Royal Experiences for the Deere Family: Part II
- By Gretchen Frick Small
- •
- 27 Jul, 2023
- •
1959
In part one, we looked at the experiences that Katherine Deere Butterworth and Charles and Pattie Wiman had with the British Royal family in the 1920s, 30s, and Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. Pattie Wiman (Mrs. Charles Deere Wiman) also had the honor of receiving invitations to two special events here in the United State held for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip.
On July 6, 1959, Mrs. Wiman was invited to a luncheon at the Ambassador West Hotel.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip had recently toured every province in Canada. The main reason for their trip was for the opening ceremony of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
On July 6, 1959, Mrs. Wiman was invited to a luncheon at the Ambassador West Hotel.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip had recently toured every province in Canada. The main reason for their trip was for the opening ceremony of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Side Note:
On June 26, 1959, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower and her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Seaway. After addressing the crowd, Queen Elizabeth and President Eisenhower boarded the Royal Yacht Britannia to make a ceremonial trip through the St. Lambert and Cote Ste. Catherine Locks.
On June 26, 1959, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower and her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Seaway. After addressing the crowd, Queen Elizabeth and President Eisenhower boarded the Royal Yacht Britannia to make a ceremonial trip through the St. Lambert and Cote Ste. Catherine Locks.
The St. Lawrence Seaway was a joint commission between the United States and Canada and created an important navigational channel permitting ocean going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The Seaway is made up of a system of canals, locks and dredged waterways extending nearly 2,500 miles.
The royal couple’s trip to Chicago was a busy two days. Besides the July 6th luncheon, they participated in a parade and a formal dinner.
The location of the luncheon was the Ambassador West Hotel and hosted by the Governor of the State of Illinois and Mrs. William G. Stratton.
1969
The next occasion Mrs. Wiman was invited to was a formal dinner in honor of Prince Phillip Duke of Edinburgh. The dinner was held on March 16th at the Conrad Hilton Hotel. The host was the Chicago Committee of Variety Clubs International.
The next occasion Mrs. Wiman was invited to was a formal dinner in honor of Prince Phillip Duke of Edinburgh. The dinner was held on March 16th at the Conrad Hilton Hotel. The host was the Chicago Committee of Variety Clubs International.
Side Note:
Variety Clubs was founded in October of 1927, in Pittsburgh, PA, as a social club. Eleven young men, all connected to show business, created Variety Clubs. The name came from there being many different facets of the entertainment industry.
In 1928, the group found a baby left on the steps of a theatre, with a note attached from the mother. “Please take care of my baby. Her name is Catherine. I can no longer take care of her. I have 8 others. My husband is out of work on Thanksgiving Day. I have always heard of the goodness of show businesspeople and pray to god that you will look after her. Signed, A heartbroken mother”
The club decided to underwrite Catherine’s support and education. Publicity about Catherine and their work led to the Variety Children’s Charity being formed to help disadvantaged children, sick or living with a disability, around the world.
Variety Clubs was founded in October of 1927, in Pittsburgh, PA, as a social club. Eleven young men, all connected to show business, created Variety Clubs. The name came from there being many different facets of the entertainment industry.
In 1928, the group found a baby left on the steps of a theatre, with a note attached from the mother. “Please take care of my baby. Her name is Catherine. I can no longer take care of her. I have 8 others. My husband is out of work on Thanksgiving Day. I have always heard of the goodness of show businesspeople and pray to god that you will look after her. Signed, A heartbroken mother”
The club decided to underwrite Catherine’s support and education. Publicity about Catherine and their work led to the Variety Children’s Charity being formed to help disadvantaged children, sick or living with a disability, around the world.
The dinner's menu was included with the invitation, depicting an elegant event in honor of Prince Phillip. Looking over the menu I wondered about a recipe for Salad Sarah Giddons. I could not find anything. But I was able to determine that Mignardises
were bite-sized desserts served at the end of the meal. Which is the same thing as Petit Fours.
I was able to find a recipe for Beau Nash Delight on
Beau Nash Delight
Ingredients:
Semisweet chocolate 6 ounce
Egg yolks 1 Cup
Sugar ½ Cup
Salt 1 Pinch
Hazelnuts ½ Cup
Kirsch 1 Tablespoon
Vanilla extract 1 Teaspoon
Heavy cream 1 Tablespoon, whipped
Directions:
Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler.
Cool slightly and use it to line 6-10 paper baking cups, swirling the chocolate with a teaspoon to coat them evenly.
Chill the cups until the chocolate is hard, then peel off the paper.
Beat egg yolks, sugar, and salt in top of a double boiler over hot water.
Stir mixture constantly with wire whip until it is warm and very light.
Cool over crushed ice, beating constantly.
Fold in the whipped cream, nuts, kirsch, and extract.
Spoon mixture into the chocolate baskets.
Place in freezer for several hours or until firm.
Sounds delicious. I was a bit surprised when I read the calories were 2,504, but then realized that they are calling the serving size the complete recipe. Although I would be tempted to eat all of the cups.
Ingredients:
Semisweet chocolate 6 ounce
Egg yolks 1 Cup
Sugar ½ Cup
Salt 1 Pinch
Hazelnuts ½ Cup
Kirsch 1 Tablespoon
Vanilla extract 1 Teaspoon
Heavy cream 1 Tablespoon, whipped
Directions:
Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler.
Cool slightly and use it to line 6-10 paper baking cups, swirling the chocolate with a teaspoon to coat them evenly.
Chill the cups until the chocolate is hard, then peel off the paper.
Beat egg yolks, sugar, and salt in top of a double boiler over hot water.
Stir mixture constantly with wire whip until it is warm and very light.
Cool over crushed ice, beating constantly.
Fold in the whipped cream, nuts, kirsch, and extract.
Spoon mixture into the chocolate baskets.
Place in freezer for several hours or until firm.
Sounds delicious. I was a bit surprised when I read the calories were 2,504, but then realized that they are calling the serving size the complete recipe. Although I would be tempted to eat all of the cups.
Americans’ fascination with the British royal family is not a recent phenomenon. With the death of Queen Elizabeth in 2022, we have been flooded with royal news. One historian places this interest back to 1776.
If you have not watched any of our YouTube videos at our channel Deere Family Homes, we encourage you to check out the April 2022 video. The video features the story of one painting hanging in the Deere-Wiman House. The painting’s artist is Alexander Harmer.
We are lucky to have four paintings in our collection that were created by Harmer. It made sense for us to learn more about Harmer and see if we could determine why we have so many paintings from one artist. I love all four pieces and wanted to know more about the artist and determine if there was a connection to the family. Three of the paintings hang in the Deere-Wiman House and one at Butterworth Center. So, it was not just one family member that took an interest in his work.
Did any of the family know Alexander Harmer? We wish we knew. It is possible since Harmer’s life in Santa Barbara does overlap with the Butterworth and Wiman families. Or maybe the family did not know Harmer but was drawn to his art and purchased pieces through art dealers.
Alexander Francis Harmer was born in 1856, in Newark, New Jersey. One source I read said that he sold his first work at the age of 11 for $2. Then at the age of 16, he lied about his age and joined the United States Army. He was stationed in California, which I think is the time period his artistic interests changed. He turned towards painting and illustrating the Apache Nation. The year would have been 1872, and the US Army would have had a large presence in the West with the enforcement of federal Indian policy (which consisted of allotment of land and assimilation.)
After just one year, Harmer asked for a discharge and left the military. He worked as a photographer’s assistant until he was able to enroll in art school. He studied art under Thomas Eakins and Thomas Anshutz at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. In 1881, he re-enlisted in the Army and headed to his assignment at Fort Apache, Arizona. Harmer probably saw the Army as a cheap way of traveling West to continue his interest in the American West and the Apache Indians. During this enlistment, he was able to serve in an Army division assigned to pursue Geronimo. His studies of Indian life created an invaluable record. Harmer then returned to the academy in Pennsylvania where he turned his sketches of the Apache Nation into illustrations for Harper’s Weekly.
Alexander Harmer died on January 10, 1925, supposedly while admiring the sunset from his backyard. This was just six months before the Santa Barbara earthquake, which left the Harmers' adobes in ruins.
Butterworth Garage, circa 1909, now known as the Butterworth Education Center. Let’s go inside the building beginning with the addition constructed in 2009
Click here to view a new video on our YouTube Channel featuring the Swimming Pool built in 1917 on the Deere-Wiman House grounds. https://youtu.be/NgV6XUEkrLs
A trip to a hot spring was very popular during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The healing waters were a popular destination for families, the wealthy, and the famous.
Ruth Moll's life at Hillcrest, both with Katherine and William Butterworth and as the first Director of Butterworth Center.
John Deere brought a family here named Capus. He built a house for them near his home. They joined the First Methodist Church.
