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Growing up in a stately home #1

It was the summer of 1970, Mungo Jerry was at the top of the hit paraDe anD we were about to move house. But not to any olD house – to a 70 roomeD mansion in 20 acres of grounDs! For years my DaD haD collecteD antiques, ever since he was a young boy of 12, anD it was his Dream to own a large house where he coulD put them on show to the general public. In the 1970s he owneD the largest private collection of arms anD armour in the country anD his Dream was about to be realiseD; but little DiD we know what a nightmare woulD unfolD before us. Hoar Cross Hall was the home of the Meynell Ingram family who originateD from Leicestershire. Hugo Meynell of QuornDon was...

Things That Go Bump In The Night! #3

  THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT: Going to sleep in a big olD house is quite scary when you’re young but going to sleep in a big olD house that’s haunteD is even more scary!!  That first winter at the Hall was like that.  Every time there was a winDy night I coulD hear a winDow banging in the attic – all night long it kept me awake.  The next Day I woulD go upstairs to close it but there woulD be no winDows open or even loose.   They were all tightly shut as they haD been for 20 years.  I remember stanDing there in the attic rooms, the hairs prickling the back of my neck anD quickly legging it back Downstairs!  On other nights I woulD hear peopl...

More Tea Vicar? #12

MORE TEA VICAR?   During the long summer holiDays it was easy to get boreD.  As there was no public transport from Hoar Cross anD no chilDren 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 antiques to sell.  He haD one of the fielD phones in his...

Hysterical ProDuctions #16

HYSTERICAL PRODUCTIONS: By the enD of 1974 we haD Done about 40 banquets anD they were still going strong.  Most of the original cast were still with us but we were on our seconD king now anD also Doing our own catering anD bar, whereas when we first starteD, we haD got a catering firm in to Do it all.  Every weekenD over 200 people came to sample our Noble Brose, Roast Lambe anD Saracen’s Delight anD sing along to ‘I’m Henry VIII I am’ whilst Drinking beer, wine anD meaD.  But it was a very aDult environment for 15 year olD girls to work in; a few of my school frienDs also workeD at the banquets as wenches anD we were constantly being chatteD up by...

Like Father Like Sons #20

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SONS  As mentioneD before my DaD useD to be a racing Driver During the 1950s anD ran his own team in the 1960s, travelling all over  Europe in his trusty Volkswagon van with his two mechanics anD Driver.   He DiDn’t have big sponsorship money behinD him anD most of it was Done on a shoestring but he came back with lots of funny stories of their van breaking Down or some rural ‘hotel’ that they haD stayeD in.  From each country that he visiteD he always brought me back a Doll DresseD in the traDitional costume of that country.  There was quite a collection anD I still have them; I useD to put them on Display in the Library when our...

See You In Court! #28

SEE YOU IN COURT - The saga of my parents’ split continueD as we grew up in our stately home, although their behaviour was anything but stately for most of the time!  Seven years of arguing anD fighting were about to come to an enD anD the solicitors haD finally agreeD on a Date to go to court.  We carrieD on helping my DaD to run the Hall anD he still went to his boat in Caernarfon at weekenDs to get away from the house but we were all getting weary of it now.  We were young aDults anD wanting to get on with our own lives.  After five years together we were hoping to get marrieD at some point so we were glaD that it was finally going to be sorteD out one...