Story Search Results

More tea Vicar? #11

...t full of balloons onto the crowd and everyone would set off their party poppers.   Kev and I at a New Years Eve ball   Gavin’s birthday was New Year’s Day so he was allowed to come down just before midnight and everyone would sing Happy Birthday to him. Not many youngsters of that age had 500 people singing birthday wishes to them and a huge party in their house! Don’t miss next week’s instalment: Skool’s out for summer! If you would like to follow my story from the beginning, click here and please feel free to share with your friends.  ...

What the Butler Saw! #37

...Anyone who’s seen Downton Abbey will remember Carter the butler. He is exactly how a butler would have been in the 19th century and, strangely enough, the butler at Hoar Cross Hall during the early part of the 20th century was also called Carter! Although most big houses had a house steward who was in charge of accounts and general running of the household, a butler was more commonly engaged by the wealthy. He was usually a grand, authoritarian figure, commanding respect and awe and most of the servants would have been scared to death of upsetting him! He was dressed like a gentleman of the period and generally ran the household with an iron fist. As I said,...

Gardeners World at Hoar Cross #43

...In this week's blog I am focusing again on the servants who spent their lives looking after the Meynell family along with their home and gardens. In it’s heyday Hoar Cross Hall had around 28 people employed to keep the 20 acres of grounds tidy and weed free. In Victorian England the most common of all male servants was the gardener. At Hoar Cross the head gardener had numerous under-gardeners known affectionately as ‘digging slaves’! They were responsible for producing fruit, vegetables and growing luxury items in and out of season, much of it under glass. Adjacent to the house was the carp pool and greenhouse area along with a palm house; next to these wa...

More Tea Vicar? #12

...t full of balloons onto the crowd and everyone would set off their party poppers.   Non-stop dancing at New Year   My brother Gavin’s birthday was New Year’s Day so he was allowed to come down just before midnight and everyone would sing Happy Birthday to him. Not many youngsters of that age had 500 people singing birthday wishes to them and a huge party in their house!   Don’t miss next week’s instalment:   'Skool’s out for summer!'   If you would like to follow my story from the beginning, click here and please feel free to share with your friends.   If you would like to view my 'Tour of the House' video, please click here.  ...

Hysterical Productions #16

...By the end of 1974 we had done about 40 banquets at Hoar Cross Hall and they were still going strong. Most of the original cast were still with us but we were on our second King now and also doing our own catering and bar, instead of an outside firm coming in.  Every weekend over 200 people came to sample our Noble Brose, Roast Lambe and Saracen’s Delight and sing along to ‘I’m Henry VIII’ whilst drinking beer, wine and mead. But it was a very adult environment for 15 year old girls to work in; a few of my school friends also worked at the banquets as wenches and we were constantly being chatted up by men who bought us drinks all evening (even though w...

Hoar Cross Hall - Life below stairs #19

...were few balls and dances and hardly any hunting and shooting. I think the First World War had a lot to do with staff cutbacks as society was changing between the wars and Lady Dorothy’s two daughters weren’t really interested in high living and parties – they wanted to do something useful with their lives. They had spent much of their childhood in the schoolroom at the Hall. The sons of the family were away at boarding school but the girls had a governess and nursery maid to look after them. Dorothy had her own personal maid at the age of 11. The schoolroom was situated just off the main entrance hall on the ground floor and the maid would bring breakfas...