Story Search Results

Gardeners' World at Hoar Cross #36

...at of the groom, always a ‘Mr’. A lot of hard work went into the upkeep of these grounds and gardens, enough for 28 men and boys, and you can certainly see that when you look at the old photos from that time (see previous blog ‘Life below stairs’).  By 1952, when the  Meynell family left, the number of servants had reduced to three or four, and the outside staff comprised a head gardener (Mr Robert Madeley) and three under-gardeners – a sad end to the glory days of the Victorian age.   Don’t miss next weeks’ instalment:  The Hall: World War II and beyond  If you would like to follow my story form the beginning, click here and please feel f...

Hoar Cross Hall - Life Below Stairs #35

...at of the groom.   Servants ready for a rare day out!   Around 28 people were employed on the grounds. Two young boys were employed just to sweep the pathways and were known as bothy boys. The most common of all male servants was the gardener as they were responsible for producing all the fruit, vegetables and herbs which were used in the kitchens as well as keeping the lawns and hedges tidy. Grass was cut by a horse-drawn mower, although this was the chauffeur’s job surprisingly. The kitchen garden also supplied the house with flowers and during important functions at the house they would bring across masses of palms and pot plants to decorate the r...

Hoar Cross Hall - Life below stairs #45

...at of the groom. Around 28 people were employed on the grounds. Two young boys were employed just to sweep the pathways and were known as bothy boys. The most common of all male servants was the gardener as they were responsible for producing all the fruit, vegetables and herbs which were used in the kitchens as well as keeping the lawns and hedges tidy. Grass was cut by a horse-drawn mower, although this was the chauffeur’s job surprisingly. The kitchen garden also supplied the house with flowers and during important functions at the house they would bring across masses of palms and pot plants to decorate the rooms. Home Farm supplied the estate with as much...

Hoar Cross Hall meets Downton Abbey #99

...ly to the groom's family upon their marriage, and has historically been practiced by  various cultures over the years). During the First World War, Highclere opened the house up as a hospital with the then Lady Carnarvon assisting as a nurse.  In the Downton story Lord Grantham opens up the house to be used as a hospital for injured officers and some of the family assist in nursing them back to health.  The Meynell family at Hoar Cross Hall  also offered their home to be used as a hospital but were told that it was unsuitable owing to its isolation and inaccessibility in the country.  However, Lady Mary Meynell opened her London home in Lennox Gardens to...

Here Comes the Bride (Part 1) #29

...rides and grooms who go off for whole weekends to some far flung place in the sun with a group of friends for fun and frolics a month before the Big Day. Much more sensible, if expensive! I decided to go out for a nice meal with my friends then come back home. Kev decided to go out for a few drinks with his friends and then stay at his best man’s house. But his best man had other ideas for Kev’s last night as a bachelor – as he worked in the entertainment industry he hired two strippers who turned up at the pub and started to do their act. The Landlady was a bit strait laced and ordered them all out so where to go now? They all decided to come back to the...

Here Comes the Bride (Part 2) #30

...HERE COMES THE BRIDE (Part 2):    And so our wedding day at Hoar Cross Hall arrived bright and clear, all thoughts of solicitors, legals, fights and arrests behind us! Myself and my bridesmaids went to get our hair done in the morning and Kev slapped a piece of steak on his jaw to bring the swelling down after the rather unfortunate fight at his stag do. Fortunately, the bruise didn’t show up too much on the photos! Gavin drove my dad’s Mercedes Benz car all the way down the drive and back up the road to the church – this was one of the drawbacks of having a church in your grounds; you don’t have a nice long drive all through the town with everyone loo...