Story Search Results

A Bit Of Background #1

...the male servants had slept and it was also where the wine cellars were along with linen storage space. In the attic a similar number of rooms were bare and empty and had once housed all the female servants.  Two spiral staircases joined all the floors together, one at each end of the house.  All the bedrooms for the family were on the first floor and were named after whichever town they faced i.e. Derby, Lichfield, Needwood, etc.  It was fascinating stuff – there was also a West Wing and an East Wing to the house; the East Wing had been the nursery rooms for the younger members of the Meynell family and their nursemaids.  Back down in the basement were...

Moving On #33

...f the old servants’ quarters – it was barely recognisable!  In 2005 we went back again with my mum and two of our children, Lee and Hannah.  Again, it was great fun to explore the house and grounds and show my children where I had lived as a child.  I was particularly fascinated to see the attic rooms as these had always looked so spooky and were obviously haunted – how strange to see those dusty old rooms decorated and carpeted! This year we were back again to make the video for the tour of the house to accompany my blogs.  Again, it was lovely to be there and spend two whole days having a good look around the house that held so many memories, good...

The War years and beyond

...THE WAR YEARS AND BEYOND:           During the Second World War, life in country houses changed dramatically.  It was no different at Hoar Cross.  The borders on the main lawns were turfed over to reduce maintenance and vegetables were grown in areas formerly restricted to flowers.  Evacuees from Birmingham came to stay for the duration of the war and they lived in the basement, as it was considered to be the safest place.  I imagine that they must have been in the care of the servants as they were living amongst them but it must also have been quite exciting for them to move from a bombed out city to the relative safety of the countryside, although th...

My Dad Bought A Mansion! #1

...the male servants had slept and it was also where the wine cellars were along with linen storage cupboards.   In the attic a similar number of rooms were bare and empty and had once housed all the female servants.  Two spiral staircases joined all the floors together, one at each end of the house.  All the bedrooms for the family were on the first floor and were named after whichever town they faced i.e. Derby, Lichfield, Needwood, etc.  It was fascinating stuff!  There was also a West Wing and an East Wing to the house; the West Wing had been the nursery rooms for the younger members of the Meynell family and their nursemaids.  In one of the corridors...

Moving on - the end of an era #33

...f the old servants’ quarters – it was barely recognisable!  In 2005 we went back again with my mum and two of our children, Lee and Hannah.  Again, it was great fun to explore the house and grounds and show my children where I had lived as a child.  I was particularly fascinated to see the attic rooms as these had always looked so spooky and were obviously haunted – how strange to see those dusty old rooms decorated and carpeted! Last year we were back again to make the video for the tour of the house to accompany my blogs.  Again, it was lovely to be there and spend two whole days having a good look around the house that held so many memories, good...

Moving On - the end of an era #32

...f the old servants’ quarters – it was barely recognisable! In 2005 we went back again with my mum and two of our children, Lee and Hannah. Again, it was great fun to explore the house and grounds and show my children where I had lived as a child. I was particularly fascinated to see the attic rooms as these had always looked so spooky and were obviously haunted – how strange to see those dusty old rooms decorated and carpeted! In 2018 we were back again to make the video for the tour of the house to accompany my blogs. Again, it was lovely to be there and spend two whole days having a good look around the house that held so many memories, good and bad, f...