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Gardeners World at Hoar Cross #36

...at of the groom, always a ‘Mr’.   An early 20th century car on the Hall drive    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 s...

Here Comes the Bride (Part 1) #32

...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...

Gardeners' World at Hoar Cross #39

...at of the groom, always a ‘Mr’. One of the Meynells' cars   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 begi...

Here Comes the Bride (Part 2) # 28

...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 get a nice long drive through the town where everyone can see you! Never mind, a small crowd of l...

Gardeners' World #38

...at of the groom, always a ‘Mr’. One of the Meynells' cars   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...

Gardeners World at Hoar Cross #43

...at of the groom, always a ‘Mr’. One of the Meynells' cars   A lot of hard work went into the upkeep of the 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 life and times of an upper class family'    If you would like to follow my story form...