Beginnings

This is the advertisement that got us started. While looking for a new place to live L. had the idea of buying a copy of 'The Lady'. This is a magazine that I used to deliver to one person on my paper-round many years before. A magazine renowned for its classified advertisements in which the upper-class look for their servants.



Against my better judgment L. scribbled a reply, and thought we might get a quick reply. She was right. Within a couple of days a certain Elizabeth Macloud Mathews was phoning to see if we would like to come and look round. Already on the way back to the airport on our way to Holland when she called we managed to squeeze in a 5 minute visit.

Our first impression was 'wow'. We'd had our copy of Pevsner open on the way down and had been reading some of the history which was impressive. I mentioned this to Elizabeth while we were there, and she said 'he was a lovely man, he came here for a whole day, and we had tea together'.

In spite of this, we thought the place was a little cold and old, not quite the luxury we had imagined. It was also a long way from Milton Keynes where I'd be working most days. On our flight back we decided on 'no'. We'd stick with the house we'd already found; a town house in the middle of Buckingham.