Life in the village

Sundays always meant a walk, past the lake and up to the Hall -- Trafford Hall. I did so much want to go in there. I envied the Perrins who were caretakers of this place. Two huge stone lions, of course, guarded the Hall at the top of a flight of steps. You could also see the dungeons. .One was also familiar with stories of a de Trafford of the past who had pretended to be simple on meeting Oliver Cromwell, sworn enemy of these titled Lords. De Trafford had dressed as a peasant, and on Cromwell questioning him, he kept repeating, “Now thus.” I was to remember this in years to come.
In 1940 the British Expeditionary Force sent a number of troops to Trafford Hall; during the war it had housed spies prior to the B.E.F coming. St.Cuthbert’s Church organised dances at the church hall, and we girls attended them as did the soldiers who were in the Royal Engineers Regiment. Stationed there quite some time, they moved on and just the rear guard was left. Three of us girls were invited by these lads to tea at The Hall. I could hardly wait for the day to come. I had ALWAYS wanted to see inside the Hall, and now was my chance.
The lads took us through the dungeons, and up we came into the Main Hall. There was a wonderful staircase that wound around, very wide and ending like a balcony. Rooms were many -- two huge ones downstairs with large mirrors, they were like ballrooms. Huge fireplaces, and “NOW THUS” was emblazoned on them. I cannot remember what we had for tea; I was too interested in The Hall.
And now I knew how to get in there! After a time, the soldiers left -- and the Hall was empty. I now worked at Hill’s Aircraft on shift work, and on our ‘six - two’ shift
a couple of friends and myself would go and explore the Hall. There was a beautiful Lady Chapel, absolutely immaculate, with stained glass windows and a lovely rockery with life-sized statues. About a hundred yards away were the stables - so old that, instead of stairs, there were footholds in the walls. I took a key to room .29 as a souvenir, but sadly, lost it in the blitz. We often frightened ourselves coming down a flight of stairs to face a mirror and our own reflections in it.
We were there one day when a strange voice said, “What are you doing here?” A policeman stood there. “You are trespassing”, he stated sternly, then, “I don’t know why you’re here anyway, when you could see the Queen at Metro’s.” We left the Hall and walked quickly to Metro’s Main Gate, and sure enough the Queen arrived! Lovely, with the bluest eyes. There was no-one there but us, and I felt she was smiling just at me. It was war-time, and I guess we had been let into a little secret that she was visiting Trafford Park.
She is the only Royal I have ever seen, and she was to become the Queen Mother…

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