History Society Report

Last Thursday evening a large audience was greeted to a fascinating talk by Pam Sambrook on the Trentham Estate and especially one of its servants.

Pam commenced her talk by giving us a brief history of the family around the 1830s to 40s.

After the marriage of George Leveson-Gower, Viscount Trentham to the Countess of Sutherland they became the greatest private land owners in Great Britain. They had homes in Dunrobin in Sutherland, Scotland; Cliveden in Berkshire; Stafford House (now Lancaster House) in London and Trentham, Staffordshire.

Zenon Vantini

During much of this time the head steward was Monsieur Zenon Vantini, who was born in Elba and initially served as a courier to Napoleon Bonaparte. After his arrival in England he became responsible for the management of the Sutherland household.

This was not an easy task. The Duchess of Sutherland liked to travel to Dunrobin 3 times a year. In 1834 the journey took 9 days with 8 overnight stops and a change of horses every 25 miles. All this was the responsibility of Vantini to organise!

On leaving his employment with the Sutherland family Vantini entered the final phase of his career. He opened the first railway hotel in the world at Euston, refreshment rooms at Victoria Station in Manchester and the North Euston Hotel in Fleetwood (which still has a suite called after him).

However, perhaps his greatest and most long-standing achievement was the foundation of Rossall School in Fleetwood which is still in existence today.

A fascinating story- well told.

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