Story Search Results

Like Father, Like Sons #19

...ve at the Hall but one day the steering arm broke and he crashed head on into the chapel wall breaking his pelvis! Occasionally he got to drive it at Chasewater when Gavin was testing so then there were two of them going off to race at weekends. Piers testing the car   It was in 1979/80 that Piers started to test a proper racing kart and went on to race for four seasons with 1983 being the most successful – the highlight was winning the Cristal CHallenge National. He also drove Gavin’s Reynard FF2000 at Donington Park for a few laps to get the feel of a racing car and to see if his future lay there. Nowadays he’s more interested in the two wheel va...

Queen Alexandra - my family #52

...Here is a final selection of photos from the album of Queen Alexandra, found in the Library of Hoar Cross Hall.  Alexandra enjoyed photography as a hobby and in 1908 put together this album of personal photos of her family to be sold for charity.  It is a fascinating insight into another world, long gone now.  As we lead up to the Coronation of King Charles III it is a reminder of all that has gone before and all that is to come in the future with our hard working royals.     King Edward VII and David Here is the King in relaxed pose with his grandson, David, who later became King Edward VIII.  David became the King in January 1936 and famously abdicat...

Becoming A Rock Chick! #17

...BECOMING A ROCK CHICK:  My schooldays were coming 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 inkwells in them!  Even the teachers wore their mortar boards and gowns, not like the ones at Eton and Harrow – mine were more like the ones in the Beano!  However, in the last two years there I had made a few good friends and we would go into Uttoxeter every lunch time to meet up with a group of guys that worked at the local JCB firm.  They were all into motor bikes and one of the first films I watched was ‘Easy Rider’.  They also went to a lot of concerts...

Becoming a rock chick #18

...BECOMING A ROCK CHICK:        My schooldays were coming to an end now and I absolutely couldn’t wait to leave.  The school itself was an old Victorian grammar school in Uttoxeter which still had wooden desks with inkwells in them!  Even the teachers wore their mortar boards and gowns just like the ones at Eton and Harrow – or the Beano!   However, in the last two years there I had made a few good friends and we would go into town every lunch time to meet up with a group of guys that worked at the local J. C. Bamford firm.  They were all into motor bikes and one of the first films I watched was ‘Easy Rider’.  They also went to a lot of concerts...

Christmas High Jinks!

...ed at the Hall but that there was a party at the vicarage afterwards with lots of food, mince pies and mulled wine along with a group of bell-ringers to finish off the evening.  The thought of nice Christmas fare was enough to mollify them but they were already thinking up tricks they could play on the unsuspecting parishoners! The day of the Carol Service arrived and as they approached the church Gavin and Viv went to show their mother where the grave was.  But as they got nearer they couldn’t find it. “How strange,” said Viv.  “I’m sure it was here, just round the corner from the front door!” They looked around but couldn’t see anything but...

Here comes the bride (Part 1) #30

...ck to the Hall as two of our friends now lived in the East Wing apartments, and they carried on with their party there. When I came home and went up to bed, I passed the door leading to the apartments and could hear a lot of noise.  I went in to the East Wing and listened at the door; it sounded like they were having a lot more fun than me so in I went!  The place was full of men watching the strippers and when I walked in all dressed up they thought another one had arrived until they realised it was me!  Kev started to say to me that I shouldn’t be there – it was a stag do and only men were allowed.  Even though he said it in jest, one uninvited guest...