Past Meetings
April 1999
Tantalising glimpses of the past were given at the Society's April meeting when members spoke about some Cuddington houses.
Stephen Turner's talk on The Old Malt House stirred imaginations with thoughts of maltsers men heaving sacks up the old stone steps, while, with his mention of the adjacent Skittles Green, we could picture those same workers relaxing after their labours.
In referring to Wellfield House, originally Clapton House, Peggy Cattell dwelt mainly on the personality of its builder George Green. He left Cuddington for London as an impecunious carpenter and returned in 1884, not only as a devout teetotaller as the result of an encounter with the Salvation Army, but also as a wealthy and successful builder. Perhaps significantly he chose to build his fine Cuddington house just opposite the hovel in the Crown Inn's yard where he had been brought up.
Thanks to Grace Watson's vivid memories Roger Frazer was able to give many details of Vulcan House as it was in its early days. It too was built by George Green in the early 1890's and had a large hall on the first floor with a rostrum at one end and was lit by three hanging brass lamps, very much admired by Grace. Called The Temperance Hall by Green this room was the meeting place for innumerable village groups including the Parish Council and it was here that the Robin Hood Band held their practices. Vulcan House was the home of Grace and her family for a great many years
This old and faded photograph shows Grace at the age of three sitting on the steps and also the window of the shop, kept by Grace's grandmother and then taken over by her mother.
Following his family get together on Saturday, 15th May, Richard Boddington very kindly brought his fascinating collection of memorabilia to the Society's meeting on June 1st. Members were particularly interested to see photographs of Cuddington Mill as it used to be and of Cuddington Windmill, also owned by the family, which unfortunately was demolished in the 1920's.
Innumerable old picture postcards of Cuddington and neighbouring villages were also shown by Richard and his cousin. Robin Potter, both of whom are avid collectors. It was a pleasure to have members of surely the oldest of Cuddington families at this meeting.
At the meeting on June. 29th Peter Wenham spoke about Cuddington as it was 100 years ago. He had found out from the 1891 Census that compared with our present day population of approximately 550 there were then 443 people living in the village and of the men 50 were farm labourers. Instead of the present 225 or so houses there were then only 110 and most of these were rented. Peter said it was only the better off people who had oil lamps in their houses, otherwise candles or hurricane lamps were used.
Cuddington was then very much a self-contained village with its three tailors and a dressmaker, two milkmen and two butchers, as well as at least three village shops and a post office. The coffin maker plied his trade in Frog Lane and there was a builder, two shoe makers and two carters who would carry people as well as goods into Aylesbury or Thame.
This was a time when there were six pubs in Cuddington and Peter spoke of the dominoes and shove halfpenny which were played there. Fishing in the River Thame was another very popular pastime. These as well as many other details were given by Peter and some of his very appreciative audience were able to confirm from their own memories that some things had hardly changed in the 1920's when they were young. We look forward to having another talk from Peter in the future.
October 1999
Society members who did not attend the September meeting missed a real treat when Peggy Cattell and Jane Lowe entertained members with talks on two buildings in the village. Peggy's topic was the Bernard Hall and Jane talked about her house, The Cottage, in Frog Lane.
Peggy's talk on the Village Hall was the result of detailed research and she gave us much information about the beginnings of the hall and the running of it. Of particular interest were the details she gave of the uses of the hall during war time from the first day when the evacuees arrived there ,and on to its occupation in 1942 by the Air Force, who at one time started to build a wall across the centre of the building. Fortunately before it was completed orders were given that it had to be taken down. Peggy also explained why our twentieth century hall easily passes for a Tudor building. The man responsible for this, the architect, Philip Tilden, will be the subject of an article in a future issue of Village Voice.
Jane's talk about her cottage was hilarious and her transformation of an old original village dwelling dating back to the eighteenth century, and very probably beyond, is a lesson in good taste and careful restoration.
March 2000
A most enjoyable evening was spent by 30 members of the society on 29th February when Mr. Nigel Viney spoke on the Rothschilds and their Buckinghamshire houses. His relaxed and often amusing manner enabled members to take in with great interest the mass of information they were given.
Mr. Viney referred to the difficult early days of the Rothschild family in the Jewish ghetto in Frankfurt, and then told how Nathaniel, a very astute business man, came over to Manchester in 1798. He and his brothers set up in different parts of Europe, what, Mr. Viney said, could be called the first multinational business. Even Napoleon's attempts to cut England off from the rest of Europe were thwarted by this family.
The English branch of this family business soon moved from Manchester to London, and the first move to our part of the country was made when some of the family rented land near Tring in order to indulge in horse riding and stag hunting (activities considered to be the best way in those days of becoming accepted by Society).
By this time the Great Midland Railway had been built, making journeys to and from London comparatively easy, and so one after another the members of this very affluent and closely knit family moved into Buckinghamshire or the nearby parts of Hertfordshire to build their magnificent houses. Mr Viney showed photographs of these houses, eight in all, of which two - Eythrop House and Askett House -- are still lived in by members of the Rothschild family. Of these, Askett, a National Trust property, and therefore open to the public, was recommended by Mr. Viney as being very worthwhile visiting with its fine paintings and interesting gardens. Another National Trust property is our nearby Waddesdon Manor, the most elaborate of all, built in the style of a large French chateau. Another house of particular interest to members was Halton House, visited by the Society in the Autumn of last year, and, as Mr. Viney suggested, probably built in sight of Waddesdon to show that its owner was not the only one to have a superb mansion.
June 2000
"Ellesborough Church and Chequers Throughout 700 Years" was the subject of the Society's May meeting. While researching on the history of the Church some 20 years ago, our speaker, Mr. Line, had realised how closely linked the church was to Chequers. He was then granted the privilege of examining documents in Chequers itself and the result of these investigations provided fascinating items of information.
Mr. Line told us that the name Chequers first appeared in the twelfth century when the house's owner, who was an official of the Court of the Exchequer, changed his name to de Chekers after the chequer board he had to set up on which all the accounting was done. His house was then known as Chequers Court and it was only in the beginning of the twentieth century that the word Court was left out.
The Hawtrey family took over ownership in the thirteenth century and remained at Chequers for over three hundred years. A William Hawtrey inherited the estate in the sixteenth century and it was he who undertook an extensive rebuilding project, providing much of the house as it is to-day. Mr. Line pointed out that this Tudor building was in fact built on the ground plan of a very much earlier house - the house no doubt in which the twelfth century de Chekers had lived. The building was around a large inner courtyard.
Pseudo-Gothic alterations were made in the nineteenth century, but fortunately these were done away with by Arthur Lee who obtained a life tenancy in 1909 and then managed to buy the estate in 1917. The tasteful alterations and the magnificent furnishings and paintings are all due to this man and his wealthy American wife. Something more important is also due to this couple as they decided to give the Chequers estate to the nation to provide a country house for Prime Ministers in perpetuity.
Mr. Line told us a story of what might have been. In the 1830's the then owner put the house up for sale and Benjamin Disraeli was very keen to buy it. If he had been able to find the £40,000 - £50,000 being asked (an extensive sum in those days) Chequers would have become the home of only one Prime Minister not the right of each one, and no doubt after Disraeli's death it would have been taken over by the National Trust as Hughendon Manor was. This would have meant that we could all have seen the inside of Chequers, but it would not have been the beautiful house it is now, and Prime Ministers from the last century onwards would not have had such a beautiful and peaceful retreat to delight in. A delight which our Chairman saw for himself when, in his BBC days, he interviewed Harold Wilson, playing host in the magnificent Great Hall which had earlier been constructed over the original inner courtyard.
The history of the church dating from the fifteenth century, with only the font a reminder of the original Norman building, was also given to us by Mr. Line. His offer of a conducted tour round this church, which for security reasons is closed to the general public, is one that the Society will take up with pleasure later in the year.
July/August 2000
On one of the few fine days this summer, several members of the History Society along with a few guests visited Claydon House, home of the Vemey family. Following a guided tour of the ground floor and viewing the magnificent mahogany staircase, individuals were then free to explore the upper part of the house at leisure. Rooms on this floor included the Gothic and Chinese rooms, and the one used by Florence Nightingale on her frequent visits to the house.
The Church of All Saints, on a small hillock in the grounds, had many interesting memorials, amongst them one to Sir Edmund Verney who was killed at the Battle of Edgehill in 1642
All enjoyed the views of the surrounding countryside, which had changed little over two hundred years, and the recently refurbished and re-located tea rooms provided welcome refreshments.
The Trust's money comes from the renting of this land by an auction held each March at Thame Cattle Market. Mr John Gibson of Dadbrook Farm rents the land this year, as he has done for many previous years.
Some years ago the terms of the Trust were broadened to include any young person resident in Cuddington going on to further education or training, and help has been given with the buying of books, a musical instrument, tools for practical training etc. etc.
Any such young person living in Cuddington who would like to be considered for this financial help should apply in writing to Ted Ferris, Beam Cottage,
October 2000
“Memories of the early part of the war” was the theme of the talk given by Mr. Peter Wenham at the History Society meeting on Tuesday September 19th.
Life in Cuddington in 1940, as remembered by a then 10 year old boy, was of particular interest. Memories of how Cuddington Home Guard had to make do with primitive weapons with which to defend us until they were issued with rifles. Of the trunks of elm trees put at the roadside of the three main entrances to the village ready to swing across should the enemy invade us. Of the blackout and Air Raid Wardens. How on duty First Aiders had to meet at Tyringham Hall when the air raid siren went and then had to wait for the "all clear". Fortunately they were never needed.
Memories of the young evacuees who came in two
After the meeting closed and Mr. Wenham had been thanked, other people's memories came flooding back of those wartime days.
December/January 2000/2001
Cuddington along with Haddenham, Chearsley, Long Crendon and Nether Winchendon is known as a "witchert" village because it is only in this small area of Buckinghamshire that the white clay known as witchert was found. The word "witchert" is probably a corruption of "white earth", and the stiff white clay-like substance is associated geologically with the Upper Portland Limestone which sometimes can be found within a foot or so of the surface in our Cuddington gardens.
Throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries not only walls and cottages, but larger houses as well were made of witchert, and its use even continued up to the twentieth century, for in 1928 Bridgeway House had this material used in its construction.
The making of a witchert wall was a very skilled and messy business, involving very careful mixing of wet clay with small pieces of chopped straw. This mixture was placed on a foundation of limestone or brick, a height of not more than two feet being put on at a time and then when it had dried out further layers were added. In this way it was possible to reach a height of over twenty feet. Stability was achieved by building walls of up to two feet at the base, tapering to perhaps one foot thick at the second floor.
The foundation was essential to keep the witchert from the damp ground, for although it is a very strong and long enduring substance this is only true if damp does not get into it, and for this reason the top of a wall was also covered -originally with a thatch and then by the tiles we see on the walls around our village to-day.
We are fortunate in this village to have so many of these lovely old cottages, many of them still thatched, and also we have enough of the old witchert walls to remind us of the past. Frog Lane, Great Stone and Upper Church Street, to name but three places, have examples of these unique relics, relics which we can all enjoy and which we must do all we can to preserve.
The Great Train Robbery
March 2001
1963 seems a long time ago, but the History Society's February speaker brought that year's "Crime of the Century" very vividly to everyone's mind.
As the young village policeman in Brill, John WooIley had been sent along with a sergeant to investigate a report of suspicious happenings in Leatherslade Farmhouse. He was the first person to enter what was then seen to have been the hideout of the robbers for the few days following their crime. It was here that the fingerprints were later discovered which served to convict all but one of them at the following year's trial in Aylesbury.
Mr. Woolley's description of finding the mail bags from which the money had been taken was enthralling, as was his account of all the subsequent happenings. Not only were we listening to a first hand account, but one given by a man whose ability to put over a story in a vivid and dramatic way could be said to be second to none. In all this was an absorbing evening enjoyed by everyone.
June 2002
Members of Cuddington History Society relished the opportunity to hear the history, and to experience the grandeur of Hartwell House on their visit on the evening of April 30th.
Jonathan Thompson, the Hartwell House manager, gave a relaxed but informative tour of the house and grounds. The history of the Hartwell estate stretches back for almost a thousand years, but the last two hundred years have been of particular interest. Some highlights of the different uses to which the house and grounds have been put may be briefly noted.
One of the most famous tenants was Louis XV111, the exiled King of France, who kept his court at Hartwell House from 1809 to 1814.
When Dr. John Lee, a teetotaller and amateur scientist, lived in the house from 1829 to 1866, it became renowned as a centre for temperance and for its astronomic observatory.
During World War 11 the house and estate became a billet and training ground for British and American troops.
Later from 1956 to 1983 it was put to more peaceful purposes as a finishing school for young ladies.
Following this, a thorough restoration of the house and grounds was undertaken by Historic House Hotels and Hartwell began a new chapter as a luxurious hotel in 1989.
Local Historian Remembered
August/September 2002
Over 30 members enjoyed an illustrated lecture by Roger Betteridge of the Centre for Bucks Studies on the famous early nineteenth century historian of Buckinghamshire - George Lipscomb.
Our speaker had a deep knowledge of, and rapport with, his subject. George Lipscomb lived in Quainton as a boy and attended Aylesbury Grammar School. Taught by his father, he became a successful doctor in the Midlands. However, the young George had ambitions to be a writer. He began by producing accounts of his medical work and by writing campaigning tracts on social issues. Later he turned his pen to preparing tourist guides and even wrote somewhat complex and impenetrable novels.
Later, and especially after his retirement, Lipscomb concentrated his literary efforts on what interested him most collecting and evaluating historical papers and writing a masterly and massive four volume history of his county. This is his great legacy and it is sad to record that Lipscomb lived in straightened circumstances in London during his last years and died before the final volume of his history was published. Anyone interested in what Lipscomb said about Cuddington can find his history in the Centre for Bucks Studies in Aylesbury.
November 2002
A most fascinating day was enjoyed by members and guests when they forsook the Playing Fields Club for their October meeting and visited Bletchley Park. Bletchley Park, or Station X, was the secret home of World War II code breakers and of the world's first computer. The German cypher machine, ENIGMA, was studied there and methods were devised to break the enemy code, thus providing vital information which saved many lives and helped to shorten the war. The museum housed many interesting exhibits, and for those who had lived through the war, and for one member in particular who had worked at Bletchley, the day brought back many memories.
Bletchley Park was saved from demolition due to the perseverance of those who wished to preserve the manor and the site as part of the nation's history. It is now administered by the Bletchley Park Trust, whose staff receive visitors in a most cordial manner.
For further information ENIGMA visit: www.kemble.org.uk/enigma
Civil war in Buckinghamshire
November 2004
In spite of a wealth of detail the talk given by a member of the Aylesbury Museum staff did not provide members of Cuddington's History Society with the answer to the question they so wanted to have answered: What was happening in this village during these wars? However Alexandra McCullough built up for us a vivid picture of the surrounding neighbourhood with its conflicting loyalties: Boarstall Tower held by the Royalists, Aylesbury for many years a garrison town for Cromwell's Army, and Oxford the headquarters for the King while around Stoke Mandeville, the estate of John Hampden, there was loyalty to the Roundheads, as there must have been at Dinton, the home of Simon Maine, one of the signatories on the King's death warrant.
We also heard how these conflicting loyalties were at the very heart of family life: the Verney family of Claydon House being a particular example with Sir Edmund Verney, dying at the Battle of Edge Hill whilst attempting to protect the King's Standard, having two sons who had given their allegiance to Cromwell.
Alexandra also made clear for us the terrible conditions confronting ordinary people with how, for example, having their town used as a garrison meant that the people of Aylesbury had to put up with grave shortages and great damage to their property.
What perhaps was even more interesting for us than the events during the war was the attitude in Buckinghamshire towards the king before hostilities broke out. Alexandra described for us in detail at the beginning of her talk how Buckinghamshire, led by John Hampden and others, was determined not to accept the king's dictatorial demands. They wanted justice and were not afraid to speak up for it. Cuddington, as well as the rest of Buckinghamshire, should feel proud of such ancestors.
We still don't know what happened to the people of Cuddington during the war but, no doubt, here as elsewhere horses were taken off to be used by one or other of the armies and there must have been conflicts of loyalty. But however much our ancestors might have laid low, as we were told the family at Nether Winchendon probably did, it is likely that armies and skirmishes did come close to Cuddington or why do we have a King's Cross, a Cannon Hill and a Barrack Hill? Perhaps one of these days a scholar will find documents to answer our questions.
The Significance of Sulgrave
Sulgrave Manor, near Banbury in Northamptonshire, played a key role in world history. A former director of the Manor, Martin Sirot-Smith, explained this crucial role in an enthralling and authoritative talk to Cuddington History Society at the February meeting.
Henry VIII sold the Manor in 1539 to Laurence Washington, a successful wool merchant. He built the house we see to-day and his descendants lived there for the next 120 years. However in 1656 Colonel John Washington, who had fought for King Charles in the Civil War, left England to avoid Cromwell's vengeance and settled in Virginia where he became a tobacco planter. John's great grandson, born in 1732, was the George Washington who led the American colonists against Britain in the War of Independence. He became the first President of the United States of America in 1783, and the American flag, consisting of stars and stripes, is based on the Washington Family's coat of arms.
In 1913 the Anglo-American Peace Committee decided to celebrate one hundred years of good relations between the two countries by renovating and restoring the tumbledown Washington family home at Sulgrave. In 1921 the house was formally opened and donated to the peoples of the two countries and held in joint sovereignty.
Mr. Sirot-Smith illustrated his talk with slides showing portraits of the Washington family, Sulgrave village and the manor house. He showed how visitor facilities and activities have developed during the last decade.
Cuddington Remembers Nelson
The following accounts show how the History Society has given good coverage to this national hero, and then on Saturday, 22nd, a day after the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, the bells rang out from Cuddington's Church Tower as their acknowledgment of this national celebration.
Nelson's Seamen
Over forty members of the History Society enjoyed a superbly researched presentation by Derek Ayshford on the men who sailed with Nelson at Trafalgar in October 1805.
Many interesting facets of life aboard ship emerged. Most seamen were volunteers rather than pressed into service by press gangs. The food aboard ships of the Royal Navy was probably superior to the diet of the poorer people on land. Many boys served in the navy - some as young as eight years old. There were also a large number of Irishmen aboard ship. The British seaman was well trained - especially in gunnery and the officers rose by experience and by naval examination rather than by purchasing commissions, as was largely the case in the British army. The charismatic leadership of Admiral Nelson engendered high morale in his men and officers.
Casualties were high at Trafalgar, but the French and Spanish losses were far greater. The most common injuries were caused by flying wooden splinters, which often resulted in wounds which became infected. Scurvy, the scourge of sailors, had largely been eradicated by improved diet - for example lime juice in the sailors' daily allocation of grog.
Derek added a local perspective: 48 men from Buckinghamshire fought at Trafalgar and the seaman who lived nearest Cuddington was Marine Cherry from Ashendon.
Admiral Nelson Remembered
Forty three members and guests of Cuddington History Society were held spellbound as Jaap Schram de Jong wove the Nelson magic at the October meeting. The story of the Admiral's life was told meticulously and comprehensively. His gifts as a great leader were identified - his absolute personal courage, his mastery of naval tactics, his attention to detailed planning, his capacity to inspire his officers and men and, above all, his willingness to take risks.
He had faults - he could be vain and self-centred, his liaison with Emma Hamilton alienated some of his contemporaries and he sometimes disobeyed orders from superiors. However these were far outweighed by his charisma, his love for his country and his precious ability to be a winner at sea.
After Jaap had been warmly thanked for his presentation, Charles Riley introduced his collection of Nelson medals and these were displayed.
Reminiscences of World War 2
The AGM of Cuddington History Society was held in the Clubhouse on Tuesday 24 January.
September 2006 Visit to
Over twenty members of Cuddington History Society enjoyed a visit to William Morris’ home,
A video showed his rags to riches story. He was born in 1877 and left school at 15. He started his own business at his home in
An Historic House
December 2006
Members of two local groups – the Gardening Club and the History Society – combined on the evening of 28th November to hear a talk on the history of Hatfield House and the gardens. Our speaker, Richard Cross, illustrated his talk with slides. Hatfield House was shown as a treasure house of history well; as being the family home of the Cecil family. It was in the grounds of Hatfield House that the young Elizabeth Tudor heard hat she was to become Queen. Robert Cecil became her shrewd and trusted advisor and founded the family fortunes. John Tredescant, the family’s gardener, was despatched to Europe and the
Wartime Wireless
David Howe gave a nostalgic presentation to the History Society’s April meeting. Memories were stirred by Winston Churchill speeches, Vera Lynn’s rendition of ‘White Cliffs of Dover’, “Lord Haw-Haw’s” propaganda broadcasts from Germany and entertaining programmes like I.T.M.A. and others starring music hall artistes.
The role played by Lord Reith and the BBC and the British brand of humour during the war were discussed.
June 2006
The Glenn Miller Mystery Revealed
Tony Eaton gave an enthralling account of the life and strange disappearance of the American Dance Band leader.
He showed in a most compelling way that Major Miller did not die in an aeroplane accident over the English Channel in December 1944, but met his fate in a fight between General Eisenhower’s bodyguards and a Nazi death squad in Paris. The evidence for this conclusion lies partly in the recently revealed archives in Moscow, which were removed from Germany at the end of World War II. However, it was only by attending Tony’s talk that one could reconstruct this event in detail and appreciate why the official version of Glenn Miller’s death has been brought into question!
