A Family History of the Illustrious, Notorious and Eccentric Lloyds of Birmingham, Brigstock and Pipewell Hall - Flipbook - Page 74
old keep, and a famous 400 year old yew hedge shaped like elephants. The chief influence on the
ng is Tudor within the Norman walls, but almost every century since the 11th has left its mark in
rm of architecture, furniture or works of art. There is a fine collection of English 18th, 19th and
entury paintings, and Charles Dickens, a frequent visitor, was so impressed by Rockingham that he
t as a model for Chesney Wold in Bleak House.
ngham Castle is no museum piece, it is a highly functional family home, and headquarters of
ngham Estates, performing as vital a role in the community today as it has ever done.
The Pipewell Ploughing Company
leaving Stewarts and Lloyds, instead of just settling down to the life of a country squire, immersing
lf in the hunting and shooting, tennis and golf which he enjoyed so much, grandfather created The
ell Ploughing Company, hiring out large earthmoving equipment which became a great success.
The Woodland Pytchley Hunt
well remember grandfather, dressed for hunting with the Woodland Pytchley, in his pink coat with a
collar. As a keen member of the hunt for many years, he was awarded the right to wear the
ey white collar on his Pink hunting coat and evening tails, which was a very special honour, only
to very few of the most distinguished members of the Woodland Pytchley Hunt who became
emen of the White Collar9.
dfather, used to hunt on a black cob, called Peterborough, who looked just like the horses with
d tails in Henry Alken prints. When grandfather stopped hunting my mother used to hunt on this
When my mother stopped, I used to hunt Peterborough in the winter holidays as a teenager, until
s aged 24. Although not fast across the fields, he more than made up for it by being a brilliant
r over the most formidable obstacles. He could sail over a five-bar gate, approaching it at a trot
only a few yards away, and gave one tremendous confidence by rocking one back into the saddle if
oked like falling off. Before I regained my nerve riding Peterborough, I would not mount a horse
e years, after being bucked off three times in a day by a pony that had been fed too many oats by
Ian9s groom, Armstrong, at Grey Gables, my Collins grandfather9s house in the South Wood at
, breaking one of my teeth!
