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The Schoolroom Maid's Story #36

...ce at the chapel ready for morning prayers. All the family and staff had to attend although it was only prayers spoken by Colonel Meynell – no singing or music. By mid-day she had again changed her outfit to an afternoon dress and made her way to the workroom to assist the lady’s maid in mending, sewing and general repairs to Miss Dorothy’s wardrobe. It seems to me that people were forever changing their clothes in those days! For the servants their morning dress was plain and serviceable covered with a large apron, for doing all the chores around the house. Their afternoon dress was still plain but usually black and trimmed with a lace collar and cuffs....

Temple Newsam and the Meynells #42

...TEMPLE NEWSAM AND THE MEYNELLS:     Following on from last week's blog about Emily Meynell Ingram's family background, this week I am delving into the family background of Emily's husband Hugo which explains how Emily came to own the Temple Newsam estate after his death.   In 1782, Hugo's grandfather, Hugo Meynell of Quorndon, the 'father of fox hunting', married the Hon. Elizabeth Ingram Shepheard.  She was the daughter of Charles Ingram, 9th Viscount Irwin and Lord Ingram.  The family seat was Temple Newsam in Yorkshire and this was how the Meynell family became associated with this great house.  Through this marriage of Hugo and Elizabeth, the Meynel...

Like Father, Like Sons #20

...into the chapel wall breaking his pelvis! Occasionally he got to drive it at Chasewater when Gavin was testing so then there were two of them going off to race at weekends. Piers with his new kart    It was in 1979/80 that Piers started to test a proper racing kart and went on to race for four seasons with 1983 being the most successful – the highlight was winning the Cristal Challenge National. He also drove Gavin’s Reynard FF2000 at Donington Park for a few laps to get the feel of a racing car and to see if his future lay there. Nowadays he’s more interested in the two wheel variety, regularly travelling around Europe riding along the French mo...

The Schoolroom Maid's Story #36

...ce at the chapel ready for morning prayers. All the family and staff had to attend although it was only prayers spoken by Colonel Meynell – no singing or music. By mid-day she had again changed her outfit to an afternoon dress and made her way to the workroom to assist the lady’s maid in mending, sewing and general repairs to Miss Dorothy’s wardrobe. It seems to me that people were forever changing their clothes in those days! For the servants their morning dress was plain and serviceable covered with a large apron, for doing all the chores around the house. Their afternoon dress was still plain but usually black and trimmed with a lace collar and cuffs....

Temple Newsam and the Meynells #40

...Hoar Cross Hall was built by Hugo and Emily Meynell Ingram in 1871 and this week I am delving into the family background of Hugo to explain how Emily came to own the Temple Newsam estate after his death. In 1782, Hugo's grandfather, Hugo Meynell of Quorndon, the 'father of fox hunting', married the Hon. Elizabeth Ingram Shepheard.  She was the daughter of Charles Ingram, 9th Viscount Irwin and Lord Ingram.  The family seat was Temple Newsam in Yorkshire and this was how the Meynell family became associated with this great house.  Through this marriage of Hugo and Elizabeth, the Meynell family also inherited the Ingram estates in Lincolnshire, acquired by Sir...

Behind the Green Baize Door #41

... “The green baize door - dividing line betwix servant and master.” All stately homes had at least one green baize door and Hoar Cross Hall was no different. This was the door used by the servants to access the main part of the house unobtrusively and silently so they could go about their work without disturbing the family. The Hall had a spiral staircase at each end of the house for the servants to use and the green baize door on the ground floor opened onto the Garden corridor which led to the chapel and the main house, as well as the garden. The green baize door on the first floor opened onto the east wing corridor and guest bedrooms and from this corrid...