Blenheim Palace

[Gigi]

Hello All,

Has anyone researched their ancestors who worked at Blenheim Palace? My gggrandfather was a gardener there, the head gardener according to family legend!

Gillian

[concrete]

Grandfather born at Eagle Lodge Blenheim  1885. I assume ggrandfather worked on the estate.

Liz

[Gigi]

Hi Liz,

Do you know if Blenheim have archives of employees?

Gillian

[concrete]

Hi Gillian,

I have no more info about Blenheim, only just started researching. Having to go away today for a while but will keep researching and let you know

Liz

[kintree]

Gillian

If you were to give the name and dates of your great-great-grandfather, someone might help you by looking up any records for the relevant period.

Adrian

[trish251]

There is a contact us page on the Palace website
http://www.blenheimpalace.com/contact.htm

I would suggest you contact them and ask about your ancestor - or whether there are any archives/information. I received wonderful information from Windsor Castle about an ancestor who worked there in the 1800s

Trish

[Gigi]

Hi Adrian & Trish,

My gg grandfather was William Hunt born c1822 Handborough OXON, he married Ann Hutchings. William died in Oxford. They lived in Bladon where all their children were born and according to family legend William was the "head gardener" at Blenheim!!! I have all his census data and his occupation was Ag Lab and also railway labourer. I think he did work on the estate but not as head gardener!

As you suggest I will try and ring Blenheim and ask about archives.

Thanks for your help,

Gillian

[carol8353]

My sister in laws aunt was nanny to the children of the 9th Duke and his American wife Consuela in the early part of the 20th century.

Consuela gave Clara a ring,which my sister in law wears today.

I will have to try their archives to see if they have any info on Clara Mutlow.

All the best

Carol

[behindthefrogs]

Having been down the same path with one of my ancestors with another stately home, I found that the term head gardener had been misinterpreted.  Mine was head gardener in the greenhouse, one of about a dozen with that title.

I found it very hard to get anywhere near the records which were closly guarded but eventually found someone who worked in the house who managed to persuade the archivist to look for them.  I am sworn to secrecy as to the house for which this happened.

David