Story Search Results

What the Butler Saw! #38

WHAT THE BUTLER SAW!      Anyone who’s seen Downton Abbey will remember Carter the butler. He is exactly how a butler would have been in the 19th century and, strangely enough, the butler at the Hall during the early part of the 20th century was also called Carter! Although most big houses had a house steward who was in charge of accounts and general running of the household, a butler was more commonly engaged by the wealthy. He was usually a grand, authoritarian figure, commanding respect and awe and most of the servants would have been scared to death of upsetting him! He was dressed like a gentleman of the period and generally ran the household with an...

Motor Racing Days #9

...n’t too bothered about winning; drivers always got their ‘start’ money and he was satisfied with that. Accidents meant expensive repairs!   My dad as a despatch rider in North Africa   During the 1960s he raced Lotus Elites and I have never forgotten the time, aged just 5 years old, when he took me for a spin around Mallory Park. I remember it all very clearly, even now. He strapped me into the car, watched by the mechanics in the pits. My poor mother was worried to death and kept asking if I’d be alright! My dad was his usual self, flouting the rules, and continued to do a few laps around the circuit with me clinging petrified to the side of t...

Skools out for Summer! #58

...h I found both thrilling and frightening all at once. The matadors came so close to the bull but I hated that they had to stab them first to make them angry – it seemed so cruel. In Spain we went to a club one night to see some flamenco dancing and they pulled me up onto the stage to join in which was fun, if unexpected! We also went on a day trip to Morocco and walked around the Kasbah (see header picture), which was the local market. I remember hoards of poor children following us around trying to sell us things. My dad noticed one of the stallholders smiling at me and said for a joke “You can have her for two camels”. Well, the man never left our side a...

Change and the Country House #61

...arter and both male and female servants started to look elsewhere for work in hotels and restaurants rather than private houses.  In 1931 only half of the 70,000 males in domestic service were in private service.  By 1951 only 1% of women were employed in domestic service and this continued to drop as the years went by. And so it can be seen that the country house in Britain has been under threat for many years which is why, for the last sixty years, people have been opening their homes to the public.  This was clearly the only way that they could survive but also some owners felt that they had a social obligation to do so, as custodians of our national heri...

Rags to Riches #63

...My family originated from Derby and my parents were married there in July 1952.  Mum was 19 and dad was 36 so quite a bit older.  They both lived in Derby and were very arty; my dad went to the Derby Sketching Club in his free time and my mum attended art college.  I’m not sure where they met but it was either at something art related or at a dance, as was usual in those days.  My dad was a sculptor by trade; I think his interest was sparked by seeing all the beautiful alabaster in Italian churches during the war. My parents on their wedding day - 1952   After the Second World War he set up his own business making alabaster lamps, bowls and candles...

Motor Racing Days #64

...n’t too bothered about winning; drivers always got their ‘start’ money (a sum of money for entering the race) and he was satisfied with that.  Accidents meant expensive repairs! My dad as a despatch rider in WW2   During the 1960s he raced Lotus Elites and I have never forgotten the time, aged just 5 years old, when he took me for a spin around Mallory Park.  I remember it all very clearly, even now.  He strapped me into the car, watched by the mechanics in the pits.  My poor mother was worried to death and kept asking if I’d be alright!  My dad was his usual self, flouting the rules, and continued to do a few laps around the circuit with me...