MICHELLE Hill, from the National Trust’s Hanbury Hall, gave an illustrated talk.

The Vernon family, who became associated with the land on which the hall is built, arrived in England with William the Conqueror and settled in several areas in England. In 1588, it was a Rev Richard Vernon from Newcastle who inherited the exceptionally rich rectory at Hanbury.

His great-grandson Thomas Vernon, a chancery lawyer, built Hanbury Hall in around 1700. He was very wealthy and was out to impress, so he employed Sir James Thornhill to paint the hall, staircase, and ceiling, with the story of Achilles.

Thomas and his wife had no children, and was succeeded by his second cousin Bowater. When the dissolute Bowater died, only 18 months after inheriting, he left huge debts. However, he had commissioned the Docherty Plan – a record of the estate as it was when he inherited it in 1732. This has been invaluable for the National Trust, enabling it to restore much of the hall and grounds to their original specifications.

His 17-year-old granddaughter Emma inherited and made an unhappy marriage with Henry Cecil of Burleigh.

Eventually she ran off with, and later married, the local curate. After two more sideways inheritances, another Thomas inherits in 1860, living there for 60 years .He and his wife Georgina were great benefactors of the community, reducing rents three times during the Depression. The next heir, George, made an unhappy marriage and when he became very ill, shot himself in 1940. Lady Doris returned to the hall and lived there until her death in 1962.

The next meeting will be on November 12 at 7.30pm at Webheath Village Hall.

Chris Jackson will speak about Granny Lock’s to the Royal Oak Bordesley Tollhouse.