Thoresby Hall

Albie was at Thoresby visiting an exhibition recently and took some  snaps of the magnificent hall for the blog. He also very kindly wrote a quick history of the place below:

"Thoresby Hall and Park are situated on the eastern flank of Sherwood Forest, close to the Nottingham - York road. The first hall was built during the reign of Charles I in the 1600's, but burnt down in 1745. The Earl of Kingston had the hall rebuilt in 1767. This lasted for 100 years before being replaced by the present hall though in a location about 500 metres north of the old. By this time the Kingstons had become the Earls Manvers and amongst their other properties was Pierrepont Hall in Nottingham.

The Manvers continued to occupy the hall until the late 20th Century when it was acquired by the National Coal Board (so that they didn't have to repeatedly pay for coal mining subsidence). After several other owners, it was bought by Time Warner and converted to a spa hotel complex which opened in 2000. The park covered around 2000 acres in area and was said to have a circumference of 10 miles. Most of this is still owned by the Manvers family with just the grounds near the hall being owned by the hotel. The stables and courtyard are now a craft centre which is also separate from the hotel. The lake was used by the owner in the late 18th century to re-enact naval battles. Like many aristocrats of that period, he had miniature sailing ships to play with. There was a full time naval captain who maintained them from an estate house now known as Budby Castle (though it was never a real castle).”

Albie

The statue of Robin Hood is by Tussaud-Birt (November 1948) a grandson of Madame Tussaud (famous for her London wax works) and can be seen in the Stables Gallery (above) at Thoresby Hall. It once stood in the centre of the courtyard (below).

I am  currently away for 3 days on a first-aid course, but will update the blog at the end of the week.

'All Color Walt Disney Show', Salem, 1952

It’s the summer of 1952 and in Salem, Oregon in the USA at the Capitol Theatre an ‘All Color Walt Disney Show' is advertised. It is the live action ‘Story of Robin Hood’ accompanied by one of the award winning ‘True Life Adventures’ series ‘Water Birds,’ along with the cartoon short ‘The Little House.'

If you look carefully, the posters can be seen in the display cases around the theatre.

Andrew de Wyntoun

St. Andrews, Fife in Scotland

Robin Hood’s activities were never recorded by a contemporary chronicler. There is no surviving evidence that suggests that anybody knew him, his family or why he was outlawed. But some chroniclers seem to have believed he existed and the earliest of these was Andrew de Wyntoun (c.1350-c.1423). Andrew was an Augustinian prior of St. Serf’s (Kinross, Scotland), a religious house set on an island in Loch Leven on Serf's Inch, and later a canon-regular of St. Andrews Augustinian priory in Fife Scotland.

Very little is known of de Wyntoun’s education or early career, but he wrote ‘The Orgynale Cronykil of Scotland' at the request of his patron Sir John of Wemyss. The subject of the 'Chronicle,' is the history of Scotland from the mythical period (including the history of angels) to the accession of James I in 1406. In his manuscript he also tells the most famous of all his stories—Macbeth and the weird sisters, and the interview between Malcolm and Macduff.

Although very few critics, down the centuries have found any poetic merit in Wyntoun’s work, it does shed very important light on material about Scotland’s history that is not found anywhere else.

Written at the age of seventy, his chronicle is a long (preserved in nine manuscripts) and prosaic vernacular compendium in octosyllabic couplets, that traces the history from a very pro-Scottish viewpoint. He is especially severe on the malpractices and war crimes of Edward I who is described as a ‘tyrand’ and the ‘curseyd’ one, in his war against the Scots. Wyntoun particularly points to the massacre at Berwick and his treatment of the national hero William Wallace.

 

                                   St. Serf's Inch, Loch Leven

 
Wyntoun’s chronicle was probably completed before 1420. He puts briefly between the years 1283 and 1285:

Litil Iohun and Robert Hude
Waythmen war commendit gud;
In Ingilwode and Bernnysdaile
Thai oyssit al this tyme thar trawale

This translates from the medieval Scots as ‘little John and Robert Hood were well praised (as) forest outlaws (waythmen, i.e., men who lie in wait/ ambushers); in this period they did their deeds in Ingilwood and Barnsdale”

The ‘tyme’ in which Wyntoun places Robin’s activities in the ‘Chronicle’ was 1283. There are two striking points in this entry. The mention of Little John at the beginning of the first line might indicate that Robin may not have been the automatic choice as leader. Or it could be that his name placed first in the line simply provided a convenient rhyme of ‘Hude’ and ‘gude.’

Also surprising is the fact that there is no mention of Nottingham or Sherwood. This may show the Scottish viewpoint, with Inglewood (English wood) a forest just south of the Scottish border in Cumberland and Barnsdale in Yorkshire on the old Roman road between London and Edinburgh. The famous hunting ground of Inglewood, stretching from Penrith to Carlisle was the location of another medieval ballad hero and outlaw, Adam Bell. It was also used as the scene for several of King Arthur’s legendary adventures, which may have influenced Wyntoun.

But Wyntoun does not seem to question that Robin Hood and Little John existed, he indicates that they were real historical outlaws, living in the decade before Wallace’s rebellion, who were widely praised. Unfortunately he supplies no indication as to what evidence he based his date on.

To read more about historical evidence behind the legend of Robin Hood, please click on the label 'Robin Hood History.'

Picture Strip 22 : Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood

Part 22 of Laurence's fabulous picture strip of Walt Disney's original movie the Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). To see previous pages of the picture strip, please click on the label below.

If you want to learn more about the making of this wonderful film or the legend that inspired it, please click on the relevant subjects in the sidebar.

Spanish Poster

A big thank you to Mike for sending in this fantastic Spanish poster, (The Archers of the King) from what appears to be the original release of Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood in the 1950’s. This is one of my favourites; I particularly like the warm rich colours, design and elaborate detail.

At Home with James Hayter

This fascinating interview with James Hayter and his young family was kindly sent to me a while ago by Geoff Waite. It was published in the October 3rd 1953/4? edition of TV Mirror Magazine and gives an interesting insight into his family life at that time. As Geoff said, it seems that the argument over how much television children should be allowed to view was prevalent even back then! And they only had the one BBC channel in those days!

"The Twentieth- Century Mr Pickwick is a TV fan-both as an Actor and as a Viewer.

By Ian Purvis

“I wonder, old boy, if you’d mind bringing down with you a gin bottle full of petrol? With what we’ve got, that should see us through the evening fairly happy.”

The voice at the end of the telephone was that of actor James Hayter. He had invited me to tea and dinner at ‘Tall Trees,’ the house he has recently purchased just outside Hemel Hempstead, in Hertfordshire.

What could be the meaning of his extraordinary request? Was it his intention to serve Molotov Cocktails before dinner? Anyhow, on my arrival, Jimmy greeted me warmly and thanked me for remembering the petrol-which he proceeded to pour into the bowels of a small light generator housed in a shed at the bottom of his garden.

Only way to see father!

“You see,” explained this twentieth century Pickwick, “if you hadn’t brought the petrol we just might have run short in the middle of the TV play this evening-which would have been a pity, as it promises to be a good one.”

The Electricity Board have not yet braved the steep ascent to the hilltop upon which the Hayters’ house is built; and gas operated TV being still a development of the future, a special generator has been installed to provide the current for the sets.

They have two: one in the living room and the other in the nursery. Wisecracks Jimmy: “Actually, it was to keep the kids happy that we bought our first model. I was doing so much television acting at that time that my wife assured me that if I didn’t give our children the opportunity of seeing me on the screen occasionally; they would soon forget what their old dad looked like!”

Here, indeed, is a family who are unanimous in their approval of TV entertainment-particularly the children. I noticed that five year old Timothy was proudly sporting a new pullover on which were prominently displayed woven images of “Hank.” Plucking at my sleeve he urged me into the playroom, explaining, bright-eyed, that Children’s Hour was just about to begin.

With all the withering scorn at the command of a twelve-year -old, brother Michael countered this suggestion with the words: “You don’t want to see that kids’ stuff, I’m sure. I like grown-up programmes such as What’s My Line?” Later, he confided to me that his own favourite TV personality is Cafe Continental’s Helene Cordet : “She’s smashing, isn’t she ?”

Sister Elizabeth, rising six-and-a-half, tells me that Muffin, formerly number one on her hit parade, has of late lost much of his former appeal because “he’s a bit too young for me now”- something of a Peter Pan that Mule! Principal heart throb of Caroline, aged four, is Humpty-Dumpty”- “’Cos he tells us stories.”


Paid for not looking


Despite the provision of an extra TV set for the benefit of their children, it would be wrong to suppose that the Hayter’s believe in allowing them to indulge in indiscriminate viewing. They argue that many programmes are quite unsuitable for youngsters, and that in every home where there is television, parents have a moral duty to act as ‘Lord Chamberlains’ to their children.

Naturally, Children’s Hour is un-censored at “Tall Trees,” but in order to teach the youngsters to be selective in their viewing, even of this highly suitable programme, Jimmy has devised an ingenious system whereby each may claim from him a penny for every day on which he or she does not watch television.

As a busy mother, Mary Hayter is fulsome in her praises of TV. “It keeps the children happy and off my hands for at least part of the day and it is especially helpful in winter when they can’t go outside to play.” As a housewife, too, she finds the hints given on her screen to be of constant value, and admits that she would be a very disappointed woman if Philip Harben’s programmes were ever to be discontinued.

Sincerity wins

The TV Chef has extensively increased her repertoire of dishes – and incidentally influenced her to purchase a gas cooker of the type used for his demonstrations.

Just how much credit should be allowed Philip Harben-or his cooker, and how much to Mary herself for the dinner served that evening at her table, I cannot judge. For even as I was about to enquire the recipe of the delectable sweet, Jimmy insisted that we carry our coffee into the drawing room so that we should not miss the beginning of the play.

When it was over we naturally talked about it as a production, and I was anxious to hear an actor’s views.

Hayter thought that the best moments had been those in close-up when the players had been able to convey real sincerity. He thought that long-shots in TV drama should be kept down to a minimum.

Hayter maintains that it is well-nigh impossible for the artiste, when shot at long-range; to make the character portrayed convincing to the audience because subtleties of expression became lost on the tiny screen.

In common with most others of his profession, he feels that whilst embodying all the difficulties experienced in both stage and screen acting, the new medium offers but little in compensation.

“One feels,” he says, “None of the encouragement known to the stage actor resulting from the tangible response of his audience, nor the reassurance that filming provides when he is aware that if at any given ‘take’ anything goes wrong, that scene may be shot again and again until it is perfect.”

Nevertheless he admits that he finds TV acting fascinating for the very reason that it does present a bigger challenge to the actor. He claims that the years spent workings in repertory before he became established are now standing him in good stead.

How the “Reps” help

“In rep,” he says, “You have to learn that despite limited rehearsals-more limited by far than those given to a TV production-you must somehow be able to give of your best at the first performance. That experience is of great assistance when first you face the television cameras.”

At that point Michael, whose seniority to the other children allowed him still to be up, wearied of our theorising and requested that the set be switched on for the last half hour of Music Hall. Jimmy agreed. But alas, after only five minutes the screen flickered and went blank. It was evident that my host had under estimated the thirst of his petrol engine and should have insisted that I bring with me an extra half-bottle!"

Ian Purvis (TV Mirror)

(Special thanks to Geoff Waite)

                       James Hayter as Friar Tuck in the 'Story of Robin Hood'

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I hope you all get hit by Cupid’s (or Robin’s) romantic arrow today!

Here is a nice smoochie still from Columbia’s ‘Rogues of Sherwood Forest’ (1950). Directed by Gordon Douglas, this low budget offering featured John Derek as Robin, Earl of Huntington, son of old Robin. The movie is set during the reign of King John (George Macready), whose oppressive taxes incite the young Hood’s rebellion, resulting in the monarch signing the Magna Carta. In his final film role, Alan Hale played Little John for the third time, supported by Billy House as Friar Tuck, Lester Matthews as Allen-a-Dale, Billy Bevan as Will Scarlet and Diana Lynn as Lady Marianne de Beaudray.

Picture Strip 21 : Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood

Part 21 of Laurence's fabulous picture strip of Walt Disney's original movie the Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). To see previous pages of the picture strip, please click on the label below.

If you want to learn more about the making of this wonderful film or the legend that inspired it, please click on the relevant subjects in the sidebar.