AU10/31/1/7

"I am very pleased again hearing from you. Yes I have had to give up half my house to the military from the beginning of the War. They are pleasant people but not the best of tenants. In future with heavy taxation and shortage of servants I am not likely to re-furnish the requisitioned part. I always got on well with servants. Had a large staff and they stayed with me. But are now all doing war work except the Butler and Housekeeper. He has been with me about 40 years & she rather longer. they are good highly trained servants, but are getting old and rather feeble - like myself. The young men enjoyed using the animals and liked riding about on ponies, llamas, camels, donkeys, dogs & bulls. I am glad that you put that you would have liked domestic service & no doubt you would have shone at it and I wish you had been with me. I expect you would enjoy riding - it is good exercise - and a pleasant way of seeing the country. I used to stay about in Private Houses a good deal & generally found superior old servants who seemed part of the Family. I think the objection to service was not being able to be out all & every night. We did things very smartly here & many guests stayed with me. I fear many large houses will have to close down but some may be started as Museums or colleges. Of course one must have training, one sees many advertisements for servants but very few wanting places, they are now all serving in the forces. I knew the late Lord Carlisle. I was brought here when I was two years old. My father died about the time and my mother bought and added to the place and estate. Children generally enjoy snow. Winter is well enough if you have plenty of fuel, clothes and food. I hope I may see you but the days are short still & travelling is bad. I think there will be a great future in Service if you could get trained".

25 Jan 1945

From: 1945 To: 1945

item

Wingfield, Anthony Henry,
Matthews, Sidney H.,
Carlisle, George James Howard, 9th Earl of

servants, taxation, requisitioning, butler, housekeeper, cattle, llamas, donkeys, camels, dogs, deaths, weather, Ampthill House