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Gardeners World at Hoar Cross #36

...er and an electrician. They looked after the maintenance of the house and workers’ cottages, and also the tenanted properties. 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, whe...

A New Year Calamity! #35

...a trained electrician) told him they were unsafe and he would be willing to go to the next village to buy some new ones. But my dad wouldn’t have it and he certainly wouldn’t spend the few pounds required, so they were botched up much to Kev’s disgust and hung on the tree. Guest arriving in the Long Gallery   As we went to switch the lights on just before people arrived, they blew the main fuse in the fuse box. My mum had locked the cupboard that contained the fuse boxes because she kept all the bar stock in there and as she had gone away for new year there was no way of getting the key. My dad was furious and asked Kev to break into the cupboard....

Hoar Cross Hall - Life below stairs #45

...er and an electrician. They looked after the Hall and the workers’ cottages and all tenanted properties. The head gardener had a lot of authority outside the house and even the mistress would have to seek his permission first before entering the nursery gardens! The mower at the Meynells' Temple Newsam estate   Around Christmas time, all the staff and local trades’ people who supplied the house, were invited to a party held in the Long Gallery. However, they were only allowed to stay in this area, although they may have had a peep though the huge double doors into the drawing room. When Hugo Meynell married in 1936 a large reception was held for all...

Moving Out #34

...ned 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 people to mess around with! Kev decided there and then not to do any more work with my dad’s friends and we moved on to other things. About a year after we got married Kev set up his own elect...

A New Year Calamity! #75

...a trained electrician) told him they were unsafe and he would be willing to go to the next village to buy some new ones.  But my dad wouldn’t have it and he certainly wouldn’t spend the few pounds required, so they were botched up much to Kev’s disgust and hung on the tree. As we went to switch the lights on just before people arrived, they blew the main fuse in the fuse box.  My mum had locked the cupboard that contained the fuse boxes because she kept all the bar stock in there and as she had gone away for new year there was no way of getting the key.  My dad was furious and asked Kev to break into the cupboard.  Once again we were ‘breaking and e...

Gardeners' World at Hoar Cross #39

...er and an electrician. They looked after the maintenance of the house and workers’ cottages, and the tenanted properties. The carp pond with greenhouses in the background    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! Lady Mary's Garden Around Christmas time, all the local trades’ people who supplied the house, were invited to a party...