Story Search Results

LET THE BANQUET COMMENCE! #11

...e quite a party, even though it started at 9.30 in the morning; as the day wore on and the organist started playing a few of the songs we would be doing at the banquets, everyone started dancing and singing along – it was 4pm by the time it finished! Banquets Press Launch 1973 - Here are the serving wenches waiting upon the 'King' - That's me sitting to the right of 'King' Barry! And so arrived the day of the first banquet.  All the furniture and costumes from the Chinese Room and Ballroom had been removed and put into storage elsewhere in the house.   A local carpenter had made long tables and benches to seat about over 200 guests in the Ballroom...

Hysterical Productions #16

...ed a good party and he wouldn’t want to spoil their night out!  It was like something out of a black comedy or Faulty Towers, carrying a body down the gallery, hoping no-one would notice – nobody did as they thought it was somebody being helped outside that had had too much to drink! As December approached the banquets were twice a week and the guests were more lively as they got into the Christmas spirit.  More people dressed up in mediaeval gear and once I walked down the Long Gallery to see a ‘monk’ with his robe up round his waist warming his bottom in front of the fire!  But it wasn’t just the guests who had too much to drink – the staff wer...

See You In Court! #28

...iends and party in the apartments out of sight and sound of my parents.  One morning we came home at 8am after being out all night and met my dad on the stairs as we were going to bed.  He looked surprised and said “You’re up early today aren’t you?” to which we just nodded and carried on to our bedrooms! We consoled ourselves by spending a lot of time in the Meynell Arms, the local pub in the village.  When we walked in of an evening, everyone was keen to know the latest updates on the divorce and we would spend half an hour telling them all the news – it was like a real life soap opera!  On Tuesday nights a bunch of the local businessmen would...

THE TAX MAN COMETH #29

...from the party to the milking shed and start his day’s work! As I said before there were always a few high jinks at the Meynell too.  After one late night the landlord went home and left the locals to lock up the pub (this was quite common in those days).  As the night went on we got hungry and the chef decided to cook some chips for us all.  He went into the kitchen and saw that the chimney was on fire!  We all ran out of the pub and sure enough, there were flames pouring out of the top.  As the landlord only lived in the village the chef phoned him up and told him about the fire but he wouldn’t believe him!  He thought we were playing a joke on him...

Here comes the bride (Part 1) #30

...ith their party there. When I came home and went up to bed, I passed the door leading to the apartments and could hear a lot of noise.  I went in to the East Wing and listened at the door; it sounded like they were having a lot more fun than me so in I went!  The place was full of men watching the strippers and when I walked in all dressed up they thought another one had arrived until they realised it was me!  Kev started to say to me that I shouldn’t be there – it was a stag do and only men were allowed.  Even though he said it in jest, one uninvited guest who didn’t know us started to shout back at Kev and told him to stop treating me like that.  H...

The Kitchen Maid's Story

...shooting party to their Laughton estate, she asked Jenny to go with them to do the cooking.  Jenny recalled how thrilled she was to ride alongside the chauffeur in the family Rolls-Royce. As ducks were early risers Jenny had to start cooking at around 3am to get breakfast ready for 4am before shooting began.  Colonel Meynell appeared pleased with her efforts and she was rewarded with £1 on her 21st birthday – a lot of money in those days! On her return to the Hall she found that a new temporary cook had started.  For the next four months her days were dominated by nagging and persecution, aided and abetted by the butler who joined in the game of baiting...