Brothers looking for a new home for model of Hardwick Hall made by their uncle who lived in Chesterfield

Stuart and Don Kellam are looking for a home for the wooden model of Hardwick Hall that their uncle Norman Jenkinson made during the 1960s.

Norman and his wife Florence lived at Brearley Avenue, New Whittington for around half a century. He was a higher executive officer working for the Ministry of Pensions and president of the Chesterfield Photographic Society. Florence loved painting and was president of Chesterfield Art Club.

The creative couple entrusted their prized models and artwork to their nephews when they were no longer able to care for themselves in their own home.

Stuart, 75, who lives in Woodseats, Sheffield said: "I think they were proud of what they had done. I have a painting of Chesterfield done by my auntie that they had in a prominent place above the fireplace in their house. I've got it on a wall above my harmonium in the front room."

The model of Hardwick Hall has been in Stuart's possession for around 30 years. He said: "I have no children so we’ve been looking for somewhere where it can be put on view to the public."

Don, 78, who lives in Maltby, said: "I wrote to the National Trust and said we've got this model of Hardwick Hall but I didn't get much response from it. My brother and I decided to take it to Hardwick Hall last year but they didn't seem interested. I finished up writing to the chief exective to say that we'd got this model and we were disappointed that no-one was interested...and we got nowhere with that.

"My thoughts are that if the National Trust don't want it, perhaps Chatsworth House might because Chatsworth House and Hardwick Hall both belonged to the Dukes of Devonshire."

A spokesperson or the National Trust told the Derbyshire TImes: “We acknowledged and thanked Mr Kellam at the time of their very generous offer of the scale model of Hardwick. Unfortunately, we had to decline the offer as Hardwick’s current collection consists almost exclusively of items with strong connections to the family or the house itself at Hardwick. The scale model does not fit the collecting policy as future donations will be limited to the acquisition of items known to have left Hardwick.”

Stuart said: "We're looking for somewhere where it can be on view to the public. We don't want it going into the vaults. If no suitable home could be found for the model, I suppose it would go to auction together with the rest of my goods and chattels.”

Their uncle also made a model of Derwent Hall which Don looked after until 2015 and is now housed at Losehill Hall in Castleton. Stuart said: "My uncle was a big walker and used to stay in the YHA house before the valley was flooded and he thought he'd make a model of that to remember it by."

If you can offer the model of Hardwick Hall a fitting home where it can be on display to the public, contact Stuart on 07760472531.