Letter dated 24th March 1976 on Harrowby MSS Trust headed notepaper from the Earl of Harrowby of Sandon Hall, Stafford, to Ron Sidwell, stating that his letter had come a year too late. Owing to the Capital Transfer Tax resulting in colossal financial problems, the gardens at Sandon Hall, which had been open for over 40 years, had now had to close due to insufficient staff to keep the gardens going; and the storm of 2nd January had had a devastating effect on the trees. He concludes by saying, "Of course you can come and see, but what you will see is dereliction and these beautiful gardens made so very lovely by the contribution of Providence over the lie of the land with its different contours, added to by the dedication and ingenuity of past generations and by past Head Gardeners, and now it is all over and one only has photographs to remind one - the whole things fits like a glove."
The letter-writer was 83-year-old Dudley Ryder, 6th Earl of Harrowby (1892-1987). Sidwell presumably approached him with a view to include Sandon Hall gardens in his book of West Midland Gardens. In 2012, Sandon Hall is used as a country house venue for weddings.