The construction of the house was completed in April 1953 and the Courtaulds' fine collection of furniture, paintings and other art from their former home Eltham Palace in London was brought to La Rochelle.
A large botanical garden incorporating an arboretum and pinetum was established with the professional help of the British horticulturist John Henry Mitchell.
[1] The Courtaulds frequently entertained at La Rochelle and held weekly grand dinners for local people and overseas guests.
Their achievements included the funding of the construction of buildings for the Courtauld Theatre and Queen's Hall in Mutare, and the auditorium of what is now the Zimbabwe College of Music in Harare.
[5] In 1964 the Courtaulds funded the establishment of an agricultural training school named 'Kukwanisa' in the Tsonzo area of Nyanga for African smallholder farmers, which was destroyed during the subsequent war years.