I recently spent a lovely morning in the company of two Watnall-born sisters who's late father Bill Hannaford was given one of Lady Maud Rolleston's original sketchbooks.
It is full of mysterious people, visitors to the hall, friends and family perhaps, no one knows. Many of the stories and people within the tattered pages have fallen from living memory. Some have notes with intriguing comments. Who is Aunt Sophia and why the candid remarks?
As we sat in their cottage on one of the old Watnall Hall sofas over tea and biscuits, each page turned up new questions and characters. I've now scanned the full contents and publish them below.
Thanks to the Hannaford sisters and their family for providing this wonderful insight into Watnall past.
Bill Hannaford also had a collection of watercolours perhaps connected to Watnall Hall. They are signed "H.Walker" and dated 1917-1925. Some are local scenes others further afield. Lady Maud was known to encourage local artists so maybe they are from one of her protégées. In the meantime if anyone knows the location of the watercolours, some look like the Lakes, others maybe Devon, please comment below...
Who was Lady Maud?
Lady Maud was born in Bruges, Belgium in 1859 to a Scottish soldier/aristocratic father and a Canadian mother. Her early years were spent in Devon. Read all about her life in this series of articles at the Tales From Watnall Hall website...
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| Colonel Rolleston and an unknown male about to be scanned in... |
Who is in the Sketches?
Some people I recognise and I have captioned the pictures accordingly. Others are a best guess based on the time of the sketch book (which seems to be c.1900) and other pictures from my research.
Lady Maud and her husband Colonel Lancelot Rolleston were actually living away from Watnall Hall and one of the pictures is on note paper from Wellow Hall near Ollerton. They were socialising with the Duke of Portland from Welbeck Abbey and some of the sketches do resemble the Duke. Rolleston was acting as Master of the Rufford Hunt hence his relocation to north Nottinghamshire.
In early 1900 the Rollestons both went to South Africa to take part in the Boer War, a very pivotal time in their lives. Some sketches show Boer War soldiers from both sides of the conflict. Lady Maud's companion in South Africa was a young nurse Nan Beaver who features in some pictures. Lady Maud's Canadian mum who lived with them back in England also features. Family pets feature a lot too as to preparatory sketches part finished or erased.
The Aunt Sophia and Evelyn cartoon
One amusing sketch done on a separate card is this one... There are some interesting and candid comments on back of this "dressing room" sketch! Reading it now I think it is a cartoony skit based on a comment by a child "Evelyn" about her aunt Sophia that would have caused some family amusement and hence the need for recording as a sketch. The writing on the reverse says..
Evelyn [speaking] – I wonder, Aunt Sophia, why you & Mamma are so different, you know you're twice as big everywhere as Mamma, aren't you, you don't look so very much older than her either, I wonder why it is - (As Aunt Mary is four years younger than Evelyn's Mamma, & as the latter has a lovely figure, Aunt Mary doesn't feel flattered, & comes to the conclusion she will not give Evelyn that locket after all, as she is a disagreeable little thing –) CEMD
CEMD is perhaps Lady Maud's signature. She was born Charlotte Emma Maud Dalzell.
The Sketches
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| Colonel Rolleston. Relaxing at Wellow Hall perhaps? |
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| Colonel Rolleston |
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| Poor Nanna with the "Flue" |
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| Nan Beaver |
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| Some Boer War sketches |
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| "The Queen of Abyssinia as depicted by Count Gleidaw(?) 1898" |
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| Possibly the Duke of Portland |
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| Possibly the Duchess of Portland on Wellow Hall note paper |
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| A rather relaxed coachman with cigarette |
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| Looks like Lady Maud's mum |
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| Possibly the Duke of Portland |
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| Looks like Nan Beaver again |
This page is a handwritten draft of a sea poem from the 1920's.
The Rollestons did a lot of sailing at Cowes on the Isle of Wight...
Then o'er the long waves we're buoyant straying,
The ocean before us, the cord on our lee,
When high o'er the topmast the sea-bird [is] wheeling
And the winds are alive with the salt of the sea.
Then up with the main sheet, up the jack [yard],
And down with the tack till the tackle comes home,
And as gaily she heels where the sea-winds come harder,
The rail buries deep in the wash of the foam.
And other ventures are o'er in the day that come after,
Till death is our brightest of memories
Of the heave of blue water, the numberless laughter
Of waves where the sunlight flies back from the sea.
February 13th 192(2?)
The Watercolours
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| Looks like the bridge at Grange in Cumbria |
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| Similar to the top of Church Hill in Watnall or could it be Derby Road, Nottingham between Wollaton Park and the Uni |
This one seems to be similar to "Mary Williams - Original Mid 20th Century Dunsford, Devon".
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