Dining out over the century...........

Hough End Hall's three berry mess, 2009

“History isn’t history if it’s about a time after your granddad’s first birthday” was the oft repeated comment of one of my teachers back at Samuel Pepys Secondary Modern School.

Now I know what he meant.  Only with the passing of a few generations can you get to see how events play out and to what extent they were the big moment or just a hiccup in the passage of time.

But that does rather sideline so many interesting stories which are then just lost forever.

Of course today there is far more emphasis on history from the bottom up and the lives and experiences of ordinary people are the focus for much research and interest.

And so with this in mind I have gone looking for the story of Hough End Hall’s last thirty years.

For most of that time it was a restaurant, pub, occasional night club and even a suite of offices.

There are those who will remember nights spent under the imitation Tudor Beams attending a whole range of social gatherings from parties to weddings and even funerals.

Paul Thompson who owned the Hall from 1979 till 1985 recalled that “funerals played an important part of their business along of course with Christmas parties which during one December generated 6,000 covers.”

Now I was reminded of all this when I was last in the hall sometime around 2013, and picked this menu from the wall of the kitchen.

Choosing the pudding in 2009

It dates from its last period as a restaurant and is a fascinating glimpse into what we would have eaten on a night out a decade and more ago.

Go back another twenty years and there would have been a discernible difference in what was on offer and of course the price.

Like many I still remember the Berni Inns, which offered a standardized menu of a starter, main course and desert which were always reliable and good value with a hint of something that was just a bit special.

Corn on the cob, stuffed pepper and lots more, 1948

Back in the late 1950s and into the 60s this was for many a sophisticated night out, starting with a choice of melon boat with maraschino cherry, or prawn cocktail, which was followed by steak, gammon steak or plaice with chips, and peas and finished off with Black Forest gateau or a choice from the cheese board plus Irish coffee and After Eight mints.

All very different from the local fish and chip shop or corner cafe and opened up even more exotic eating experiences.

And I enjoyed them all marvelling in everything from chicken in a basket, sweet and sour pork to lasagne and pizza.

All of which is nice contrast to what was on offer at the White Lion in Withington in 1896 which offered a “Luncheon Menu of
Soup; Consommé a la Neapolitaine
Fish; Salmon, Mayonnaise Sauce
Entrees; Steak and Kidney Pie, Veal and Ham Pie
Joints; Roast Lamb, Mint Sauce, Green Peas Roast Beef, Boiled Corned Beef, Roast Chicken and Tongue, Boiled Chicken and Ham, Mashed Potatoes, Tomato Salad, Neapolitaine Salad
Jellies;Blanc-Mange, Pastry (various) Cheese, Biscuits, and Butter.

All for two shillings and sixpence.”*

Now I bet there will be plenty who remember their nights out under the imitation beams in Hough End Hall.

Some will be from people who danced and ate the night away, others will include serving the tables, and even playing the music.

All of it counts as part of the Hall’s story and our history.

Picture; menu from 2009 and  Meta Givern’s Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking, 1948, Chicago
*White Lion Hotel, from the Withington, Bazaar 1896 handbook