Here is a pic of my country seat. You might think I am joking but I was actually born in the room just above my head, which was the library. I visited it yesterday and it was fascinating to see it and realise I had drawn my first breath in such beautiful surroundings. Unfortunately I am not part of the landed gentry but it was the house that my mother was evacuated to just before the war ended. The owners of Stagshaw House in Corbridge gave their house over temporarily as a maternity hospital as part of their war effort then.
I met the family and they showed me round the house and were very hospitable. They open their garden for the British Red Cross every year and it was fantastic to go around the gardens knowing my mother used to sit in the grounds when she was heavily pregnant with me and had probably wheeled me round it too. They have a big orchid collection and lovely flowerbeds, a lovely wood with beautiful ancient trees leading to their private chapel. They also kept alpachas and produce their own wool, so it was a fascinating day.
I felt very special to be introduced around as one of their war babies. Seemingly the mothers were greeted by their elderly butler at the very grand entrance on their arrival. My mother must have been very overwhelmed coming from her two roomed terraced flat, that had no water but a tap in the back yard and an outside toilet. It was a fantastic day. :) busy_lizzie
What a lovely story and a picture to cherrish :) Thanks for sharing ;)
That is an absolutely fantastic story BL, i can only begin to imagine your excitement at the opportunity of revisiting your amazing birth place and thinking about how it must have been for your mum :-*
Wow! Great story and what a fab house! Must have made those last few weeks, and the first few weeks of motherhood, very comfortable and enjoyable!
Lovely story,I'm actually quite moved by it!
lovely story i am to moved buy it , so nice that you were able to visit it
Thanks for your comments. I wanted to share the experience with you all as it was such a special day. It must have been a bit of an oasis for my mother, though mixed with a certain anxiety for her too. She had to leave my two year old brother with her sister and also my father, who was a shipyard worker and had been seconded into the fire service to put out incendiary bombs. He visited once a week but it must have been a long journey for him to get to the house. I believe Mam was there about a month. Sunday was a lovely day for me. :) busy_lizzie
Lovely story. And a great place to spend a war.
Beautiful house and surroundings ! Thank you. ;) :D