your comments
Mrs J Downes, Kelsall, Cheshire
I have been looking up my family history and have come across many old photo postcards along with some letters from & of Vaynol Hall. These are from my dad's aunty, Winifred Roberts (also known as Winnie Roberts) from Coedpoeth, Wrexham. I was wodering if she worked at Vaynol Hall.
Tue Apr 14 09:38:02 2009
Andre Vaynol, Hermanus, South Africa
I have just noticed your web site. I want to know what happened to the Vaynol Family. As a decendant of my father Phillip John Vaynol and the only son - am I the last Vaynol left in the world?
Thu Nov 23 09:12:02 2006
Greg Randall from US
I wonder if anyone could tell me the origin of my surname. Is it Welsh? Any information would be appreciated. Thank you
Mon Apr 10 08:35:51 2006
Martin Chapman, San Francisco
Like many lucky people I used to stay at Vaynol often in the late 1970s. It was a magical world with the house beautifully run by housemaids Dilys and Megan, and Ken the butler and Mrs Roberts the cook. Sir Michael was a wonderful and most generous host. He entertained his guests with an endless series of hilarious stories and running jokes. Many were about Queen Mary, members of the royal family, and society figures of the 1930s who were always remembered with great affection. Michael's great friend Cecil Beaton alludes to Michael's abilities as a host and raconteur in his diaries. Indeed Michael used to maintain that he was co-host of the famous party at Ashcombe in the 1930s, one of the famous gatherings of "the Bright Young Things".
Although there was a great sense of fun, with a constant flow of guests at Vaynol, there was however a certain air of sadness about the house, with hints of past glories and shadowy figures. The park was a bit run down, with fallen tree limbs. The lakes in front of the house had been drained and some outbuildings, like the enormous old laundry, were derelict. No one told me that the white Anglo-Saxon cattle (I think they were Chillinghams) in the park could be dangerous until they threatened me one day as I walked through the herd. For rainy days and quiet moments there was a pile of fascinating photo albums kept in the large drawing room. They were his mother, Lady Juliet Duff's, and chronicled her life as a young woman going to great house parties before WW1 and her life as society figure in the 1920s and 1930s. They contained pictures of people from royalty to Cole Porter. I hope they have survived.
One of those shadowy figures was Charles Duff, who Michael never referred to in those years. I only heard of him from gossipy guests who speculated about his paternity. I hope poor Charles is able to forgive them and his adoptive parents.
The last time I visited Vaynol was shortly after Sir Michael's death. I accompanied the artist Patrick Procktor to collect a bust of a Moorish figure that Michael had left to him. The house had a desolate if not doomed air and the housemaid Megan seemed rather distraught and tearful to see us again.
I had some wonderful times at Vaynol and I was fortunate enough to have experienced what now seems like a dream.
Tue Feb 14 23:54:13 2006
Janet Roberts, nee Croft, Denbigh
I was glued to the Vaynol programme. I worked in the kitchen for almost two years in 1963/64 with Edna Hughes. Other staff I remember were her sister Dilys and Megan(married to Andrew, lodge keeper), Dorothy, Mr and Mrs Howes, David and Tony Tierney (footmen), Mouschia (Charlie's nanny), Mr and Mrs Randall, Anne and Ray, Mr Henderson (gardener), Will 'sick and tired', and many more whose faces I can see in my mind's eye but not their names. Oh yes and Fritz the basset hound! It was very hard work, especially when we had house parties and shoots when Edna and I would be on our feet from 6am till 11pm. I earned £2 a week. The walk up the mile- long drive in the dark TERRIFIED me with animal noises etc. I look back on those days full of nostalgia and although I worked hard for a 17 year old, I feel proud when ever I tell people I used to work at Vaynol and cooked for the Queen!Thank you for a wonderful programme Charlie.
Mon Aug 8 10:53:09 2005
Bob Thompson, Connah's Quay
I watched the programme on BBC2 Wales with interest as I currently own the last Jaguar car owned by Sir Michael Duff. I wonder if Mr Charles Duff remembers the car and who rode in it, driven by Mr George Randall.
Tue Aug 2 11:49:41 2005
Jan Tully, Monmouth
My grandfather, Edward Howes, was Sir Michael's butler at Vaynol Park and as I sat and watched the BBC2 Wales programme I caught a glimpse of him holding a car door for the Queen Mum. My Dad lives in Scarborough and has lots of memories of his childhood there - we used to go there for our summer holidays and stay with Nanna and Grandpop, both of whom worked in the "big house".
Tue Aug 2 11:47:24 2005
Share your memories of the Vaynol Estate.
