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Suits You Sir! #23

SUITS YOU SIR! When we moved to the Hall an class='highlight'>inan> 1970 the organ an class='highlight'>inan> the private chapel wasn’t workan class='highlight'>inan>g as the house had been empty for 20 years.  It was such a shame as it had been designed by Bodley, the famous organ maker of the 19th century.  The chapel itself had been added about 25 years after the house was built at the staggeran class='highlight'>inan>g cost of just under £1000!  When one of the visitors to the house said he could fix the organ, my dad readily agreed.  This chap really loved organs and volunteered his services free of charge just for the love of mendan class='highlight'>inan>g this musical work of art; my dad was over the moon!  alas, after removan class='highlight'>inan>g all the pipes and layan class='highlight'>inan>g them out an class='highlight'>inan>...

More Tea Vicar? #12

Life at Hoar Cross Hall was always busy but duran class='highlight'>inan>g the long summer holidays it was easy to get bored. as there was no public transport from Hoar Cross and no other families an class='highlight'>livan class='highlight'>inan>gan> nearby, we three children had to make our own entertaan class='highlight'>inan>ment and we were always havan class='highlight'>inan>g adventures and gettan class='highlight'>inan>g 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 an class='highlight'>inan>cludan class='highlight'>inan>g 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 restoran class='highlight'>inan>g antiques to sell. He had one of the f...

Than class='highlight'>inan>gs That Go Bump an class='highlight'>inan> The Night! #3

  THan class='highlight'>inan>GS THaT GO BUMP an class='highlight'>inan> THE NIGHT: Goan class='highlight'>inan>g to sleep an class='highlight'>inan> a big old house is quite scary when you’re young but goan class='highlight'>inan>g to sleep an class='highlight'>inan> a big old house that’s haunted is even more scary!!  That first wan class='highlight'>inan>ter at the Hall was like that.  Every time there was a wan class='highlight'>inan>dy night I could hear a wan class='highlight'>inan>dow bangan class='highlight'>inan>g an class='highlight'>inan> the attic – all night long it kept me awake.  The next day I would go upstairs to close it but there would be no wan class='highlight'>inan>dows open or even loose.   They were all tightly shut as they had been for 20 years.  I remember standan class='highlight'>inan>g there an class='highlight'>inan> the attic rooms, the hairs pricklan class='highlight'>inan>g the back of my neck and quickly leggan class='highlight'>inan>g it back downstairs!  On other nights I would hear peopl...

HUNTan class='highlight'>inan>’, SHOOTan class='highlight'>inan>’ & FISHan class='highlight'>inan>’ #6

HUNTan class='highlight'>inan>’, SHOOTan class='highlight'>inan>’ & FISHan class='highlight'>inan>’: as with most stately homes there was huntan class='highlight'>inan>g, shootan class='highlight'>inan>g and fishan class='highlight'>inan>g.   We participated an class='highlight'>inan> none of these but the Meynell and South Staffs Hunt used to meet locally to do a spot of fox huntan class='highlight'>inan>g.  They would all gather at different venues around the area and enjoy a dran class='highlight'>inan>k before settan class='highlight'>inan>g off.  One of their usual places was the Meynell an class='highlight'>inan>gram arms Public House at the bottom of the village.   an class='highlight'>inan> February 1972 they had their ‘meet’ at the Hall.  We, as the host family, got all dressed up to meet and greet them and local helpers served dran class='highlight'>inan>ks, usually sherry. (See header pic: Me with my Mum and brothers, Gavan class='highlight'>inan> and Piers)....

The Kitchen Maid's Story

THE KITCHEN MaID’S STORY:      If you were young, free and san class='highlight'>inan>gle – oh, and very well-to-do – the 1920s were the decade to be a part of.   The upper classes had lots of time on their hands and enjoyed post-First World War delights such as the theatre and jazz clubs. Not so for the lower classes, an class='highlight'>inan> particular a young girl who was to become the kitchen maid at Hoar Cross Hall an class='highlight'>inan> the 1920s.  The depression after the First World War brought stark poverty to her home and many like her.  Her name was Jean Rennie, and she was extremely an class='highlight'>inan>telligent havan class='highlight'>inan>g won a scholarship to Glasgow University to study French and music.   However, the £5 bursary she g...

More Tea Vicar? #13

MORE TEa VICaR?         Life at Hoar Cross Hall was always busy but duran class='highlight'>inan>g the long summer holidays it was easy to get bored.  as there was no public transport from Hoar Cross and no other families an class='highlight'>livan class='highlight'>inan>gan> nearby, we three children had to make our own entertaan class='highlight'>inan>ment and we were always havan class='highlight'>inan>g adventures and gettan class='highlight'>inan>g 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 an class='highlight'>inan>cludan class='highlight'>inan>g 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 restoran class='highlight'>inan>g...