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ALAN MERRYWEATHER |
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A FAREWELL TO COLESBOURNE PARK
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NOTE. This proposed article was sent to Mrs Elwes of Colesbourne Park, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, effectively as my resignation letter and with an apology for writing it somewhat in the style she used for her monthly column in the magazine, Gloucestershire Life. It concluded with the following words. Some facts have been distorted so as to confuse; that the innocent can be protected and the guilty let off. Nevertheless, as private information gathered always remains private, this article will not be published or circulated. [NB. see below]. House sitters who occupy an ambiguous position – more than an employee but less than a friend - can be an unusual breed. They have to be different to be able to endure long lonely hours looking after dogs, cats, chickens, goats, fish and small pets, coping with the capricious complexities of alarm systems and being responsible for the security of many thousands of pounds worth of property. My one told me that he answered an advert in The Daily Telegraph put there by a company who provide sitters worldwide, and he was invited for interview in a very grand building, The Institute of Directors in Pall Mall. References being found satisfactory, he was asked to sit at a large and interesting but remote farm house where the owner had suffered a burglary one Sunday afternoon from his 15th century building extended over the years. Apart from a fox breaking into the chicken ark this was an extremely pleasant assignment with its spacious garden and magnificent flower border, a swimming pool and extensive farmland beside a river for exercising the dogs. One two-week perfect Summer sit was the envy of the owner who’d had rain and dull weather in France. My sitter told me that during that time, life offered no happier experience than of having dinner one fine evening on the flower-bounded terrace, the Malvern hills in the distance and listening on the radio to Elgar’s violin concerto. Suddenly things changed. The owner moved to a large Victorian house near the Thames and from then on my sitter worked privately for him. It had grand rooms, beautiful ceiling mouldings and woodwork, colourful tiling and a full set of bells formerly used to summon servants. The owner then re-married but his wife took a dislike to the ‘intruder’ who was effectively accused of stealing, later to receive an apology when the item was found. He was now without work, but an advert in a local newspaper noticed by a domestic cleaner brought an invitation to sit at a house near to his apartment in a well-hidden location with three dogs. After a couple of years the owners moved abroad, but before that, by word of mouth he was recommended to sit at a home in fine extensive grounds. Before going for interview, he researched the house in the library, but the expected magnificent Victorian mansion had been demolished. That was to be one of the great disappointments of his life. Other opportunities presented themselves such as twenty days on a farm with a lively Labrador; a three storied town house with six dogs including four Jack Russells who were endearingly well-behaved and so gentle - until taken out for a walk when they proved a huge embarrassment as they wanted to fight, bite and bark at every other dog. On another occasion a gentle dog became involved in serious fight. Somehow, word reached a nearby village and a lady employed him to look after her ailing dog until it died, ending his employment there. It seems that most owners place the contentment and well-being of their dogs way above the safety of their homes. He finds it extraordinary, though highly flattering, that people allow him into their homes, knowing very little about him, other than that his reliability and honesty have been imparted to them by their friends. More work followed in another village where the washing machine overflowed and there was a power cut resulting in all the phone messages disappearing. He was never invited there again. Two very strange things happened at another ancient town house, laterally very wide and rambling over four floors. Questions to the owner about two inexplicable events which took place on his watch, produced a very evasive response, and he later found the house was reputed to be haunted. But it was an alarming experience of a totally different kind that caused him to decline going there ever again.** Then further afield in several different place for odd days; the majority of sits being overnight or two nights at most. He freely acknowledges his besetting sin of leaving things behind, and no wonder as he travels with such a lot of computer clobber and books as well as food and clothing. He spends a lot of time not only exercising dogs, cooking and reading, but also transcribing old documents and lists of names for the benefit of family historians. I lost my house sitter this week. He had tried to resign but came back for a few more visits partly because nobody else could be found, but now he has retired for good. ** The son aged about 30 was living in the house and he was schizophrenic. I became alarmed when he stood by me when I was cooking. staring at it and turning it over in his hands a long thin kitchen knife.
Some correspondence.
----- Original Message -----
Regards,
Alan Merryweather.
What is with the Lady Elwes pray? What happened to Carolyn? I think the article is so good! I think you might sell it to The Countryman ... it is so well disguised it will be safe I'm sure. Good luck if you try it.
I'm off to London later today for a 2 hr meeting which seems rather a waste of effort, but needs must. All the hens look good and laid 7 eggs yesterday!
As ever, Carolyn
----- Original Message -----
Dear Carolyn,
I'm no conversationalist but seem to have some writing ability ... which may be a pity as there's clearly a need to explain something.
I asked both Jane and Will for guidance about the correct form of address and had differing replies, so, after endlessly turning it over in my mind and worrying about it, I asked - and received the reply from Sir Henry, to what he must have thought was a very naive question.
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