Trip down memory lane to my place of birth, Brocket Hall, on a hot and sticky day after some strimmer repairs and before evening visit of Diana’s sister Sue as the delayed counts from Thursday’s Euro Elections have the lowest electoral turnout in Europe and the Labour Party gaining seats at the Conservatives expense
A good lay in and up at 8.15 with a cup of tea and to a fried breakfast of egg, bread, bacon and mushrooms. Back to my room with The Sunday Times and to read it on the balcony in the warm, bright and humid morning air. The weather today, whilst in the 70’s, was very sticky and humid with misty clouds filtering the sunshine and making things less than pleasant. During the late morning, out to the riverside gardens where we collected a maximum 13 eggs for the first time in a long time. Then to sit in the boat with toolbox repairing both of our hedge trimmers before, after coffee, trimming the two principal and visible hedges. A hot sticky job getting covered with insects and foliage before showering and washing my hair. After lunch the drive to Brocket Hall and, on arrival, not disappointed. A splendid four storey brick building of red brick and 17th century origins, itself build on the site of a previous manor overlooking the valley of the River Lee which forms part of the estate.
The stream is dammed and a weir guards its exit so that a large lake provides a pleasant backdrop and habitat for water fowl. In the grounds there are beautiful statues amongst the mature woodlands, a set of tennis courts, lawns for croquet and relaxation and clay pigeon shooting had been laid on, but the weather, unlike St Neots, rained all afternoon.
Inside the Hall, the entrance vestibule led on the left to a ballroom or Great Hall overlooking the valley and with wonderfully decorated ceilings and on the right off the vestibule the lounge with settees and chairs for relaxation. The Hall is in a square shape and flanking the other three sides are the kitchens, the library with a good selection of historic books and a splendid desk of two sides, a billiard room and other smaller rooms. In the centre is a double set of staircases lit by a dome ceiling window which is of two storeys height. Then off this first floor are a large number of bedrooms and bathrooms which are used for select conferences and guest entertainment. The private apartments on the second and third floors lead off from stairs at one corner. The whole is absolutely full of priceless paintings including Van Dykes and Joshua Reynolds and of precious china and porcelain ornaments. All together a truly beautiful house opened up with the minimum of security and concern that casual visitors might do to the family’s possessions.
A very memorable visit that provides much to discuss with my mother. A plaque records that 8338 babies were born there between 1939 and 1949 when it ceased being used as a wartime maternity hospital annexe of the City of London Hospital. Catering was tea on arrival (China and Indian), biscuits, strawberries and cream, then cocktails and finally a buffet of both hot and cold selection. The company included two journalists, many MEPR representatives of UK and overseas association, and the MEPR clients of which Comart is only one.
Home to find the children reasonably well behaved in the company of Diana’s mother and her sister Sue. The late evening putting all 13 ducks away and taking a walk around the river and locks. Geoff Lynch is back late with a delayed flight and I cannot yet speak to him about tomorrow’s arrangements.
Sir Francis Pym publishes extracts from his new book in The Sunday Times today which message is to criticise the Thatcher government and style as centralist with dogma and autocratic control; although he is more than fair with balancing praise. The first indications of the delayed counts from Thursday’s Euro Elections have the lowest electoral turnout in Europe and the Labour Party gaining seats at the Conservatives expense. The Lib/SDP Alliance, due to the unfair non-proportional representation system favoured by the UK alone, means that no Alliance seats are likely to be won.