| Historical notes: | CINTRA HOUSE, GARDEN and STABLES
The early history of Cintra is connected to the Levy and Cohen families, part of an important Jewish merchant family locally and internationally.
Cintra was designed and constructed as a private residence for Benn W. Levy in 1878 by Maitland architect J.W. Pender. Benn Levy became the head of the Cohen business in London in 1886, moving there in 1887. This saw ownership of Cintra transferred to his cousin Neville Cohen. In 1887 Pender designed extensions to Cintra for Neville Cohen and his family. Originally the house had 23 rooms, and the extensions added a second wing on the northern side, making it 31 rooms including the attic and cellar.
Early in the 20th century, business and family dispersion rendered Cintra impracticable to the Cohen family and was sold to the Long family in 1917. Cintra was left in the charge of five sisters and was run as a private hospital from World War One until the late 1930s when it again became a private residence. The sisters, "though genteel, when left to their own devices, pursued life-long careers in art, music, nursing, physiotherapy and advertising." Cintra as a private hospital was operated under the auspices of Nurse Eileen Long until its closure in the late 1930s or early 1940s due to lack of resources. The hospital is known to still be operating in 1938.
Strong rumours surfaced during the period that the hospital closed that the property would be taken over by the Department of Defence. However, this did not take place. Instead, residential flats were established in the northern wing. The present owner took possession in 1965 and the flats were left vacant until as they became unoccupied and were later restored as part of the private residence. (Long, 2012 & Council Rate books)
The present owners have undertaken maintenance and restoration works to the interior and exterior, including painting, garden works and fencing. Although there is an extensive movable heritage collection, inclusive of personal possessions from the last century onwards which contribute to Cintra's appearance, these are not original to the property. The garden, complete with its original planting schemes and garden features contributes significantly to the house and as evidence of the period to which it belongs. (Shellshear, 1990)
THE DAVID COHEN COMPANY IN AUSTRALIA
The growing Jewish community in Maitland in the late nineteenth century contributed to the urban and economic development of Maitland. More importantly, the families of the David Cohen Company played a central role in the development of commercial ventures in the region and expanded the trade of the colony. The David Cohen company's store and warehouse was notable, as its "size and opulence visually marked the prosperity of its proprietors and of the town, and when connected to other buildings constructed for the company and its family of owners in Maitland, Newcastle and Sydney, the success of David Cohen & Company is clearly widespread, deep, awe inspiring and formidable".
Benn Levy and Neville Cohen were the descendents of the founders of David Cohen & Co. Ltd. Benn Levy was the nephew of David Lewis Levy who founded the renowned Lewis' department store in Liverpool, UK, while Neville Cohen was the cousin of George Judah Cohen, the chairman of the CBC Bank in the early 20th century and who was praised as the 'doyen' of Australian banking.
Brothers David, Lewis and Samuel Cohen arrived in Australia between 1831 and 1840. In 1835 Lewis and Samuel bought land in High Street, Maitland which later became the site of their warehouse. In 1836 Samuel opened a shop selling a wide variety of goods and known as Lambeth House. This was the beginning of the Cohen family company in Australia. In 1837 Lewis and Samuel established a business partnership. However, this only lasted until 1839. Samuel continued to trade in Maitland while Lewis set up business in Campbelltown and Sydney. In 1840 their first cousin, Lewis Wolfe Levy migrated to Australia. He lived briefly in Maitland before opening a successful store in Tamworth. Lewis returned to Maitland in 1854. The brother's business interests were consolidated between 1843 and 1845. Samuel Levy filed for insolvency in 1843 and his brother David took over the debts. In 1845 Lewis Levy joined the firm. David Cohen's name (the youngest brother) was given to the firm due to the quality of his reputation and the company became the largest firm in the Maitland district. (Fredman, 1985))
The company constructed a warehouse on their land in High Street in 1865 that was designed by John Horbury Hunt. From 1880 onwards they commissioned and leased a number of other warehouses including constructing the six-storey warehouse at their Newcastle East site in 1890.
David Cohen and Co. sold whatever goods were popular and could be imported in reasonable condition at the time. These included tools, clocks, sewing machines and electro-plated ware imported from America. From around 1900 they concentrated on English branded grocery lines and teas in their advertising.(Fredman, 1985)
Lewis Levy led a vigorous expansion of David Cohen and Co. The company prospered, the firm grew and the partners of the company became more prominent in society. In 1912 David Cohen and Co became a public company and George Cohen, Chairman of the CBC Bank and the United Insurance Company, became its first Chairman. A resolution ensured that the company remained firmly in the control of the family. (Fredman, 1985)
David Cohen & Co. Ltd continued the business of wholesale grocery and market of products from outside Australia until its decline when local manufacturing and delivery in Australia took over. The company never recovered from the Depression. The company name is preserved on the Frederick Menkens designed Bolton Street warehouse, Newcastle.
THE COHEN AND LEVY FAMILIES
Samuel Cohen and Lewis Levy both became members of parliament for country seats. Members of both families also served charities, local community organisations and hospitals during their lifetime. Dr R.J. Pierce of Maitland Hospital Committee commented that few firms in the colony were as generous to charitable causes as David Cohen & Co. In 1888 Lewis Levy's family gave to Sydney the marble fountain topped by a bronze figure near the Woolloomooloo gates of the Botanical Gardens. Neville and Samuel Cohen were president of Maitland and Newcastle hospitals respectively during their rebuilding. George, Samuel and Neville all held office in the Great Synagogue of Sydney and the family exercised influential leadership in the small Jewish communities of Maitland and Newcastle. The family, particularly Samuel (the elder) and George Cohen, were integral to the establishment of the Jewish Synagogue in Maitland, c. 1879, the first outside of Sydney. Samuel Cohen established the German Jewish Relief Fund which became the Australian Jewish Welfare Society and raised funds, with Commonwealth government support from 1938, to select and provide for deserving refugees to migrate to Australia. (Fredman, 1985)
COMPARATIVE INFORMATION
A review of Hunter Region heritage listings identifies a small number of large Victorian Italianate boom style villas constructed in the 1870-90s, which originally enjoyed substantial gardens and outbuildings. Most have since been subdivided or adapted for residential flats and significantly altered internally. Regional Victorian villas of similar age to Cintra, but smaller in scale, in more restricted settings and internally altered include Grossman House, Bishops Residence, Benholm, Moncrieff and 86-88 Victoria Street in Maitland, and Atherstone in Muswellbrook. Cintra is the principal intact example of the highly creative work of the architectural firm of J.W. Pender in this period; Anambah House at Rutherford and Belltrees at Scone being later.
Cintra, however, retains its entire original garden setting, mature plantings and stables outbuilding. Its outstanding architectural integrity and its remarkable intactness sets it apart in terms of its aesthetic significance. Its historic association with the Cohen and Levy families, and the continual stewardship of the Long family has effectively conserved and maintained the authenticity and integrity of this remarkable property.
JW Pender's architectural practice operated for 125 years, with his son Walter, and grandson Ian continuing his work. Pender's work includes aforementioned Benhome, Leeholme and numerous civic and business buildings around the Hunter Valley and further afield. The firm's original drawings, specifications and other records are now conserved in the University of Newcastle library, including the documents for their grand Villa design, Cintra.
In the early 1990s Cintra received two loans allowing the owners to conserve its original intact verandah over a two year period of works. Tallowwood (Eucalyptus microcorys) was used as a substitute for the original beech wood, which had become unsafe due to water damage (Pennay, 1996). |
