Eastcote House Garden Party Ca 1961

A Memory of Eastcote.

There was an annual garden party held at Eastcote House. These were fund raisers for various charities. The one year I remember, the party was held in aid of a home for retired actors and the amateur dramatic societies in the disrtrict devised the entertainments and stalls. The actress Hattie Jaques did the official opening. This was when she was a radio and television star and before she became more famous in the "Carry On" films.
After the opening she strolled around the lawns inspecting the various stands, her generous girth made even more imposing by a summer dress of a cream colour with large sprays of flowers all over. We watched, fascinated, as her stiletto heels sank to the hilt in the well kept lawns. It is only recently that I read that Eastcote House is no more.
Such a graceful regency house it was. Why this was not saved instead of the late victorian and unremarkable Highgrove House, yet another example of municipal attitudes in the 60's and 70's.

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