Reunion 2014 – Report

Report and Photos by David Newland. 

 

We took the hallowed walk from YSP through the gardens and across to the old Media Centre, then around the barrier past Ezra Taylor and The Gym, to the National Arts Education Archive in the Lawrence Batley building (opened as the extension to the Library in 1989).  I had to take this shot of our beloved Stable Block…

Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - Stable Block Bretton Hall

Richard, Anna and Tony shared some of their knowledge and information, including the fabulous Country Life Magazine photos from the famous 1938 edition, but with some that have never been published.

Tony compared some stunning state room shots with Alan Parker’s 2007 images….

Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - NAEA history presentation 1 Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - NAEA history presentation 2 Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - NAEA history presentation 3
Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - NAEA history presentation 4 Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - NAEA history presentation 5
Then it was upstairs to some of the artefacts and records held by the NAEA, proudly shared by Anna and Allie.
I have to make time to come back to explore this mine of memories!
Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - NAEA history presentation 7 in the archive Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - NAEA history presentation 8 in the archive
Richard told us more about the contribution Bretton Hall has made to history, including the Bretton Woods estate in the USA (where that famous WWII treaty was signed) and the inspiration for one of Jane Austen’s characters.
Then I grabbed a quick visual survey of Stable Block lawn.  Imagine the thrill of seeing the Country Life
Magazine photo of the full quad earlier!
Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - NAEA history presentation 9 New Theatre replaced early 2000s Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - NAEA history presentation 10 old sign Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - history tour 14 Stable Block
Onwards through campus down to the front of Mansion, where we chanced upon these younger Brettonians…
Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - history tour 14 chilled out ducks
…and on to Dam Head, substantially restored since the dark days of the ’50 Year Flood’ fears of the late 1980s.
Richard took us into the recently renovated Pump House (all those years at Bretton and I never noticed it was
there), which used to pull water out of the Dearne and send it all the way up to the Mansion and Stables.  YSP
would like to raise more funds to restore the ancient machinery inside the Pump House too.
Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - history tour 1 on the dam Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - history tour 2 stream Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - history tour 3 weir on River Dearne
Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - history tour 4 restored pumphouse Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - history tour 5 restored pumphouse Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - history tour 6 restored pumphouse
Then we headed up through the Deer Park…
Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - history tour 7 park mansion and mast Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - history tour 8 tree
… to the Deer Shelter – another building I’d never been inside.  The original shelter had been renovated and
transformed into a public work of art.  Wouldn’t it be fabulous to catch the dawn sun’s rays through the
huge roof opening…
Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - history tour 9 deer shelter installation Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - history tour 10 deer shelter installation
Later in the evening, a two course dinner was served at YSP’s main restaurant as the daylight faded away.
Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - reunion dinner 1 Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - reunion dinner 2 Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - reunion dinner 5 Marilyn John Andy
Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - reunion dinner 6 Tim Bretton Hall Reunion 10May14 - reunion dinner 4 the 1980s