I’m slowly gathering bits and pieces that tell the story of this house. In part one, I told you about the Eade family who lived here most recently. Since then I feel we’ve got to know them through all the stories we’ve heard. Everyone it seems knew the Eades. Including as it turns out James’ grandfather.
A Family Connection
A few months ago James went to his Grandmother’s funeral up in Newcastle. There he got chatting with the Festings who are old family friends and who spent a lot of time with James’ grandparents. They all used to shoot and fish together regularly and were a part of the same social circle. They used to shoot at the Raby Estate in Durham where they became great friends with the Eades. Betsy and John Festing were delighted to hear that we had bought this house as they had stayed here with Tommy and Jill Eade many times. They used to stay in what is now Emma’s bedroom and told us that there was always trouble with the plumbing that Tommy would regularly have to fix! They also said that the asparagus from the garden was the best they’d ever tasted and that we must make sure to save it! What I don’t know is whether James’ grandfather Mac ever stayed here. He certainly knew the Eades but with both him and Heather now gone there is no one to ask. (James’ grandfather continued to shoot and fish well into his 80s despite having lost his leg to a tiger in a hunting accident in India when he was a much younger man.) We had no idea of his connection with the Eades when we hung this picture of him in the house.
The 60s and 70s
We’ve also heard plenty about the Eades from neighbours and other people who worked and lived on the estate. It seems they entertained regularly and often hosted garden parties for the village after church. The pool was put in by them and Jill swam every day as it was helpful for her bad back. Children in the village were often invited to swim but say it was always too cold and they never stayed for long! Others talk of how they were a bit of a force to be reckoned with. Tommy was a prominent member of the local community and the parish council. He was also the churchwarden. We recently managed to open a locked safe in the estate office that contained paperwork relating to the parish electoral role and the general election in 1974. Judging by the flyers, they were canvassing for the Conservative party in the area. The Conservatives of course lost the election that year and Harold Wilson became the Labour Prime Minister. Incidentally, that was the year I was born and most of my knowledge of that time comes from episodes of The Crown! I actually quite liked Harold Wilson but I wonder what the Eades thought of a Labour government.
Post-War 1943-1964
Tommy and Jill took over the house from Tommy’s father Col. Charles Eade in 1964. Charles and his wife Honor had been here since 1943 when they took over the estate management towards the end of the second world war. Charles was awarded the Military Cross for his service as a dispatch rider on the Western Front in the First World War. I doubt he served abroad in the second war as he would’ve been in his 50s by then. He would’ve instead been involved in the war effort at home. Tommy was about 14 and the son of Charles’ first wife. He had two younger half-sisters who grew up here in the village. From what I’ve heard they were all great horsemen and women. Charles was secretary of the North Shropshire Hunt and they were all involved with the pony club. I’ve met a wonderful lady in the village whose sisters were great friends with Tommy’s younger sisters. They spent lots of time here and she has some great stories to tell. I must invite her over and record everything she says!
This would’ve been a time of recovery for the estate after the war. The government was focused on increasing the productivity of farmland and encouraging things like pig keeping. I would have loved to see the outbuildings at that time. The stables would have been full of horses and there would’ve been cows in the lower barn and maybe pigs in the orchard. It would’ve been busy and full of life. But things were also changing. Although the house would still have employed a number of staff, gone were the days of live-in cooks, nannies and maids. Wages had increased and the servants’ rooms were now used for family and guests. There has always been a shoot here and this house would’ve hosted many guests over the years. I hope we can continue that tradition.
Now I’m onto discovering the story of this house throughout the war. Not too many records were kept but I have found some interesting bits of information from my neighbours about who lived here then.
I stumbled across your Instagram account and loved the posts. Now I'm here for the whole story and can't wait to find out more.
Loving the connection to James’s family, amazing x