Story Search Results

The Grand Opening #5

THE GRAND OPENING:        And so we move into 1971 and the preparation of the Hall so we could open it to the public by Easter.  During the run up to buying the house my dad had been buying furniture, carpets and paintings like  crazy and I remember our previous home being jam packed with chaise longues, sideboards and carved chests as well as all the suits of armour that he already had.  This furniture was now set out in all the rooms. My mum’s collection of Victorian costumes were on display in the Ballroom as well as my dad’s collection of silver plated ‘display’ armour, which hung around the panelled walls; the suits of armour and the many pai...

Eat, drink and be merry! #10

...e was the butler because he was wearing a dinner jacket with black tie!  He didn’t take too kindly to that but they were more impressed when they found out that he was the owner!   And they tipped well too.  I was allowed to come to these events and loved telling a few stories about ‘the servants’ we had and the haunted attic! During that summer my parents auditioned for a King, a jester, entertainers and singers and by August they had a team of ‘am-dram’ actors ready to start rehearsals.  They also advertised for wenches and serving girls of which I became one – at 14 years old this became my new weekend job!  But the banquets were about to...

The Schoolroom Maid's Story #34

...her was a butler for the Spanish Ambassador in London – from which source Inez assumes her Christian name originated. There was little choice but to go into service in those days (her sister, Beatrice, was also a nursery maid with the Earl and Countess of Lichfield), and she was engaged on a salary of £18 per annum.  Her mother made her uniform, which comprised of a morning dress and an afternoon dress, and Lady Dorothy Meynell supplied her cap.  She was the personal maid to Lady Dorothy’s eldest daughter, Dorothy, who was just four years younger than Inez.  She also looked after Dorothy’s younger sister, Rachael. The schoolroom at this time was situ...

Gardeners' World at Hoar Cross #36

.... If the butler was an important figure inside the house, the head gardener had as much authority outside.  Even the mistress from the house was unable to enter the nursery garden without his permission, and to help herself to his produce would have been unthinkable.  Only the head gardener had the key and the door was always kept locked outside working hours! Around Christmas time, all the local trades’ people who supplied the house, were invited to a party held for them in the Long Gallery.  They were restricted to this area only, whenever there was a party or Servants Ball – well, you couldn’t have the servants peeking into the family’s private r...

Moving house to a mansion #1

...t 6pm the butler and footman would go over to the pumping station to pump water into the tanks which were situated in the two towers at each end of the house.  This provided the house with fresh water each day.  The ponds were also there in case the house ever caught fire and they had a ready supply of water!   In another part of the woods we found a shed with an old fashioned fire engine in it from the Victorian days – still there after all those years!  One day whilst on baby sitting duties my little brother went missing in the woods and we were terrified that he might have fallen into the ponds that we’d recently found – a huge search was mounted...

Eat, Drink and be Merry! #10

...e was the butler because he was wearing a dinner jacket with black tie!  He didn’t take too kindly to that but they were more impressed when they found out that he was the owner!   And they tipped well too.  I was allowed to come to these events and loved telling a few stories about ‘the servants’ we had and the haunted attic!  The Americans would hang on my every word! During that summer my parents auditioned for a King, a jester, entertainers and singers and by August they had a team of ‘am-dram’ actors ready to start rehearsals.  They also advertised for wenches and serving girls of which I became one – at 14 years old this became my new we...