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Skools out for summer #13

When Hugo and Emily Meynell built Hoar Cross Hall it included a whole estate with it, namely kitchen gardens, greenhouses, stables, a farm and cottages. Old Hall (their original home) was also on the estate and was accessed via a private road, which ran from the main road. By the time the seventies came along the stable block and Old Hall were private houses and another part of Old Hall had been made into a children’s home. Emily Meynell had started this home in the Victorian days, calling it ‘The Home of the Good Shepherd’ but it was for boys only at that time. When we were there it was a mixed home and run by a husband and wife couple. They used to have...

Our mansion gets a facelift #4

...t was the seventies!   The Chapel   The Damask Room was to be open to the public and had actual damask material on the walls in a beautiful gold colour. Likewise, the Hessian Room had – you’ve guessed it – hessian on the walls, which was rather like sackcloth and not too attractive but hard wearing no doubt! We used this room as an office and general storage space but mainly only used the lounge as it was the warmest room in the house! Once we moved downstairs it meant that we had to climb the main staircase to go to our bedrooms on the first floor. This was like something out of Mission Impossible. Because we didn’t want to leave lights on we...

Like Father, Like Sons #20

...the early seventies I became quite interested in rallying and thought that I might like to have a go at that when I left school. I was quite the tomboy in those days and something like that would have suited me well, although it was very much a man’s world back then. My parents took us all to see the annual Lombard RAC Rally which was quite exciting and very muddy! We stood near a bend and watched cars skidding round corners and driving into ditches; occasionally knocking down trees which stood in their path! Unfortunately, by the time I’d left school my parents’ marriage was rapidly falling apart and I was caught in the crossfire – any thoughts of rally...

Midnight Pool Parties #21

...After leaving school I spent a year at Burton-on-Trent Technical College studying to be a secretary but my year at college had come to an end - now to find a job! It didn’t take too long as there was plenty of employment around in the seventies and I was soon offered a position with a small engineering firm in Burton. As I didn’t drive there was still the problem of me getting to work and dad managed to talk the residents of our apartments into taking me, as they were going to Burton every day as well, and it would save him coming out twice a day (no doubt he was thinking about the petrol he would save too!) Kev, my boyfriend, and the band were getting a fe...

Moving Out #29

...ig in the seventies. They also owned a Ferrari between them and this was often parked in the drive, as the band shared it. My dad put Kev’s name forward to re-wire the house (as he had trained as an electrician) and he spent the next few weekends fixing up the electrics alongside builders, plumbers and carpenters. When it was all finished they put in their bills only to find out that the band were planning to leave the country – without paying anyone! The builders were none too pleased about this and went round to the newly finished house to take back anything they could find that was theirs – they also slashed the tyres on the Ferrari. These were not peo...

Hysterical Productions #15

...spite the seventies shenanigans the nights were always a good laugh and there were lots of funny things that happened. Myra (the fire-eater’s wife) and I always did the cloakroom and one time this lady took her coat off and as she did so her halter neck top came undone and she stood there in her bra and skirt for all to see! The banquet menu Once the banquets started we would join in with the singing, even standing behind the main act and pretending to be the backing group. My dad once  wore a sombrero and shook maracas to a Latin song while we threw petals all over him – don’t ask me why!  It certainly wasn't very mediaeval!   The next day, when...