the member of parliament for Weenen County in the old Natal Colonial government, as well as a Senator in the first South African government, and was responsible for most of the development at Hartford. His brother, Sir Frederick, was the last prime minister of the Colony of Natal prior to Union. He was the only man to emerge from the Union talks in 1908 with a knighthood, for his efforts in bringing about what we know today as the Republic of South Africa.

In its time, Moor has accommodated two Prime Ministers, the last of the colony of Natal, and the first of the Union of South Africa, General Louis Botha.

Of interest in this suite is the old marble bath, which was reputedly imported into South Africa from Malaysia towards the latter end of the 18^th century, then found its way into the Durban Club, and eventually into this bathroom, together with the old church window installed alongside.

One of South Africa’s greatest artists, the late Errol Boyley, is remembered throughout the manor house in numerous fine examples, several of which were included in the compendium of his best works. Errol was a great friend of Summerhill and Hartford, and, somewhat unusually for this committed landscapist, he also portrayed Cheryl Goss in two oils which appear in the suite as well.
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