Summary: | Inteview with David Francis Joseph Lythgoe about the restoration of the Admiralty House, Mount Pearl, and its conversion into a museum. David talks about the origins of the Lythgoe family name; growing up in Rabbittown, St. John's; his grandfather arriving in Newfoundland and studying to become a Methodist minister; how David got involved with the restoration of the Admiralty House as a neighbour; the condition of the building circa 1995-1997; the carpenter who worked on the building; the grounds surrounding the building; the volunteers involved; a visit from the Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh on 23 June 1997; the beams in the building; the use of the building as a spy station to monitor U-Boats; the Calypso and the Navy; changes to the building; SONRA (Society of Newfoundland Radio Amateurs); development of the board of directors; the SS Florizel exhibit and its link to the building; weddings on the site; the importance of having passion for heritage and history.
|