ABSTRACT
Robert von Glehn was a member of the Baltic Exchange from 1860 to 1876, and his business connections brought many foreign visitors to the house. The Glehns tended to associate more with the long-established inhabitants of Sydenham, rather than the newcomers who moved in as Sydenham developed. The focus of the many musical evenings was undoubtedly Mary Emilie (Mimi), her fine abilities as a pianist attracting both attention and musicians. Following the reduction in family fortunes in 1875, Mimi began to give piano lessons. If trade provided the warp of the family, music and art provided the weft, with decorative threads woven in by the many visitors. The opportunism that Robert von Glehn had brought to business was visible from time to time in later generations. The Glehn family was strong-minded, argumentative and forthright, and some of the older members were very formidable indeed.
