Story Search Results

The Schoolroom Maid's Story #36

For the first 75 years of Hoar Cross Hall’s history about 50 servants were employed by the Meynell family in the house and grounds. Among these was a young girl of fifteen who started work in 1920 as a Schoolroom Maid. Her name was Miss Inez Sophia Large and she had connections to Hoar Cross through her grand-parents, William and Mary Tooth, who lived in the village where William was the blacksmith; his smithy was just along from the Meynell public house. He had worked on the ironwork of the Hall during its construction in the 1860s. Inez’s aunt, Constance Madeley, was the wife of the landlord at the Buffalo Inn, in nearby Newborough, and it was through her...

Temple Newsam and the Meynells #40

Hoar Cross Hall was built by Hugo and Emily Meynell Ingram in 1871 and this week I am delving into the family background of Hugo to explain how Emily came to own the Temple Newsam estate after his death. In 1782, Hugo's grandfather, Hugo Meynell of Quorndon, the 'father of fox hunting', married the Hon. Elizabeth Ingram Shepheard.  She was the daughter of Charles Ingram, 9th Viscount Irwin and Lord Ingram.  The family seat was Temple Newsam in Yorkshire and this was how the Meynell family became associated with this great house.  Through this marriage of Hugo and Elizabeth, the Meynell family also inherited the Ingram estates in Lincolnshire, acquired by Sir...

The life and times of an upper class family #42

...moved to Hoar Cross and lived in Old Hall which was a hunting lodge near to where they were later to build Hoar Cross Hall. Tragically, after moving into the Hall, which took nine years to build, Hugo died from injuries sustained in a riding accident some fourteen months earlier which had left him bed-ridden. Upon her husband's death, Emily's brother, the Hon. Frederick George Lindley Wood, moved from Hickleton and came to live with her. He was a huge help with managing all the estates that Emily had inherited on Hugo's death. He also became her 'reader' as Emily had poor eyesight and couldn't read or write for more than a few minutes.   Hickleton House, ...

Hickleton Hall and the Meynells #43

...This lovely Grade II listed Georgian house in South Yorkshire was once the childhood home of The Honourable Emily Charlotte Meynell who married Hugo Meynell of Hoar Cross and who, together with Hugo, built Hoar Cross Hall to be their family home in 1873. The original house was called Hickleton Palace and had been built for Judge Francis Rodes in the 16th century but in 1745 Hickleton Hall was built just to the south of this house after the estate was bought by Godfrey Wentworth in about 1730. Thirty years later he extended the house and added two low wings, one either side, and a servants wing. Emily's father, Charles Wood, 3rd Baronet, inherited the house in...

Hysterical Productions #15

...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, whereas when we first started, we had a catering firm in to do it all. 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 dri...

The life and times of an upper class family #44

...moved to Hoar Cross and lived in Old Hall which was a hunting lodge near to where they were later to build Hoar Cross Hall. Tragically, after moving into the Hall, which took nine years to build, Hugo died from injuries sustained in a riding accident some fourteen months earlier which had left him bed-ridden. Upon her husband's death, Emily's brother, the Hon. Frederick George Lindley Wood, moved from Hickleton and came to live with her. He was a huge help with managing all the estates that Emily had inherited on Hugo's death. He also became her 'reader' as Emily had poor eyesight and couldn't read or write for more than a few minutes. Old Hall, built around...