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The origins of the stately home #43

So why are stately homes so called? Stately home actually means 'a large impressive old house with interesting history <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> usually visited by the public.' Well, I suppose they do look very 'stately' for a start but these houses were also a status symbol for the great families of Engl<Span class='highlight'>andSpan>, who competed with each other to provide hospitality for the royal household who would travel around Engl<Span class='highlight'>andSpan> meeting their subjects. Stately homes were huge mansions which were always beautiful <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> the epitome of perfect architecture, often designed by famous architects of the day. The gardens too would be perfectly l<Span class='highlight'>andSpan>scaped to show balance, variety, sequence <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> colour. One o...

Like father, like sons #20

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SONS:        As previously mentioned in earlier blogs my dad used to be a racing driver during the 1950s <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> ran his own team, Shardlow Motor Racing, in the 1960s, travelling all over Europe in his trusty Volkswagon van (see picture above) with his two mechanics <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> racing driver.   He didn’t have big sponsorship money behind him <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> 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 ‘<Span class='highlight'>HotelSpan>’ 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 collectio...

Victorian Society #93

Victorian society was built around Queen Victoria’s reign, loosely between 1820-1914.  It was characterised by a class-based society <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> Britain being the most powerful empire in the world. Hoar Cross Hall was built in 1870, at the height of the Victorian era, <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> boasted up to seventy rooms, twenty-five of them for the servants, approximately fifteen for the kitchens <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> utility areas, leaving around thirty rooms for the family <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> their guests.  During this time a lot of people, particularly women, went into domestic service <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> the Housekeeper at the Hall earned about £50 a year, while a housemaid earned £15 a year – quite the difference!  By all ac...

What the Butler Saw! #35

WHAT THE BUTLER SAW!     Anyone who’s seen Downton Abbey will remember Carter the butler. He is exactly how a butler would have been in the 19th century <Span class='highlight'>andSpan>, strangely enough, the butler at Hoar Cross Hall during the early part of the 20th century was also called Carter! Although most big houses had a house steward who was in charge of accounts <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> general running of the household, a butler was more commonly engaged by the wealthy. He was usually a gr<Span class='highlight'>andSpan>, authoritarian figure, comm<Span class='highlight'>andSpan>ing respect <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> awe <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> most of the servants would have been scared to death of upsetting him! He was dressed like a gentleman of the period <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> generally ran the household wi...

HUNTIN’, SHOOTIN’ & FISHIN’ #6

HUNTIN’, SHOOTIN’ & FISHIN’: As with most stately homes there was hunting, shooting <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> fishing.   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 sherry. (See header pic: Me with my Mum <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> brothers, Gavin <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> Piers)....

Summer Balls <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> Garden Parties #57

Balls <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> functions held at Hoar Cross Hall were lavish affairs, especially before the First World War, with the catering <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> other services invariably being provided by premier London companies.  Tea dances became popular in the 1880s but Balls with a supper included were also very popular amongst the aristocracy, especially if it was a 'coming out' Ball.  In 1907, Gunter & Co of Berkeley Square, London, could supply a Ball supper <Span class='highlight'>andSpan> refreshments for ten shillings (50p) a head, plus 'extra services'. For a Ball Supper in January 1913, Mayfair Catering, Grosvenor Square, assured Lady Mary Meynell that they had engaged 'a superior staff of tall waiters'...