Pulitzer Prize Connection?

Occasionally surprising discoveries occur through mundane enquiries. Corbenic recently had tree surgeons in to remove several sitka spruce that posed a risk to our new Community Barn. The trees were tall - so planted before Corbenic was founded in in 1978. They dated from when Drumour, part of the Strathbraan Estate, was a shooting lodge.

A casual enquiry was made to the archivist at Murthly Castle. "Were there any records of sitka spruce being planted at Drumour?". Whilst trying, and failing to find anything about sitka trees, the archivist uncovered a lease agreement...

A lease for Drumour Lodge from 1936

The lease is to Herbert Pulitzer for £3075 (about £190,000 in today's prices). With the recent publication of shout collection of resident's poems, could this be a fortuitous, if tenuous, link to a literary dynasty?

The most recent published literary output from Drumour Lodge!

Pulitzer Prize Connection?

Most have heard of the Pulitzer Prize. The Pulitzer Prize was founded by politician and newspaper owner, Joseph Pulitzer. Could it be that this Herbert was part of that publishing dynasty? Joseph had a son and a grandson called Herbert. Was this Herbert from the same family? If so, is it son or his grandson?

A bit more research suggests it was his son, Herbert W Pulitzer, "an ardent sportsman who for many years had been accustomed to summering abroad, where he engaged in shooting in Scotland", according to his obituary in The Palm Beach Post, (Florida, 5 September 1957). It goes on to say "He was the son of the late Joseph Pulitzer, founder of the St. Louis Post Dispatch." We have a rich, sporting enthusiast of the correct name and sufficient means to give reasonable confidence that Drumour was leased by Herbert Pulitzer, son of Joseph Pulitzer.

Therefore, may we claim a link between shout poems publication and the Pulitzer Prize? Probably!

What About the Sitka Spruce?

And the sitka spruce? Based on the ring counts from the stumps, the felled trees were planted in 1943, seven years after Herbert's shooting summer. So, no connection there!

Acknowledgements

Thank-you to Paul, archivist at Murthly Castle.

Information about Joseph Pulitzer from Wikipedia.com

Herbert Pulitzer's Obituary is available online at newspapers.com