Brodsworth Hall ready to receive the King!
Sunday 3, Monday 4 & Tuesday 5 June 2012
Staff at Brodsworth Hall in South Yorkshire are hard at work putting the final preparations in place for some Right Royal visitors over the Jubilee weekend, when the clock will be turned back 100 years to 1912 – when King George V and Queen Mary arrive in South Yorkshire
For three days, Royal fever will grip the site as the resident Thellusson family and their household prepare to welcome the King & Queen during their visit to South Yorkshire. The house and gardens have been made ready, with a number of entertainments laid on to keep the VIPs amused and occupied during their visit, from displays of falconry, often referred to as the ‘sport of kings’ , to a travelling cinema on Brodsworth Hall’s front lawn, showing newsreel of the significant events making headlines in 1912.
“Although we know that George V and Mary did visit South Yorkshire in 1912 as part of a national tour, sadly they did not visit Brodsworth Hall, so our event is very much a ‘what if...’ scenario. In fact, the visit marked quite a significant move in Royal protocol, as when the King heard of a serious mining accident nearby during his visit, the he changed his itinerary to visit the families of the dead and injured miners,” explains Jon Hogan, English Heritage’s regional events manager. “This was a subtle but significant turning point for the British royal family, as they had not previously interacted with their subjects at such a time of tragedy, so this trip really transformed them from remote figureheads into being the monarchs of the people, a tradition that has endured ever since.”
The Right Royal Weekend will see both Brodsworth Hall’s house and gardens populated with re-enactors portraying members of the Thellusson family and their staff. All weekend, visitors can meet the staff and watch acted tableaux as preparations continue in anticipation of the Royal visit, and everyone is invited to line the main drive for the arrival of the King and Queen each afternoon – a great opportunity for flag-waving and patriotism!
The event is one of English Heritage’s highlights in its Yorkshire calendar, and organisers are hoping that it will build on the excitement of its ‘Preparing for Royalty’ event that was held over the May Day bank holiday weekend.
Brodsworth’s Right Royal Weekend runs from 11.00am to 5.00pm on Sunday 3, Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 June, with the Hall open from 1.00pm and the site itself opening its gates from 10.00am to 5.30pm. Admission prices are £9.30 for adults, £8.40 for concessions, and £5.60 for children, which includes entry to the house and gardens.
Alongside the staff preparing for the Royal visit, English Heritage’s Time Travellers will be running hands-on activities for children throughout the half-term holiday, teaching them the etiquette required to be a wealthy landowner, like Charles Thellusson, or the skills required to be his butler or a maid below stairs! Time Traveller activities run from Sunday 3 to Sunday 10 June, with admission prices from 6 – 10 June of £5.70 for adults, £5.10 for concessions or £3.40 for children (gardens only). An extra £1 is payable on child admission for all Time Traveller days.
For more information, please visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/brodsworth or call 01302 722598.
ENDS
For further media information, please contact:
Jay Commins – PRO English Heritage (Yorkshire)
Tel: 0113 251 5698
Mob: 07810 546567
Email: jay@fim.org.uk
