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Moving On #35

MOVING ON – THE END OF AN ERA:      And so, after ten years of growing up and living in a stately home, I have come to the end of my story. After my parents’ divorce it was agreed that my mum bought out my dad's half of the house and he had to leave his dream home forever. He and Gavin moved out to live in Burton-on-Trent and my mum carried on running Mediaeval Banquets for a few more years. She and the singer eventually got together much to my dad’s chagrin. The singer spent a lot more time at the hall helping my mum run the banquets; however, Piers didn’t really get on with him. When he was about 14 years old my dad received a phone call from Piers...

Hoar Cross hall meets Downton Abbey #99

With the new Downton Abbey film out this month I thought I would do a comparison of the two family homes, Downton and Hoar Cross hall, the latter being my old family home for those of you who are new to these blogs.  Although Downton Abbey is fictional, the house on which it is based is not, it being Highclere Castle in Hampshire which was built in 1679 and is owned by the Earl of Carnarvon. Hoar Cross hall was the original home of the Meynell Ingram family who first came from Leicestershire and was built in 1863.  Hugo Meynell of Quorndon was the High Sheriff of Staffordshire and Member of Parliament for Lichfield and the family owned considerable property in...

Hoar Cross hall - Life below stairs #20

HOAR CROSS hall – LIFE BELOW STAIRS:       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...

Hoar Cross hall - Life below stairs

HOAR CROSS hall – LIFE BELOW STAIRS:       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...

Hoar Cross hall - Life below stairs #39

HOAR CROSS hall – LIFE BELOW STAIRS:    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 hal...

Hoar Cross hall - Life below stairs #18

HOAR CROSS hall – LIFE BELOW STAIRS:   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...