Litchfield 1938 - 1946

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Litchfield Manor during the war. Herry's bedroom was on the near corner. The window was broken by a bomb just after he was born.

Having completed his pupilage with Percy Bragg at Headbourne Worthy, Patrick was offered the Litchfield Estate by the then owner, Carey Druce (who lived in Switzerland as well as at The Mount, Whitchurch). He came there in 1938 and married Catherine Stephenson in 1940. She died in December 1941. Patrick married Annette Luxmoore nee Pugh (who was living with her mother, Lady Herbert and step-father, Sir Alfred Herbert, at the neighbouring estate of Dunley) in 1944. Herry was born at Litchfield Manor in 1945 and christened at Litchfield Church that September.
Herry's Christening at Litchfield September 1945. Annette (holding Herry), Patrick, Jane Lawford (Patrick's mother), Percy Bragg, Constance Travers (Herry's godmother), Gill Luxmoore 

It was at Litchfield that Patrick became a fine horseman and shot. Charles Carey Druce gave him a pair of Holland & Holland Royals. His shooting book, which he kept for over 50 years, begins with entries here in 1943.

The Litchfield Estate was sold in June 1945 on the death of Charles Carey Druce to the Wills family.
In 1946, the family moved for a few months to Wadwick (owned by Sir Alfred Herbert) and thence to Danegate at Eridge where Patrick managed the Abergavenny Estate, before buying his own farm at Meonstoke, Stocks.

Litchfield has long played a large part in the lives of the family and the little church of St James the Less has been the family church.

Click on the heading to see more photos of Litchfield in those (wartime) days.

Click here for the memories of Benn Goulding's sister (her grandfather was the vicar, O'Rourke) of Litchfield Manor c.1938+

Return to Archive Index
Return to Patrick Lawford 1914 - 2002
Return to Annette Lawford 1911 - 1998
Return to Dunley
Return to Litchfield 1985 - present

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