My Great West Way Meet the innovators and forward thinkers
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tep into the captivating world of Blenheim Palace through the eyes of Antonia Keaney, the estate's dedicated Social Historian. In this exclusive interview, Antonia shares a unique perspective on life and work along the Great West Way. From uncovering hidden stories of past residents and evacuees to developing engaging podcasts and interactive guides, her role is as diverse as it is fascinating. Antonia's passion for history shines through as she recounts her journey, detailing the unexpected turns and delightful discoveries that come with delving into Blenheim’s rich heritage.
12 Discover Our Way
Please tell us a little more about your role as the Social Historian at Blenheim Palace? My initial task was to find and interview people with a past connection to Blenheim Palace; this tended to be former employees, evacuees and family members for the most part. Some of the most fascinating interviews have been with the Malvern Old Boys, who were evacuated here during World II, and with Lady Rosemary Muir, sister of the late 11th Duke. As well as living at Blenheim during her early life, she was a Maid of Honour at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and also present at the funeral of Winston Churchill – two of the most significant events of the latter part of the 20th century. What you love most about your job? I love the fact that no two days are ever the same. Covid had a great effect on my role at Blenheim – we were closed to the public in 2020, but were very keen to keep in touch with people. To this end, we developed a series of webinars and lectures – we have kept this up and now have a collection of Blenheim related podcasts that cover a vast array of subjects.
What achievements are you most proud of? Many – but I derived a particular satisfaction in being able to help Lady Rosemary to be reunited with her long lost Maid of Honour dress! What’s a typical day like for you? There is no typical day – at the moment, I’m working on the new visitor guide but alongside that, I’m in the throes of interviewing the team who is running the roof project. That will then need to be edited before making it available to the public. What do you find inspiring day-today? I just love learning about the people who have lived in the Palace and who have walked its corridors. There’s always a new fact to be discovered and more to learn. Only today, I heard that there will be 31 miles of scaffolding for the roof project – and it will take around six months to erect. No wonder the Palace took 28 years to build! Any interesting or funny anecdotes related to your role or your experiences with visitors that you can share?
