Hotel staff recreate old photo to mark anniversary

Buy photos » Today's staff have re-created the original picture.

A HUNDRED years is a long time in the life of a country house but a century after this picture was taken life and work carry on.

Staff at The Dormy House Hotel in Broadway had always wondered about the people in the old sepia photograph hanging on the wall of their brasserie.

So general manager David Field decided to stage a re-creation on the front steps of his luxury four-star hotel to mark the photo’s 100th anniversary.

Research revealed that the picture featured the Cotterells, a family of farmers who once lived in the beautiful 17th century Willersey Hill farmhouse.

Frank and Edith Cotterell raised 13 children here: pictures show them relaxing in the garden, setting off on shooting parties and hosting students on vacation from nearby Oxford University. Some of these became famous names - one regular visitor was Axel Munthe, the Swedish scientist who worked with Louis Pasteur on a cure for rabies.

After a spell as a B&B, The Dormy was bought by the Sørensen family in 1977. It was remodelled as a hotel and is still owned and cherished by the same family 35 years later.

Between them, the members of staff pictured on the steps have clocked up 112 years of service.

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