NEWSLETTER Indeed All the Gardens, Are Looking the Best I Have Ever Seen Them

Summer/Autumn 2009 • Issue 18

NEWSLETTER indeed all the gardens, are looking the best I have ever seen them. Our stewards in the hall continue to work to a high standard and enhance our visitors’ experience. Our executive staff in the estate and finance offices all work hard producing excellent management information. The financial results of Pinewoods improve year on year as holiday-makers return time and time again – the team there must be doing something right! But we should never rest on our laurels; there are always improvements we can make. Sometimes it is necessary to maintain those high standards by forming partnerships with outside agencies. The most topical example is with Marshall Arts, the promoters who brought us Sir Elton John. The concert he gave in Lord and Lady Coke and their four children: Ned, Minna, Juno and Bess June was the largest in Norfolk this year In issue 17 of the newsletter, I referred maintenance thereof. and arguably the best. to the overriding importance of I see the next six months as crucial to Our knowledge of the wonderful choosing the right person to replace the estate. It will primarily be a period collection of chattels of the library and Richard Gledson. It was a task taken of consolidation, but one in which we of the working estate continues to be very seriously with an extensive will also formulate and establish our enhanced through study. Dr Susannah interview panel of family, trustees and strategy, the management structure and Wade Martin’s new book Coke of our non-executive director, Jonathan improve standards. Norfolk (1754-1852) A Biography gives Barclay. Already I see standards improving at us further insight into this early Though he has only been here for The Victoria and The Globe and they nineteenth century political and two months, I am confident that in come at little or no extra cost, but rely agricultural reformer. Dr Suzanne David Horton-Fawkes we have chosen on committed employees being well Reynolds, our manuscript curator, has well. His training and earlier career in trained and doing their jobs properly made new discoveries which show how hospitality and more recent career in and well, with a smile on their faces. far-sighted Thomas Coke (the builder rural and project management with a Our farmland is looking tidier as we of the house) was on his Grand Tour healthy dose of marketing expertise implement new policies and create when he was one of the very few who make him eminently suitable for this more habitats (this does have a cost). took an interest in early Etruscan diverse role at Holkham. We have fewer vermin on the estate as civilisation. His management team will be our game keepers set an increased To everyone on the estate, thank you strengthened in August by a chartered number of traps; this benefits not only for your contribution over the last six surveyor for whom we have created the game birds, but waders, songbirds, months. new post of estate surveyor. His raptors and farmland birds. No wonder responsibility will be all things so many birdwatchers visit Holkham. pertaining to property, whether that be The foresters have hugely improved farmland, woodland, commercial the northern approach to the hall property, or bricks and mortar and the through the village. The terraces, Viscount Coke

www.holkham.co.uk The Hall I finished off my article for the last stewards, many of whom have worked newsletter with a wish for winter to here for a number of years. My thanks depart and sunshine to arrive. Silly boy. go to them all for their efforts over the As I type this Holkham is enveloped in past years. For those stewards who were a bank of low dark cloud that has been due to return this year we held the with us for a couple of days now. In the usual training day on 3 April. The pic- perverse way of our weather it has been ture below shows the effect of Colin’s burning off around 5pm just as the café briefing on how duties will be and shop are beginning to close down! allocated. The phrase “rabbits caught However, Easter Bank Holiday was in the headlights” comes to mind. much, much better than last year – we I would like to welcome Richard did get some sun but more importantly Edmondson who joins the team this we were able to welcome a great many year as our front of house steward. visitors to the park and hall. Not so Richard knows the house well having Plotting the evening’s exercise many to the beach of course but taken his police dog through the place enough to ensure that John and Jim on more than one occasion in his past were kept busy selling tickets at the car life with the force. Richard has been park. Jim Tuddenham and John Ramm trained on the mysteries of the Jolly are the unsung heroes of Holkham Stairclimber – giving Colin and me Enterprises. They are our “all weather” more time to spend wandering the car park attendants who work rooms and keeping on top of the paper throughout the year with unfailing mountain back in the office. good humour and diligence. Thank Holkham is now a member of the you both for your efforts and patience. Treasure Houses of England. Nine Our exhibition on The Duchess was other great houses in the group pool on display for the first time at Easter. information and expertise to the I know that Laurane and Shirley put advantage of all. It’s been incredibly an enormous amount of effort into interesting to meet colleagues from Lighting up the size of any future problems producing the artwork and these houses and hear of their trials, fighters attending had never been to commissioning the information boards. tribulations and triumphs, and the hall before, it proved to be an I have to say that the result is first class, reassuring to hear from them the cry of extremely demanding exercise for them giving an excellent insight into the “Been there, done that, got the t-shirt”. and a stern test of Colin’s fire and production. Make sure you pick up the leaflet when salvage planning. I know that the I also mentioned in the last newslet- you visit us and take advantage of the crews were impressed with the house ter that Colin and I would be working two for one vouchers on offer. and with the exercise. Commiserations over the winter to refine the way in Over the winter Colin spent a great to our own Wells crew who were last which we present the house to the deal of time and effort in designing a on the ground, having had to respond public. In this present climate reducing major fire and salvage exercise in to a genuine “shout” just before the costs was a major factor in our conjunction with senior officers from exercise started. You may imagine the planning. In the end, I decided that it the Norfolk Fire Brigade. To make remarks of the other fire-fighters when would be necessary to reduce the pool things even more difficult for the crews the Wells crew finally rolled up. Great of stewards employed for 2009. No easy we were instructed not to switch on credit should be paid to Colin who decision to say goodbye to some any lights. Since most of the fire- received many favourable comments from the directing staff. A number of lessons were learned and I look forward to a continued close liaison with the brigade. By the time this newsletter falls through your letterboxes the season will be well underway. We are all hoping that the present euro exchange rate will encourage more folk to holiday at home and that our neighbours on the continent can be tempted to come and see us over the summer. Fingers crossed then for a good warm summer for a change.

This year’s stewards receive their briefing Mike Daley • Hall Administrator

2 • Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 Welcome To David Horton-Fawkes David Horton-Fawkes has joined the was successful in raising £10m of Holkham estate in the newly created European and government money for role of Estates Director. David is 45 the regeneration of Lowther years old and married. He is respon- Castle and Gardens. sible for the management of the I am very pleased that David has whole estate and will report agreed to take up this key appoint- directly to the trustees and (on a ment at Holkham and we welcome more regular basis) to me. He will him, his wife Christa and son Peter to also aid us in devising estate strategy the estate. David’s wide-ranging and delivering its objectives. experience reflects the diverse David began his career as a leisure nature of the Holkham businesses. and hospitality specialist and is a He will help us develop the Holkham graduate of the rigorous Savoy Hotel brand in the future. He will be ably Management School. He managed a supported in his new role of Estates number of large hotels in London, Director by the appointment of an then in 1995 was invited by Lord Estate Surveyor who takes up this Spencer to become general manager new post in August. of Althorp House in Northampton- Although only one month into the shire, where he stayed for eight London and he has also held the posi- job David is already showing a good years. He led the restructuring of the tion of general manager of the Royal understanding of the various depart- house operation, developing a range Automobile Club’s country club and ments, having met all the managers of visitor related businesses. David its two golf courses in Surrey. and many of the employees. A handy directed the project to design and Directly before moving to bonus: he has also shown himself to build the Diana, Princess of Wales, Holkham, David was working in the be an asset in the Holkham estate Memorial Exhibition and Gardens in public sector for the North West versus Club 20/20 cricket matches! 1998. Regional Development Agency in David himself is excited by the David’s career has also included the Cumbria where he advised the prospect of working with my family leadership of a team to design a new Lowther Castle and Gardens Trust to secure the future prosperity of visitor centre at Stonehenge. He has on the redevelopment of these core Holkham, which he regards as one of worked in the strategic marketing assets within the 36,000 acre estate, England’s great estates. and business management sector as a and in relation to the wider eco- director of Brand Architects in nomic regeneration of the region. He Viscount Coke Holkham Cricket: Thrilling Finale In Store Last season was the first one in which the estate team which led to a weaker bowling attack. In fact we only took triumphed 2-1 in our annual competition against Holkham two wickets (both Vic chefs Roger Hickman and Dan cricket club. Gummerson) in open play (thanks to two excellent catches This year we got off to a good start on 13 May, with a one by Robert Savory). Four of the club team scored 25 runs not run victory on the last ball. The club batted first and out (and had to retire) on their way to an imposing total of compiled 91 runs (scoring was somewhat limited by playing 135 in 20 overs. 13 aside). Performances of note were Kent Cooper playing This was not a total we felt we could get near. However, his first game since leaving school, making two excellent we started well with our openers Savory and Horton-Fawkes catches in the deep (to give Kevin Bray two of his three both having to retire having reached 26 and 25 not out. wickets – both HFC). Robert Savory (HBM) also took two Then, the now familiar Vic chef batting collapse, before wickets. Estates director David Horton-Fawkes laid down an Paul Matthews (22) and I (21) resumed the run chase. excellent marker of the high standards he expects to see on Finally there was a wonderful cameo innings by Luke Hylton the estate with a spectacular low catch at square leg. In fact (Vic kitchen porter) restoring some pride to the kitchen not a single catch was downed. John Smith (HFC stock- team with 15 not out. We needed two runs to win but lost man) put in a very tidy performance as wicket keeper (again our last wicket on the last ball. It was another excellent his first game for many years). The estate’s reply, in the game very much enjoyed by all. looming dark, did not start off well with the Victoria hotel The decider is on Wednesday 1 July, the first day of the contingent all falling cheaply! Thankfully runs were Norfolk Show. Our thanks to Martin Joyce (injured) for eventually scored by Savory (25 not out), and Paul umpiring, but who we hope will play in that match, and to Matthews (woods department). The final run chase was the Victoria Hotel who have looked after both teams follow- down to Steven “Shrek” Hall (HFC) who scored 15, and ing each match with welcome refreshments and nibbles. myself, scoring 22, winning in the dark with a bye. On 3 June we were affected by injuries and holidays, Viscount Coke

Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 • 3 From The Archives This year is the anniversary of several milestone dates in Holkham’s history. First of all, it is 400 years since the Coke family’s earliest purchase of land at Holkham. At that time, the parish was divided between three manors called Neales, Wheatley or Hill Hall and Boroughall, and a scattering of freehold properties, the largest being Edmund Newgate’s at the staithe village. The main village straddled the road from Burnham Market to Wighton, near the site of the present hall. In October 1609, Sir Edward Coke, a wealthy and famous lawyer, Chief Justice and formerly Attorney General, bought Neales manor from a fellow lawyer. It consisted of the manor house with grounds of 14 acres, situated at the west end of the village; 424 acres of arable land scattered throughout the three open fields, a Account of the funeral expenses for Thomas Coke, Earl of Leicester, in 1759. John Bullen, second house, and three acres growing who made the lead coffin, and James Lillie, who made the two ‘wainscot’ coffins, had been employed by him for many years on building the hall a valuable crop of saffron. This was just one of numerous ‘buy They took up residence in her old manor’s marshes; his bank can still be to rent’ purchases by Sir Edward in home, the manor house of Hill Hall, seen, running south, from the bird several counties over a period of many which remained the Coke family hide on the southern edge of the pines. years, but he had already seen home until the new Holkham Hall, Later in the same year, he bought the particular possibilities opening up at built right next to it, was ready for large freehold estate of Edmund Holkham. In 1601 he had bought the occupation in 1756. Newgate, concentrated in the north of rights to the wardship and marriage of By this marriage John also gained a the parish and including the large Meriel Wheatley, the three-year old home farm, consisting of about 200 house, still standing, that became heiress of Wheatley manor. Three acres and a fold course (land for winter known as The Ancient House. With it years after his purchase of Neales he grazing of sheep). This set him up in he gained four more houses, 360 acres married his ward, probably by then the ranks of the minor gentry and of land and 450 acres of marsh. aged just 16, to his fourth son, John. saved him, as a younger son, from Around the same time, he bought having to earn a living in the law or several smaller Holkham properties. clergy. Twenty-two years later, in 1634, Also in the same year, he enlarged and John inherited his father’s first improved his home, which was purchase, Neales manor, which occasionally known as Holkham Hall brought him extra rental income. and was to serve the family for nearly After another nineteen years, the last another hundred years. of his elder brothers having died Thus in the 50 years between 1609 without leaving a son, John inherited and 1659, by marriage, inheritance much more of the great estate founded and purchases, John Coke had by his father, making Holkham the acquired much of the parish. He was focal point of a great agricultural estate estranged from his only surviving son, as it still is today. the youngest of eleven children, and Then in 1659 (exactly fifty years the next fifty years were a roller after our first notable date) John coaster of early deaths, legal problems acquired the third Holkham manor of and two long minorities. Eventually, Boroughall, consisting of 240 acres, however, the Holkham estate passed eight cottages, two meadows and two safely into the hands of Thomas Coke, particularly valuable fold courses, a direct descendant of another of Sir capable of supporting 1,000 sheep. Edward Coke’s sons. Like his father, he had planned ahead, The next anniversary marks the This inscription, at the front of a book buying the reversion of the manor in death of the same Thomas Coke in recording the marriage settlements of his 1634 and waiting 25 years for the 1759, exactly a century after John children, sums up Sir Edward Coke’s reasons death of the life tenant. Coke’s major contribution to rounding for purchasing land at Holkham in 1609 He immediately drained part of the off the Holkham property. The two

4 • Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 he added the iron fitments still in place in the old kitchen, new central heating, a new water supply from the artesian well and reservoir, gas lighting, and 18 children from two marriages! In the park he added the deer, several lodges, the almshouse entrance, glasshouses in the walled gardens, a private gas works and much of Longlands. In the 1880s he re-built most of Holkham village and restored The Ancient House that had been bought by John Coke in 1659. He established cricket as a feature of the Holkham summer and made the shoot world famous. He died in January 1909, aged 88. By a strange coincidence, John Coke, Thomas Coke and the 2nd Earl have given us three more related anniversaries this year. In 1659 John North vestibule with an arcade and porch, one of the plans rejected by the second Earl Coke drained and embanked the men were strangely similar in work after the Earl’s death at the age western marshes; in 1719, Thomas character, large men with a reputation of 61. Coke reclaimed about 400 acres of for making a lot of noise in meetings, A hundred years ago, and a century the central marsh (while Sir Charles and devoted to Holkham despite being and a half after the death of Thomas Turner of Warham continued the disappointed in their sons. Coke, Earl of Leicester, came the bank eastwards); and the 2nd Earl By 1759, Holkham had been death of his great-great-nephew, built the Wells sea bank, reclaiming transformed. The old manor house, Thomas William Coke, 2nd Earl of the remaining area, in 1859. where both men had lived for most of Leicester of the 2nd creation, who their lives, had been demolished three also left a great imprint on Holkham. Christine Hiskey • Archivist years earlier, when the household had Like John Coke in the 17th moved into the vast new hall that had century, he has been been a building site for more than overshadowed by more famous twenty years. The only signs of the old members of the family but he village were a few cottages and estate was lord of Holkham for nearly workshops left near the south end of 67 years, having inherited the lake that had been created from a Holkham in 1842 at the age of long marshy hollow. The centre of the 19. old village was covered by walled His combination of youth, kitchen gardens (not the present ones, wealth and a typically which were built much further west in Victorian passion for later years). The arable land in the modernisation has given us the open field to the south had been vast range of buildings to the transformed into lawns leading up to east of the hall, built in the an obelisk, surrounded by a wood, 1850s: the estate office (barely beyond which lay the road that had changed since his time), the been diverted away from the new hall. porter’s lodge (now the To the north, the other open fields accounts office), stables and had been turned into parkland and coach houses (now Bygones), neat enclosed arable fields outside its brew house and malt kiln (now pales. the History of Farming and the All this was the achievement of ticket office) and laundry (now Thomas Coke, Earl of Leicester, who the gift shop). He transformed was a fascinating character. He had the south side with the started work on creating the park as a conservatory (a different type young man of 25. Planning the hall of building from the 18th The domestic staff in 1909. In addition to the 26 itself took another twelve years; century orangery), terraces, indoor staff, the Earl had employed twelve salaried staff building the first wing then took six fountain and parterres, and the and heads of department, six keepers and three vermin years; another sixteen years passed west side with more terraces. killers, ten men in the building department, nine in the before the rest of the hall could be On the north he added the blacksmiths, six at the brickyard, sixteen in the occupied; and his widow took another entrance vestibule and the gardens, nine around the hall and forty-nine in the five years to complete the building bronze lions. Within the hall farm, park and woods

Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 • 5 Finance Department The finance department has been very I thought for this article I would busy recently with the setup of more introduce you to some of the advisers ventures at Holkham (we now have who work most closely with the finance more than 40 legal entities to team and whose input and effort we administer). Neil Morrell and Jane regard as invaluable. We see them as Haynes have been implementing major honorary members of the Holkham changes to the estate’s IT infrastructure finance department and I hope that and we have had many new budgets to they regard it as a ‘badge of pride’! set and year-ends to tie up. Funding our Our principal bankers are Svenska recently-established ventures such as Handelsbanken. They are a Swedish Holkham Emerald Ltd, our new bank with a branch in Norwich, and we vegetable growing enterprise, has also moved the Holkham business to them kept us occupied. in January 2005 and have been Some of the early indicators show enormously impressed by their in-depth that we have not yet suffered from the understanding of Holkham and their full impact of recession. In fact with the innovative funding solutions. Peter euro relatively strong against the pound Daines is the account manager and we and consumers watching their spending work very closely with the local team. Susan Shaw from Smith & Williamson, the carefully, Holkham seems set to benefit Despite global economic concerns our trust accountants from the current economic environ- relationship with Handelsbanken is ment. However, I would anticipate that such that funding for the estate’s 2010 might be a tougher year activities has been preserved and financially. indeed enhanced. In other words our credit has not been crunched. We use two sets of accountants, one to help us with the trading activities of the estate and another to assist with the complexities of the trusts and strategic issues. Ensors, a firm of accountants based in Bury St Edmunds, are the trading advisers. We have well- established and productive working relationships with Graham Page and his colleagues. A wealth of financial accounts and audits are completed every year, always on time thanks to very close liaison between the finance Fiona Duff of Butcher Andrews solicitors office and the Ensors team. Smith & Williamson, led by Susan disputes. Sometimes we use external Shaw, are the trust accountants and legal help to assist and we are indebted, Svenska Handelsbanken’s Peter Daines were appointed last autumn following a if you will forgive the phrase, to Fiona competitive tender. Based in Salisbury, Duff of Butcher Andrews in dealing but always ready to attend meetings with such matters. Butcher Andrews first thing in the morning (thereby are based in Fakenham and Fiona is a boosting The Victoria’s turnover!) determined and diplomatic pursuer of Smith & Williamson have made a those who need encouragement to pay terrific initial impact and have their debts or discharge other reviewed the overall financial position obligations. of the estate, produced a (positive, The professionals I have mentioned naturally!) report on the operational above are those who are in closest day- effectiveness of the finance department to-day contact with the finance depart- and dealt with several other issues. We ment but we work with many other are convinced that we will continue to firms covering the diverse activities enjoy a very productive relationship and specialisms of the estate. We with them. regard all of them as working in Occasionally, the estate does partnership with us to help Holkham experience difficulties with tenants and achieve its objectives. other parties either in securing payment or in relation to other Mike Wyard • Finance Director Graham Page of accountants Ensors

6 • Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 Marketing Department The media, governing bodies and exhibition. tourism organisations have all This has been further helped been predicting that due to the by the announcement earlier current economic climate, many this year that the film’s costume people will choose to holiday in designer, Michael O’Connor, won Britain this year. This trend has an Oscar, BAFTA and Satellite been recognised at Holkham, Award for Best Costume Design with a bumper start at Easter and – a true endorsement of the early summer trading for the at- costumes’ authenticity. The cos- tractions, while bookings for tumes are currently on display groups and private guided tours until the end of August and the look encouraging. exhibition will run until the hall September last year saw the closes for the season. release of the film The Duchess This newsletter has been starring Keira Knightley and planned to be out in time for the Ralph Fiennes. Holkham Hall was Country Fair on 18 and 19 July one of the country houses and I therefore intend to report selected as a location for making on this event in the next edition. this film. Along with Kedleston For several years now Holkham Hall and Chatsworth in Der- has had a marquee at the fair byshire, the hall was used to promoting the estate and this recreate the interiors of Devon- year is no exception. At the time shire House, the London resi- of writing this article, we are all dence of the Duke of Devonshire working hard on the prepara- – a building which no longer ex- tions for a display entitled “A ists. year in the life of a working es- Using Holkham as a location tate” which will highlight the for a major film captured a great work through the year of the deal of both media and public in- various departments and busi- terest, so for this season we have Christine McSweeney from Cosprop puts the finishing touches nesses here. To ensure that all created an exhibition, designed to to one of the mannequins our staff had the opportunity to take our visitors “behind the be involved in this project, a scenes” of the filming. Aptly entitled The To complete the exhibition, the origi- photo competition was launched last Duchess Exhibition, we have created dis- nal costumes have been hired. Cosprop year, inviting people to take photo- plays which convey the enormity of the in London specialises in costume hire graphs through the year of everyday set up, the background of the film and and has loaned items worn by the Duke activities around the estate. Lord and how the hall was adapted for the and Duchess and their children for a Lady Coke judged the competition, scenes. To enhance the detail, we have scene in the Saloon at Holkham. The selecting the best three photographs also been fortunate to obtain stills of delivery note accompanying the pack- and awarding prizes of Holkham gift the scenes filmed here from the pro- ages made interesting reading when vouchers – 1st prize went to Kent duction company Pathé. Watching the checking off – two torsos, one pair of Cooper (farms department), 2nd prize film, it isn’t difficult to recognise the calico arms, one leg’s torso etc, etc! to Glyn Ingram (game department) state rooms at Holkham and with the Christine McSweeney from Cosprop and 3rd prize to Darren Cave (building imagination of the director and the kindly helped to assemble and dress the department). If you would like to see technical wizardry of production, the mannequins and we invited the local more of the images taken, do remem- three properties used have been seam- media to come along to see the result.. ber to visit our marquee in Row F. lessly melded to give the impression of This generated some excellent publicity one very grand house. and raised further awareness of the Laurane Herrieven • Marketing Manager

First prize – Kent Cooper Second prize – Glyn Ingram Third prize – Darren Cave

Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 • 7 Bygones Museum The Easter Trail held in the Bygones quiz whilst younger children had the holding. On completion of the trail Museum at the beginning of the opportunity to find hidden rabbits everyone received a chocolate egg, season was a tremendous success and within the various displays and which had been kindly donated by visitor numbers eggceeded all count the eggs the rabbits were Kinnerton chocolate factory in expectations! Fakenham. Also on hand for both Adults and older children took up days was children’s entertainer Justso the challenge to complete the Easter James, who kept kids and parents enthralled with his balloon modelling skills. As animated children scurried from room to room in search of rogue rabbits and quiz questions, parents who had not visited Bygones before seemed impressed with the museum’s collection and information to hand in the displays. Our thanks must go to the children of Wells-next-the-Sea Primary and Nursery School who were invited to enter a spring competition to paint a picture, design a tree decoration or write a poem. All entries were completed to a very high standard and displayed in the conservation room of the museum – they made a marvellous array of colour. Lady Coke chose the winners from each category and presented the children with their prizes at their morning assembly on Monday 27 April. I thought the whole Easter weekend was a great success and hope all the museum visitors were able to take away with them a special memory of their time spent in Bygones. Lady Coke and some of the children from Wells Primary School with their certificates Inset: the rosettes they won Kerry Cave • Events Co-ordinator Ticket Office This winter I have been working with Christine Hiskey in the archives. Most of what I did involved a duster or vacuum cleaner, which has given my family much amusement, but the training doesn’t seem to have had a long lasting effect! The Ticket Office has been redecorated and is once again open for the summer. This year I am joined by Jan Yates, as Kerry has moved to the Estate Office. The office will be open every day from 10am to 4pm during peak season for the sale of tickets for the outdoor theatre productions, as well as information and any help required by visitors to the park. Why not come and see one of the outdoor theatre shows in the Pottery Yard? Bring a picnic and the family and do something different with one summer evening!

Christine Hawkes •Ticket Office King’s Men morris dancers who came to Holkham on the spring Bank Holiday

8 • Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 Outdoor Theatre Take a moment to reflect upon the great line-up of shows shows from previous years and booked Cinderella and Mer- we have chosen for your entertainment this summer. lin the Magician, both performed by Chapterhouse Theatre, We kick off the season with Shakespeare’s The Taming of who delighted theatre guests last year with Sleeping Beauty The Shrew, performed by the brilliant actors from Rain or and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The remaining shows Shine Theatre, an extremely adept and professional com- introduce two new theatre companies to the Pottery Yard pany able to bring Shakespeare to old and young alike. to entertain us with The Three Musketeers and Babe, The Four days later we have built on the success of children’s Sheep-Pig. Hope you can make it.

The Taming of The Shrew Cinderella Merlin the Magician 26 July • 7pm 30 July • 6pm 13 August • 6pm This romantic farce, full of disguises Join Louisa, Milky-White the cow and In an exciting world of fearsome and role-playing, is widely known as their friends in their favourite fairytale beasts and magical creatures, Merlin one of William Shakespeare’s most of pumpkins and princes. Come in and the knights of Camelot embark on clever and sophisticated comedies. fancy dress for the fairytale parade. the most thrilling journey of their lives. Tickets The Taming of the Shrew and Merlin the Magician Adults £12, children/concessions £7, families (2 adults & 2 children) £34 Cinderella, The Three Musketeers and Babe, the Sheep-Pig Adults £11, children/concessions £7, families (2 adults & 2 children) £32 The Three Musketeers Babe, The Sheep-Pig 20 August • 6pm 27 August • 6pm All tickets for the shows are One for all, and all for one! D’Artag- This fabulous farmyard adventure tells available from the Holkham Ticket nan aspires to be a Musketeer of the the tale of lovable ‘sheep-pig’ Babe. An Office at Holkham, or by Guard, but are his swashbuckling cre- unmistakable bond develops between telephoning 01328 713111. dentials sufficient? pig and man!

Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 • 9 Energy Efficiency At Holkham In these times of shrinking world resources, an estate such as Holkham must do all it can to be energy efficient. Consultant Jonathan Clarke explains how the recent energy survey was conducted, and what steps will be taken to conserve energy at Holkham As the prices of fossil fuels become ever vulnerable timbers with damp meters. building which will not hang on to its more volatile and the very real threat of Heat for the hall and The Victoria is heat or a heating system which has climate change becomes increasingly generated by traditional oil fired boilers been badly engineered. With this in apparent, we all have a duty to ensure which have worked well but are mind a specialist heating control we use energy more responsibly. nearing the end of their working lives. engineer from Norwich is preparing As an external consultant, I have The Globe is better served by new, recommendations for the hall and been working with Mike Daley and highly efficient, mains gas condensing ancillary buildings through Roger other members of Holkham staff, along boilers. The long term aim for the hall Parker Associates. with a leading building services and the ancillary buildings will be to As mentioned, both The Victoria company (Roger Parker Associates in provide all heat from a new bio-mass and The Globe have come under the Cambridge) to assess what improve- plant, located in the old bowling alley. same careful energy scrutiny. Valuable ments can be made specifically at This would be fuelled by wood chips heat will be retained more efficiently Holkham Hall (including the ancillary sourced from the estate allowing us to and controlled better. Roger Parker buildings), The Victoria and The not only gain control over our own fuel Associates have recently sent an Globe. supplies but also to dramatically reduce engineer to produce a detailed Such historic buildings were never the carbon output from these buildings. recommendation for the elderly boiler built to be energy efficient. The hall in Preliminary work is underway with a system at The Victoria which is particular is large and inevitably specialist company, Econergy, based in augmented by electric immersion draughty. Making alterations to such Bedfordshire. heaters which are very expensive to buildings is not without risk and with In the short term we are testing run. A little money invested here will this in mind we developed a three highly sophisticated electric infra-red generate significant savings in years to pronged approach for meeting this heating panels in the Finance Office. come. challenge. These are considerably less expensive Be assured that energy is an issue ● Get the buildings to hang onto their to run than the traditional electric which is taken very seriously at heat as well as possible storage heaters. The new panels are Holkham. Accurately predicting future ● Ensure the buildings are generating based on the latest German technology energy prices is extremely difficult but and controlling their heat as efficiently and are expected to provide a much most analysts predict it will only get as possible more comfortable, lower cost, even increasingly expensive. Therefore, as ● Be sure never to undertake any heat. the days of cheap energy disappear we alteration which might compromise the Huge advances are being made on must all do whatever we can to reduce character or the fabric of the building. heating controls which are easily energy consumption. Adapting our It is perhaps surprising to find that installed and provide significant most precious buildings to be none of the lofts in the hall have any additional savings. The newest control increasingly energy efficient is insulation. The best insulation for systems are very flexible and can expensive but it has to be done if we historic buildings is sheep wool because provide efficient operation of the are to ensure Holkham Hall is to it absorbs up to 40% of its own weight heating system but even the best continue to thrive for many more in moisture, and releases it naturally. controls cannot compensate for a generations to come. This is important because the humidity levels in loft spaces can change very significantly and as insulation is added to the floor of a loft the air above it becomes significantly colder and condensation can more easily arise. Detailed specifications and costs are currently being produced for insulating such loft spaces, closely in line with English Heritage guidelines which I helped to write. Once insulation is installed we will invest considerable care to ensure any risks of condensation are minimised. This will be done by constantly measuring the temperature and humidity of the air above the insulation, with small electronic data loggers, while also regularly testing the moisture content of any potentially Laying sheep wool insulation panels

10 • Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 Twenty Years Of Celebrity Concerts In 1990, Heinz Liebrecht and Maggie Whitman came to Holkham to discuss the possibility of SPANN (Society for the Promotion of the Arts in North Norfolk) holding regular concerts here. With the support of Lord and Lady Leicester, SPANN concerts became a regular event in the Marble Hall. We celebrated Heinz’s 90th birthday in 1998 with a gala concert and dinner, featuring many of Heinz’s friends, including Julius Drake, the world-class pianist, who had played at Holkham every year since SPANN was formed. Although he suffered a stroke, Heinz always travelled from his home in London on the day of every concert. He, and indeed a great number of the musicians, stayed the night, and as Lady Leicester gave them such wonderful hospitality it was no surprise that they always wanted to return to Holkham. World-famous musicians, pianist Julius Drake and tenor Andrew Kennedy, taking the applause Heinz selected the most amazing at one of the celebrity concerts held in the marble hall musicians. Sometimes, they were up and coming stars such as the world- dedicated Head of Music, Mark Jones. fabulous Steinway piano (bought 14 renowned tenor, Ian Bostridge, and my Brancaster Midsummer Concerts have years ago by the generosity of Lord own favourites – ‘Red Priest’ – a very also held several June concerts in the Leicester), Alf Carrington (one of our modern classical group. The large but house. regular concert goers) who writes the lovely pianist, Ivan Klansky, whose In the spring of this year, we had two programme notes, the staff in the es- luggage was lost by the airline when he excellent concerts. The first one was tate office who have always helped came here, ended up borrowing a billed as Julius Drake with the Swedish with photocopying, my husband, Win- dinner jacket three inches too short in mezzo soprano, Anna Grevelius. Disas- ston, who has valiantly stood at the the arm, but brought the house down ter struck as I had a phone call from door in the coldest of weathers to with his performance. All the best Julius at 5pm the night before the con- welcome people, help the disabled in quartets and individual musicians have cert to tell me that Anna was ill and wheelchairs, and let people in and out; appeared at Holkham over the past 18 would not be able to perform, but he and especially Lord and Lady Leicester, years. had managed to secure the services of and now Lord and Lady Coke, for their On the death of Heinz early in 2005, the excellent tenor, Andrew Kennedy. continued support in providing hospi- Lord and Lady Leicester could not The programme would have to be tality, to ensure the concerts go on. bear to see the demise of the con- amended – and very swiftly! Now, it is time for me to retire from certs, so we decided to run them from In April we had the brilliant pianist the concert administration work and Holkham, with the help of Julius Drake Charles Owen, who wowed everyone hand over to Kerry Cave, and I know and Michael Chance (the fabulous with his incredible performance of that she will be the perfect person for Norfolk-based counter tenor, with an Chopin’s Sonata No. 3 in B minor. the job – she is efficient, unflappable, amazing voice), as our artistic direc- Running the concerts is a team ef- and always pleasant – not quite the tors. Two years ago we took the deci- fort, and although I have been the qualities I would ascribe to myself, but I sion to hold just two concerts each voice of the box office and the face like to think that it has worked pretty spring, and two each autumn, as of everyone sees at the door on the well, and I have been privileged to hear course there were many other musical night, I could not have done it without some wonderful concerts, and meet so events in the house. Each July for the the help of many people, including many nice people in the process. I wish last ten years, Lady Leicester has Norman Smyth and Helen Cringle Kerry much good luck. She can be con- organised performances by Diva (now Seaman) in the early days, Mike tacted on [email protected] and Opera, the most talented young opera and Colin in the hall, and the staff in if you think you don’t like classical company in the UK, in aid of various the house who set the chairs out, and music, give it a try, you might be very charities, including her favourite – the move the piano, Daniel and his team surprised, because a lot of popular Norfolk Churches Trust. We have also who ensure that everyone has a glass music is based on tunes from hundreds had several concerts in aid of St. With- of wine or fresh lemon in the interval, of years ago! burga’s Church, by the renowned Margaret Quince who operates the Gresham’s School choir, under their lighting, Graham Cooke who tunes the Marilyn Franklin • PA to Lord Leicester

Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 • 11 Remembering When Rock Was Y

Could there have been a more perfect Wandering round the site during that setting for this – a concert by the week was an eye-opener for me. I’ve megastar that is Sir Elton John? The been to huge concerts before, but only hall looked magnificent as a back-drop, as a spectator – this time I got to have a the estate’s cricket pitch, pressed into nosey around behind the scenes. I service for the concert, looked green talked to one of the men rigging the and smooth, and the sun shone glori- stage and was amazed by some of the ously down on a crowd of over 14,000 facts and figures. The stage is made out people – all there to see the Rocket of 120 tons of steel – the roof alone Man perform on Sunday 14 June. takes 15 tons. Then there are all the During the previous week, the area lights, speakers, video screens and the around the cricket pitch had been host huge weights that are used to act as bal- to all sorts of goings- ances for the equip- on. Huge lorries “We’re so lucky – it’s ment that is hoisted bearing tons of what into the air. It takes looked like steel a real joy to have 60 men six days to girders had rolled up build and is truly and a large number someone of Sir Elton’s impressive. of portacabins had On concert day it- been delivered and calibre here” self the gates were had grouped them- Lord Coke opened to the public selves under the at 3pm. I arrived trees. A long fence had been erected shortly after that, deposited my son round the cabins, and a special track Sam with friends and collected my pass consisting of hundreds of pieces of in- to access all areas! I made one trip into terlocking plastic had been laid down the portacabin area, accompanied by from the road down to the end of the Ben Martin, the marketing manager for cricket pitch. Lots of people appeared the highly experienced and very im- with hi-viz vests and hard hats, and pressive promoters Marshall Arts, there was a general air of calm purpose where we came upon Richard Fleesh- about the site. This was all the more man (the support for Elton John) head- surprising given that the weather was ing off for a shower. However I soon really not kind – rain came down in realised that the main event would be should and shouldn’t be talking to and I buckets at times. on stage shortly, I was not sure who I was, quite honestly, just getting in the way, so I removed myself, went and found my friends and my son, tucked into their picnic and settled down to enjoy a superb afternoon! As we’d walked up to Holkham, a big helicopter had gone overhead, and I’d joked to Sam that it was Elton flying in.

Picture courtesy of EDP We’d waved enthusiastically, just in case. It turned out that it had been Elton – I like to think that he was looking down at us and waving regally back... Once on the site, the rumour flashed round that Posh and Becks were there, though no-one confessed to having Talented actor turned singer-songwriter Richard Fleeshman was the support seen them. They’d stayed over at Cong-

12 • Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 Young – Elton John At Holkham

sees his talent, having invited school discos, and listening to Radio 1 him on tour and having written during long hot summers, when Elton a song for him. Richard was ob- John was part of the soundtrack to my viously thrilled to be on stage at youth. In fact, it has to be said that it Holkham, and even stopped wasn’t a particularly young crowd. halfway through his set to have However, as I looked around at the his photo taken with the hall number of people who were approxi- and crowd in the background. mately my age and who were singing As Richard was finishing, along and clearly knew all the words to there was brief excitement as all the songs, it was clear that the ma- five microlights appeared over- jority of people there were like me. head and got a bird’s-eye view. They’d grown up with these songs, It seemed a complicated way to loved and lost to them, and the chance go about gate-crashing, but I’m to see the man himself delivering them sure that wasn’t really what they was just too good to miss. were up to. Finally, after two hours and thirty After that, as we waited for minutes of fabulous music, finishing up the main event, there was a roar with Crocodile Rock and then an en- from the crowd. Everyone on core of I’m Still Standing and Your our side of the stage leapt to Song, Elton left the stage, and after a their feet and we thought this short pause, the noise of a helicopter was it. But no... everyone was starting up was heard, and soon after looking off to the side of the that the chopper lifted effortlessly stage. A pair of binoculars was above the crowd. Sir Elton John headed produced and two naked people off into the sunset as the crowd waved appeared through the lens! This farewell – his work at Holkham was caused huge amusement, espe- done! cially when the police and secu- rity personnel arrived to Sara Phillips • Newsletter Editor persuade them that sunbathing naked in front of 14,000 people possibly wasn’t the best idea ham Hall, at The Vic, at The Globe, at they could have had! the Hall itself the previous night and As they were moved on, Elton John were around somewhere. Sadly, when I moved in – appearing on stage dressed asked Ben Martin about it, he was un- in a black tailcoat, red shirt, and in able to confirm or deny the rumour, and high good humour. He had with him so, regrettably, it had to stay as just that, his hugely experienced and long serving a rumour. band – Nigel Olsson, Davey Johnstone, At 5 o’clock, the support act came on John Mahon, Guy Babylon and Bob stage. Coronation Street actor turned Birch. He launched into 150 minutes of singer-songwriter Richard Fleeshman sheer gold – all the songs you could has the honour of supporting Elton hope to hear from a back catalogue that John on this tour and he did a cred- contains some truly magical and iconic itable job of warming up the crowd. It tunes. Among them were Saturday can’t be easy to be in his position, espe- Night’s Alright (for Fighting), Goodbye cially as he’s only 20. He knows that Yellow Brick Road, Daniel, Honky Cat, everyone is there to see Elton, and he’s Rocket Man, Candle in the Wind – I’m only just starting out, so few of his songs sure I wasn’t the only one in the crowd Elton John’s helicopter heads off into the are well-known yet, but clearly Elton who was transported back to seventies sunset after a truly fabulous concert

Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 • 13 Holkham Foods As I write this report Holkham Foods seven days a week until September. ments during the children’s theatre is again up and running for a new sea- During October, the Stables will be productions in the courtyard before son. The team is back, ovens and open for six days a week and closed they start and during the interval, but freezers have been switched on and on Saturdays. Then from November will close before the plays start their garden canopies have been opened up through to the end of December, we second halves. in readiness for the visitors and sun- will be closed on Fridays and Satur- The trailer at the beach went out shine. days. We will also be open for refresh- through the winter when the weather As I reported in the last was nice over Christmas and newsletter, the Stables Café New Year. It will be out seven stayed open through the winter days a week through the sum- until the end of January instead mer selling all sorts of goodies, of our usual end of October from muffins to ice creams, to closing. This proved quite popu- make your day on the beach lar with walkers and birdwatch- better. So please come and see ers and there will be a repeat us at one of our venues. Re- performance this coming win- member if you are a member of ter. We will however close at staff, please bring your Holkham the end of December. identification for a discount. The Stables Café opened on Ice cream is in production 1 April and has been steady all again now. For more informa- spring with very busy Easter tion please ring Wendy on and May Bank Holidays to ease 01328 713114. us into the season. For the rest of the summer, we will be open The Stables Café – a great place for refreshments Wendy Mason • Holkham Foods Holkham Retail The shop from a car tyre! slight apprehension as to what it would opened over last At the same time, it is essential that bring, but in fact we had extremely winter for the attention is paid to current and future successful Easter and May Bank holi- first time, and trends. Despite the economic downturn days. We are led to believe that more we were quite affecting retailers I am certain that we people are taking holidays in Britain surprised at must not lower our standards, and I feel than ever before, and so hopefully the how many that the shop looks better and more main summer season will see us busier people found attractive than ever this season, as we than ever. their way to us, have extended our range of gifts to in- but by mid- clude leather handbags, shopping bags Sylvia Daley • Retail Manager January when and pretty scarves. everyone’s Unpacking and Christmas pricing new stock and bills started cleaning and getting the arriving on shop ready for opening their doorsteps, sales slowed down. more than occupied us During February when the shop was throughout March. closed, I went to Springfair Waxing and polishing International to source new stock for the floor did more for this season, and this time took the toning our muscles than decision to make Fair Trade, recycled two hours in the gym! products and suppliers who were Each season, when the environmentally responsible a priority. shop is prepared ready Now in the shop you can see, for for opening in April, we instance, a model aeroplane and a begin with a renewed model car made from recycled tin cans, feeling of tremendous cufflinks and coasters made from circuit enthusiasm and boards, a wonderful gadget (made from optimism for the wood from sustainable sources) for forthcoming season. making seedling containers out of I did however enter newspaper, and a toilet bag made the 2009 season with

14 • Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 The Victoria With the summer of 2008 over, we diners, having a wonderful time. The the plate, with many guests saying it entered the autumn and winter New Year party had everybody raving was the best woodcock they had ever months, and the accompanying credit about the food and also raving on the eaten. crunch, with some trepidation. It was dance floor, and as the evening ended For us at The Victoria, the winter hard to know what to expect. we brought the New Year in with a passed as quickly as it arrived and we The credit crunch was hitting fantastic display of fireworks – many are now deep into spring with summer businesses all over the country and we thanks to Kevin, Chris and his son for just around the corner. It’s fair to say knew, like most hotels, we would be in supervising the pyrotechnics! we are feeling distinctly positive about for a tough winter. We therefore felt it After things had slowed down, we the future. was time to put some special offers out got January off to a good start with a The first barbeque of the year was on both the hotel and lodges, which wine evening. Celebrated wine makers over the Easter period and we served proved popular with guests, old and from Italy came over and talked our over 200 people on Easter Sunday. The new. guests through wines that had been May Bank holidays, with their fine In the kitchen, newly arrived chef chosen to complement the special weather, surpassed even these numbers. Roger Hickman got to grips with some menu prepared by Roger the chef. A Throughout the winter and spring the wonderful grouse brought back from good night was had by all. staff once again proved invaluable and north Yorkshire by Lord Coke. We had In February we held a Woodcock we know we have a great team to go our first game evening of the season in Evening – using birds shot on the es- forward into the summer. late October which proved a great tate at the end of the woodcock season. success. Once again the kitchen stepped up to Ian and Lisa Clark • General Managers We reached November in quite a positive mood and it was nice to see the return of local customers that had been lost over the last year or so. Some good nights were enjoyed in the bar and at that point we felt we were going in the right direction. Before we knew it Christmas was upon us. After an early scare that we might not fill the hotel for the celebrations, our fears subsided when the bookings rolled in. Anticipating a busy holiday period we brought in some old faces – Matt and Sarah Higham – to help us out. We are delighted that they are also going to stay for the summer.

Christmas went really well with all Picture © Alan Bond our guests, both hotel residents and The Vic looking stunning in the sunshine! The Globe The Globe Inn had a very good Easter, and May Day brought more people out. Then thanks to fantastic weather over the May Bank Holiday and half term week we have been very busy, making good use of our marquee and now very colourful courtyard, thanks to the planting carried out by Tim Marshall and his team. The Globe is undergoing a revamp. We are busy decorating our bedrooms which will be followed by the bar and restaurant. We will replace our patio furniture and have a thorough tidy up in all areas. Our staff have also been tidied and now proudly wear their Holkham shirts! Our summer menu, which was introduced in May, is proving very popular as is our new wine list which now includes two excellent organic wines from France and Spain. Do pop in and try them out. The Globe on a summer evening – the perfect place to relax with Johanna Lissack • Assistant Manager a drink or treat yourself to a meal

Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 • 15 Gardens Department We’ve had a busy but very satisfying In the arboretum, we have continued During the winter months we have winter, though there never seems to be pruning back hydrangeas and other been busy pruning the fruit trees in the enough time to get everything done! shrubs which are slightly delicate and walled garden and removing ivy and Mulching of the borders around the prefer to be pruned at this time of year, brambles from the walls. This will be an hall and at the various contract sites rather than in the autumn so that they ongoing project as and when we have has been completed, this should make have some protection for their stems time. these areas less labour intensive and though the winter. The gardens are showing signs of also look aesthetically pleasing. Over In the greenhouses at the walled spring; many of the cherry and the last few weeks we have been garden we have been sowing a number magnolia trees are in full flower and the mowing virtually continuously to try of seeds, with many more to be sown; arboretum is crammed full of bulbs – I and keep on top of the grassed areas. mainly vegetable seeds. Robsons build- am keenly waiting for the bluebells to We have been landscaping at Dairy ing contractors have embarked upon come into flower over the next few Farm where we have constructed a the refurbishment of the final two bays weeks. bank around the back of the house to of the large glasshouses and should be improve the appearance of the garden. finished in September. Tim Marshall • Head Gardener At Cuckoo Lodge we have grass-seeded the beds outside the house, which were herbaceous shrub borders. At The Victoria we have refreshed the herb area and have improved the playground, making it more user friendly (for the children that is!) At the hall we have done some replanting of the old borders and have started preparing beds to receive vegetables which should be ready in a few weeks. Since February we have been doing a lot of spraying, it really helps to start spraying as early in the year as possible as it pays dividends with regard to saving labour time in the main growing season. Jason Hewitt checks that everything is coming up roses (actually clementines in this case!) Forestry Department The Victoria Hotel and the lodges have had a constant supply of firewood, which was definitely needed during the cold weather over the winter. We have been helping the Game Department to cut flushing points and places to let in light in the hope that new undergrowth will grow to give some ground cover. There were several dead trees in Admiral Lord Nelson’s Tonnant Wood, Burnham Thorpe so we have been along to replant them. We have visited the church yard in the same village to fell six sycamore trees which were interfering with the church yard wall. All the branches were chipped and used by the Gardens Department on a path in the arboretum. Nicky Beck, Paul Matthews and Freddie Futter have been busy with training courses. In March all three completed a crane trailer course. Nicky has also completed a teleporter course while Freddie passed his JCB course. Most recently, with the aid of a tree surgeon, we have section-felled a large softwood which was very close to a barn and wall at Longlands. This has let a lot of light into the house (this should brighten Mike Daley’s future!) The large tree that has been felled at Longlands – letting light into the adjoining building at last! Ian McNab • Head Woodsman

16 • Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 Building Maintenance In the last newsletter we mentioned One of the other things that has hap- that we would be using Needhams pened at Longlands is that we have Building Contractors of Norwich for all been able to let the old forge to James our day to day property maintenance Spedding and Roger Foyster, formerly and they are now ten months into their of Deepdale Forge. three year contract. Their service has They are now trading as Holkham been good in general. Forge and we wish them every success We have been monitoring their per- for the future. They will be a great asset formance by means of a tenant ques- for the estate in getting all those little tionnaire that we have been sending iron work jobs completed. out with copies of the works order to Roger has also moved into Tower tenants. The results received have been House here at Longlands. Not long as follows: after he moved in he complained about the noise the From 100 questionnaires returned weathervane 1 Was an appointment made? 96% said yes was making 2 If an appointment was made, was it kept? 95% said yes when he was in 3 Did the contractor show ID? 90% said yes bed – we told him to work 4 Was the furniture/carpet protected? 98% said yes longer hours 5 Were the contractors polite? 97% said yes and not go to 6 Was the standard of work satisfactory? 96% said yes bed! Oddly, he wasn’t happy Overall how do you rate their service? with this so we Poor 1% Average 1% Good 2% Excellent 96% had to erect Roger Foyster and James Spedding with the scaffolding to mended weathervane We have been using our new com- enable us to gain access to attend to puter system for a year. We are now the weathervane. On inspection we able to run off reports on certain ele- found that the metalwork had worn ments of the business, like how many and needed some repair, so who should orders we received in a year, how many do this work but James and Roger. in a certain month, what sort of jobs, Hopefully there should be no more value of jobs and so on. I think that problems. Dawn, Rebecca and Jayne in the finance Our workforce of nine tradesmen department have now got to grips with has been working on various farm this system. barns over the last six months and now We have lost two members of staff with the external painting season upon due to retirement – Rodney Lovick us we hope to be decorating Wighton (painter and decorator) on 4 March properties this year. and Avelino de Brito Pereira (our Por- From our remaining team of four tuguese carpenter) on 20 March. We all windowcraft operatives, Maurice and wish them well in their retirement. It’s Adam continue on with the linseed And getting it back where it belongs! also nearing time for Charmaine (Char- painting of the hall. They have now lie) Cornwall to return to work after worked their way round to the north completed the mammoth task of re- giving birth to her son, Preston: both side and there’s only about another pairing and painting all the windows and mother and child are doing well. four years to go before they will have doors in the hall! The other two members of the win- dowcrafting team, Alex and Andy, have been attending to the buildings at Long- lands during the winter and have now re-started on the properties in Holkham village. As we have said before, nothing stands still at Holkham – we were sorry to lose Richard Gledson, but we wish his replacement, David Horton- Fawkes, all the best in joining us here on the Holkham Estate.

Rodney Lovick who retired in March 2009 And Avelino de Brito Pereira who followed him Barry Turner • Maintenance Manager

Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 • 17 Holkham Farming Company The farming company has continued drilled using minimum tillage tech- ity vegetables for the pre-packing sec- to expand its operations in the last niques. Other purchases have in- tor; primarily potatoes, carrots and year. The return of 400 acres of land at cluded a trailed sprayer, to replace the parsnips, using Holkham land and Egmere from Keiths of Barsham has existing machine which became very water and Emerald’s growing and added to the area of Waterden farm unreliable. marketing skills. HFC are providing and the formation of the joint venture The redevelopment of Chalk Hill contract services to the new venture vegetable business, Holkham Emerald has been a success, with the con- including ploughing, bed tilling, spray- Ltd, has added further to the farming verted shed being full all winter, al- ing and irrigation. This has been a company’s workload as we provide lowing all the cows to be housed on learning experience for many of the contract services to this new venture. one site. Holkham team who have never been In order to continue this expansion Holkham Emerald Ltd was formally involved in vegetable production in we have recruited another new mem- inaugurated last autumn, as a joint the past. ber, David Wroth. His primary role is venture between Holkham and Emer- to operate the self propelled sprayer, ald Crops. Its aim is to produce qual- Mark Bowyer • Farm Manager and fill in with general duties during the few periods of the year when the sprayer is idle. His uncles used to rent Peterstone, Model and Dairy farms at Peterstone and Overy Staithe and his mother has made curtains for the hall! We also have a student starting this summer for a 12 month work place- ment. This will relieve some of the pressure from everyone else. The increased workload has also resulted in some new purchases, no- tably a huge new 315hp Massey Fer- guson tractor and nine-furrow plough. Operated by David Leithall this combination has ploughed over 1500 acres since Christmas. This has allowed us to apply turkey muck to all the sugarbeet land and still be able to plough most of the land in front of the drill. A small area of beet has been Happy Holkham cows – now all the cows are housed on one site at Chalk Hill Holkham Linseed Paints We’ve had a busy start to the year with high sales; we wouldn’t have got through it without help from the building maintenance department. Thank you! Rory Gould has joined us to help with the packing. Some of you may have already met him last summer when he worked at the hall. He’s very efficient and seems to be happy with his new role. We are waiting for our second shipment of the year as we have sold out of Black, Lichen and Iron Primer. A huge cast iron conservatory in Scotland is taking 30 litres of the Iron Primer, which we don’t usually sell in vast quantities, the Lichen has always been a must-have colour from customers who see it on the orangery at the Victoria and Black seems to be the colour of the year. The new coloured wax has recently gone on sale and has had lots of interest. In addition we have introduced three new colours of paint, Graphite Grey, Marsh Green and Dusky Rose; all three, especially Dusky Rose, are already proving to be very popular. We would like to ask everyone again if they can continue to save boxes for our recycled packing as our supply of smaller boxes has now dried up, as well as any shredding that you may have. I know we haven’t been very prompt in collecting them of late but that’s not to say they’re not needed. Please be patient with us – we will be round to collect them as soon as we can.

Rebecca Amphlett • Holkham Linseed Paints

18 • Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 Holkham Deer It looks like spring is now important that all dogs are here and the grass is kept on leads and vehicle growing. The winter was a traffic on the grass areas is lot harder than most people kept to a minimum. If any think and we sadly lost a members of staff see dogs off number of deer to natural their leads please politely causes. I would like to speak to the owners and thank the staff and visitors explain why this is not who took the time to acceptable especially at this inform me of weak or dead time of year. I’m not sure animals so that I could what the fawns will think of attend to them as quickly as being welcomed into the possible. world by Elton John! I have finished feeding On a slightly negative the deer and completed the note, there seems to be an cull for this season. The big increase in the number of red stag has cast his antlers, people who visit or pass which proved to have through the park but have twenty-nine points, despite no respect for the environ- convincing myself that ment or the animals. Gates there were thirty when I are frequently being left studied them through open, vehicles driven too binoculars! The other stags fast, signage ignored and will not be far behind and litter left around. We’ve had the fallow bucks will start to our first crashed and lose theirs any day now. I abandoned car in the park will be out several times a since I’ve been here and I day looking for them but am struggling to understand could I ask anyone that sees the strange phenomenon of any on their travels through dogs leaving their poo in the park to pick them up bags and hanging it on and drop them into the bushes, tree guards and Estate Office for me as they signs! form a valuable part of the On a much more pleasant income from the deer herd. subject, venison sausages My attention now turns to and chipolatas should be the difficult, and seemingly available for barbeques never-ending, task of mole throughout the summer, catching so if you see me, or contact me on 07825 any of the other keepers, we are doing! 972249 or at game@ standing in the park staring at the The fallow does and red hinds start holkham.co.uk for details. ground or crawling around on our to have their fawns and calves around hands and knees you will know what the middle of May so it’s very Glyn Ingram • Deer Keeper Game Department I have now been here at Holkham for over a year and I To maintain the strong bloodlines established on the consider that I have found my feet and understand the estate, wild pheasant and partridge eggs are retrieved land and the local area. Big inroads have been made into from the wild and reared under broody hens. This helps improving the habitat in both the woodland and cover for us maintain a good level of stock even if birds in the wild brood rearing and we are starting to get on top of the lose their chicks due to vermin or bad weather. The rear- vermin pressure. ing field is slowly filling up with clucking bantam hens and As always, April through to June were very important their chicks. These will all be reintroduced into the wild months for the game department as pheasants and par- by the end of August. So keep your fingers crossed for tridges began to nest and hatch young. Over the next few some great summer weather and hopefully another pro- weeks the keepers will be busy monitoring and protect- ductive shooting season awaits. ing the broods of young on their beats from threats such as foxes, stoats, and of course people and their dogs! Nick Parker • Head Keeper

Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 • 19 Holkham National Nature Reserve Although I am writing this following numbers with the exception of wigeon the early the hottest weekend of the year, I have and brent geese, which were not quite species have to cast my mind back to the coldest as numerous as expected. been seen in winter for ten years in order to sum- The winter months are the time very good num- marise the events of the past six when quite a lot of our practical man- bers this year, but months on the reserve. In the event, agement work is undertaken. This the most remark- northwest Norfolk managed to escape ranges from annual tasks such as cut- able event has been the worst of the winter weather, the ting and clearing vegetation from areas the mass immigration of painted lady odd days of snowfall and sharp frosts where orchids flourish, to replacing and butterflies in the last week of May. had no obvious effect on the wildlife repairing fences and other structures. These insects originate from north and didn’t disrupt our winter work This year the old wire fence by the Africa where exceptional winter rains programme at all. boardwalk onto the beach was re- allowed their food plants to flourish, The wintering flocks of pink-footed placed with a much smarter and more thereby creating a huge population ex- geese are becoming an increasingly durable post and rail version. plosion leading to a mass northward popular spectacle with people travel- One of the main features of the movement in search of pastures new. ling some distance to watch the spring has been the lack of rainfall and On some days several thousand were evening flight of birds coming into their the grazing marshes beginning to dry moving westward along the beach and roost site adjacent to Lady Anne’s out much earlier than usual. Luckily a dunes at Holkham, weaving through the Road. This winter the birds arrived brief spell of heavy rain in the second largely oblivious Bank Holiday crowds. slightly earlier than usual and at their half of May came just in time to re- With a hot summer forecast, we are peak in early December, the reserve flood some of the shallow pools just as anticipating a good year for butterflies played host to some 38,000 birds out the nesting wading birds were hatching and other insects on the reserve. of a northwest Norfolk total of about their chicks. 96,000. Otherwise, most wintering Butterflies seem to have benefited Michael Rooney • Senior wildfowl were present in their usual from the spring weather and most of Reserve Manager Holkham Country Fair This year’s Country Fair on 18 and 19 All members of the wider Holkham before the event starts on Saturday July is approaching fast, and family are welcome to come and see morning. everything is in hand for a great the Minden Band Beating the Retreat The weather two years ago was weekend. We have the Minden Band in the grand ring awful, but hopefully there will be none in the grand ring, as well as the on the eve of show of that this year and we shall have Flying Gunners motorcycle dis- (no passes or good show weather! The park is play team, and many other tickets required). already looking lovely, and with the regular favourites – Charlotte This is in aid of good weather organised, we should Hill with her birds of prey, the Army have a great Country Fair. Graham Watkins and gundogs, Benevolent Fund, terrier racing, vintage cars and and is always a Christopher Lloyd Owen • Holkham much more. special moment Country Fair Office The Holkham estate marquee will be even bigger this year, and will include a Pinewoods static caravan. In keeping with this year’s theme of food there will be cookery demonstrations of Holkham game at the estate marquee. The Fine Food village on the north of the house will incorporate a demonstration tent for the first time, with a fantastic line up of local chefs and personalities. The popular showground events will all be there – the fairground for children, gundog events, fly fishing on the lake, one of the best clay shoots in the east of the country, lurchers, archery, the Countryman’s Walk, trade stands and so on. The sun did shine in 2007 – though wading through the mud was one of the attractions!

20 • Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 Pinewoods Holiday Park As I write this at the end of April, I have roofs and replaced more decks to the be children on bikes who think it is far just made a full tour of the Pinewoods lodges. more fun to try and get it to flash! site and I don’t remember completing Standards continue to be an area of We have now issued all our caravan this task in previous years at this time major focus and importance for us, so owners with new “model standard and not finding water lying about. Even this winter we have tidied up the cara- pitch licence agreements” which are the tent field around Abraham’s Bosom van sales ground, putting in hard run- written in plain English and have taken was dry! Could this be an indication of ways for the caravans to be moved on, four years to produce. In drawing up a good summer to come? This is the and gravelling the surrounding areas. these agreements, we consulted with one thing all Pinewoods customers de- We’ve had new steps made with hand the British Holiday and Home Park As- serve. rails which are safe, irrespective of sociation, the National Caravan Council It was good to see shoots of new which way the doors open. The garden- and Park operators and received guid- growth in the landscaped areas. I no- ers have supplied us with planters ance from the Office of Fair Trading. ticed the grass needed cutting in some which will be planted with the seasons This agreement gives our holiday home places and the reeds have started to in mind. owners greater fairness and protection grow in the reed beds we planted last The first of our electric buggies has than the old agreements and to date autumn. been delivered. I was allowed to try it we have had over 50% returned to us. We get busier each winter; in 2005 out and what a fabulous machine it is, Business continues to be good and only 40 owners used their caravans up very quiet and responsive with a small once again we are all expecting a good to 2 January, this winter it was over 140. tipping box on the back which will give year. Easter was successful, the weather It is always pleasing to see more cus- a lot of versatility for the site team. We was kind to us and all trading outlets tomers using Pinewoods during the are expecting our housekeeper’s buggy performed well: we even sold ice cream winter months. Every spring I refer to any day and this will replace the last and had tents on the horse paddock. So the challenge of getting the park ready working Piaggio. all we need now is for the temperature for opening, as there is always repair Our speed activated sign is making a to rise and the sun to shine and all our work to complete before customers ar- substantial contribution to the safety of customers should then have a good rive again. Once again the site team all customers. The vast majority of cus- season, hopefully one to remember for have successfully completed the tasks tomers slow down considerably when all the right reasons. prior to opening. We have also com- the “10mph slow down” flashes at pleted major repairs to the toilet block them. The only exceptions continue to Richard Seabrooke • General Manager

Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 • 21 Mechanical Marvel helped with the harvest the year of the runway was what they were before. David Maufe needed a good after, and all the hardcore was mechanic, and found one in John, usefully recycled to Brancaster whose great delight was the Sailing Club, whose commodore just challenge of modifying farm happened to be David Maufe! machinery so that it could be used John’s mechanical know-how came more efficiently. in very useful, especially for a Danish His first job was helping with the firm of machinery manufacturers. sugar beet harvest – he used to walk They had a prototype beet harvester behind the harvester picking up that they asked John to test and he spilled beets and taking over from suggested several modifications the other workers when they needed which were incorporated into the a break to warm up. His wages were final design. He brought his skills to £3/12 shillings (£3.60) a week, and bear on machinery used at Branthill he saved as much as he could to put all the time, often coming up with a towards a new motorcycle. modification that saved time and He moved on to his first tractor money for the Maufes. when he was 17, and spent long days David’s son, Teddy, is now the

© Matthew Usher ploughing with no cab to keep him farmer at Branthill and will miss his John Bear, who was a stalwart of protected from the elements! One of mechanical marvel man, but hope- Branthill Farm for 50 years, retired at his other jobs was to get rid of much fully John will still be involved at the end of last year. John started work of the runway at the old North Branthill – he’s doing some part time for David Maufe in 1958, just after his Creake aerodrome near Egmere mill work for the farm, in between get- 15th birthday, though he’d experienced during the bitterly cold winter of ting a 1958 Roadless tractor back work on the farm before that, having 1963. The land under the concrete into working order! Long Service Awards Royal Norfolk Show The estate would like to congratulate the following em- months service ployees who are to be presented with Long Service Ian Barrett, carpenter, 46 years 3 months service Awards at the Royal Norfolk Show on Thursday 2 July. Douglas Codman, former pottery factory manager, 44 Between them they represent 300 years of service on the years 2 months service estate, which is a substantial achievement! John Hall, former farm mechanic, 49 years 10 months Our congratulations go to: service Ian McNab, head forester, 51 years 11 months service Kennie Rowe, former forester, 49 years 10 months Maurice Bray, senior windowcraftsman, 50 years 7 service A Friend Remembered When Garry Maufe died on 6 April it After the excitement of war, Garry France, Germany, Denmark and brought to an end his tenancy at Leith took some time to settle down to the Sweden to ski in Norway. Not for them House Farm, Burnham Thorpe, where more mundane business of farming. the boring business of flying. he had been farming for over 60 years. Never a natural farmer, he nevertheless Garry was a keen sailor as well as an On the day he turned 18 in May made enough money to take his wife, accomplished skier, two pursuits he 1940, he presented himself at the Marit, (a Norwegian whom he married gave up only in his mid eighties. He King’s Lynn recruiting office and within six weeks of meeting) and was astonishingly well read. He would eventually found himself as a young young family of four girls on month- talk authoritatively on all the Russian lieutenant in the 60th Rifles; the long holidays immediately after every classics, and enjoyed nothing more Greenjackets. harvest. This always involved long than arguing well into the night on all Garry fought in North Africa, all the drives through the continent, on the issues of the day. way up Italy, and ended the war in occasions as far as Greece, and very He was unconventional, entertaining Klagenfurt in Austria. In the process he often to out of the way countries such and the best of companions. Marit and was awarded a well deserved Military as Macedonia in the former Yugoslavia. his daughters will miss him dreadfully. Cross for ‘conspicuous gallantry and In the Europe of the 1950s and early So will a great many others. leadership’ during a night action in 60s, this was no mean undertaking. In January 1945. winter they used to drive through Lord Leicester

22 • Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 Garry Maufe... My Father My father began the tenancy of Leith House farm (then referred to as Manor Farm) in 1945. The rent was £628/15s. In addition he had to deliver two wagonloads of good wheat straw to the Holkham stables, plus one fat turkey in December and six days’ work with four horses anywhere within ten miles of the farm. By the time I took over the tenancy in Octo- ber 1998 the rent was somewhere in the region of £26,000-£30,000! Dad learnt his farming with Bill Simms Adams at Brancaster Hall, with whom he remained good friends. My mother enjoyed Bill’s wife Gaby’s company as they were two foreigners in this strange land! I remember some of the many men that used to work on the farm in those days. They were always dressed in an assortment of clothing with binder twine as a belt and were out- doors all the time – even in horrid weather. One of these men was Billy who seemed to always be trimming the hedges with a hook. That was until Dad bought one of the first “hedgers” and he himself started to trim the hedges. What a mess he made, but he remained the ‘hedging guy’ until I took over. The hedging tractor was a small, two wheeled drive tractor that always felt it was going to topple over if you extended the arm of the hedger too males. We learnt to drive tractors and colour, size, etc and ancestry, sterility far (in spite of wheel weights). It was most of us drove one for at least one or not” and he also comments “Pond very uncomfortable to ride in and had harvest. I drove one of his tractor- very high still due to gross lack of no radio or heater. drawn John Deere combines all one maintenance, lots of trees in water. Dad had a tractor for each job on harvest and did many a lunch hour Self have done what I can but not up the farm. The ploughing tractor, the stint during other harvests, little real- to a lot of digging”. He was 85 at the forklift tractor, the hedging tractor, the ising that I would end up running the time! He never stopped. mowing tractor etc. He had seven whole show one day. He loved his plum orchard and trees tractors! Attachments in those days Harvest was always a good time: the in general. He planted two whole were not so easy to take off so they men picnicking in the field for lunch: woods on the farm. No conifers for stayed attached. Everything was kept the grain in the barn working its way him, always hard woods. outside; no thieves then! over the old coal fired drier and all Dad was a great supporter of the In the beginning he farmed sheep the bustle down in the farm yard. As a Holkham estate. He considered that and pigs. The pig man had a donkey child I loved going round with Dad. I he was fairly treated, that it was a that pulled a cart with meal on it be- rode on trailers full of grain, helped in good estate and he embraced any tween the pig barns. That donkey was the barn and even rode on grain lor- modern schemes that were started if a male and he fathered other donkeys ries all the way to a grain merchant. he thought they would help Holkham that we children had as pets. I rode a In the late 1970s the plum orchard survive. He did not mind being a ten- donkey as a child for miles around the was started and this kept my father ant and not owning his own home. As countryside. occupied right up till this last year. Be- a family we are delighted that Lord Dad may have wanted a son to help cause he lived next door to it he was Leicester has announced that he will on the farm but he certainly never always pottering round, keeping an eye plant a wood on Leith House Farm in said so to any of his four girls. We on the trees and filling in his plum my father’s memory. We will all miss were brought up with no reference to diary. Part of the entry for 2008 reads him very much. our sex and no thought that working “Made a list of all the trees in the or- on a farm could not be done by fe- chard, including garden, showing Nina Plumbe

Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009 • 23 Holkham People WELCOME HOLKHAM FOODS: Emily Perowne and Dominic Rzeczkowski Theatre co-ordinator Kerry Cave, who has moved here from the FARMS: David Wroth, a new sprayer driver Ticket Office PINEWOODS HOLIDAY PARK: Michelle Harrison, Elaine Wright GAME DEPARTMENT: Austin Pinney and Karl Tansley (retail), Terry Luxton, Lindsey Waajen (site) and FINANCE OFFICE: Robert Kilbourn Hayley White and Andy Fuller (reception) THE VICTORIA HOTEL: Stephanie Ogilvie, Lee Newstead, Bruno HOLKHAM ENTERPRISES: Caroline Muncey who will be in the Viegas, Issy Deterding. Also Luke Hylton, Grant Ayres, Tony Robins Pottery Shop for the summer season (gift shop), Richard Edmondson and his wife Bev, all kitchen porters (Hall), Jan Yates who is assisting in the Ticket Office and Helen THE GLOBE INN: Kayleigh Fox (housekeeping), Julie Bushby and Hawkes at the front desk for the season (Bygones) Polly Mills (waitresses) and Craig Ward (kitchen porter) ESTATE OFFICE: Joanna Hobson, PA to Lord and Lady Coke, WELCOME BACK HOLKHAM FOODS: Eileen Heyhoe, Karen Beck, Dot Cooper, THE VICTORIA HOTEL: Matthew and Sarah Higham and Alan Simon Weller, Emma Weller, Emily Gould, Becky Mahon, Victoria Clarke. Also Rebecca Williamson (HBM) is working in the bar part- Smith, Jamie Hepher, Tarquin Bix, Aaron Ward, Taylor Hammond, time Samantha Price, Hayley Baxter and Emma Reynolds PINEWOODS HOLIDAY PARK: Kelvin Armiger, Philippa Cooke, HOLKHAM LINSEED PAINTS: Rory Gould (ex Hall steward) as Louise Palmer and Joby Sikes-Sheard (all retail) and Tom Sands, dog part-time packer warden THE GLOBE INN: Phil Wakeman, Sarah Powley, Dale Pope FAREWELL Richard Gledson after 12 years at Holkham has moved on to become GAME DEPARTMENT: Tim Rothwell left in March to become head Factor to HM the Queen at Balmoral keeper at Harewood House HOLKHAM FOODS: Lianne Page HOLKHAM ENTERPRISES (Hall stewards) Rita Smyth, Moyra HOLKHAM BUILDING MAINTENANCE: Rodney Lovick retired Saunders, Lynn Barham, Lynn Marr, Sheila Jones, Margaret Quince, on 4 March 2009 and Avelino de Brito Pereira retired on 20 March Ken Hulme, Eileen Ruffles, Judy Whitcher and Janet Wood. Also 2009 Daphne Taylor, who has retired HOLKHAM LINSEED PAINTS: Amanda Taylor, after six years at THE VICTORIA HOTEL: Sharon Thorne after five years in house- Longlands keeping CONGRATULATIONS HOLKHAM FOODS: Eileen Heyhoe on becoming a grandmother to THE VICTORIA HOTEL: Ben Hunter-Watts (sous-chef) was mar- Preston, born to her son Kevin and Charlie (from Building ried in April to Stephanie Barber Maintenance) THE GLOBE INN: Ben Hunter-Watts who has been promoted across FINANCE OFFICE: Denise Durrant on passing IAB Level 3 Diploma to food and beverage manager – she now can put FIAB after her name! Sarah Seabrooke (daughter of Richard Seabrooke at Pinewoods) has ESTATE OFFICE: Jane Haynes has announced her engagement to announced her engagement to Martin Billings of “Bringing the Mark Berwick Outside In” gallery GARDENS: Daniel Beresford, Carl Balding and Dave Collier all Nick Gardner (son of tenant Farmer Chris Gardner) who married Eve achieved NVQ11 passes Van Poortvliet on 29 May BIRTHS FINANCE OFFICE: Karen Griffiths and her partner Pete whose baby, Kevin, whose baby, Preston Jae Heyhoe, weighed 6lb 12oz Kristin Sofia Page, weighed in at 9lb on 30 December 2008 – a sister KEEPERS: To Neil White and Gemma Dale, a boy Liam, 8lbs on 24 for Alara December 2008 PINEWOODS HOLIDAY PARK: Mike Robinson who has two new TENANT FARMERS: To Matthew and Susy Harrison a daughter, granddaughters, Erin and Anya Ency Polly Eugenia Kate on 5 January 2009, a sister for Joseph and Rebecca. COUNTRY FAIR OFFICE: Alice Elizabeth Green was born on St To Philip and Fenella Harrison a son, Theo Leslie on 17 March 2009, George’s Day (23 April) to Ricky and Sarah both are grandchildren for Mark and Heather Harrison (tenants of THE GLOBE INN: Danielle Poyser gave birth to a baby girl, Faith, on Church Farm, Warham). To Philip and Clare Allen a daughter, Alice, 2 August 2008, weighing in at 9lb 9oz! born on 1 May weighing 7lbs 3oz, a new granddaughter for Geoff BUILDING MAINTENANCE: Charmaine Cornwall and her partner Allen and his wife Barbara, tenants of Morleys Farm, South Creake DEATHS Garry Maufe, former tenant at Leith House Farm, died age 86 on Phyllis Potter, Lord Coke’s grandmother, died on 15 January 2009, 6 April 2009 aged 100

All contributions for the next newsletter should be submitted to the Editor, Sara Phillips, by 2 November 2009. E-mail [email protected]

24 • Holkham Newsletter • Summer/Autumn 2009