Story Search Results

Lest We Forget #28

Duran class='highlight'>inan>g the two World Wars the Meynell family of Hoar Cross Hall served their country alongside many others from all walks of life.  after each war there was huge social an class='highlight'>upan>heaval, especially for women, who had been doan class='highlight'>inan>g what was traditionally 'mens work' duran class='highlight'>inan>g the war and weren't prepared to go back to domesticity.  at the time of the First World War Frederick Meynell and Lady Mary Meynell were livan class='highlight'>inan>g at the Hall with their five children.  Their four sons all served an class='highlight'>inan> the war and their daughter Margaret served an class='highlight'>inan> the Red Cross as a volunteer. Their eldest son Francis was a Major but was wounded an class='highlight'>inan> action an class='highlight'>inan> 1917 with severe wounds to his back. He was moved...

The Halifax Estates - Garrowby #46

Hugo Meynell-an class='highlight'>inan>gram and his wife Emily Charlotte built Hoar Cross Hall to be their home after gettan class='highlight'>inan>g married an class='highlight'>inan> 1863. Emily was the daughter of Sir Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax who owned considerable estates an class='highlight'>inan> the north of England. Their wealth came from the discovery of coal on their ancestral estate. an class='highlight'>inan> addition to this Sir Charles had a very successful political career, ownan class='highlight'>inan>g many seats an class='highlight'>inan> Garrowby and Pocklan class='highlight'>inan>gton near York; Hickleton near Doncaster and a home an class='highlight'>inan> Belgrave Square, London. He was a member of the Whig party, which an class='highlight'>inan> those days was likened to the Liberal party of today and served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1846-52. an class='highlight'>inan> the 1850...

Summer Balls and Garden Parties #57

Balls and functions held at Hoar Cross Hall were lavish affairs, especially before the First World War, with the cateran class='highlight'>inan>g and other services an class='highlight'>inan>variably bean class='highlight'>inan>g provided by premier London companies.  Tea dances became popular an class='highlight'>inan> the 1880s but Balls with a san class='highlight'>upan>per an class='highlight'>inan>cluded were also very popular amongst the aristocracy, especially if it was a 'coman class='highlight'>inan>g out' Ball.  an class='highlight'>inan> 1907, Gunter & Co of Berkeley Square, London, could san class='highlight'>upan>ply a Ball san class='highlight'>upan>per and refreshments for ten shillan class='highlight'>inan>gs (50p) a head, plus 'extra services'. For a Ball San class='highlight'>upan>per an class='highlight'>inan> January 1913, Mayfair Cateran class='highlight'>inan>g, Grosvenor Square, assured Lady Mary Meynell that they had engaged 'a san class='highlight'>upan>erior staff of tall waiters'...

Whodunit an class='highlight'>inan> the Library #24

When we first moved to Hoar Cross Hall, an class='highlight'>growan class='highlight'>inan>gan> an class='highlight'>upan> an class='highlight'>inan> a stately home seemed an idyllic way to live – and lots of fun if you’re a child. This ramblan class='highlight'>inan>g old house full of empty rooms and secret doors, wild gardens and woods to explore, was an class='highlight'>inan> some ways a dream come true for our family, certaan class='highlight'>inan>ly for my dad. But as we turned from children to teenagers the isolation and lack of public transport was frustratan class='highlight'>inan>g. Coan class='highlight'>upan>led with this was my parents fightan class='highlight'>inan>g and subsequent split, livan class='highlight'>inan>g at each end of the house and battlan class='highlight'>inan>g for the house and busan class='highlight'>inan>ess through their solicitors. The effect this had on me, as the eldest child who perhaps saw more of it than my brothers, w...

Gardeners World at Hoar Cross #43

an class='highlight'>inan> this week's blog I am focusan class='highlight'>inan>g agaan class='highlight'>inan> on the servants who spent their lives lookan class='highlight'>inan>g after the Meynell family along with their home and gardens. an class='highlight'>inan> it’s heyday Hoar Cross Hall had around 28 people employed to keep the 20 acres of grounds tidy and weed free. an class='highlight'>inan> Victorian England the most common of all male servants was the gardener. at Hoar Cross the head gardener had numerous under-gardeners known affectionately as ‘diggan class='highlight'>inan>g slaves’! They were responsible for producan class='highlight'>inan>g fruit, vegetables and an class='highlight'>growan class='highlight'>inan>gan> luxury items an class='highlight'>inan> and out of season, much of it under glass. adjacent to the house was the carp pool and greenhouse area along with a palm house; next to these wa...

Hoar Cross Hall - a bit of history #13

HOaR CROSS HaLL - a BIT OF HISTORY:       Hoar Cross was part of Needwood Forest, the 11th century lands of Henry de Ferrers. The land was passed down to Henry’s son and subsequent various people over the course of 500 years endan class='highlight'>inan>g with the Webb family, around the 1730s, who bought the land and house known as the Manor of the Cross. This was quite a large house built on a hill near Yoxall (which is the village next to Hoar Cross). an class='highlight'>inan> 1740 the manor house was demolished and later the Hon. Charles Talbot bought the estate for £17,000. Eventually it was sold to Hugo Meynell, who already owned huge amounts of property all over the county. This branch of the...