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The Schoolroom Maid's Story #33

...Catt, the housekeeper, Miss Rhodes, the lady’s maid, and the head housemaid, Rose. Her day began at 6am every day and she was so afraid of oversleeping that she kept an alarm clock under her pillow! The first job of the day was always to clean the grate and get the fires lit, then sweep and dust the schoolroom, lay the table for breakfast, call the governess, Miss Chromy, with morning tea, then to attend Miss Dorothy, and carry up breakfast. Later on she would clear up and wash up in the still-room in the basement. She was absolutely terrified of breaking a cup, or indeed, any crockery, as they would have to pay for it out of their wages. This would really ge...

Gardeners World at Hoar Cross #36

...ge of the housekeeper and 20 times the annual wage of the housemaid! During the 1920s the chauffeur was a Mr Dixon, and the under-chauffeur was Mr Maltby. Note how the ‘Mr’ appendage reflects the fact that the position of chauffeur was the successor to that of the groom, always a ‘Mr’.   An early 20th century car on the Hall drive    A lot of hard work went into the upkeep of these grounds and gardens, enough for 28 men and boys, and you can certainly see that when you look at the old photos from that time (see previous blog ‘Life below stairs’).  By 1952, when the Meynell family left, the number of servants had reduced to three or four,...

The War Years and Beyond #37

...THE WAR YEARS AND BEYOND:     During the Second World War, life in country houses changed dramatically. It was no different at Hoar Cross Hall. The flower borders on the main lawns were turfed over to reduce maintenance and vegetables were grown in areas formerly restricted to flowers. Evacuees from Birmingham came to stay for the duration of the war and they lived in the basement, as it was considered to be the safest place. I imagine that they must have been in the care of the servants as they were living amongst them but it must also have been quite exciting for them to move from a bombed out city to the relative safety of the countryside, although they mu...

The Schoolroom Maid's Story #36

...Catt, the housekeeper, Miss Rhodes, the lady’s maid, and the head housemaid, Rose. Her day began at 6am every day and she was so afraid of oversleeping that she kept an alarm clock under her pillow! The first job of the day was always to clean the grate and get the fires lit, then sweep and dust the schoolroom, lay the table for breakfast, call the governess, Miss Chromy, with morning tea, then to attend Miss Dorothy, and carry up breakfast. Later on she would clear up and wash up in the still-room in the basement. She was absolutely terrified of breaking a cup, or indeed, any crockery, as they would have to pay for it out of their wages. This would really ge...

Gardeners' World at Hoar Cross #39

...ge of the housekeeper and 20 times the annual wage of the housemaid! During the 1920s the chauffeur was a Mr Dixon, and the under-chauffeur was Mr Maltby. Note how the ‘Mr’ appendage reflects the fact that the position of chauffeur was the successor to that of the groom, always a ‘Mr’. One of the Meynells' cars   A lot of hard work went into the upkeep of these grounds and gardens, enough for 28 men and boys, and you can certainly see that when you look at the old photos from that time (see previous blog ‘Life below stairs’). By 1952, when the Meynell family left, the number of servants had reduced to three or four, and the outside staff com...

The Schoolroom Maid's Story #36

...Catt, the housekeeper, Miss Rhodes, the lady’s maid, and the head housemaid, Rose. Her day began at 6am every day and she was so afraid of oversleeping that she kept an alarm clock under her pillow! The first job of the day was always to clean the grates and get the fires lit, then sweep and dust the schoolroom, lay the table for breakfast, call the governess, Miss Chromy, with morning tea, then to attend Miss Dorothy, and carry up breakfast. Later on she would clear up and wash up in the still-room in the basement. She was absolutely terrified of breaking a cup, or indeed, any crockery, as they would have to pay for it out of their wages. This would really g...