June 4, 2019 4.14 pm This story is over 56 months old

Former maid, 104, gets birthday ticket to historic hall

It was a special day for Kathleen at the place where she met her husband

A former housemaid got a special birthday ticket back to a Lincolnshire country home 80 years after her last day of work.

Kathleen Brown, 104, once again got to walk through the doors of South Ormsby Hall on Wednesday, May 29.

It is a place where she made many precious memories with her friends around the grounds, and even met her husband.

She started working at the country home at 17-years-old and stopped when she reached 27-years-old.

She visited South Ormsby Hall as a special gift.

During that time at a staff Christmas party Kathleen caught eyes with her husband Bert Brown, who was working as a chauffeur and gardener.

Margert Massingberd-Mundy, one of the hall’s owners, paid for the wedding, drove the couple to the local church and even held their reception.

Kathleen fondly remembers that day and said that it was the only time she got to walk down the front steps of the hall, except for when she was scrubbing them clean.

David Brown, Kathleen’s son, said: “Many of mum’s happiest memories are of the time she was in service at South Ormsby Hall. To this day, she speaks very fondly of the Massingberd-Mundy’s.

A great way to spend the day.

“She has so many anecdotes she happily recounts of her life during those ten years at the Hall – which sounds to me like a real-life Downton Abbey! I am so grateful to the new owners, Jon and Jan Thornes, as well as staff at MHA Stones Place, for making this possible.”

Beverley Murray, Deputy Manager at MHA Stones Places, commented: “We know South Ormsby Hall holds a special place in Kathleen’s heart, so we were delighted to help her ‘Seize the Day’ by taking a trip down memory lane and paying the house another visit.”