Thursday, July 3, 1941
It was with great delight that my wife and I received the invitation from Kermode and his lovely wife to join them at their home in Cleveland Heights for the weekend. It had been years since we last visited them at their magnificent home in the Ambler Heights neighborhood.
Kermode's family are the men behind John Gill & Sons, with Kermode the current president, the builders who oversaw the construction of the Hanna building, the Allen Theatre in Playhouse Square, the Federal Reserve Bank and the Terminal Tower, among others. Kermode oversaw the contstruction of his own home three decades ago in 1911, with none other the Frank Meade, Cleveland's former dean of architects, designing the space.
We arrived at 2178 Harcourt Drive early in the morning, standing in the shadow of its stone tower and castle-like crenellated parapets. We were greeted by the first floor maid and promptly escorted to the morning room, where we were offered tea and biscuits, and met with members of the Gills' extended family. I'm certain my wife was smitten with the room, with its esoteric green marble floor detail, hand-sponged ceiling with summer sky motif and ornate stenciling. Through the adjoining screened-in porch, I could hear the flowery ruminations of Mrs. Gill and her Ohio Garden Society friends as they walked through the formal gardens. As my interest in the present company's conversation faded with my post-trip exhaustion, I hoped the hosts would soon welcome us.
(l, r) Mrs. Gill's impressive garden, Mrs. Gill welcomes a guest [images courtesy of Special Collections, Cleveland State University Library]
Kermode was the first to join us, welcoming us for the weekend, and advising the second floor maid to begin carrying our luggage to the guest quarters. At that time, and to the delight of my wife, Mrs. Gill let it be known that we'd be staying in the master guest bedroom. My wife remained composed, the model of civility, but I knew her heart was aflutter.
Climbing and chatting our way up the three flights up stairs, it was hard not to appreciate the forest of beautiful woodwork that enveloped the grand foyer and detailed staircase. The guest room was as a large as our master bedroom at home. The wall frescos created the illusion of staying in an Italian villa - complete with a removable piece in the ceiling to let in the summer sky.
After a long rest, we met our hosts and the other guests in the sizable living room, with large windows that looked out onto the multi-acre property's gardens. Mrs. Gill - a Christian Scientist who refuses medical treatment for her cataracts - showed us her RCA Victor radio - it even had a remote! I imagine that in the winter the fireplace is large enough to warm the neighborhood, and I hate to think of the weight of the andirons.
We took dinner at around 6 pm, and judging by Mrs. Gill's not-so subtle tapping throughout dinner, she was not too pleased with the pace at which the staff were serving guests. She should visit my home, where there is no chef or waitstaff. I thought everything was excellent, as did my wife, though she was somewhat preoccupied with the room's solid silver light fixtures and coffered ceiling.
After dinner, the gentlemen retired to the library for an after-dinner cocktail and a smoke. The conversation centered around the War, then neighbors, past and present, including the Halles and the Zerbes. I retired for the night shortly thereafter.
