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Royal Visitors at Hoar Cross Hall #49

With the Kan class='highlight'>inan>g's Coronation looman class='highlight'>inan>g on 6th May an class='highlight'>inan> the UK, I thought I'd do some royal family related articles this month startan class='highlight'>inan>g with royal visitors at the Hall an class='highlight'>inan> the 1920s. I also have a book called Queen alexandra's Christmas Gift Book which was left an class='highlight'>inan> the Library and shows personal photos from her own camera which she took of the royal family between 1900-1910 -  a rare an class='highlight'>inan>sight an class='highlight'>inan>deed an class='highlight'>inan>to what the royals did an class='highlight'>inan> their leisure time!  I will be sharan class='highlight'>inan>g these photos over the next month leadan class='highlight'>inan>g up to the Coronation and hope you fan class='highlight'>inan>d them as fascan class='highlight'>inan>atan class='highlight'>inan>g as I do. Royal Visitors From earliest times the kan class='highlight'>inan>g's court has travelled around the kan class='highlight'>inan>gdom so the kan class='highlight'>inan>g...

Royal visitors at Hoar Cross Hall #10

From earliest times the kan class='highlight'>inan>g's court has traveled around the kan class='highlight'>inan>gdom so the kan class='highlight'>inan>g could see first hand what was goan class='highlight'>inan>g on an class='highlight'>inan> his realm. When the kan class='highlight'>inan>g showed up, the local subjects were expected to provide food, entertaan class='highlight'>inan>ment, and accommodations usually an class='highlight'>inan> the form of mediaeval banquets.  For the Kan class='highlight'>inan>g 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 Kan class='highlight'>inan>g or Queen and know that they were real. Fast forward from the twelve century to the 21st century and royals are still touran class='highlight'>inan>g the country so their subjects can 'see them and believe an class='highlight'>inan> them'. The Queen's grandparents, Kan class='highlight'>inan>g...

SKOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER! #13

...) and for an class='highlight'>livan class='highlight'>inan>gan> an class='highlight'>inan> a stately home. (This was from the teachers too!)   My concentration was awful and I tended to daydream a lot, then I wouldn’t know what was goan class='highlight'>inan>g on an class='highlight'>inan> the lessons.  as a child my maths was terrible so my mum got a private tutor an class='highlight'>inan> to help me out.  If I didn’t know the answer to a question I would just ‘clam up’ and not speak – this particular time was too much for the tutor and he lost his temper and beat me with his ruler until my legs were black and blue.  Needless to say, he was asked to leave and not come back – imagan class='highlight'>inan>e what would happen to him nowadays!  The teachers at school would often hit the kids over the head wi...

The Tax Man Cometh #29

...My parents’ court case was fan class='highlight'>inan>ally over and my dad had six months to leave the family home, Hoar Cross Hall. an class='highlight'>inan> the meantime my mum had to fan class='highlight'>inan>d the funds to buy him out and he had to fan class='highlight'>inan>d another house to live an class='highlight'>inan>. He also had an awful lot of stuff to move too! He eventually found a house an class='highlight'>inan> nearby Burton-on-Trent but as it was obviously a lot smaller he had to get rid of a lot of his possessions and one of the first than class='highlight'>inan>gs to go was his Lotus Elite. He advertised it an class='highlight'>inan> the local paper but an class='highlight'>inan>stead of gettan class='highlight'>inan>g a phone call from a likely buyer, the first call was from the local tax office. Back an class='highlight'>inan> those days they used to check advertisements an class='highlight'>inan> the newspapers and...

Change and the Country House #61

...Hoar Cross Hall was clearly a very different house an class='highlight'>inan> the Victorian era compared to today.  Like other country houses it has not been immune from the social and economic changes affectan class='highlight'>inan>g all walks of life over the last hundred years. at the began class='highlight'>inan>nan class='highlight'>inan>g of Queen Victoria’s reign an class='highlight'>inan> 1837 the local landowner with his country house and estate was the focal poan class='highlight'>inan>t of the community, often dispensan class='highlight'>inan>g law, charity and education.  The estate would also provide employment for the local people and over fifty locals were employed on the Hoar Cross estate an class='highlight'>inan> the house and grounds plus many more on home Farm along with carpenters, electricians and plumbers to keep the esta...

a New Year Calamity! #90

...The New Year’s Eve Balls at Hoar Cross Hall were usually the highlight of the year duran class='highlight'>inan>g the 1970s.  after twelve months of hard work, especially runnan class='highlight'>inan>g the Mediaeval Banquets twice a week through the wan class='highlight'>inan>ter, we were always ready to see out the year an class='highlight'>inan> style with a big new year party.  an class='highlight'>inan> those days it was always black tie for the men and long dresses for the ladies – usually around 500 people bought tickets for an evenan class='highlight'>inan>g of entertaan class='highlight'>inan>ment with a dance band, disco and a meal.  at midnight a man dressed an class='highlight'>inan> traditional Scottish regalia, an class='highlight'>inan>cludan class='highlight'>inan>g a kilt and sporran, would pipe an class='highlight'>inan> the new year with his bagpipes.  Down the Long Gallery he would slowly walk...