Alas, I have no answer to your query, Neil -- but will be interested to see any replies. This is peripheral to your research, but my mother and her brother (Elizabeth and Jack ADAMS, still living) grew up at Hill Farm, Addington, where their ADAMS ancestors had lived for many years. In his unpublished memoir, called "To Be a Farmer's Boy", Jack has this to say (speaking of a period around the early 1920s), "Addington may have only been a hamlet but the social distinctions were as clearly marked as if it had been court circles. The aristocracy was represented by Lord and Lady ADDINGTON, who at one time lived in the Manor House, but his Lordship lost the family fortunes in Russian oil or something about the time of the first world war and they had to retire to a modest little house of about eight bedrooms. Their daughter, the Hon. Ruth HUBBARD, used to stride around in tweeds bawling at the peasants and doing good works wherever she could. You could hear her voice from miles away, but I am sure she was a good and kindly soul in that rather patronising way that existed in those days. After the aristocracy came the SMYTH-BINGHAMs. He was a stockbroker and represented the new elite of the time. ........ I suppose the parson came next in the social league table, followed by the yeoman farmers (us), after which the rot set in with governesses, nannies, housekeepers, maids and farm labourers. Oddly enough the class distinction manifested itself in the very place where all were [supposedly] equal ..... the church. The pews were not actually reserved but for generations certain rules had to be observed. Lord and Lady ADDINGTON and family sat in the front pew just beneath the pulpit. Behind them came the SMYTH-BINGHAMs; the next pew was relatives and friends of the Reverend [incidentally, this was Sir Laurence Olivier's father], and then our own pew and so on. It was unthinkable that anyone should not take their place in the order of things, and certainly nobody ever questioned this established order. Church to me was something that had to be endured. The sermon seemed to be interminable and the only excitement was when my father, looking suitably solemn, performed his duties as a sidesman by taking round the purple velvet collecting bag, starting with the front pew where the Lord and Lady of the Manor modestly put in their half-crowns or whatever, followed by the SMYTH-BINGHAMs who put in their pound notes and made sure they were left sticking out of the top, followed by the ADAMS who had thoughts of seeing what they could take out without getting caught. " ....................................................... It's not clear to me from this who actually lived in the Manor at this time (perhaps the SMYTH-BINGHAMS?), but I think it gives a nice snapshot of the social structure in a small place such as Addington. Anne Treadwell, Kitchener, Ontario -----Original Message----- From: Neil Rees [mailto:neilrees@studge.freeserve.co.uk] Sent: Friday, November 05, 2004 6:56 AM To: BUCKS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Addington House, Bucks It's a bit of long shot, but... Does anyone know much about Addington House (now called Addington Manor), Addington near Winslow, Bucks and its use during the second world war by Czechoslovak Military Intelligence? Neil Rees Chesham, Bucks ______________________________