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Rags to Riches #63

My family originated from Derby and my parents were married there in July 1952.  Mum was 19 and dad was 36 so quite a bit older.  They both lived in Derby and were very arty; my dad went to the Derby Sketching Club in his free time and my mum attended art college.  I’m not sure where they met but it was either at something art related or at a dance, as was usual in those days.  My dad was a sculptor by trade; I think his interest was sparked by seeing all the beautiful alabaster in Italian churches during the war. My parents on their wedding day - 1952   After the Second World War he set up his own business making alabaster lamps, bowls and candles...

Hysterical Productions #16

...sed up in mediaeval gear and once I walked down the Long Gallery to see a ‘monk’ with his robe up round his waist warming his bottom in front of the fire!  But it wasn’t just the guests who had too much to drink – the staff were hitting the bottle too!  The last banquet before Christmas had a great crowd in but the drunken wenches managed to spill soup down one chap’s jacket, beer all over a woman’s dress and then drop a whole pile of plates on the floor.  Luckily the guests were singing so loud they didn’t hear the crash!  Not so lucky for the tipsy wench who came into the banqueting hall with a tray of soup, tripped up and spilt the whole lot...

Eat, drink and be merry! #10

...ard about mediaeval banquets being run at a place called Coombe Abbey near Coventry and went along one night to see what it was all about.  It was a banquet serving four or five courses with mediaeval entertainment while you ate.  The whole thing was overseen by a King and his court.  Well they seemed so struck on this that they decided to have a go themselves.  In the seventies mediaeval banquets were becoming the ‘in thing’ so they started planning how they would do this.  It was decided that they would run them during the winter months and open the house to the public from Easter to the August Bank Holiday.   Around this time JCB, who had a factory...

Race Day Parties #27

...up in our mediaeval costumes and became ‘Grid Girls’ for the day which was also a lot of fun when you’re only 16 and the world’s media is focused on the race track that you’re standing on!  Don’t miss next week’s instalment:  See you in Court If you would like to follow my story from the beginning, please click here and feel free to share with your friends.  ...

Eat, Drink and be Merry! #10

...ard about mediaeval banquets being run at a place called Coombe Abbey near Coventry and went along one night to see what it was all about.  It was a banquet serving four or five courses with mediaeval entertainment while you ate.  The whole thing was overseen by a King and his court.  Well they seemed so struck on this that they decided to have a go themselves.  In the seventies mediaeval banquets were becoming the ‘in thing’ so they started planning how they would do this.  It was decided that they would run them during the winter months and open the house to the public from Easter to the August Bank Holiday.     One of the JCB tankards sold at...

Hysterical Productions! #13

...sed up in mediaeval outfits and once I walked down the Long Gallery to see a ‘monk’ with his robe up round his waist warming his bottom in front of the fire!  But it wasn’t just the guests who had too much to drink – the staff were hitting the bottle too!  The last banquet before Christmas had a great crowd in but the drunken wenches managed to spill soup down one chap’s jacket, beer all over a woman’s dress and then drop a whole pile of plates on the floor.  Luckily the guests were singing so loud they didn’t hear the crash!  Not so lucky for the tipsy wench who came into the banqueting hall with a tray of soup, tripped up and spilt the whole...