Everything stops for Tea

It’s a bright and clear summer’s day, the sun is making its entrance to the day. In the Close Meadow, all the preparations for the day have been finalised, and William has made sure his traction engine is fully steamed up. In Highgate House, he rises from the bed he shares with his wife, Louisa. He goes across to the window, in his nightshirt, and looks out over the garden, waking up into the bright new day. He can hear Louisa stirring, and turns to look at her, “Good morning, Louisa, my dear. Did you sleep well?”.

A discreet knock at the bedroom door heralds the arrival of the upstairs maid with breakfast. Coffee is poured for William, but Louisa prefers her pot of Breakfast Tea. Breakfast over, Louisa’s maid enters the room to assist her to dress, and to attend to her hair. Soon, William’s valet arrives to assist his master.

With both their toilettes attended to, they descend the staircase, and enter the morning room. Their daughter Rebecca is still with her nursery maid. William and Louisa are full of anticipation for the day ahead, and they can now hear the childish chatter of Rebecca, conversing with the nursery maid, as they now descend the staircase.

They all move to the hall, as it is time to leave Highgate, to travel up Dunley’s Hill to the Close Meadow. They make themselves comfortable in the carriage, and William drives the horse forward, through the gates, onto the village street, soon turning onto the road that leads up the hill. They pass by the ruined Priory at the top of the hill, and Hillcross House, whose occupants are preparing to make the short journey to the Close Meadow, which has been kindly given for the celebrations by the Chamberlain family of Bury House.

William turns the carriage into Odiham High Street, and turns into Church Lane. The entrance to Close Meadow is within the sanctuary of the churchyard, he drives the horse down the Close, and into the Meadow. Here, there is a hive of activity, children and adults preparing for race events, the fair is opening up for the day, and in the corner, stands William’s traction engine, brought into steam, for this day, the occasion of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, 22nd June 1897. The engine is to provide the hot water for the teas.

Louisa stops to chat to her friends, acknowledging acquaintances, and they move off towards the tea tent. William seeks out his business cronies, and they proceed to put the world of commerce to rights in the shade of the beer tent. Rebecca, meanwhile, can barely contain her excitement, as she was too young to attend the Golden Jubilee, ten years earlier. Her parents have allowed her to enter some of the races being held.

The day wears on, the sun climbs high in the sky. All around, there is happy noise, chatter, the sounds of children calling out to each other, laughing, and participating in activities. As the sun begins its descent, the bonfire, which had been built over the last week, is finally lit, and the villagers gather for the torchlit procession.

Eventually, it is time for everyone to make their journey back to their respective homes. William goes to give instructions to his men, about taking the traction engine back to the yard, while Louisa assists an exhausted Rebecca into the carriage. In comfortable silence they take the trip back down Dunley’s Hill, back to Highgate House, home. The staff welcome them home.

Louisa instructs the nursery maid to help Rebecca prepare for bed, and sleep. Before she ascends the staircase, she turns and says “Thank you, Mother and Father for a wonderful day.” William and Louisa decide that they too, will retire, for William has to rise early to attend to his business affairs at the yard. He speaks to Louisa, “Well, my dear Louisa, I do hope you enjoyed the day. I feel it was a great success.”