Nocton Hall - JH Dennis

A Tribute to Don - Nocton Hall

This lovely email was received on Thursday 22nd January, along with some photographs:

"This may , or may not be of interest to anyone ! You may just think Batty woman. And that's fine too !!

I was bumbling about about looking for snippets of family history ......my grandfather was J H Dennis who lived at Nocton Hall in the 1920s, when I chanced on a post written by Geoff Hall titled A tribute to Don .......my grandfathers dog ! Mr Hall had spent many hours finding and clearing the undergrowth from Dons gravestone...I was really very touched !!

Three years have passed and poor old Dons gravestone may be reclaimed by brambles and Geoff Hall moved away! However I am going to try sending another photo of the highly esteemed canine in hopes that someone may still be in touch with Geoff.

Not being at all computer literate - will see what happens !!

Linda Baker, Oxfordshire"

'Don'

'Don'

'Don' died June 23rd 1931. Age 12 years 3 months.

Footnote:
You may like to know I have replied to the kind lady concerned, enclosing more information about her grandfather and great-grandfather and directing her to specific entries on the blog and the web in general. The following photo was taken on the 22nd January and incorporated within the reply:



In memory of my dog 'Don'

I received this email in response:

"Dear Geoff ,

How very very kind and thoughtful of you to send me all that information. I cannot thank you enough !  I had a very sketchy idea of some bits, but most was a revelation to me !
My mother was youngest but one and was over 40 when she had me ,so all my cousins were much older than me.........the one that got left behind !!  Oh how I wish I had taken more interest as a youngster.  But you just think yeah yeah yeah.  Sadly she died when I was 21.
       
My grandfather sounds a real bounder... for want of a better word ... also beginning with B !  Fancy holding the choir boys at gun point ! I wonder if granny's cake made up for it ?!  I wish I had more family members with whom to share the story.
        
I did come up to Nocton in the mid 90s... ish.  The hall seemed to still in use as a res. home.  I didn't like to do too much poking around. I also saw great grandfather Williams statue at Kirton.  The photo is brilliant... I didn't have one.

It is very sad to see the hall in such disrepair... but as you say it must be a wild life haven and you certainly don't want a theme park or housing estate !!  I am really pleased you and fellow residents of Nocton are able to walk the ground and would love to come to see it myself I will be in touch if I do.

How bizarre that our correspondence was fired by a mutual interest in a dog who died nearly 84 years ago !....either mad or english !!

Once again my heartfelt thanks.

Very best regards to you and your family.  Linda"