Story Search Results

Royal visitors at Hoar Cross Hall #10

...ned home. The Meynell family Themselves offered Their London home to be used during The first world war but it was not needed in The end.  During The King and Queen's tours They would have stopped at nearby stately homes that were big enough to accommodate Themselves and Their entourage, which would include servants, private secretaries and equerries. The whole household would be in an uproar as servants rushed to get ready guest rooms and bathrooms along with The extra space needed for The royal servants. This scenario was acted out in a Downton Abbey episode when King George V and Queen Mary came to stay for a few days. In actual fact The storyline was based...

The Schoolroom Maid's Story

...The SCHOOLROOM MAID’S STORY:       For The first 75 years of The Hall’s history about 50 servants were employed by The Meynell family in The house and grounds.  Among These was a young girl of fifteen who started work in 1920 as a Schoolroom Maid.  Her name was Miss Inez Sophia Large and she had connections to Hoar Cross through her grand-parents, William and Mary Tooth, who lived in The village where William was The blacksmith; his smithy was just along from The Meynell public house.  He had worked on The ironwork of The Hall during its construction in The 1860s.  Inez’s aunt, Constance Madeley, was The wife of The landlord at The Buffalo Inn, in...

Royal Visitors at Hoar Cross Hall #20

...ned home. The Meynell family Themselves offered Their London home to be used during The First World War but it was not needed in The end. During The King and Queen's tours They would have stopped at nearby stately homes that were big enough to accommodate Themselves and Their entourage, which would include servants, private secretaries and equerries. The whole household would be in an uproar as servants rushed to get ready guest rooms and bathrooms along with The extra space needed for The royal servants. This scenario was acted out in a Downton Abbey episode when King George V and Queen Mary came to stay for a few days. In actual fact The storyline was based o...

A Christmas Haunting! #34

...The typewriter keys clattered away as Viv wrote her story. It was coming along nicely and she was feeling pleased with herself. The attic room that she and her broThers had made into Their ‘den’ was ideal for getting away from everybody and having some peace and quiet and she quite forgot about The time as she lost herself in The plot. Suddenly she looked up and realized how dark it was getting; The December nights were pulling in and it was already quite dusky by 3.30pm. Quickly she packed her books and folders away and prepared to go downstairs. How she hated being up in The attics when it was getting dark as it was so spooky! The wind was starting to howl...

Royal Visitors at Hoar Cross Hall #49

...ned home. The Meynell family Themselves offered Their London home to be used during The First World War but it was not needed in The end. During The King and Queen's tours They would have stopped at nearby stately homes that were big enough to accommodate Themselves and Their entourage, which would include servants, private secretaries and equerries. The whole household would be in an uproar as servants rushed to get ready guest rooms and bathrooms along with The extra space needed for The royal servants. This scenario was acted out in a Downton Abbey episode when King George V and Queen Mary came to stay for a few days. In actual fact The storyline was based o...

Gardeners' World at Hoar Cross

...GARDENERS’  WORLD AT  HOAR CROSS:         In it’s heyday Hoar Cross Hall had around 28 people employed to keep The 20 acres of grounds tidy and weed free.  In Victorian England The most common of all male servants was The gardener.   At Hoar Cross The head gardener had numerous under-gardeners known affectionately as ‘digging slaves’!  They were responsible for producing fruit, vegetables and growing luxury items in and out of season, much of it under glass.  Adjacent to The house was The carp pool and greenhouse area along with a palm house; next to These was a walled kitchen garden.  This supplied The house with all its fruit, vegetables a...