Story Search Results

Panto Pranks! #76

during the 1970s Hoar Cross Hall was used from time to time for local community activities and one such event was the production in 1978 of a traditional pantomime, ‘Midnight and a Journey back to Happiness’.   It was written by local people, Robert Leighton from Yoxall and the Hon. Alexandra Meynell, daughter-in-law of Mrs Jean Meynell whom we had purchased the Hall from.  The words and music were written by local songwriter, david Matthews, who had written songs for quite a few pop artists during the 1960s, his most famous being Matt Munro’s ‘We’re gonna change the world’.  So off to a good start there! For those of you who don’t reside in t...

HUNTIN’, SHOOTIN’ & FISHIN’ #6

.... On a good day they could bag anything up to 300 birds!  The shooting season was from October through to February and every year the local ‘shoot’ would come to the Hall to bag a few birds. I think there was an arrangement with the Meynells that they could still come and shoot on our land when we bought the house.   In the woods near to the house were the old greenhouses and kitchen gardens – all derelict then of course.  A gamekeeper used to breed the pheasants near there in sheds and I remember seeing him there and looking at the little chicks.  It seemed incredible to us that someone would raise chicks to grow into birds – to be shot for someone...

WHOdUNIT IN THE LIBRARY? #25

...WHOdUNIT IN THE LIBRARY? When we first moved to the Hall. growing up in a stately home seemed an idyllic way to live – and lots of fun if you’re a child.  This rambling old house full of empty rooms and secret doors, wild gardens and woods to explore, was in some ways a dream come true for our family, certainly for my dad.  But as we turned from children to teenagers the isolation and lack of public transport was frustrating.  Coupled with this was my parents fighting and subsequent split, living at each end of the house and battling for the house and business through their solicitors. The effect this had on me, as the eldest child who perhaps saw more o...

RACE TRACK ‘AFTER PARTIES’ #27

...ots of good days out at Mallory Park as it was quite a small circuit in a nice setting, there being two lakes in the middle of the track – one for fishing and one for boating. Janine & I as Grid Girls at Silverstone Janine also came along with me to the Silverstone racing circuit when Mediaeval Banquets sponsored a car there.  We both dressed up in our mediaeval costumes and became ‘Grid Girls’ for the day, which was also a lot of fun when you’re 16 and the world’s media is focused on the race track that you’re standing on!   don’t miss next week’s instalment:  See you in Court If this is your first visit to my blog site and you would...

Here comes the bride (Part 1) #30

...HERE COMES THE BRIdE (Part 1)   Our wedding preparations were going quite well.  As we knew lots of musicians it wasn’t hard to find a local band and a dJ to do the disco.  A friend of my dad’s offered to do the catering and the bar was set up with plenty of kegs from the local brewery in Burton on Trent.  I had two bridesmaids and we all went to Birmingham one day to choose our dresses and shoes – it was all kept very simple really as I had no help or advice from my mum as most brides do.   Kev’s parents had eloped after the war and got married in a register office with two witnesses dragged off the street, so they had no idea what you did to pla...

The Grand Opening #5

...THE GRANd OPENING:        And so we move into 1971 and the preparation of the Hall so we could open it to the public by Easter.  during the run up to buying the house my dad had been buying furniture, carpets and paintings like  crazy and I remember our previous home being jam packed with chaise longues, sideboards and carved chests as well as all the suits of armour that he already had.  This furniture was now set out in all the rooms. My mum’s collection of Victorian costumes were on display in the Ballroom as well as my dad’s collection of silver plated ‘display’ armour, which hung around the panelled walls; the suits of armour and the many pai...