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VENTURES NEW #10

...seen by a King and his court.  Well they seemed so struck on this that they decided to have a go themselves.  In the seventies mediaeval banquets were becoming the ‘in thing’ so they started planning how they would do this.  It was decided that they would run them during the winter months and open the house to the public from Easter to the August Bank Holiday.   Around this time JCB, who had a factory in nearby Uttoxeter, heard that we were planning to run banquets and booked a private one exclusively for their US division.  My parents knew Joe Bamford (the JCB owner) quite well and I think my dad hoped that I would one day marry his son and invited hi...

Eat, drink and be merry! #10

...seen by a King and his court.  Well they seemed so struck on this that they decided to have a go themselves.  In the seventies mediaeval banquets were becoming the ‘in thing’ so they started planning how they would do this.  It was decided that they would run them during the winter months and open the house to the public from Easter to the August Bank Holiday.   Around this time JCB, who had a factory in nearby Uttoxeter, heard that we were planning to run banquets and booked a private one exclusively for their US division.   My parents knew Joe Bamford (the JCB owner) quite well and I think my dad hoped that I would one day marry his son and invited...

Ventures New #9

...seen by a King and his court. Well they seemed so struck on this that they decided to have a go themselves. In the seventies mediaeval banquets were becoming the ‘in thing’ so they started planning how they would do this. It was decided that they would run them during the winter months and open the house to the public from Easter to the August Bank Holiday. The first banquet in 1973   Around this time J C Bamford, who had a factory in nearby Uttoxeter, heard that we were planning to run banquets and booked a private one exclusively for their US division. My parents knew Joe Bamford (the JCB owner) quite well and I think my dad hoped that I would one...

Hysterical Productions #15

...HYSTERICAL PRODUCTIONS:    By the end of 1974 we had done about 40 banquets at Hoar Cross Hall 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 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’ 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 chatte...

Mediaeval Mayhem! #11

...It was the end of the summer season at Hoar Cross Hall in 1973 and rehearsals had started for the new venture of Mediaeval Banquets. All the cast would come round to the house each week for rehearsals and my mum and one or two other ladies were busy maKing the skirts and blouses for the wenches. My mum also made about 200 bibs which the guests were going to be wearing as eating five courses with a dagger can be quite messy! We had a King, a Jester, a Fire-eater, a Halberdier, an organist and various wenches and serving ladies. To launch the banquets my parents decided to hold a Press Reception about a month before and so we all gathered at the Hall one day in ea...

Panto Pranks #21

...with her King! Cast members being filmed by "ATV Today"   As usual we would meet up in the Meynell pub in the village and the pantomime was the topic of conversation for weeks afterwards. As well as our large crowd of younger people there was also a crowd of older men who were always in there. One of them asked Kev if he could sell his wife’s car (as Kev was always buying and selling things in those days). Kev readily agreed and a few days later drove the car up to the Hall and parked it on the drive. The next day my mum pushed a note under my dad’s lounge door telling him to move the car at once. My dad as usual ignored the note from my mum, sayi...