On the Back of a Postcard

What wild weather we’ve had at Betley Court Gardens this week!  Tuesday’s weather was quite spectacular. It started pleasantly enough, allowing me and Tanya (our garden volunteer) to deadhead and weed around the formal flowerbeds in the morning. By 1.30 in the afternoon, the rain was torrential. I texted Tanya in some concern, checking to see if she’d been drowned on her walk home. Thankfully, she had beaten the rain.

Rain streaming down the roof of the visitors hub

Nigel, watching the rain

Nigel and I spent our lunchtime sheltering in the visitors’ hub eating our sandwiches as a tremendous thunder storm passed over the gardens, the noise of the rain amplified on the wooden roof. The storm brought some deadwood down from the canopy of the trees, and rivers of water carved out channels in the gravel paths, but otherwise we were left unscathed.

Fallen deadwood on the high path

I noticed on my phone’s lightning tracker app that there had been five strikes in nearby Wrinehill, and felt quite grateful there had been none at Betley Court. It’s a far cry from last July when the temperatures were well into the high 30s and people were advised to consider whether or not to go out in the day!

The reconfigured visitors hub

This week at the Court...

This week’s activities at Betley Court have centred around preparations for this weekend’s tours. We've reconfigured the visiors hub with folding chairs and tables, to make the space more flexible. We will be hosing a private visit from Staffordshire Parks & Gardens Trust on Saturday. Betley Court Gardens are members of the Trust, and we are honoured to be showing the group what we’ve been working on in the house and gardens. On Sunday, we have our last public restoration tours of 2023. This includes a guided walk around some of the ground floor rooms of the house, talking about some of the discoveries we’ve made, and a viewing of photographs and artifacts documenting the rebuild. Nigel and I will be around to answer questions. At the time of writing there were just 3 tickets left on the 3pm tour.  Tickets are £10pp + booking fee and more details can be found at www.betleycourtgardens.co.uk/events.

On the Back of a Postcard...

Last week I mentioned a haul of postcard Nigel and I bought from a local fair. If I’m honest, my favourite part of collecting postcards is reading the messages on the back, if they were written and posted. It’s a tiny glimpse of someone’s life from times gone by. By strange coincidence, one of the cards we bought is postmarked CREWE, 10.30am, 13 July 1944 (today’s date, as I am writing). It is from Clarice to a Miss Flora Abbott, who lived in Hayling Island, with ‘Granny Bot’ near Portsmouth. She writes,

Dear Flora,

Having rotten weather. Summer will soon be over. Sorry I have not written. I will explain in the letter which is following. We are having a Garden Party on Saturday. Well cheerio for now.

Love Clarice

Clarice's postcard

These few sentences raise so many questions. Did Clarice come from Betley, or was she an incomer, in service or an evacuee (the card is dated over a year before the end of World War Two)? The postcard depicts five scenes from Betley village, including Betley Court, Betley Hall and Betley Old Hall, and I wonder if the ‘Garden Party’ with capital letters suggests the party was in one of the big houses. Of course, this is all speculation, and if Clarice, or Flora are still alive, they would be of great age!

Another postcard is of greater interest as not only does it show a view of Betley Court, but it is addressed as from Betley Court. This card is to a Miss Gilbert, at New Street, Southwell, Nottingham.

It reads,

Betley Court

Crewe

Dear M

Just a pc [postcard] to let you know I am out again and I have got a good place. There are 8 of us so plenty to keep us alive. Do you know Annie [‘s] address. Would you mind giving it to me. If you do will write a long letter soon.

With love to Elijah & Joe and yourself

Blanche

Blanche's postcard

The postcard is dated possibly 19 Oct 1911 (the franking is somewhat smudged). I’m intrigued by the phrase ‘I am out again...’ Out of what?? We speculated; was it hospital? Or prison?? Most likely hospital. I’m glad to think of her in a good place, and that place being Betley Court.

Remembering..........

My late father-in-law, Professor Godfrey Brown would have been 97 years old today. He was in all our minds as we went about our business. We often think about what he’d have made of the rebuild (his funeral happened the same day the first builders came on site following the safety demolition stage, so he didn’t see any of it). He’d have marvelled at the new roof with its smart new tiles in Ffestiniog blue and Vermont green, and cringed at the state of the lawn following the building work. But mostly, I think he would be delighted that Betley Court – his labour of love – was rebuilt.

All best wishes

Ladybird Su