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Ventures New #9

...ast! One Easter we decided to hire a small steam train to give rides to the families that came. It was set up on the lower terrace and ran from one end to the other. It was a real hit with the bank holiday visitors and we enjoyed a few free rides too! My dad also put his old racing car in one of the rooms with a display of photos and newspaper cuttings from his sixties tours around Europe’s race tracks. This appealed to the male visitors while the ladies enjoyed the ever increasing collection of Victorian costumes around the house along with an antique sewing machine and a musical box which played lovely tunes when wound up. Apart from the bank holidays thou...

The Grand Opening #5

...THE GRAND OPENING:     And so we move into 1971 and the preparation of Hoar Cross 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 painti...

The Grand Opening #5

...  A few months after moving in preparations at Hoar Cross Hall were going well, so that 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 paintin...

THE GRAND OPENING #5

...THE GRAND OPENING: And so into 1971 and the preparation of the house 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 arms and armour that he already had.  This furniture was now set out in all the rooms.  The Long Gallery 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 m...

VENTURES NEW #10

...ast! One Easter we decided to hire a small steam train to give rides to the families that came.  It was set up on the lower terrace and ran from one end to the other.  It was a real hit with the bank holiday visitors and we enjoyed a few free rides too!  My dad also put his old racing car in one of the rooms with a display of photos and newspaper cuttings from his sixties tours around Europe’s race tracks.  This appealed to the male visitors while the ladies enjoyed the ever increasing collection of Victorian costumes around the house along with an antique sewing machine and a musical box which played lovely tunes when wound up. Victorian Costumes in T...

THE TAX MAN COMETH #29

...stmas and Easter high teas at the vicarage after the church services, when we would take the sandwiches apart and put them back together with a different half! We also had the added problem of my parents – my dad had to give me away so he had to be there, but my mum would surely want to see me married too, even if we weren’t really on speaking terms.  Where would we seat them?  How would we keep them apart without a huge argument starting – we really didn’t want this on our wedding day, and so we pondered on it until we could reach a decision. Meanwhile, we carried on with our social life in the local Meynell Arms to keep our spirits up.  During the...