Diamonds at Dinner (16 page)

A portrait of me taken in 1937.

Me, my sister Joan, my brother Jim and our dog, Jock.

Here I am at the age of 20, a year after starting at Croome Court.

The Servants’ Ball was an exciting occasion for us in the household, and I made my own dress for it, trimmed with white ‘fur’.

In the grounds at Croome Court, relaxing by the fishing lake.

Nesta Donne Phillips, the Countess and my mistress.

©
Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

I’m very proud of this picture – it is not often that a servant was allowed to take a picture of the family, and Mr Latter was quite shocked by it!

One of the wonderful results of my time at Croome Court was meeting Roland. We were married in Stamford on 15 June 1940 and although we were in the midst of war we were so happy just to be together.

Lady Coventry and I volunteered to join the Auxiliary Territorial Service together and, for the first time in five years, we were separated in order to ‘do our bit’.

Roland – my Roll.

Lord and Lady Coventry at the United Counties Show in Camarthen, Wales.

©
Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

The two youngest children, Maria and George, with their mother a few years after I joined the household.

©
Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans