Russell House And The Maltings Brooks (Mistley)

A Memory of Mistley.

I was 4 when my mother remarried, and my step-father's father was RWE Squirrell. He lived in Russell House, just around the corner from the Manningtree Maltings, working for Brooks at the time I think. It was just around the time of the RHM acquirement.
My new grandmother worked in the secretary pool at The Maltings, and I was fortunate enough to have the run of Russell House when I came to visit. A magnificent property, situated in a huge garden. The Rose Garden out the back was a quiet secret garden, and the rest of the grounds perfect for the odd game of hide and seek.
Out of hours, when the maltings was closed, if a caller rang through, it would make the massive alarm bell in Russell House sound and then the call would be routed to the houses' phone. It was interesting to see my grandfather change personality from the kindly gentleman to the professional in a snap.
I have vague memories of a fire at Brooks', and then my grandmother retiring at about the same time. My grandfather had retired about a year or so before.

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