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A New Year Calamity! #35

The New Year’s Eve Balls at Hoar Cross Hall were usually the highlight of the year. After twelve months of hard work, especially running the Mediaeval Banquets twice a week through the winter, we were always ready to see out the year in style with a big new year party. In those days it was always black tie for the men and long dresses for the ladies – usually around 500 people bought tickets for an evening of entertainment with a dance band, disco and a meal. At midnight a man dressed in traditional Scottish regalia, including a kilt and sporran, would pipe in the new year with his bagpipes. Down the Long Gallery he would slowly walk and into the Ballroom wi...

The Kitchen Maid's Tale #41

If you were young, free and single – 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, in particular a young girl who was to become the kitchen maid at Hoar Cross Hall in 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 intelligent having won a scholarship to Glasgow University to study French and music. However, the £5 bursary she got (equivalent to around £250 in today's mo...

Hoar Cross Hall - Life below stairs #45

This week I’ve done a history blog about the servants who lived at the Hall from the 1870s to the 1950s when the Hall became empty. They were an essential part of keeping a big house running but were often not appreciated by the aristocracy as they went about their day to day duties. The life of a servant in Victorian times was a hard one. They had to rise at 5am to clean and light all the fires and dust and polish the floors, then do a day’s work, often not getting to bed much before midnight. No wonder they didn’t live to a great age in those days! By the end of the 19th century there were nearly one and a half million servants; most young girls went in...

Change and the Country House #61

...ariety of Balls every few months including our New Year’s Eve Ball.  All great fun and now of course it’s a Spa Hotel with even more work done to the grounds to bring them back to their Victorian splendour, which is a real pleasure to see whenever I return there. And so the country house continues to evolve and long may we enjoy their treasures within!   Don't miss next week's instalment:  'Anyone for tennis?'   If you would like to follow my story from the beginning, please click here and feel free to share with your friends.Follow me on a personal tour of my childhood home on YouTube.OUT NOW!!  'My Dad Bought a Mansion' book is available on Amaz...

Christmas High Jinks #72

...all these Balls and dances; it made Viv feel very grown up when she wore her long evening gown.  However, Christmas was first and she began to wonder what gifts she would get. “Let’s go out for a bit, I’m bored!” Gavin’s voice ran ahead of him into the Library and made Viv jump.  “OK, I suppose we could. I’ve been playing for ages now, I could do with a break,” answered Viv.  “Where’s Pap?”  Viv used their little brother’s nickname. “He’s gone to his friends’ house to play – that’s why I’m bored!” They wandered out of the Library and grabbed their coats; the weather was turning quite cold now and the nights were draw...

THE GRAND OPENING #5

...vents and Balls.  We had a Red Cross Ball, a Hunt Ball, A Midsummer’s Eve Ball and we always put on a New Year’s Eve Ball to which 400-500 people would attend.  Being a young teen I was allowed to go to these events and would dress up in a long ball-gown – usually a friend from school was asked to come along and stay over to keep me company.  I always found them very exciting and loved that moment when we were all dressed up waiting for people to arrive, the house all clean and polished and fires lit (depending on the time of year).  The band would be setting up in the Ballroom and the caterers would be putting the finishing touches to the tables.  As...