I mean, one year, the oil bill here was $11,000. And when youd come down, there wasthe stairwell come down, and it was a double parlor, like this, and where this door was, was with two double doors. The walkway going to the beach, its still there, where the house was. Q: So about this house, I wanted to ask about the Friends of the Seguine Mansion. Burke: Okay. I dont need The Death of Cleopatra hanging above my fireplace. So I found this big beautiful, French, mansard roof, big Victorian house in Tottenville. I woke up with a sweat. Burke: It was. I dont think anythings missing? Burke: Of course, I come from a big house. He said he believes that whoever was in that other house, really didnt want people there. You dont have to worry about, sleeping on your couches and all that kind of stuff, and, you know, pulling out fake beds, and that kind of stuff. Q: I wanted to ask, also, theres a painting of you in the house, right? That was a great house. They bought a house. He did so much work for you. But what was really, really bad was people, if they were going to build a garage, or they were going to build something, theyd go to that big, beautiful mansion and rip the siding off of it and take it back to build what they want to build. That was the most beautiful mansion. Create an obituary. Unfortunately, you got to find environmentalists, theyve got to look for things and theyve got to point things out. And when they werent in the house, they would go and buy them at the stores, and there was always lilacs in the house. And we used to say, Wow, wonder who lives there? And thats what they were doing in France to keep from getting it taxed. Oh, God. So thats how that all came about. So she said, Bess said, Were going to have to quit, George. I said Oh, shit. And he did these two chairs. She left things there. And they were slate, the roof, and by walking on the slates, they broke and they slid off, and wherever they slid off, the rain poured through because it was holes. Kathleen graduated from St. Peter's Girls High School in 1962. And he did the big sofa in there, didnt he? Daller: And when he wasnt doing that, he was horseback riding because he loved to ride and thats kind of segued himself to the Seguine House and to Bess. Daller: Oh, yes. Right. See Photos. She married her husband Thomas Burke on April 24, 1965, and had five children. Wed go down through the junk yards and whatnot. And the White Party we do in order to take care of doing cleanup on the lawn, doing any kind of plantings, or anything, because he did it all the years. Sell the other half to Billthat was my brother and you and George, move with me to Florida. So we all thought that was a great idea. And that was the Air Force. And one day I got a call from Mrs. Seguine. So by the time he came back, all this had changed. And a couple of my friends came as bartenders for me. He was born Jan. 21, 1946, in The Bronx, N.Y. Bob is survived by his loving wife. And I could turn the horses loose and theyd keep all the fields cut and mowed, you know? But the one that I remember was a great big brooch. And I said, Oh, shit. Its Greek Revival. Come here, Marge. I said, What? They said, Sell this goddamn place. So I went out and I said toI had two roommates, and I said to my roommates, Wheres my box? And they said Oh, well, Sergeant Joiner came in and took it. I said, Oh, no! I went running out. Frank Tredici Jr., age 79, of Staten Island, New York, passed away on Monday, February 20th, 2023. But they did a lot for me. Big fluted columns with big Corinthian capitals on them. Developers. They cant just say, The doors are open for anybody, just walk in! Somebody will walk in, and say, Oh, I like those chairs, pick them up, and take them, and theyll be gone. Yes. Just as long as its saved and its here. They talk about Tottenville, its all McMansions. Everything has changed, all the old houses are torn down. He says, Hes my good friend, and so on, We live on Staten Island. And I got to know a tremendous amount of people that way. Its just a shame. And because of that, and especially the interior design thing, I went around, did little jobs, and did things, and because I learned so much by going to that to school there, that when I got back here, I got nice little jobs here and there. And if I couldnt take care of them, Id call down to the base and theyd send a helicopter and theyd pick them up and take them down to the hospital, because we had to take care of them, because Alaska was ours, and all the Eskimos was our responsibility. Daller: It just went right out of my head! George Burke is the restorer of the historic Seguine Mansion on the South Shore of Staten Island, where he has lived and taken care of the property for over four decades. So my sister Bess said, Well, come on, lets go to Florida. And I said, Well, the smell is still there. And I said to her, Whatever happened to the old girl? And she said, Well, years ago, when she died, she said, she was laid out in the front parlor in the coffin, and it was nothing but lilacs. And one day, I was sitting in the dining room. What was. He cant do this anymore. And she couldntthey couldnt keep up with it anymore. I did everything. So when I got it, of course, the old kitchen was inI had knocked it down because it was all falling apart. So, I dont know. I restored all those buildings down in Tottenville, all those great old buildings. Its still that way. Burke: Well, I knew how to do it. Im offered fortunes for the front field, for the side field, for the backfield. Thanks very much to you. Well, Bess, and my brothers wife, Evelyn, never got along. Q: So its confidential becauseoh, okay. Burke: About the candle? I knew what she looked like, I knew where it was. My father was in the political-end, and he was in Borough Hall and everything like that. Q: Can you give me an example of one of the things that you worked on together in the house? And I made a lot of money. Most of them were little things. And I took that for years. Burke: I dont find any difference living here. Burke - 1 - 2 and grew up 90% of my time on Staten Island until I became old enough and I joined the military. We were only allowed so much. Where all the servants lived. Right across the creek. And I took John in as a partner, but I owned the Old Bermuda Inn and the two buildings. Kitchens were always built in a house outside by themself, and a breezeway going to the house, because the kitchens would always burn down. She lived up on Lighthouse Hill. And I had to laugh. What were the things that you did when you were young? You made enough money. I want to go back and ask for some more details about your childhood. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of George Burke to show support. Burke: Well, Ill tell you, there wasnt that much in storagethe stuff that was in storage wasnt big pieces, maybe one or two. Q: Can you tell me about the ghost in that house? Burke: Chris will stay living here. Located in Staten Island, NY. Thats whats in this whole house, all the things you see. Q: You mentioned that the South Shore has changed in the last few years. I had no idea that that was it, when I bought the house or anything. But I had all this beautiful carved stuff. But that was a big improvement, putting in the kitchen, because there never was a kitchen in the houseand where the kitchen is now, that was the laundry room. George, now in his eighties, donated the house in exchange for a life tenancy, which has made living here a lot easier. Just landmarked. And that guy, look at the size of that house he just built. So that had the outside kitchen. I forgottheres ten acres that is landmarked now. I open the door to the parlor. Because my house was right across the street from it. Q: Right. Burke: Well, a good example is the one right here at the end of the street. Burke: What were the things I did when what? Because I wanted the man that built the house, and this is the man that saved the house. Q: Yes. The front porch was up high. Well, the paintings and the small stuff like thatthat like that mirror and those paintings and all that stuffthat was all the little stuff. Formal gardens, stablesstables that you could live in. And thats where I had all this wonderful carved stuff from the Eskimos that they gave me. It has to stay exactly as an old plantation house. And he saw the way to help out, and I said, well form a board and what well do is well continue to have fundraisers in order to support the house, but we need additional help and support as well. The developers came in with bulldozersbulldozed that mansion, bulldozed the stables. Burke: But everything will stay here exactly as it is, because if its going to be a museum, people are not going to come in and look at empty walls. Daller: We lived several places. See Photos. But not long ago, I was talking about it. That was a shame. Christ, we had a good time. Q: And so all these items went upwalked up the stairs and were, carried back down the stairs. And they were going to pay for everything if they owned it. Q: [Laughs] Yes. He was incurring all the expenses. And all this beautiful stuff, I used to put in a big box. I dont know if it ever took off. Yes, by the time I got to do all that I had no money left. Daller: No. And then the people that moved out left a bunch of old furniture, and these were the two that they left. George Burke's White Party NEW! And we were great gardeners and she had always come over in the spring, and she gave me little cuttings of all the flowers, and the different things. Put through the years, people recognized it and everything. And that way, it wouldnt burn the houses down. And with the Air Force, I enjoyed every minute. Things like that? Of course, nothings there. . As a young adult, he joined the U.S. Air Force and served in the medical department, spending time in locations across Europe and Alaska. Burke: To put it backbecause the house was ruined, it was in terrible shape. Most recent obituaries in New York. They couldnt handle it, the clientele that came in. It wasnt fair to him to keep paying for it. Where were you stationed and what was it like? Burke: Yes, its a big oil painting, a big painting like this. Daller: Right, we really dont discuss any of that. Im only a salesman in a department store. I said, and its going to take a lot of money to put that house back together. She said, Well, Im going to help you all I can. And I said, But why would I fix a house I didnt own? And she said, Well, why dont we talk about that. She said, If youre interested in buying it, I will make the arrangements that you can own it. So then I said, well, what the hell am I gonna do? But the old lady that lived there was very, very sick. Its a part of the history that should remain. Frank was born in Brooklyn, NY June 26, 1943. The orientals that originally were on the floor here, I put up in the bedrooms upstairs. Daller: Oh, thats exactlyI mean, because that was the reason for getting a board, was to also help get things done. Thats not good. The same thing thats going on with statues. In fact, her husband was a big-wig. Daller: But it was the thing with the lilacs smell. In fact, my mother worked there. I had a dream thatin my dream, I woke up and I was laying in bed upstairs, and I could smell lilacs. Would you just sell me two acres there? Q: Yes, you can tell me about your early life and the memories you have of growing up here. Would you like to elaborate on that? I had just bought this house, and it needed a lot of work. Its a plus for the borough too. I bet shes there. Hes been maintaining it for forty-plus years. Daller: So not that much time was spent on Staten Island. Like our page to stay informed about passing of a loved one in Staten Island, New York on facebook. And a friend of mine I was very good friendly with was John. But those things, I couldnt. Q: Was it Mario that suggested the life tenancy agreement? Q: Can you tell me about moving the collections here, out of storage and out of your sisters houses into this house? Burke: No, who gave me that? They even stopped you riding in the parks. Is there anything else that you would like to add about the house as it is now, the history, or the future of the house? Yes, but that was all the legal aspect of it. Well, do you know what your preferences are? They tear down one house and build five. Daller: He did the sofa upstairs as well. Frank Tredici. And then I shipped it all back home. I moved in, I cleaned it all up. Theyre going out for the garbage. I said, No, no, no, Im trying to take them. So I took them and I had them all redone and reupholstered, and here they are. I want it now. I could never get it. Daller: You know, people dont understand them. Utica. Unbelievable. We all got coupons. Would you? Its unreal! I know the Port Richmond store you just bought. The real estate lady wouldnt come in. https://www.nypap.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/BurkeGeorge_20211109_access_redacted.mp3. Either you buy me out, or I buy you out. I have questions about closets too! Thats the only thing people could bring. But the basement was the summer dining rooms and summer kitchen. I cant go and say, You know, fifty years ago that was mine, and I never gave it to you. Burke: Okay. So if this can remain a part of the history, thatll be great for people to appreciate. This old? And he said, George, Im selling my business. And there were two windows, like this. Lives in Rochester, New York. Mrs. Mackey. Its no different from home. And when I seen it all over there, and when I seen the British people were poor as church mice, they were selling everything. You couldnt even see it. Stony Brook. And thats what I did. And if you were wearing them and you went and got in your car and turned the heater on, you smelled like piss. New York obituaries and death notices, 1986 to rent. Its down in Tottenville, beautifully done. The kitchen was never in the basement. Nobody wants to do that. I can get that. Because you could get it through theand once I got involved, I did really, really well. The oldwhat the hell was itgrocery store. The mansion, oh god. Thats when she said to me, George, go save my house. And I came down and looked at it. The Seguine girls, as they were called,. Q: So well have audio recording and a transcript for researchersand Ill remove those names that you mentioned, Linda. Burke: Well, youve got to thank Mrs. Seguine. I said I was the only person at that timemy uncle gave me my sweet sixteen there, and all my friends were invited to come formal. And you cant control it from the grave. And I always used to say, Wonder who lives there! and so forth and so on. What the hell is this? All of a sudden, she went, Youre in my house, and get out! Holy Christ. But anyway, I had come back to America. So everything just kept going off and someone would have all of this, someone would have all of that. Still kept it. And I, throughout the time, I went from room to room in the house and restored it. And I often wondered what happened to that brooch because I gave it to Bess. Eventually, he was able to move his collection of Victorian-style furnishings safely into the home, and add to it larger pieces of furniture to complete the restoration. Well, he lived on Staten Island. Burke: Yes, but just think of that gorgeous, bigthe mansion that this was their farmhouse, up the street here, that was gorgeous. And then finally she sold the house and she bought a beautiful place in Greenwich Village and moved to Greenwich Village. Daller: Well, you did at a certain point, because you have a lot of photos. Are you still interested? And I said, Well, of course I am. Q: How did you establish a relationship with the Parks Department and the Historic House Trust? So as long as you have people, youre going to have change, and people are going to say, That doesnt work! Obituary: George W. Burke October 07, 2021 George W. Burke, 63 George W. Burke, of Hull, died on Oct. 2. 6389 Amboy Road. Theyre deciding they want to build, so they tear down and build. A necklace with a gold heart that opened like a. Most of the furniture thats hereI never furnished the house until I owned it. She came and did a lot for the draperies and everything here. No, it wasnt that. Syosset. And I went from room to room and it took me a couple of years, didnt it? [laughs]. Or is that real? That was real. I found a beautiful place in Tottenville and I opened it and called it the Tidewater Inn. People: Mario Buatta, Luis Caizares, Linda Daller, John Krawchuck, James and Kathleen Pistilli, Adriana Scalamandr, John Scalia, Elizabeth Bess Seguine Aug, Joseph Seguine, Organizations: Friends of the Seguine Mansion, Historic House Trust, House of Scalamandr, NYC Departments of Parks and Recreation, Sherwin-Williams, U.S. Air Force, Places: Annandale, Hammersmith College, Port Richmond, Old Bermuda Inn, Saks Fifth Avenue, Seguine Mansion, St. George, Staten Island, Tidewater Inn, Tottenville, The New York Preservation Archive Project. 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