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<span class='highlight'>hoarspan> <span class='highlight'>crossspan> <span class='highlight'>hallspan> - Life below stairs

<span class='highlight'>hoarspan> <span class='highlight'>crossspan> <span class='highlight'>hallspan> – LIFE BELOW STAIRS:       This week I’ve done a history blog about the servants who lived at the <span class='highlight'>hallspan> from the 1870s to the 1950s, when the <span class='highlight'>hallspan> 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...

<span class='highlight'>hoarspan> <span class='highlight'>crossspan> <span class='highlight'>hallspan> - Life below stairs #39

<span class='highlight'>hoarspan> <span class='highlight'>crossspan> <span class='highlight'>hallspan> – LIFE BELOW STAIRS:    This week I’ve done a history blog about the servants who lived at the <span class='highlight'>hallspan> from the 1870s to the 1950s when the <span class='highlight'>hallspan> 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...

Royal visitors at <span class='highlight'>hoarspan> <span class='highlight'>crossspan> <span class='highlight'>hallspan> #10

From earliest times the king's court has traveled around the kingdom so the king could see first hand what was going on in his realm. When the king showed up, the local subjects were expected to provide food, entertainment, and accommodations usually in the form of mediaeval banquets.  For the King or Queen's subjects this could be very expensive and not all royalty was welcome! However, this was the only way that people could see their King or Queen and know that they were real. Fast forward from the twelve century to the 21st century and royals are still touring the country so their subjects can 'see them and believe in them'. The Queen's grandparents, King...

The Church of the Holy Angels #55

Many stately homes had churches built near them or even a chapel inside them, as was done at <span class='highlight'>hoarspan> <span class='highlight'>crossspan> <span class='highlight'>hallspan>. However, the church that was built in the grounds of the <span class='highlight'>hallspan> became known as 'The Cathedral of the Midlands' due to its magnificent structure and is generally regarded as one of the finest Victorian churches in the country. It resembles a cathedral in miniature, being more like an English minster than a humble village church. When Emily Meynell Ingram's husband, Hugo died in 1871 from a hunting accident, she wanted to keep his memory alive. They had only been married for eight years and she had no children to comfort her and so in 1872 she commissioned...

Lest We Forget #28

During the two World Wars the Meynell family of <span class='highlight'>hoarspan> <span class='highlight'>crossspan> <span class='highlight'>hallspan> served their country alongside many others from all walks of life.  After each war there was huge social upheaval, especially for women, who had been doing what was traditionally 'mens work' during the war and weren't prepared to go back to domesticity.  At the time of the First World War Frederick Meynell and Lady Mary Meynell were living at the <span class='highlight'>hallspan> with their five children.  Their four sons all served in the war and their daughter Margaret served in the Red <span class='highlight'>crossspan> as a volunteer. Their eldest son Francis was a Major but was wounded in action in 1917 with severe wounds to his back. He was moved...

What the Butler Saw! #38

WHAT THE BUTLER SAW!      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 the <span class='highlight'>hallspan> 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...