Story Search Results

Rags to Riches #63

...My dad (Bill Jones) right, with sister Dot and a friend   During his years in the Second World War he saved as much money as he could from his pay and by selling his cigarette rations, which he then used to set up his own business.  Before he could do this though he spent two years in a sanatorium at the end of the war, recovering from tuberculosis (TB), after losing half a lung.  His long illness also caused him to break off his engagement to his fiancee as he didn’t think he would be able to support her.  Eventually though he got back on his feet, bought the alabaster works and started making alabaster products; he was known locally as ‘Alabaster...

My Dad Bought a Mansion #1

...lliam (or Bill as he was known) and two younger brothers Gavin and Piers - and the five of us were about to take on a stately home in the middle of nowhere, or so it seemed to me! It was actually in the middle of Staffordshire but in an incredibly small village, more like a hamlet, with a church, a school, a few cottages and a village pub. The local bus service had just come to an end the month we moved in so there was no public transport either or a village shop! Of course, to us three kids it seemed really exciting moving to this huge house with lots of rooms to play hide and seek in. The gardens were vast and we couldn’t wait to climb trees and make dens in...

Suits you Sir! #22

...SUITS YOU SIR!      When we moved to Hoar Cross Hall in 1970 the organ in the private chapel wasn’t working as the house had been empty for 20 years. It was such a shame as it had been designed by Bodley, the famous organ maker of the 19th century. The chapel itself had been added about 25 years after the house was built at the staggering cost of just under £1000! When one of the visitors to the house said he could fix the organ, my dad readily agreed. This chap really loved organs and volunteered his services free of charge just for the love of mending this musical work of art; my dad was over the moon! Alas, after removing all the pipes and laying them o...

Motor Racing Days #9

....   'Bill Jones Motor Racing'  off to Milan   Every year we would go to the Grand Prix which was usually held at Silverstone. My dad had kept his old Volkswagon van as it was useful for transporting furniture etc from auction houses and we would pack this up and go off for the weekend. Gavin and I would sit on chairs in the back of the van and every time we went round a corner our chairs would tip over to the side and we’d be hanging on for dear life – my mum would sit in the front with Piers on her knee! No seatbelts then or child seats – I dread to think how we would have survived an accident! My dad would always get passes for the Paddock whi...

Suits you Sir! #22

...When we moved to Hoar Cross Hall in 1970 the organ in the private chapel wasn’t working as the house had been empty for 20 years. It was such a shame as it had been designed by Bodley, the famous organ maker of the 19th century. The chapel itself had been added about 25 years after the house was built at the staggering cost of just under £1000! When one of the visitors to the house said he could fix the organ, my dad readily agreed. This chap really loved organs and volunteered his services free of charge just for the love of mending this musical work of art; my dad was over the moon! Alas, after removing all the pipes and laying them out in the basement, he...

Moving Day Arrives #2

...My parents took vacant possession of Hoar Cross Hall in 1970 and the whole process of moving house was done over the summer months. We lived about 20 miles away in an old vicarage with a large garden and lots of outbuildings. This house was about 200 years old and they say Bonnie Prince Charlie marched past it on his way to battle back in the day, for all you history buffs out there! Actually I love history and I think my interest was fuelled by living in these historic houses as a child. My dad used to be a racing driver in the 1950s and before that he did motorcycle racing, often at nearby Donnington Park. During the 1960s he ran his own team, Shardlow Motor R...