Hotel is a real home from home for Brian
ASTOCKPORT hotel has welcomed back the last resident from its time as a private home after over 70 years.
Oddfellows on the Park in Cheadle allowed Brian Wolstenholme to take a nostalgic tour around the home his family were forced to leave in 1944, following the death of his grandparents.
John and Jenny Porritt had moved to the hall in 1898, but death duties were too much for their children to pay.
Mr Wolstenholme was invited back to Bruntwood Hall, a Victorian era mansion, after getting in touch with the management team who were restoring the building.
He was able to stay in the room that was his years before, due to the minimal changes to the architecture of the building over the years.
Hotel bosses say the focus during the careful restoration of the hall has been ‘directed towards preserving the original features’.
However, new features include a bike chain inspired chandelier and light up grand staircase.
Brian said: “It was an emotional experience, exploring the house and sleeping in my old bedroom. It meant so much as I have many happy memories here from my childhood.
“I’m really pleased that the hall has been restored to its former glory and is now full of life again.”
Paul Cookson, general manager of Oddfellows On The Park, said: “It was a privilege to spend time with Brian during his visit.
“He freely shared the memories of his childhood and described to us very eloquently how the hall would have been lived in.
“Brian’s story is integral to the history of the hall and we happily impart those stories to our guests who love hearing the tales of the hall’s yesteryear.”
Brian has fond memories of the hall, where he spent his early life riding horses, playing billiards and exploring the estate which now takes up 120 acres of parkland.
He was coached in how to behave properly at meal times and taught to respect the array of staff who worked at the home including cooks, nurses, housemaids, kitchen maids and a chauffeur.
The hall has had a rich history prior to becoming a hotel. It acted as a town hall during the Second World War and has been home to a film company and a fashion designer.
More recently, it was used as a filming location for the Sky TV series ‘Bedlam’.