Market Drayton, Buntingsdale Hall 1899

Photo ref: 44449

My father worked in the officers mess at Buntingsdale and every Christmas they used to hold a Christmas party for the workers children..They were great parties and I have good memories of Buntingsdale lake and woods as I used to go from Dalelands West and go fishing in the lake.. they were good days .

My great grandfather, Edwin Croome, worked at the Hall from 1905 until he retired and lived at The Buntingsdale Lodge. He had several jobs; carriage driver valet (RAF) and laterley as a gardner. My grandfather Thomas Croome was born at the Lodge.

For two years of my three year RAF service 1953 to 1956 as 41255i8 LAC, I was batman to RAF Stoke Heath C/O, Grp Capt (name omitted). His was the largest house on the OMQ (of course), the rear garden of which backed down a slope almost onto the winding road which led around the lake and passes the handsome old building; I have only recently learned that this was called Buntingsdale ...see more

I was posted to the Hall after RAF basic training at West Kirby, where an Air Vice Marshall saw a mural illustrated map, another conscript (John Young) and I created, in the Education Hut. His intention was for Peter Melrose (a National Service aircraftsman, who was a scenic artist from Gainsborough Film Studios) and I (an artist from an advertising agency), to work on ...see more