Story Search Results

Get me to the church on time #31

<Span class='highlight'>andSpan> so our wedding day at Hoar Cross Hall arrived bright <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> clear, all thoughts of solicitors, legals, fights <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> arrests behind us! Myself <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> my bridesmaids went to get our hair done in the morning <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> 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! My brother Gavin drove my dad’s Mercedes Benz car all the way down the drive <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> back up the road to the church – this is one of the drawbacks of having a church next door to your house; you don’t get to drive all through the town with everyone looking at you! At least a sma...

Huntin', Shootin' <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> Fishin' #6

Most stately homes have the obligatory hunting, shooting <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> fishing <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> Hoar Cross Hall was no exception during the Meynell family’s time there. We didn't participate in any of these but, however, the Meynell <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> South Staffs Hunt used to meet locally to do a spot of fox hunting. They would all gather at different venues around the area <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> 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 <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> greet them <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> local helpers served drinks, usually sherry. I had no interest in h...

Royal Visitors at Hoar Cross Hall #49

With the King's Coronation looming on 6th May in the UK, I thought I'd do some royal family related articles this month starting with royal visitors at the Hall in the 1920s. I also have a book called Queen Alex<Span class='highlight'>andSpan>ra's Christmas Gift Book which was left in the Library <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> shows personal photos from her own camera which she took of the royal family between 1900-1910 -  a rare insight indeed into what the royals did in their leisure time!  I will be sharing these photos over the next month leading up to the Coronation <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> hope you find them as fascinating as I do. Royal Visitors From earliest times the king's court has travelled around the kingdom so the king...

Huntin', Shootin' <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> Fishin' #6

HUNTIN’,  SHOOTIN’ <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> FISHIN’:    Most stately homes have the obligatory hunting, shooting <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> fishing <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> Hoar Cross Hall was no exception during the Meynell family’s time there. We participated in none of these but the Meynell <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> South Staffs Hunt used to meet locally to do a spot of fox hunting. They would all gather at different venues around the area <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> 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 <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> greet them <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> local helpers served drinks, usually s...

Skools out for Summer #98

When Hugo <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> Emily Meynell built Hoar Cross Hall it included a whole estate with it, namely kitchen gardens, greenhouses, stables, a farm <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> cottages.  This was quite common in those days as the estate supported the house with food etc <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> also gave employment to local people. Old Hall (their original home) was also on the estate <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> was accessed via a private road, which ran from the main road.  By the time the 1970s came along the stable block <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> Old Hall were private houses <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> another part of Old Hall had been made into a children’s home.  Emily Meynell had started this home in the Victorian days, calling it ‘The Home of the Good Shepherd’ but it...

Huntin', Shootin' <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> Fishin' #6

HUNTIN’, SHOOTIN’ <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> FISHIN’ Most stately homes have the obligatory hunting, shooting <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> fishing <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> Hoar Cross Hall was no exception during the Meynell family’s time there. We didn't take part in any of these activities but the Meynell <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> South Staffs Hunt used to meet locally to do a spot of fox hunting. They would all gather at different venues around the area <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> 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 <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> greet them <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> local helpers served drinks, us...