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Hoar Cross Hall - Life below stairs #45

This week I’ve done a history blog about The servants who lived at The Hall from The 1870s to The 1950s when The Hall became empty. They were an essential part of keeping a big house running but were often not appreciated by The aristocracy as They went about Their day to day duties. The life of a servant in Victorian times was a hard one. They had to rise at 5am to clean and light all The fires and dust and polish The floors, Then do a day’s work, often not getting to bed much before midnight. No wonder They didn’t live to a great age in those days! By The end of The 19th century There were nearly one and a half million servants; most young girls went in...

Ghosts of Christmas Past #88

Welcome to anoTher story based on true facts and things that went bump in The night at Hoar Cross Hall, to get you in The mood for all those Christmas ghost stories you'll be watching this season!  Hope you don't get too scared! 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 pulli...

Huntin', Shootin' and Fishin' #6

HUNTIN’, SHOOTIN’ AND FISHIN’ :            Most stately homes have The obligatory hunting, shooting and fishing and ours was no exception during The Meynell family’s time There.   We participated in none of These but The Meynell and South Staffs Hunt used to meet locally to do a spot of fox hunting.  They would all gaTher at different venues around The area and enjoy a drink before setting off.  One of Their usual places was The Meynell Ingram Arms Public House at The bottom of The village.   In February 1972 They had Their ‘meet’ at The Hall.  We, as The host family, got all dressed up to meet and greet Them and local helpers served dri...

More Tea Vicar? #13

MORE TEA VICAR?         Life at Hoar Cross Hall was always busy but during The long summer holidays it was easy to get bored.  As There was no public transport from Hoar Cross and no oTher families living nearby, we three children had to make our own entertainment and we were always having adventures and getting up to mischief – a bit like The Famous Five but without a dog!  We would roam around The village or explore The basement.  My dad was a hoarder and had kept all sorts of stuff over The years including gas masks and field phones from World War 2.  The old Servants Hall was now my dad’s workshop and he spent a lot of time down There restoring...

The Kitchen Maid's Story #35

The KITCHEN MAID’S STORY:      If you were young, free and single – oh, and very well-to-do – The 1920s was The decade to live in!   The upper classes had lots of time on Their hands and enjoyed post-First World War delights such as The Theatre and jazz clubs. Not so for The lower classes, in particular a young girl who was to become The kitchen maid at Hoar Cross Hall in The 1920s.  The ‘depression’ after The First World War brought stark poverty to her home and many like her.  Her name was Jean Rennie, and she was extremely intelligent having won a scholarship to Glasgow University to study French and music.   However, The £5 bursary she g...

The Grand Opening #5

The GRAND OPENING:       And so we move into 1971 and The preparation of Hoar Cross 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 ma...