Nature & Nurture: a Day in the Life of a Hall Steward
With autumn here and winter on its way, we caught up with Hall Steward Clint Coughlan, the man who keeps South Ormsby Hall and its grounds in fine fettle, whatever the weather.
“I’m well happy in my job,” said Clint. “I came back to the Lincolnshire Wolds from Liverpool just over a year ago and it’s lived up to expectations. No two days are the same and there’s some hard work but I see loads of wildlife each day and I work with some really nice people.
“I was a boy soldier with the Royal Green Jackets from 1980 to 1987. Later, I was head of maintenance for the Duke of Westminster’s Grosvenor Estate in Belgravia. I worked with all sorts of people, including royalty, and I always had good company. I enjoyed having a team to manage and people to pass on skills to. The Duke was good at treating the staff. We had away days and bonuses for the gardening team, lots of free gifts, paid social evenings in Mayfair and a ‘Grosvenor Day’ in December to get the Christmas shopping done.
“Here at South Ormsby Hall, there’s a typical daily routine. I open the gates at 0730, water in the polytunnel, check the kitchen garden, feed and water the chickens, open up the Hall at 0800 and meet Jacqui if she’s on duty. There’ll be various other jobs such as repairing the drive and maintaining the lawns. I’m still using some traditional methods and tools, including a 1921 vintage roller. Colin found it in a bush and moved it into a stable. I’ll dig it out next week and use it.
