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BROUGHAM HALL ANNUAL REPORT

December 2009

ANNIVERSARIES

On 17th July, Hazel Walker celebrated 20 years of Country Furnishing, at Brougham Hall.

GENERAL

The year started promisingly enough. April and May were lovely ….. and the rest wasn’t! This time last year, we predicted that 2009 would be a particularly difficult year. As things turned out, that forecast proved unduly pessimistic, and we returned respectable results despite losing some much valued tenants, such as Brookfield and Les Harrison.

CONGRATULATIONS

Go to Kate (née Terry) and Arthur Phelan, who married in Dublin, on 15th July; to Hannah Bester (née Stansfield), who married on August 29th; and to Loki William Rowe, who weighed in at 7lbs, on 16th October, to the delight of Tim and Michelle; and to Piers Merry who received his second Duke of Gloucester Award on 18th October.

RESTORATION

Once again, thanks to a totally unexpected and unsolicited grant from the J F Eilbeck Chemist Charitable Trust, we were able to complete the Carriage House and put it to work, furthering our own charitable objectives, namely “the provision of vocational training in traditional skills”. In particular, we were able to dig out and prepare the ground for drains and a metalled surface right up to the carriage house, to fit massive doors to the south and a small studded oak one, in the 14th century arch, to the west and a fixed window to the north. The roof was screeded with approximately eight tons of material, which was subsequently waterproofed and the vaulting within was illuminated with strip lights – the successful culmination of year’s of work in that particular area.

Across the yard, Tim Rowe completely refurbished Les Harrison’s old SmallFab unit to accommodate “Crafty Monkeys” and the Smokehouse was stripped and repainted just in time to receive the return of the Armour Hall Screen after an absence of 75 years and the Brougham Carriage. Meanwhile, Adam Bowns was converting the old 1823 brewery into a studio workshop.

PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR : 2010 We are already talking to Leader (a European funding body) about the possibility of putting our growing, and important collection of 19th century political papers in the Lord Chancellor’s Den. Many of these papers started life in that building and it is appropriate that they should return as “site specific” exhibits.

The carved chimney breast which used to adorn the northern end of the Armour Hall, is currently perched, rather precariously, on scaffolding, just behind its original position. We now have the skills to reassemble this colossal and beautifully carved piece of stone.

We already have the scaffolding in position to replace the ashlar in the south west corner of the Carriage House. This was the last building to be robbed. We have photographs, taken approximately 25 years ago, which show this building before it was robbed.

The south wall of the Pele Tower, which stands two storeys high, has a bow in it. We need to take this wall down several courses, stabilise it and reassemble it, in exactly the same way as we did on the north wall a few years ago.

THIS YEAR’S CALENDAR

1st January, Chris Hoy was Knighted in the New Year’s Honours. Chris (triple Olympic Gold Medallist) spent several days at Brougham helping prepare for Louise Brough’s wedding.

16th January ITV filmed and broadcast UK Ghost hunters at Brougham at 6pm.

31st January “Fusion” held a Burn’s night.

10th February Piers Merry lost ten of his childhood friends in a catastrophic fire at Strathewen, King Lake, Victoria.

10th February -18°c in Aviemore; -10°c at Brougham.

14th February, “Fusion” staged a St Valentine’s dinner.

18th of February saw the last day of the Brocavum vicus excavation.

20th – 31st March + 18°c at Brougham! This has been the driest March since 1997. Total month’s rainfall 1.5”.

12th April our annual Easter Extravaganza in aid of Eden Animal Rescue was held on a very warm day …a stark contrast with last year when we had to shovel snow out of the arena. Fusion café ran out of ices and cold drinks.

15th April, Sir Clement Freud, Liberal MP, writer, broadcaster and caterer died, aged 84. See obituary.

28th April at 11am an earthquake in Cumbria. Epicentre Ulverston 3.7 on the Richter scale.

30th April – Piers Merry off for three weeks with “tennis elbow”.

30th April – and so ended a drought stricken April.

1st May The Honourable Charles Brougham and Nikki Moore visited Brougham Hall. Charles paid two previous visits with his Father, Lord Brougham on 30th May 1986 and from 30th July to 1st August 1990.

5th May, the Scouts start interviewing a short-list for Adam Dickinson’s successor.

5th May, Neil Harrison could be heard in a ten minute slot on Radio Cumbria on the subject of ghost hunting at Brougham Hall.

16th May, Brougham Hall was the subject of a paranormal investigation by Manchester Haunted.

30th May, Brougham Hall was again the subject of a paranormal investigation, this time by the members of Blue Yonder of Falkirk.

4th June, the Stately Homes Coach Tour visited Brougham Hall.

5th June, snow fell (and settled) in Cumbria.

8th June, Hannah Stansfield starts as Adam Dickinson’s replacement as Scout Development Officer.

16th June, Stuart Laverick of Appropriate Solutions moves into Annie Ballingall’s old Unit (7b).

20th June, Natalie Brougham (from the Isle of Wight) marries in St Wilfrid’s Chapel and has her wedding photographs taken in the grounds of the Hall.

21st June, the MG Owners Car Club visit Brougham Hall.

26th June, the drive and doors to the Carriage House are finished.

30th June, Brookside Products Ltd close the Smokehouse after 22 years, 1 months and 3 days!

30th June – 1st July, Janalice Merry paints the new Carriage House doors.

4th July, The 94 Club, from Skipton, visit Brougham Hall.

7th July Isabel Eilbeck’s “Welcome to Brougham” seat is positioned under her window.

17th July, Hazel Walker (Country Furnishings) celebrates 20 years at Brougham.

20th July, Philip Cross, a cubist painter, takes Unit 3 as a studio/shop.

25th July. The blessing of Kate & Arthur’s wedding at St Mary’s, Wreay.

26th July. Kate and Arthur hold a Hog Roast in their marquee.

27th July, Sunbeams stage “Mozart by Candlelight”, in Kate & Arthur’s marquee and raise £6,000 for handicapped children.

31st July, Les Harrison (SmallFab) left Brougham Hall after 12½ years.

15th August, Stuart Roberts, a 2nd year Heritage Student, spent several hours in the Museum.

27th August, the Armour Hall Screen returns to Brougham Hall, after an interval of 75 years.

29th August, Hannah Stansfield marries.

2nd September, Derek Williams, writer, broadcaster and authority on Roman frontiers re-visits Brougham, with his wife, Olive.

2nd September, Brougham welcomes 35 visitors from the Herefordshire Art Fund.

3rd September, Brougham welcomes 26 historians from Southwold, Suffolk.

6th September, Cumbria Classic Car Club visit Brougham.

25th September, The Hon. Francis Noel-Baker, staunch supporter of Brougham, dies aged 89. see obituary.

1st October, Adam Bowns and Tim Rowe split Les Harrison’s old unit into two separate tenancies.

1st October, Annie Clayton has one of her many choral evenings (usually held weekly).

4th October, Classic Car Tours (MK) visit Brougham Hall.

12th October, Carol Harrison dies in the early hours of the morning. See obituary.

16th October, Loki William Rowe was born, weighing in at 7lbs.

20th October, Piers Merry receives his second Duke of Gloucester Award in the Mecers’ Hall, Ironmonger Lane.

22nd October, Metro Radio spent 8½ hours at Brougham Hall, recording a programme to be broadcast on Halloween.

23rd October, a block of stone arrives at Brougham, from York, to be turned in to St Paulinus, 548-644, (the first Archbishop of York. 625 – 633; Bishop of Rochester 633 – 644), by Piers Merry.

29th October, the Burgham’s from Newbury visit en masse.

30th October, Peter Brougham-Wyly, the Brougham Geneaologist, arrives at Brougham and then goes to Crooklands to hear Andrew Leitch address the Cumbria Family History Society.

31st October, Brougham Hall is the subject of a Halloween paranormal investigation by the Blue Yonder Ghostseekers of Falkirk.

31st October, “Fusion” café stage a Halloween party.

31st October, Metro Radio broadcast their Brougham Halloween programme, recorded on 22nd October.

8th November, Brougham Hall is assailed by a Fiat Punto. The car was a write-off; the Hall unscathed.

20th November, 314mm (12”+) fell in Cumbria in a single day. An all time record. The River Lowther pushed through substantial stone walls and flowed over part of the Clifton Moor Battlefield. The fish ponds at the bottom of Pillar Hill, re-emerged for a couple of days. They were filled in years ago, after some boys drowned while skating on thin ice.

23rd November, Alan and Olwyn Warwick visit Brougham Hall. (Alan worked at the Hall and Gibraltar in the 1980’s and 90’s).

24th November, C Terry addresses Aspect Events, at the Rothay Manor, on the obstacles encountered in a country house restoration.

25th November, Aspect Events visit Brougham Hall. Among their number was a certain Mrs Openshaw, 94, who was a friend
of Lt. Col. J.J Dingwall, the Adjutant at Brougham during the War. (Dingwall was related to the Broughams).

28th November, Paranormal Investigation at the Hall. Sarah Hall & Jilly Jarman gave a concert in Fusion.

30th November. So ends the wettest November ever recorded.

3rd December. Fire destroys Morrison’s Supermarket, Penrith

THANK YOU

Starting, as usual, with those people who have made cash donations, we would like to thank the following:-

• Kevin Beavis

• Joseph Alan Carter

• Mr & Mrs Doug Chappels

• Mr & Mrs Paul Fletcher

• Dr A W Galer (multiple donor)

• Stephen Lambert

• Stephanie Lawton& Lyn Wilman (6th year in succession)

• Andy Lewin

• Jonathan Manford

• Mr & Mrs Syd Monk

• D E H Moriarty

• Mr & Mrs S O’Toole

• 94 Club, Skipton

• The Council for British Archaeology

• Cumbria Classic Car Club

• Drummonds Bank ( 10th year in succession)

• The JF Eilbeck Chemist Charitable Trust

• Kelso Travel

• MG Car Club

If you would like to make a donation, cheques should be made payable to the Brougham Hall Charitable Trust, Brougham Hall, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 2DE. If you are a UK Tax payer, and would be kind enough to include a note to that effect, we can reclaim 25% of the tax from the Inland Revenue, under the Government’s Gift Aid scheme. For those giving through their Self Assessment returns, our unique code is UAD20QG. All donations are always acknowledged by return. We would also like to encourage people to consider remembering us in their Wills. Most bequests of this nature are free of Inheritance Tax

Turning to those who have given in kind, we would like to thank;-

• Prof Arbon for facilitating the return of the Armour Hall Screen

• Alistair Aynscough for splendid archive work

• The Churchill and Woolger families for numerous kindnesses

• Malcolm Cundy for cheerfully turning his hand to anything

• Jim Eilbeck for a beautiful teak bench

• Dave Gaskell of Cumbria Open For Business for maintaining & financing our website

• Terrie Gibbs for cheerfully walking hundreds of miles behind the mower

• Yvonne and Rodrick Hartley for grooming their end of the terrace

• Tracy Hunnam, for pie charts, analyses and wise advice.

• Paul Johnston for great help in recovering the Armour Hall Screen

• The Rev Ian Meredith for returning the Armour Hall Screen

• Janalice Merry for painting

• Diane Tanner for keeping us clean

• John Westropp for work and advice on the Armour Hall Screen

• Peter Brougham Wyly, our ever helpful geneaologist

COMINGS AND GOINGS

This is something of a “profit and loss” account. We were sad to say goodbye to Brookside Products Ltd, a very honourable company, bringing to an end over 22 years of continuous smoking at Brougham. Les Harrison left, after 12 ½ years at Brougham. One of his objectives was to give his wife, Carol, greater freedom of movement in her electric wheelchair. Tragically, she died two and a half months later. Hilda Radcliffe also left us but not entirely since she is related to two other members of the Brougham community.

On the “profit” side of the sheet, Adam Bowns has taken over the brewery for art metal work and sculpture. Tim Rowe has taken over Les’s old unit to run “Crafty Monkeys”, a pottery experience for the very young. Stuart Laverick works long hours in Annie Ballingall’s old unit, writing software. Philip Cross has taken Unit 3 for his paintings and Jessica Mills is dress making in Unit 2.

OBITUARY

Sir Clement Freud

Sir Clement Freud who died on 15th April, aged almost 85 (or 84 – birthday 24th April), was a member of the same illustrious family as Sigmund and Lucian. His public life is well documented. We are only concerned here with his services to Brougham Hall.

Clement was the ideal dinner guest. He would insist on doing the cooking and then insist on providing all the entertainment. He took a dim view of being upstaged in either department. Like Montgomery, he could not abide anyone smoking.

He was “The Times” food correspondent when Rona Newson’s Smokehouse was becoming nationally recognised. He famously described Rona’s Cumberland Sausage as “better than sex”, although he omitted to say with whom (there being different levels of satisfaction in that department). He didn’t seem to mind being collected, from Penrith Station, in Rona’s smelly old fish van, but he became apoplectic when the Sharrow Bay Hotel put him in their Annex (unbefitting a culinary journalist and Chairman of the House of Commons Catering Committee!)

Having been a (Jewish) Liaison Officer at the Nuremberg Trials, Clement had an acute sense of injustice. When the very existence of the BHCT was threatened by a bent solicitor and his henchmen, (see Chapter 8 of “Windsor of the North”), Clement rallied three of the most eminent lawyers of the day. At one stage, we had Lord Goodman, Lord Mishcon and Sir David Napley advising the Trust pro bono. Each of these distinguished gentlemen was the senior partner of their own practice and each of them came to the conclusion that our solicitor was an outright fraudster and that the liability of his employers was beyond question. With their help and that of a wonderful man called John Harte MBE, the Trustees finally won the day, after a twelve year struggle. The Trustees, and everybody who has depended on them for the last twenty five years, owes a huge debt of gratitude to Clement and to his eminent friends

Carol Harrison

Carol Harrison died early on Monday 12th October. She had been suffering from Multiple Sclerosis for 32 years, an illness she bore with great dignity and courage. Whenever the sun shone, Les would bring her to Brougham. One of the reasons why Les moved to Skirsgill, on 31st July was to give Carol greater mobility. Consequently, she was able to go to work every day right up to the Saturday before she died. Throughout their long marriage Les has been an exemplary husband, obeying to the letter his marriage vow “in sickness and in health, till death do us part”. He could not have done more. Carol is survived by a daughter and two sons, all of whom have served in HM Armed Forces.

The Hon Francis Noel-Baker

The Hon Francis Noel-Baker, died in Greece at the age of 89. His public career was well documented, in the Times, on 1st October 2009. He was the youngest MP in Atlee’s post war government, having ousted the Tory party Chairman in Brentford and Chiswick. He was the third in a dynasty of politicians. He also inherited a feudal estate in Greece which had been bought, in 1832, from the departing Turks, by Lord Byron’s widow.

We are concerned here with what Francis meant to Brougham. Well, he was in right at the beginning. He was Founder President of ECOVAST – the European Council for the Preservation of the Village and Small Town. Brougham’s revival was exactly the sort of initiative that he espoused. While his health lasted, he and his late wife, Barbro, made repeated visits at considerable cost and discomfort to themselves, stranded for hours in trains, and suffering unheated Cumbrian homes. Notwithstanding that, his support and friendship was unswerving and unconditional.

Francis was a beautifully mannered and very gentle man, who made friends easily, from Heads of State to the humble Greek peasant. He was extremely clever, well-read and well travelled. He had a working knowledge of many languages and was fluent in classical, archaic and modern Greek. He was not lacking in the eccentricities which set the quintessential English gentlemen apart from all others. “Francis the friend maker” could turn a scheduled flight into a flying cocktail party.

The Brougham team visited the Greek Estate several times. On one occasion, thirteen of them were working on the clearance of a ruined house called Ktounia. Malcolm Cundy, who is still working at Brougham, was one of those thirteen, as were two of the present Trustees. On another occasion help was provided when the roof of the stables collapsed under 1m of snow. John Harrison’s huge weathervane now surmounts that roof. Piers Merry, also still at Brougham, painted Minoan dolphins on the wall of one of the swimming pools. Francis’s son, Philip, is a BHCT Trustee.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS 2010/11

• Sunday 4th April 2010 Easter Eggstravaganza – Eden Animal Rescue

• Saturday 21st May 2011 Karen O’Toole marries Anthony Davidson

BOOKS

Mark Thomas’s scholarly hardback “A History of Brougham Hall and Highhead Castle” (£30 + £2.90 p&p) and Ben Furnival’s “Windsor of the North” (£9 + £2.50 p&p) are both still available from the Brougham Hall Charitable Trust, Brougham Hall, Penrith, Cumbria CA10 2DE or can be ordered on-line by visiting www.broughamhall.co.uk and clicking on  “Books”.

WEBSITE

Our overseas friends and anyone wanting extra copies of this report, can access it by visiting our updated website at www.broughamhall.co.uk and clicking on “Annual Report 2008-2009”. Labels, to that effect, have been inserted in all our overseas Christmas cards. Please tell your friends what we are doing and encourage them to support Brougham Hall.

CARS

The Trusts’ Volvo, which carries, or pulls, heavy loads virtually every day is just on the point of doing a quarter of a million miles! Its predecessor (also a Volvo estate) did 265,000 miles