Reference
X291/194
Title
Transcript of letters from Sir Anthony H.Wingfield, Ampthill House to Miss Mary S.F. George.
Date free text
Oct 1944 - Jan 1949
Production date
From: 1944 To: 1949
Scope and Content
'I write to say that Foulislea was bought in the latter part of the last century by my mother from some people named Chapman. Mr Chapman was a Solicitor. We let the place to Captain Delves Broughton ............ then we lent it to my Cousins the Miss Wingfields, who later bought Dynever House. ............ After the former War, I let the United Service Association have it for a peppercorn rent ............we let it for a while to a retired Clergyman named Hamilton, who died there. He had been Rector of Ridgmont.' 30 Oct 1944. 'There were at one time three Chapman brothers living here ............... Captain Broughton's sister married the great Admiral Lord Fisher. The Hamiltons lived some time at Foulislea ................. I don't think the stairs at Foulis-lea can have been moved from Houghton House, though I have heard it said, but Foulislea must have been standing before the destruction of Houghton House - possibly it came from the Conquests. I don't think that Houghton House was a Manor. I am Lord of the Manor in which it stood. I think it was then called Dame Ellens' bury Manor. The Duke of Bedford gave it to me. The house was called Foulislea in memory of my Uncle and Guardian Sir Henry Foulis who had recently died when we bought it .........' 1 Nov 1944. 'I knew the parents of Henry & Samuel Swaffield - they lived at Ampthill Park at the Home farm - later turned into the Stables & Garage' 29 Nov 1944 'The Ossorys, and Hollands and probably the Ashburnhams had a pew that they entered by a staircase outside ......... There was a table prie in the centre & chairs round it (with Holland arms) which I have seen at Ampthill Park. It is correct that the new Henry V was filmed at Pewerscourt. I had a pair of Cheetahs and one of my keepers lived in Foulislea ...................The man was a very capable trainer and afterwards started a lion farm in California. He was French - of the name of Gay.' 7 Dec 1944 'I doubt if the Ailesburys attended Ampthill Church. Their mauseleum is in Maulden Church yard and they were Jacobites ..............Lord Ossory's sons and two elder daughters were born before Wedlock and were Christened as Lady Anne & Lady Gertrude. The third, who married Ld Vivian, was legitimate but not the sons - the elder was made Lord Castletonn of Upper Ossory...' 14 Dec 1944 'Once the House now called Dynever House was called Pauncefort Lodge & belonged to my Maturnal (sic) relations the Pauncefort-Duncombes & I saw in the Duncombe Family Bible that they brought down the body of a baby son from a Church in London and re-buried it in Ampthill Church. I have been looking at the picture of the Nichols' House which Mr Morris pulled down to build this..........' 20 Dec 1944 'Talk of Suffolk Wingfields.......................' 10 Apr 1945 ... 'I expect the statements are all correct - your researches are wonderful ...... I was born on September 8th 1857.' 19 Apr 1945 ' I am nearly right again from my fall ...... I am getting very blind' 29 Jun 1945 'I much appreciate your kind sympathy and your kind thought in writing and in what you say about my dear Son - the loss to me is terrible- I thankful that he has left some children.' 21 May 1946
Level of description
item