Story Search Results

Ghostbusters! #8

...ld Gothic mansion on the moors or somewhere remote where you could hear eerie noises all night long – sound familiar?  Yes, it was a bit like watching my own life and especially as the lead actor, who was nearly always Peter Cushing, looked exactly like my dad!  In fact, so much so that at one New Years’ Eve Ball a man was so convinced that it was Peter Cushing he kept pestering my dad for an autograph; my dad eventually signed the actor’s name just to get rid of him!  As the night wore on I got more and more scared by the film and by midnight, when the film had ended, I didn’t dare leave the lounge to go up to bed – imagine climbing those stairs i...

Race Day Parties #27

...y built a mansion called Kirkby Hall.  They eventually called it Kirkby Mallory Hall and it survived until 1952 when it was demolished.  A builder bought the estate the following year and built the race track in the grounds, starting first with motor cycle grass track racing until the tarmac race track was built.  It’s a very similar story to the Donington Park one actually! The official opening was in 1956 with Bob Gerrard being in the first race.  My dad would have been there racing his car too throughout the 1950s alongside great names such as Graham Hill and Jim Clarke.  So it seemed appropriate that his ex-driver should buy the track that he used to...

Things that go bump in the night #3

...    Our mansion gets a facelift If you would like to follow my story from the beginning, click here and please feel free to share with your friends.              ...

Huntin', Shootin' and Fishin' #6

...t of this mansion, although nothing to do with hunting, shooting or fishing!  One summer there were over 30 bats whizzing around the house trying to find nests for their young.  We had just had a burglar alarm installed with infra-red beams which kept going off in the night.  I think our cat set it off once or twice but the bats caused most of the upset and my poor dad had to keep getting up to see who had broken in – fortunately the only thing broken was his night’s sleep!  The bats eventually settled in a large light fitting bowl which hung over the main staircase and were left in peace to rear their young. Don’t miss next week’s instalment: Calen...

Race day parties #26

...y built a mansion called Kirkby Hall.  They eventually called it Kirkby Mallory Hall and it survived until 1952 when it was demolished.  A builder bought the estate the following year and built the race track in the grounds, starting first with motor cycle grass track racing until the tarmac race track was built.  It’s a very similar story to the Donington Park one actually! The official opening was in 1956 with Bob Gerrard being in the first race.  My dad would have been there racing his car too throughout the 1950s alongside great names such as Graham Hill and Jim Clarke.  So it seemed appropriate that his ex-driver should buy the track that he used to...

Huntin', Shootin' and Fishin' #6

...t of this mansion, although nothing to do with hunting, shooting or fishing! One summer there were over 30 bats whizzing around the house trying to find nests for their young. We had just had a burglar alarm installed with infra-red beams which kept going off in the night. I think our cat set it off once or twice but the bats caused most of the upset and my poor dad had to keep getting up to see who had broken in – fortunately the only thing broken was his night’s sleep! The bats eventually settled in a large light fitting bowl which hung over the main staircase and were left in peace to rear their young. Don’t miss next week’s instalment: Calendar Girl...