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its attractions as holiday or permanent accommodation. The Cameron-Swans ran Strathmore

until 1939 when they sold it to W. Hermansen of whom little is known.

From Hermansen it passed at some time to P. J. Hauptfleisch and in 1960 it was bought by

Stephen Stavrou and Alexandre Bassios. As there was little prospect of running it as a
boarding house it was converted to about 5 flatlets, with a large lounge and dining room.

According to Jimmy Bassios the cellar floor was added in the early days after a flood had

eroded the foundations - this made possible the addition of more rooms. From the outside it
looks today exactly as it did in its youth and it could also be a gem of its era, like Castle Hill.

Chartfield

Chartfield, on Gatesville Road at the top of Norman Steps, was built around the same time as

the Majestic Hotel and was operating as a Private Boarding House in 1919 under the
proprietorship of Miss Totman. During the 1930s it was taken over by the Binkhorst family

who ran it until the early 1970s. Various alterations and additions were made during these

years, particularly to the rear quarters leaving the front facade largely unchanged in 80 years.
It continues to be run as a boarding-house by the Laher family who are progressively restoring

the interior to its original condition.

The Mearns

‘The Mearns’ was a large building that pre-dated 1915 situated at the top of Hillrise Road in
St. James. The name comes from a region in Scotland near Aberdeen. Opposite ‘The Mearns’

stands the stone house ‘Hillrise’ which was the home of the Kings of the King’s Hotel.

‘The Mearns’ was run as boarding house from the 1920s until 1936 by the C. W. Hill family.

They ceased the boarding house activities in 1936 and the house was later named ‘Sorrento’,
from the road on which it stands.