Dunley 1917 - 1957
The Dunley Estate was originally part of the land belonging to the Earls of Portsmouth (the Wallop family) and was bought by my step-grandfather, Sir Alfred Herbert in 1917 and owned by him until his death in 1957. Sir Alfred married my grandmother, Nina Pugh (nee Arundel) in 1933. Her first husband (my grandfather) Lt-Col Archie Pugh , had died in 1923. My mother Annette lived at Dunley for a few years before she married Arthur Luxmoore , who was in the RAF, at St James the Less, Litchfield in 1935. She had Fairfax in July 1940. Sadly Arthur was shot down over Belgium in 1941 and my mother returned to live at Dunley with Fairfax (always known as Fuff) until she married my father, Patrick Lawford , who was then managing the neighbouring Litchfield Estate for Charles Carey Druce, in 1944. It was at Dunley that 'Step' pursued his favourite recreations - shooting and fishing . He was a fine shot and had as friends and guests some of the best shots in the country. My ...