Mrs Elgar was gifted with a "discerning eye and superb taste" and she selected with care.
With Heathcote Helmore and his "strong regard for historical precedent" Ella Elgar developed the design of the new house and its surroundings.
Their creation is admired for being totally at ease and in harmony with itself.
Once more the indefatigable Mrs Elgar collected particularly high-quality furniture and furnishings.
Her careful documentation of purchases right down to domestic linen (monogrammed) and soft furnishings is in the possession of her family.
Helmore was to maintain a keen interest in garden design throughout his career.

Charles Elgar died suddenly in the luncheon interval of the Easter Saturday 1930 race meeting at the neighbouring Tauherenikau Racecourse.
He owned Clay Creek station near Martinborough and, with his brother Martin, competed with other woolgrowers to create the ideal breed for New Zealand conditions, their contribution was to Border Leicesters.
 An enthusiastic owner of thoroughbred racehorses his obituary claimed "His courage as a buyer of thoroughbred horses was never rewarded in proportion to the extent of his purchases, but from time to time he has had some useful horses carrying his colours."

The second world war broke out in September 1939 and in February 1940 Mrs Elgar gave the use of the house to the Red Cross 'for the duration of the war' as a convalescent home for officers and men of New Zealand Division.
There had been newspaper reports of Japanese 'atrocities'.
In September 1942 at the request of the U.S. Government her paddocks between her house and the main road were taken for a Japanese Prisoner of War camp.
31 prisoners were killed there on 23 February 1943.
She took a flat in central Christchurch where she died in the spring of 1945.
Fernside's farmland was given to the R. S. A., split into three blocks and sold by ballot to returned servicemen.
A dispersal sale of unwanted house contents was held on-site in April 1946.
Under her will the Dominion Museum now the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa received some of Fernside’s furniture.
In the Dominion Museum it was displayed in sets of period rooms designed by Heathcote Helmore for the purpose but at Te Papa some items are displayed individually from time to time.
Mrs Elgar was gifted with a "discerning eye and superb taste" and she selected with care. With Heathcote Helmore and his "strong regard for historical precedent" Ella Elgar developed the design of the new house and its surroundings. Their creation is admired for being totally at ease and in harmony with itself. Once more the indefatigable Mrs Elgar collected particularly high-quality furniture and furnishings. Her careful documentation of purchases right down to domestic linen (monogrammed) and soft furnishings is in the possession of her family. Helmore was to maintain a keen interest in garden design throughout his career.
Charles Elgar died suddenly in the luncheon interval of the Easter Saturday 1930 race meeting at the neighbouring Tauherenikau Racecourse. He owned Clay Creek station near Martinborough and, with his brother Martin, competed with other woolgrowers to create the ideal breed for New Zealand conditions, their contribution was to Border Leicesters.  An enthusiastic owner of thoroughbred racehorses his obituary claimed "His courage as a buyer of thoroughbred horses was never rewarded in proportion to the extent of his purchases, but from time to time he has had some useful horses carrying his colours."
The second world war broke out in September 1939 and in February 1940 Mrs Elgar gave the use of the house to the Red Cross 'for the duration of the war' as a convalescent home for officers and men of New Zealand Division. There had been newspaper reports of Japanese 'atrocities'. In September 1942 at the request of the U.S. Government her paddocks between her house and the main road were taken for a Japanese Prisoner of War camp. 31 prisoners were killed there on 23 February 1943. She took a flat in central Christchurch where she died in the spring of 1945. Fernside's farmland was given to the R. S. A., split into three blocks and sold by ballot to returned servicemen. A dispersal sale of unwanted house contents was held on-site in April 1946. Under her will the Dominion Museum now the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa received some of Fernside’s furniture. In the Dominion Museum it was displayed in sets of period rooms designed by Heathcote Helmore for the purpose but at Te Papa some items are displayed individually from time to time.
Fernside Homestead