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The Grand Openan class='highlight'>inan>g #5

THE GRaND OPENan class='highlight'>inan>G:        and so we move an class='highlight'>inan>to 1971 and the preparation of the Hall so we could open it to the public by Easter.  Duran class='highlight'>inan>g the run an class='highlight'>upan> to buyan class='highlight'>inan>g the house my dad had been buyan class='highlight'>inan>g furniture, carpets and paan class='highlight'>inan>tan class='highlight'>inan>gs like  crazy and I remember our previous home bean class='highlight'>inan>g jam packed with chaise longues, sideboards and carved chests as well as all the suits of armour that he already had.  This furniture was now set out an class='highlight'>inan> all the rooms. My mum’s collection of Victorian costumes were on display an class='highlight'>inan> the Ballroom as well as my dad’s collection of silver plated ‘display’ armour, which hung around the panelled walls; the suits of armour and the many pai...

MOTOR RaCan class='highlight'>inan>G DaYS #9

MOTOR RaCan class='highlight'>inan>G DaYS: although my blogs are about livan class='highlight'>inan>g at Hoar Cross Hall, I would just like to give a bit of background about my dad’s racan class='highlight'>inan>g career an class='highlight'>inan> the years leadan class='highlight'>inan>g an class='highlight'>upan> to movan class='highlight'>inan>g to the Hall as this will set the scene for later an class='highlight'>inan>stalments of my story.  as mentioned an class='highlight'>inan> my first blog my dad used to be a racan class='highlight'>inan>g driver but he actually started off racan class='highlight'>inan>g motor cycles.  He had been a despatch rider an class='highlight'>inan> World War 2 an class='highlight'>inan> North africa and after the war ended and he’d recovered from TB he decided to take an class='highlight'>upan> racan class='highlight'>inan>g his bike as a hobby.  as he lived an class='highlight'>inan> Derby the nearest track was Donan class='highlight'>inan>gton Park and he raced there at the began class='highlight'>inan>nan class='highlight'>inan>g of the 1950s.  after that he move...

Becoman class='highlight'>inan>g a Rock Chick! #17

BECOMan class='highlight'>inan>G a ROCK CHICK:  My schooldays were coman class='highlight'>inan>g to an end now and I absolutely couldn’t wait to leave.  The school itself was an old Victorian grammar school which still had wooden desks with an class='highlight'>inan>kwells an class='highlight'>inan> them!  Even the teachers wore their mortar boards and gowns, not like the ones at Eton and Harrow – man class='highlight'>inan>e were more like the ones an class='highlight'>inan> the Beano!  However, an class='highlight'>inan> the last two years there I had made a few good friends and we would go an class='highlight'>inan>to Uttoxeter every lunch time to meet an class='highlight'>upan> with a groan class='highlight'>upan> of guys that worked at the local JCB firm.  They were all an class='highlight'>inan>to motor bikes and one of the first films I watched was ‘Easy Rider’.  They also went to a lot of concerts...

"He's Behan class='highlight'>inan>d You" #22

“HE’S BEHan class='highlight'>inan>D YOU!” Duran class='highlight'>inan>g the 1970s the Hall was used from time to time for local community activities and one such event was the production an class='highlight'>inan> 1978 of a traditional pantomime, ‘Midnight and a Journey back to Happan class='highlight'>inan>ess’.   It was written by local people, Robert Leighton from Yoxall and the Hon. alexandra Meynell, daughter-an class='highlight'>inan>-law of Mrs Jean Meynell whom we had purchased the Hall from.  The words and music were written by local songwriter, David Matthews, who had written songs for quite a few pop artists duran class='highlight'>inan>g the 1960s, his most famous bean class='highlight'>inan>g Matt Munro’s ‘We’re gonna change the world’.  So off to a good start there! For those of you who d...

Ghostbusters #8

GHOSTBUSTERS! Later on an class='highlight'>inan> the year of 1973 a coan class='highlight'>upan>le of professional ghost hunters asked to stay over one night to try and source the noises we heard an class='highlight'>inan> the attic.  They brought cases full of recordan class='highlight'>inan>g equipment and set it all an class='highlight'>upan> an class='highlight'>inan> one of the attic rooms.  Rather them than me I thought!  Then I had a brilliant idea and went off to tell Gavan class='highlight'>inan> all about it.  as mentioned an class='highlight'>inan> my first blog the attic and basement had a row of bells which the family used to summon the servants.  Before the men arrived we spent all day tryan class='highlight'>inan>g out all the bells to see which ones were which.  We found that one of the bell pulls an class='highlight'>inan> the Chase Dressan class='highlight'>inan>g Room made one of the bells an class='highlight'>inan> th...

LET THE BaNQUET COMMENCE! #11

LET THE BaNQUETS COMMENCE!: It was the end of the summer season and rehearsals had started for the new venture of Mediaeval Banquets.  all the cast would come round to the house each week and my mum and one or two other ladies were busy makan class='highlight'>inan>g the skirts and blouses for the wenches, although the maan class='highlight'>inan> costumes were bought.   My mum also made about 200 bibs which the guests were goan class='highlight'>inan>g to be wearan class='highlight'>inan>g as eatan class='highlight'>inan>g five courses with a dagger can be quite messy!   We had a Kan class='highlight'>inan>g, a Jester, a Fire-eater, a Halberdier, an organist and various wenches and servan class='highlight'>inan>g ladies.  To launch the banquets my parents decided to hold a Press Reception about a month before and so we...