Whittington Hall, Worcester

[Melagbe]

Hello,

Can anyone please tell me about this hall mainly during the 2nd World War.

Thanks
Mel

[thomas booth]

In 1939 Whittington Hall was the home of Edward Fownes Rigden, MD of the Fownes factory in Worcester, now an hotel,  and his family.  It was requisitioned by the army and  used as maternity home  for ATS.
During the War Mrs Rigden lived with one of her married daughters, while Edward himself remained in the lodge with Mr Hotchkiss and his wife, where he could keep an eye on his house and grounds.
The Hall was returned to Mr Rigden in 1946, and sold to the Blind College for £7,000.
A few years later they sold it to the Midland Electricity Board

[Suzanne Gwynne]

Your post about Whittington Hall was not quite right.  During the war my grandfather Frank Hodgkiss was the chauffeur and lived with his daughter at the Lodge.  Frank was a widower and my mother was his daughter.  My mother's address on my birth certificate is The Lodge.  I was not told much about my early life but I do remember the Rigdens being mentioned.

[thomas booth]

Mr Hodgkiss was Mr and Mrs Rigden's chauffeur.  He taught several of my aunt's to drive and we have photographs of him with them. 
They had a series of Lanchester cars, a car that was made in Birmingham and therefore infinitely superior to Rolls Royce....
Mr Rigden certainly did live with him in the Lodge at some point during the war as my Aunt remembers visiting them and remarking on the large spade kept at the side of the room - for the rats. 
This was a source of some amusement as grandfather had always previously maintained there were no rats on his property

[thomas booth]

Mr Hotchkiss never did manage to teach my Grandmother to drive, several collisions with large public buildings in Worcester eventually persuaded her to stop
However, she was a notorious back seat driver, 'Hotchkiss, Sound the Klaxon' has become a family tradition shouted in unison whenever we go round a bend.....
So your grandfather is remembered fondly to this day.

[Suzanne Gwynne]

It is lovely to hear things about my grandfather from those days.  You say you have photos of him and I was wondering if there was any way you could let me have a copy or two.  The only photos I have are from a much later time.

[thomas booth]

I should be  happy to send you the photos by e-mail,  but I have not yet worked out a way of sharing our e-mail addresses without also sharing them with the entire world.....

I will investigate further.

[Ellenmai]

Pardon me for butting in here Thomas, but if you click on the second small white icon in a black circle to the left of the screen you will be able to send Suzanne a personal message.