Christmas in Siberia, 1901

John Talbot Clifton, Lytham Hall squire, was quite the traveller and in 1901 he even made it as far as Siberia. There is a photograph we’d like to share with you which is in keeping with the season, with a real reindeer pulled sled! The photograph doesn’t show any red noses, so we can’t be sure if Rudolph is among the reindeer and we are sure John Talbot Clifton was no Santa Claus.

Here’s his diary entry for Christmas Day:

“Gave a dinner I should think the most original of its kind ever given in Siberia … the first course was bear soup from the bear I had shot followed by the sheep I shot in the mountains & which had fallen over a precipice 900ft then a young capercaillie I brought from Virkiansk followed by a pudding which was ordered as plum pudding it turned out to be very good but no more like plum pudding than beer is, we drank vodka, cognac & champagne it was a great success. About 1 am everyone left. Last night I hung my stocking up.”

Please note we are not open between Christmas and New Year. We would like to wish all readers a happy festive season and thank you so much for your support this year. We hope to see you again in the New Year when exciting developments are planned for Lytham Hall.