40 Years On - The Night Lord Lansdowne Helped The Haylocks
It’s hard to appreciate just how much has changed in 40 years, Calne’s landscape has drastically changed and so has the Bowood estate. Today we wanted to share a story of celebration with you.
September 18, 2023
The Story
Yesterday, we had the distinct pleasure of extending a warm welcome to Julie and Andrew Haylock, as they commemorated their 40th wedding anniversary.
A full four decades ago, 17th September 1983 on their wedding day, chance led them to a secluded and rustic corner of Calne following an unfortunate car mishap. In those days, lacking the convenience of a mobile phone of any kind, they found themselves caught in a very troublesome situation.
Fortunately, a fellow motorist who witnessed their distress stopped to help. It was none other than Lord Lansdowne, who had a “car phone” and used it to call a nearby garage for their car’s repairs. Afterward, Lord Lansdown invited Julie and Andrew to stay at the Bowood Stately Home. They enjoyed a delicious meal and fine champagne in the well-appointed guest rooms to ease their distress. The following day, Lord Lansdowne continued his helpfulness by personally driving Julie and Andrew to the train station to continue their honeymoon without any interruptions.
The friendship formed that evening has endured over time, marked by the yearly exchange of Christmas cards. Yesterday, Julie & Andrew revisited Bowood, the place where their initial meeting occurred, to witness the remarkable changes that have made Bowood where is it now.
The reunion between Lord and Lady Lansdowne and the joyful couple, Julie and Andrew, was a heartwarming experience, filled with delight and appreciation. We take great pleasure in sharing this heartening story, marked by themes of kindness, generosity, and friendship.
In the pictures, you can also see the newspaper clipping of the story from over the years.