June Staddon and Dawn Medley’s Memories Tuesday, May 27 2008 

Uncategorized maidsheadnorwich 4:45 pm

June Staddon

June Staddon has worked at The Maids Head for 22 years, beginning part time in banqueting before moving onto the restaurant as a waitress, then a supervisor before becoming restaurant manager seven years ago.

I remember when Mr Cooke was the resident manager. It was just when I was starting out as a waitress. He used to eat in the restaurant every night. It was silver service then and everything had to be ‘just so’. But he was a really good boss and looked after the staff at Christmas time. The management used to serve our Christmas lunch in the Cavell Room.

I used to really enjoy the USAAF reunions. The same people came back year after year. We had a lot of fun with them.

One the best events we stage at the moment is the canapés at the start of the Moveable Feats during the Food Festival. Every public space is packed with people eating and chatting before they head off to other restaurants around the city.

Dawn Medley

Dawn Medley has worked at The Maids Head for 25 years as a banqueting and restaurant supervisor and for the last two years has been the lounge supervisor.

I remember Hannah Hauxley stayed, when she came to Norwich for a book signing event. She was an amazing lady

I have collected some old Maids Head postcards. One of the snug bar dated 29 November 1925 has a lovely message on the back – “Charming little bar, it is all rather wonderful.”

Some years ago a lady in her 90s came in and talked about carriages arriving through what is now the restaurant and the old reception which used to be in the snug.

A gentleman came in and remembered cars using the same entrance 35 years ago, but I sure it was probably earlier than that.

I believe in ghosts but have never seen a ghost, but once smelt the lavender. Lots of people come down to breakfast in the morning and comment on the lavender smell without being prompted.

 

Peachy Mead and Tales of the Unexpected Tuesday, May 27 2008 

Uncategorized maidsheadnorwich 4:43 pm

In my long career I have appeared in all types of work in the business, including a long spell (280 various parts) working basically as a ‘Walk on’ ‘Supporting Artist’, in T.V. This is the rank above ‘Extra’, and pays better especially if you have a few lines to say.

On one such occasion either late seventies, early eighties, we filmed one of the ‘Tales of the unexpected’ called ‘Stranger in Town’, and a lot of it was based in Norwich. In fact the maids head was like the H.Q. and I am pretty sure at least the star actor Derek Jacobi now a Sir, stayed at the hotel, plus another great actor Clive Swift. We used the hotel for many shots and if you see a D.V.D. of the episode, you will see the venue in all its glory.

I played a builder, with scenes in London St, and St Andrews, one of which I had a few lines with the great man.  During the breaks in filming we often had coffee at the Hotel. A rather strange instance happened I was in my builders outfit dirty tee-shirt and jeans, and covered in talcum powder, to look like brick dust. I walked in to the hotel for coffee and was told by member of staff, I was not allowed in, wearing my working clothes.

I tried to explain, but finished up walking back to Anglia House for my coffee.

One other thing of interest, the person playing the Hotel Doorman in this episode and wearing the full outfit, was Gerry Sutton, who was the actual son of the great music hall star Randolph Sutton, who also had a son working under the name Randolph Sutton Jr, who was in fact the grandson of the old star. As I was often a music hall chairman in my variety side of the business, I worked with both of them many times, but am not old enough too had worked with the real music hall star himself.

I am sure you have records of this for the date and you may find some of the other Tales were filmed using the hotel as it was made at the time by Anglia T.V.    

 Hope this will help,

 Sincerely,

 Philip (peachy) Mead.

 

John Garrett’s Story Friday, May 9 2008 

Uncategorized maidsheadnorwich 10:29 am

My Grandmother, Edith Beart was working as a barmaid in the snug at the Maids Head Hotel in 1902 when she met my grandfather. He was David Maggs who had a successful saddlery business in Upper King St in Norwich. They married in 1904, and had four daughters, one of which was my mother Winifred.  So you could say that if it wasn’t for the Maids Head, I, and my family wouldn’t be here today.                                                                                                                                        I was at a family wedding at the hotel in December, and my wife, and I had a drink in the snug.  We felt we could feel my Grandmothers presence, as it seemed that we were stepping back in time.  I hope this will be of interest to you. John Garrett.